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Shed Buck Competition!! Get em!

Sligh1

Sligh1

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Staff member
UPDATE 1/19 @ END- Shed Buck Competition!! Get em!

https://jc.activeoutdoorsolutions.com/iowadnr/harvestdata/realTimeHarvest.do

SO FAR, let's give it up to Clayton county with 51 shed bucks killed so far! You guys are the TOPS! :) Jackson in 2nd with 31, Alamakee in 3rd with 28 and Fayette & Jones with 25. Honorable mentions to Warren & Madison with 21.

Now, the NE does have an UNFAIR advantage with colder temperatures and more snow SO the bucks drop quicker from stress, etc. Lucky bums! BUT.... Hold tight, us hunters in the SOUTH will soon have a BIG ADVANTAGE of RIFLES for 3 weeks!!!

Bummer is, lots of folks I have met, ran across, etc do NOT enter shed bucks as "shed bucks", they enter as does or button bucks because they want the season to stay. Lots of other guys who aren't serious hunters couldn't care less if they shoot shed bucks. I guess they have no interest in my contest for TOP SHED BUCK COUNTY of 2010/2011. Let's be clear, TONS of bucks that shed are NOT being entered, unfortunate because they could really help out their county win this one.

Remember: "YOU CAN'T EAT ANTLERS" and this way you both don't have to eat them OR even have to deal with those pesky things!!!! :)

For real, people I know were excited for the possible elimination of November doe season which is 3 days and bucks are carrying, great. BUT- that season is NOTHING vs the 3 week LATE "ANTLERLESS" season when bucks are dropping left and right. This season is such a disaster and almost every group I know in multiple neighborhoods are successful at killing several shed bucks. Best one I heard of was a 214" deer from South Central Iowa last year- shed buck was shot and sheds were found BEFORE deer was killed- same pedicles/deer for sure.

Let's watch this contest and list, let's see who finishes as "TOP DOG" - I am willing to donate a pair of shed antlers & 1 pound of ground venison in the name of the top county for our state. I'd even be willing to throw in a box of high-power rifle shells for those long distance running shots. This season needs to go so bad. Watch this list and any chance you get, speak out against this season so it finally goes away, we all have a voice and we must speak em!

*Side notes- Yes, some shed bucks get killed in late ML season, get it: this season is the low hanging fruit where we can reduce the #'s substantially. 2nd- tons and I mean TONS of shed bucks are not being reported so season stays: my buddies and myself have seen this with multiple groups- wide spread problem. 3rd: this is NOT just small bucks, I've heard and seen many nice bucks that eluded bows & guns all year getting smacked because people are out to lower DOE #'s- either way, it's a shame a crafty buck makes it through all the blazing just to killed as a "doe" in late Jan. 4th: Much of the state is hitting their deer # goals and many areas are well below carrying capacity & hunter satisfaction #'s. This season was recently created and we need to make it disappear in the near future. 5th: How amazing is this, Clayton co ALSO has the honors of the Button Buck competition, those guys are so crafty that they lead that one too: 430 button bucks so far- Real nice! 6th: stopped by a very high traffic locker last year, asked how many shed bucks they'd been seeing, they said "unbelievable, a good % are shed bucks, very frequent and very common, why is the DNR doing this???... Lots of meat though!" 7th: I have heard the DNR wants to keep this MAINLY because of revenue of tags & I've heard there was some other interests, possibly insurance industry OR legislatures??? Can't remember.
 
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At a meeting with the DNR, I was told that it would be a big suprise if the rifles ever went away. Regarding the season, they said there are to many properties where deer numbers aren't being managed properly in the Southern counties. They said the late season has been very effective and very popular and will be hard to ever get rid of in the Southern counties.
 
Once Gov. programs get started, they never go away. Especially, revenue enhancing ones. How fortunate I am to have land in those southern counties, with the Hords of Pesky deer everywhere.
 
As the pop. drops, the harvest of button bucks and young does must increase to keep the antlerless harvest the same as last year. The guy who has X number of tags to fill, and in years past only shot big does, now shoots whatever he can. The math is interesting. As harvest numbers reach and surpass the "replacement" number for does to keep the pop. steady, even with DECLINING harvest, the number of deer drops off a cliff. I think we will always have a declining or increasing herd. It's impossible to hit it exactly right to have a steady number. Unfortunately, the powers that be are going to push this too far. It's going to be interesting to see what happens this year. I wish that sustainable funding was already here. Then the DNR could manage the herd for sustainable numbers and not for maximum money.Those shed buck and button buck numbers are shocking.
 
