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It's Our Responsibility - At Least for Now

D

DC

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I have been trying to pound into everyone's head over the past 10 years that we as hunters, in conjunction with our State Game Departments and Biologists, absolutely must harvest more does in order to manage the exploding whitetail deer populations or we will lose that management responsibility.

There is a very factual, straight forward, front page article in the December 1 Wall Street Journal that addresses many ecological issues as well as social issues created by our huge herds. It is not an attack on hunters, however, even with the liberal availability of doe permits, the biologists agree that the deer populations are still growing. The article also points out the "shifting" of deer management responsibility to methods other than traditional hunting.

We need to head off this shifting of responsibility NOW:
1) Hunters need to harvest more does. FACT: If you are not harvesting 35 to 45 percent of the DOES in your area, every year, then your deer population is still growing.
2) We need a head deer biologist that is not in the pocket of a lobbyist that can put together a valid deer population model to determine the number of does we need to harvest each year to manage the population. The model needs to be localized because deer herds are localized. Our present model is a joke among knowledgeable deer managers.
3) EVERY hunter needs to get out of the "I'm gonna' shoot a buck" mindset. If you get a shot at a huge buck - GREAT - take it. If you don't, then shoot a doe.
4) Don't just buy doe tags, FILL THEM.

I realize that for many hunters this post will be water under the bridge. Their thoughts will be "it will never happen in my lifetime" or "it will not affect my hunting". What they don't realize is that it is already happening. I hope the rest of you read the article and take this post to heart.
 
One more reason to consider the "earn a buck" type of program people have suggested. Just that would drastically change the harvest ratio. Less people shooting the second day and education for the bucks on Saturday.
 
A lot of things can happen in a lifetime. It has in mine already. I'm 47 years old. When I deer hunted as a teenager, deer were scarce. We treated a doe much like we treat a hen pheasant today. And, we hunted for meat. Most of our "trophies" got tacked to the barn wall to hang things on. Therefore we shot bucks, and young ones were better eating. This was in West Central Illinois,by the way. Well the population grew and yes things have changed. But I'm not sure that it has changed uniformly everywhere. I live in Story county. We had a limit of 150 doe tags. Other counties had around 2000. QDM principles as developed in Texas promote providing feed resources for habitats that have an abundance of cover, and trophy/herd management by harvesting does and only mature bucks. These principles surely apply to Southern Iowa where cover and deer numbers are in abundance. Is it true in Story County or much of North Central Iowa? Maybe in places. However in some areas food supplies greatly outweigh cover/bedding opportunities and the existing herd is barely keeping up with hunting pressure. In these areas of Iowa QDM might consist of planting Cedar groves for bedding and more selective harvest of only the most mature less productive does. Quality deer management should mean managing the deer population and habitat be be compatible with each other. That may or may not mean maximum doe harvest. Some food for thought.
Dan
 
Well said Danno

The DNR seems to be on track with the way they issue antlerless tags by county. One thing though...... just because a person has a doe tag to fill doesn't particularily mean they should fill it on the property that they always hunt. Most know some areas of their counties have hot beds of deer (if you will), while other areas are thin. People need to be conservationists within themselves and use the issued doe tags appropriately also.
 
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I agree on the "earn a buck" program in every state....Just seems logical in my opinion.

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soooo, if a 170 class buck walked within bow range of your stand on opening day, and you hadn't yet "earned your buck", would you then let the monster pass??? I agree that we as hunters should all be harvesting does each and every year, to do our part to better maintain the ever burgeoning deer population, but I wouldn't like to find myself in the situation I stated above, simply because I had yet to "earn my buck"
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This has absolutely nothing to do with QDM. It is about losing our responsibility to manage the deer herd at a level that is both ecologically and socially acceptable. Read the article.
 
DC,

I'm curious about #2 on your list.

Can you explain yourself better?

Our deer biologist is in the pocket of a lobbyist?

What is your answer to our joke of a population model?
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I guess I'm confused now too. I believe Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have the "earn a buck" program. In Alabama you can shoot a doe every day of the season or something like that. Are you suggesting our deer herd needs such measures?
 
I think your point is starting to sink in. What you are saying is that in the overpopulated areas, even the most liberal doe permitting isn't containing herd growth. If that's the case, what are the alternatives?
 
Danno, Pennsylvania does not have an earn a buck program,though I would support it if we did. We do have antler restrictions for the third year now. Most of the state is at least 3 points on one antler, and part of the state is 4 points on one antler. I also hunt in Maryland where in places the herd is busting at the seems. This year they started a program where you can kill a buck, but to kill another you first have to kill two does. And Maryland also gave us ten doe tags with our license this year at no extra cost.

