"Earn A Buck" program for Iowa? Good or Bad?

[180bc]

I have been seeing some discussion about this topic scattered through the posts. I hunted Buffalo Co. Wi this year. We only had a three day hunt, and were required to kill a doe before we could buck hunt. I never got the doe killed (missed one) but had bucks all over me every day, including one that would have scored in the mid 170's for an hour. I didnt mind leaving without a deer. We were doing deer management as I feel it must be done. As a N.R. landowner in Ia. I would be happy to participate in a program like this. I think it will be necessary to keep the herd healthy. What do you folks think? Am I nuts????

180B&C

 

[Shredder]

For a couple of years in select areas of the state it would be a good idea. Statewide would be a bad idea. Even in SE iowa, there are pockets of smaller deer densities than in other areas. This is just my opinion but if someone shoots a button buck, that should count as your buck tag....like I said, just my opinion.

 

[180bc]

I agree 100%. Each area is different and should have its own requirements. You hit the nail on the head (pun intended) with the button buck idea. You CAN tell the difference if you study a deer before you shoot.
My 2 cents.
180B&C

 

[150 Class]

Not good until the herd looks ot be getting out of control. It starts by issuing antlerless tags and that only happened a few years ago (3 or 4 years now if my memory serves me right) and then it goes to issuing more antlerless tags if necessary, which also has happened. I don't think we need to force the issue with earn a buck but we may need to in the future. Right now, we have over 1/2 of the counties selling out of their antlerless tags, some in just a few days or weeks. If those counties need more does shot, just issue more tags. It's the counties that have many left over tags that might become a problem.

 

[Old Buck]

I also agree. I think there are places where the population is about right, others where it might even be a little low and some real hot spots that need a lot of doe removed. We really need laws that let hunters become the managers they need to be. I think we have made tremendous advancement with two recent developements. One is the county antlerless quota which focuses the tags in the counties that really need them and encourages hunters who want to shoot more does to go to those areas. The other is the HUSH program which gives the hunter/manager a place where large numbers of does can be put to good use.

 

[G6]

[ QUOTE ]
I have been seeing some discussion about this topic scattered through the posts. I hunted Buffalo Co. Wi this year. We only had a three day hunt, and were required to kill a doe before we could buck hunt. What do you folks think? Am I nuts????

180B&C

[/ QUOTE ]

It works and Middletown Ammuniton Plant is a good example. We have been required to shoot does since I have been in there. We have really put the hurts to the doe population in there more than they think IHO. Once this happens it can be tough hunting for a doe and many guys went home with unfilled tags for their buck AND doe. In the Plant you can enforce it, but outside there I don't know how you would enforce it without check stations. Like I said it's a good concept but it wil not happen statewide without your tags prices going up to cover costs. My suggestion would be to give the tags away for the does THEN you might have more participation. It would be an honor system but I don't think people would take tags they wouldn't try to fill.

 

[bowmaker]

I have given this earn a buck idea some thought and have decided that I am against it. It sounds pretty good on the surface but most things taken at face value don't pan out like we think. One big problem would be enforceability. Some people already have problems putting doe tags on bucks and bow tags on gun kills and lots of other bending of rules. With out the added cost and problems of check stations I can see lots of opprotunities for abuse. How many bucks would be killed and not tagged until a "baldy" could be sacrificied to gain the covetted buck tag. I know we all try to be honorable but how many here would have let the Luvsten Buck walk away because they had not filled the doe tag yet?
I also don't think that giving doe tags away free is the answer. For those who complain about $11.00 for a tag how can you justify $10.00 broadheads and $15.00 carbon shafts or $2.50 a slug or $600.00 for a new muzzle loader and $400.00 for a scope? This tag money is the only thing you spend that goes directly to the DNR. How can you even suggest doing away with it? The tag costs less than the gas to drive out to hunt.
One thing I would lke to see changed is the landowner antlerless tags. I would like these tags to be valid for any and all seasons as long as corresponding season legal weapons are used. I think this would up the doe harvest by removing some of the time restraints put on land owners by harvest, job, or family obligations. All it would do is give them a little more time to harvest the same does we all say we want harvested. I also think landowners should be able to buy antlerless tags for their dependant children for the same landowner prices. I did't mean for this to get this long just some thoughts this brought to mind.

 

[bowhunter23]

Being from WI and that being my primary hunting state for several years now I can tell you that it is not a good idea and here is why. You would have a ton of button bucks or spikes shot without a chance to get big and even if you made buttons and spikes count as bucks guys would just leave them lay in the woods once they found out what they were. Plus when you are forced to take a doe it can almost make hunting seem like work, you get so frustrated if you can't get a doe early on. I know everyone thinks they see a lot of does now and that it's not so hard to kill one, but wait till the does start getting as skittish as the big bucks once they know they are being hunted.
I could go on and on........I hunt Iowa almost every year and believe me compared to WI with the one exception being Buffalo Cty. you guys are hands down the better state for producing quality deer. I wouldn't want to change a thing.

 

[ironwood]

bowmaker, I wanted to reply to the doe tags for land owners children. If the county the land owners are in has antlerless tags available the kids may just as well buy them same as the general public. The first tag is a few more dollars but you have covered that argument, money well spent, then the additional tags are the same price as landowner tags and the kids or land owner for that matter can hunt and fill them anywhere in the county. Not being restricted to just our land to fill these tags still helps the cause and in our case we've taken plenty for one season off a small farm. It is let you decide where to take those does with out restriction to just your farm. Just my two cents worth.

 

[iowachip]

Bad idea, why dont they make a doe only in early november, or make my doe tags out there for hunters to buy,

 

[180bc]

You are right, you should be able to fill the tag anywhere in a county, otherwise, a NR landowner like me could not have any hope to control the does. We get local guys to come in on our farm every year in late season to take does. If tags were restricted to the owners land only, we couldnt do that and the population would explode.

 

[FarmlandQDM]

I think the earn a buck tag idea would overall be a good thing if we had check stations but without them I don't see how it would work. This might not be something to do on a statewide basis because of our variance in the deer population. I also see a concern for shooting button bucks but I believe this would not have a significant impact on the quality of our deer. We have a self imposed earn a buck system on our farm plus anyone that mistakenly shoots a button buck has to use their anysex tag on it. But the true test of having an "Albia Buck" type deer walk in front of one of us before our doe is shot has not occurred ... yet ... but hopefully our QDM will provide that test one day!

I do like the idea of giving resident landowners the opportunity to use antlerless tags during any season (on their own ground) and increasing the number of landowner antlerless only tags we can obtain, so I can put my money into foodplots instead of deer tags ... and because I'm a tightwad.

I have mentioned this in other post but I think a fantastic option for deer management in Iowa would be to have an antlerless only season before the any-sex shotgun seasons start. I know this would cut into the bow season, and I have also become certified bow hunting addict, but for the week or less of bow hunting we would give up, I believe we would gain a great deal more in our deer quality. This could educate some bucks and harvest some smart does. Like I've said before, think of all the shotgun hunters that hold out a day or two to start shooting does. They catch the bucks with their guards down and simply alert the does to what has begun. And yes I know there are going to be some hunters that shoot bucks and let them lay a week before they get them, but you can't make laws that prevent everyone that wants to be a criminal from becoming one, it's going to happen, but I believe the majority of the hunters ( at least 51% ) will do the "right" thing during an early antlerless-only season. Just my opinion but I think this might solve a few of the many deer management issues facing our state.



This is probably another post but maybe a non-resident rifle season the second weekend in November, selling unlimited tags for $1000 each, would be something to get the DNR out of red ink ...

just kidding