They've already done away with the Jan. season in several counties, I'm sure their long term goal is to get rid of the season entirely. They can't be that stupid to keep offering it when there aren't enough deer.
 
I think that the Nov Season will stay longer than the late doe season. I comes down to revenue. If you get out of state $$$ coming home for that 3 day season, that is more important to Des Moines than late season residents spending $$$.

I personally would rather see Nov antlerless go before Jan antlerless. I think that the Nov season does more damage to bucks than late season. When 3 does head your way with a rutting buck behind, 1 week before shotgun season, it's too tempting for too many hunters. You don't get that option in late January, plus I think where I am at there are far more Nov gun hunters than Jan gun hunters.
 
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That just shows the mentality of the hunters that go to Clayton county to hunt. It has been tagged as one of the trophy counties in Iowa. Within the last 10 yrs. it has turned into a three ring circus. South eastern Iowa is feeling the pressure more each year. Soon you'll be able to sell tickets to a circus down there also!
 
Although I see your point, I don't think your accusations are fair unless you're doing some more math. If you REALLY want to name the top shed/button buck killing county then the deciding numbers need to be a ratio, #shed bucks+button bucks killed:total deer harvest (for that county), or versus # of antlerless tags sold. Counties like Clayton and Alamakee have way more deer, it's the law of numbers. HAHA!

Anyways, I'm in agreement. But, I would say that I dislike the November season more than the January season, mostly because the area I bowhunt gets pounded during November and doesn't get touched in January. And usually, my bow tag is still unfilled when that awful season rolls around. I have participated in the January season for several years now and we've taken a load of deer over the last few years but only where there are still too many and we've only shot does and yearling does. We have a lot of fun with rifles (I carry a muzz) but it still wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if the season disappeared.
 
Get rid of all the does seasons as far as I am concerned. Coming from norteast Iowa I heard of guys shooting shed bucks during 2nd season gun already and as far muzzleloader goes I havent heard of anyone shooting anything that big besides big mature shed bucks that people think are big does. Dont get me wrong there are some bucks still out there holding on to their headgear but there in a safe place with no stress. Glad the snow is staying West and South these next couple days
 
DannyBoy said:
Don't go throwing late muzz under the table! You can't fix stupid!
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I think most would never attack late ML. It's a totally different mentality... 90% of the guys with ML season (my guess) are out to SIT on a field edge or SIT in a treestand, they glass deer that come out and are choosy. Most are out for a mature buck or a doe that they easily identify. Many of these late ML guys are considered "hard core hunters or managers".
In contrast, I'll say 90% (again, my guess) of late antlerless are not closely identifying their targets. Many are simply out to blast stuff for a good time (which wouldn't be a problem if the bucks had not dropped in many instances). At least the hard core guys I know do identify deer with caution BUT at this point, it's a fraction of the folks out there. Lots of these guys now do deer drives, shoot a running deer and are out to slay some massive #'s of deer- many times impossible to know what they are shooting. Why it's such a problem.

**WOW!!... In ONE DAY, Clayton has upped the shed buck harvest from 51 to 59 and button bucks from 430 to 439. My contest must have gotten out of the bag and really motivated some folks!!! :)
 
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Sligh1 said:
In contrast, I'll say 90% (again, my guess) of late antlerless are not closely identifying their targets.
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That's a pretty strong claim, don't you think??

Its very evident you have a problem with this season, Skip. Hate it all you want, but how about being a little more realistic? I feel it safe to say, late antlerless hunters are not out to shoot a shed buck. In fact, I bet MOST are identifying their target. The numbers you are listing are insignificant and will not harm the overall population. I would't bat an eye if the season went away, and I'd fully support having it axed.... but c'mon. 90% of the hunters out there for this season are not stupid...

I'm headed out this week to get some meat for my freezer, (and you can bet they will be does) - Unapologetically.
 
Sligh1 said:
**WOW!!... In ONE DAY, Clayton has upped the shed buck harvest from 51 to 59 and button bucks from 430 to 439. My contest must have gotten out of the bag and really motivated some folks!!! :)
Click to expand...