Steve
 
DC,

Could you post the text of the article so that we don't all have to register to get the on-line version? I'm assuming that the story isn't specific to Iowa.

Could you also explain the reasoning behind #2? All in all, I think Iowa has managed it's deer herd fairly well, though the deer hunters could be managed better. The earn a buck is one sure way to get more does taken, though it presents problems of cost and staffing of check stations. The real key is No. 4 --- we've got to fill those tags.

I posted a question on the Hunter Referral Registry a couple of days ago and it appears that very few hunters were contacted. These were hunters who voluntarily signed up as willing to harvest does in what I considered a fairly imaginative program. I don't know why the response rate wasn't higher.

I don't know if the story addresses this but part of the problem is urban sprawl and the adaptability of the whitetail. The areas where they are seen as the biggest nuisance are urban/suburban areas that are off limits to hunting. You can't put responsibility for those problems on hunters.

I don't want this to be taken as an anti-shotgunner/party hunt statement but the biggest change in hunter attitude towards taking does needs to happen within this largest segment of our hunting ranks. There's still far too many with the "if it's brown, it's down" attitude. Part of it is the limit on time and resources. We can't all afford to spend weeks in a stand or or spend big $$$ for equipment. A box of slugs for the bird gun once a year doesn't cost much.

But I think we all probably know shotgun/party hunters who are too lazy to put in the time to be selective. Being selective also requires putting in the practice time to be proficient.

There's also the problem of overcoming tradition. Like Danno, my early hunting was in Northwest Iowa where for years, 1st shotgun season was primarily antlers only in an attempt to grow the herd. If someone got an anysex tag, they still took a buck to keep up with everybody else. It's just one more thing to overcome.

Well, I've rambled on too long already. Encourage every hunter you know to buy and FILL at least one doe tag ... or TWO since the second one only costs $11 more.
 
I do NOT agree with the idea of the 'earn a buck' philosophy. I am very willing to try and harvest more than one doe each year, but I would not want to let 1, 2 or more nice bucks walk by because I hadn't shot a doe. Also, if the DNR wants more does shot, then for starters, they probably shouldn't charge $26 for the first antlerless tag.
 
If the law said you had to earn a buck first, it wouldn't matter if a 200" buck walked by your stand. It would be the same thing as shooting out of season.
 
Camoman- I think that this is the only way to really make a difference. People don't agree and are very vocal about it but it isn't the first time a law would be made to change the habits/excesses of certain people at the expense of others for the good of all. Drinking age, seat belts, public smoking restrictions, etc.
 
Some thoughts upon reading everyones comments:

Danno - I agree that in portions of northern Iowa, I think the doe harvests are not all that necessary. If fact, late season doe tags probably mistakenly take out bucks shed early or button bucks in some cases.

Camoman - I agree with your comments on an "earn-a-buck" program. My only suggestion of possibly modifying such a program would be to make the any-sex tag issuance relate to a current OR PRIOR season doe harvest. That way the doe harvest does not have to take place in the same season BEFORE the monster buck walks under the stand. Hunters would be able to manage the doe harvest requirement with a little more flexibility. Does that make any sense ?? This would however be a complex monitoring system (check station) problem. Stated a little more simply, if I don't shoot my buck this season (which I presently have not yet done with my bow) but I did shoot a doe in 2004, I could bank that "doe credit" for an any-sex tag next year.
 
Good discussion. I just wanted to point out that changes can and are occurring in the Orange Army. Our group had a meeting last night & we instituted a $20 penalty on anyone who shoots a basket rack; unless this is their first buck. We also established a biggest doe contest that the winner gets 50% of the entry + basket rack fines. We have 6 bonus doe tags and they will probably all be filled. We even talked about which properties would be best served by less does/deer. This is all occurring in a group in which I was ridiculed as lately as two years ago by suggesting to some members that they pass up those little bucks. When I started letting the little bucks run past me a few years ago they would have kicked me out of the group if they had known. Change is coming fellas,; let's just hope it's fast enough. Maggs
 
I would like to know how currently keep track of how many does and bucks are harvested? Is it just guess work . I think Iowa needs check stations to get better counts on whats getting shot durring what season. This might bring some light to the problem!!!!!!!!!
 
Good for you Maggs!!!
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Myself I passed up 8 yearling bucks this season so far and killed 3 mature does with my bow, and can't wait for the late bowseason to come in.

Steve
 
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