I'm telling you, you HAVE to look at the bigger picture to decide the REAL winner of the contest! haha
 
I dislike this antlerless season just as much as the next guy, but for different reasons. I believe it's served its purpose and has gotten the deer herd down to a managable level. At this point, I strongly believe that all the extra opportunities to shoot does over the past few years, has drastically declined the population in many areas. I also think that a majority of the guys that take part in this season are just being greedy. Lets be honest, do you really need 4 full months to kill a deer? Not to sound like a bunny hugger here, but give the deer a break! I'm also betting that most of the participants already have a freezer full of deer meat and at this point in the game, are just out to shoot something. I have one last question and I'm being completely serious. What's it matter if a buck is shot now without his head gear, or a month ago while he was still holding? I've never understood why some people get so upset about a shed buck being killed now, but if he was shot a month ago, everyone would be handing out congratulations.
 
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Why do we care if a shed buck is killed, would have been high-fives a few weeks ago, why is it a big deal? I have 50 more paragraphs I could write on this, I'll let someone else take that one.



THA4 said:
I feel it safe to say, late antlerless hunters are not out to shoot a shed buck. In fact, I bet MOST are identifying their target. .
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you're right, I don't think a lot of folks are out to shoot a shed buck, VAST VAST VAST majority are not. Guys shooting at running deer, big deer at 150 yards or a group of deer with "no horns sticking up" it's gonna happen a lot and it is happening a lot no matter the intentions. See below math which is for fun/ease of calculation.

I have nothing against new hunters or uneducated hunters- I used to be one. What I do blame is the season and how they've put those hunters on the deer herd. You have to realize, a lot of these folks out blasting until February are what I call "Wal-Mart Whackers", guys buying their shells and licenses the night before opening day and are pumped to blow some stuff away! They are a huge % of hunters and are not on this site. I am not trying to degrade them, I'm just saying that in the wrong environment (late antlerless) they are doing a lot of damage as well as the well intentioned guy that makes the common mistaken identity of a shed buck.

I'll be out there too- not knocking you either. I'll take some meat. I'll also be taking it from a treestand with my binoculars focused super close until a 100% identification. That's the minority of the case though. I see groups of 12 guys with 3 trucks - they just aren't doing what I am & can't.

OK- MATH for THA4 & DannyBoy ... FUN! :)...
1) Let's say 4 antlerless deer, for EASE of discussion: 2 are does, 1 button buck and 1 yearly doe- 25% BUTTON BUCKS in normal herd of the Antlerless deer. Probably fairly accurate- let's just make it easy though. TOTAL harvest during seasons where it's easier to identify (bow in there): DOES: 57,889, BUTTON BUCKS: 11,885- that's 20.5% BUTTON BUCKS. SO- 25% of antlerless population could be BUTTON BUCKS & our hunters shoot 20% of the antlerless harvest being Button bucks. I don't think folks are doing nearly enough to identify deer- surely not the majority. You think most folks are like hunters on here and hunters that are your buddies- we are the minority, sorry. Now, my point- you couple those non-identifying regular season % numbers with the Wal-Mart Whackers during late January- you have a group even more un-able to identify. Bologne if you think majority of hunters in late season are properly identifying, bologne!
DannyBoy, YES, I get you! :) I understand, I just decided to make this prestigious contest for top shed buck # period. I understand Clayton has a LUCKY advantage. Next year I'll create a bigger contest with more awards, different math calculations, celebrity appearances & we'll have a calendar for sale of 2011 best shot bucks of the year.

"The fraction of deer shot are shed bucks" doesn't consider there's groups all over in every neighborhood who are not calling them in as shed bucks (or not calling in at all) so the season stays. The #'s you'll soon see are way too high as they are & un-needed BUT way way below the real truth- this season is slaying lots of shed bucks
 
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Posted by 180Class in a different thread

Deer are just deer. They shouldn't be idolized,put up on a pedestal or take priority over other things. Remember the important things in life and focus on them. Family, friends, faith....



Posted by me in this thread

Get a grip! the sky is not falling
 
I always liked hunting late muzzy. I didn't have to deal with all the crazies and dodging sizzling slugs in the air. As for the shed bucks, thats the way it goes. It has always been like that. Even with the vast majority of the bucks still yet to shed you will always have some "big does" running around late muzzy.
 
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