Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Thanksgiving Season

i personally like the dates for the early doe.

Bow hunters think of it this way...


You have hunted hard all year and have passed quite a few deer. Do you want these bucks going into the first shotgun season oblivious, or would you like three days of doe hunters to educate them. Id like to think that the doe season not only is a good management tool but also gives those bucks that we want to live till next year a heads up.

Also.... shotgun hunting is about managing the deer herd. Which needs to be done. The bowhunters cant do it by themselves.

I have seen the affect of the doe season. fewer does. But I dunno. Its the best alternative to a rifle season during the rut.. :S
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gundog870</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i personally like the dates for the early doe.

Bow hunters think of it this way...


You have hunted hard all year and have passed quite a few deer. Do you want these bucks going into the first shotgun season oblivious, or would you like three days of doe hunters to educate them. Id like to think that the doe season not only is a good management tool but also gives those bucks that we want to live till next year a heads up.

Also.... shotgun hunting is about managing the deer herd. Which needs to be done. The bowhunters cant do it by themselves.

I have seen the affect of the doe season. fewer does. But I dunno. Its the best alternative to a rifle season during the rut.. :S </div></div>

I agree gundog, and I actually didn't see any shotgun hunters over the weekend so its not like many are taking part anyways. Its funny though how many does are starting to get taken yet every year it seems I see more and more. But, I'm also seeing more bucks, so its obvious that the management strategy is working. Crazy animals.
 
I didn't deer hunt but did see 2 large groups hunting the public land next to me on Saturday morning on my way to work. I do not like this Nov season for various reasons and don't think it is really very effective as population control. I posted this on another site this morning in response to a question about doe quotas and the number of unfilled doe tags.

Let's start with the premis that I don't like the Nov anterless season for several reasons, not the least of which is that I believe that it reduces the harvest numbers for the first shotgun season. I would guess that maybe less than half these tags were filled over those 3 days. I did get a license last year just because 1. it only cost $12 and 2. It gave me a chance to get out and at least look arround some of the woods that we usually hunt. I didn't fill that one. I didn't get one this year because of work and family obligations and I wanted to bird hunt at least one last time this year. I have tags that will cover me from Saturday clear through the January seasons and will hopefully fill most or all of them, but I can't be sure. That is why we call it hunting. For many of us we are willing to spend the $12 just for the chance at a deer but if other things come up or the weather is bad or we break our leg it is still less than the cost of going to a movie or a pizza, so we aren't out much if we don't get the chance to hunt or just don't fill the tag. Many people have said that the cost should be lower for both the first doe tag and all others, but just imagine how many "Maybe I will go deer hunting" tags would be purchased and go unused for various reasons. I personally think that lower priced tags would lower the doe harvest and just increase the quota numbers. Often some thing low priced is also percieved as low value as well. I would bet that almost all of the first $27 doe tags are filled or at least a very good effort is made to fill them because we don't want to waste that much money. I understand you question and agree that a lot of it is about money for licenses and a "good faith effort" to lower our deer population. I also think that our population is very much on the decline and several of you have said you aren't seeing nearly as many deer as in other years. I personally don't want to see us reach the stated goal of the same population as we had in 1980. I wonder if in a few years we will look back and say that excessive doe harvest is what ruined our deer hunting here in Iowa.
 
If the DNR really is sincere about reducing Doe numbers then I believe that an unfilled Doe tag should be transferable to another season.

If you have an antlerless tag for Bow season and it goes unfilled then why shouldn't we be able to try to fill the tag during late muzzleloader or the late January season?

With so many counties selling out in advance I wouldn't think that this would adversley impact sales....
 
(With so many counties selling out in advance I wouldn't think that this would adversley impact sales....)


It would certainly impact sales. Think about it, if you have a doe tag that could be used any time from Oct 1st to Jan 30th, or what ever, how many tags would you buy? Most people would not feel any pressure to buy tags so that they could continue to hunt. Also there would be almost no pressure to fill the tags you did buy because you have 4 months to fill them when ever you feel like it, instead of a few days and then the tag is no good. I personaly believe that the doe harvest numbers would go down, especially with bow hunters who don't usually want to jepordize their chance at a large buck by killing a doe from their best stand. Many of us will say that wouldn't happen and killing a doe would not have any effect on the stand but,in the back of our minds there is always that little voice saying "don't do it, Mr big is right behind her" and not take the chance. I also think that without any pressure to fill the tag many, myself included, would procrastinate and wait till the last minute, just like christmas shopping, and then just give up and not fill it at all. I am not crazy about buying 7 different doe tags to hunt all the seasons but I don't think that making it just a doe tag for the whole year will work. Also with the lack of extra doe tag sales think what the DNR will do to the price of licenses in general to make up for the short fall.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbltree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious how much action there was by people utilizing the TG season to take antlerless deer this year? Friday morning I hunted all morning then drove about 20 miles back home thru Davis and Van Buren counties and didn't hear a single shot nor see a single hunter.

My son killed one Saturday a.m. and his buddy killed one as well but that's all the action I've seen.

Jessn11-24-07Doe.jpg


I've never been a big fan of this season but from what I've seen this year maybe the idea lost some of it's "luster" anyway.

What did you guys see? Lot's of people out hunting or no?? </div></div> I think they were all out screwing up my bowhunting from the way the deer were acting and from all the shooting around me. I left up north because some guys showed up to drive the area I was hunting and came home early only to have the same thing happen here. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif This early doe season is a damn joke if you ask me and is unsafe. Now I'm just waiting for the DNR to tell us we have to wear orange the doe season weekend, I'll pay the ticket first for not wearing it if it happens. I say we get to go back out and hunt with a bow during the shotgun season if they can hunt our season...... why not, there's no difference.
 
uhhhh? i believe its we-"bowhunters in camoflauge" and they-"doe hunters shooting guns with bowhunters trying to dodge bullets"
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: G6</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbltree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious how much action there was by people utilizing the TG season to take antlerless deer this year? Friday morning I hunted all morning then drove about 20 miles back home thru Davis and Van Buren counties and didn't hear a single shot nor see a single hunter.

My son killed one Saturday a.m. and his buddy killed one as well but that's all the action I've seen.

Jessn11-24-07Doe.jpg


I've never been a big fan of this season but from what I've seen this year maybe the idea lost some of it's "luster" anyway.

What did you guys see? Lot's of people out hunting or no?? </div></div> I think they were all out screwing up my bowhunting from the way the deer were acting and from all the shooting around me. I left up north because some guys showed up to drive the area I was hunting and came home early only to have the same thing happen here. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif This early doe season is a damn joke if you ask me and is unsafe. Now I'm just waiting for the DNR to tell us we have to wear orange the doe season weekend, I'll pay the ticket first for not wearing it if it happens. I say we get to go back out and hunt with a bow during the shotgun season if they can hunt our season...... why not, there's no difference.</div></div>

All i will say is that going out during shotgun season is rediculous. I could see them cancelling bow season for these three days.
 
yeah there you go. have a anterless only season and cancel bow season, while its one of the best times of the year to get a big buck. now were thinking! im sorry. not trying to sound rude. it just sounds kinda knot-headed to me. but everyone has their own opinion.
 
Not saying i would want that. I said i could see it happening..didnt sound rude just ignorant.
 
Irrelevant. The doe season is going to cause a lot of controversy. I am not one who participates, all I am saying is it is whats happening now. deal with it. I dont even shotgun hunt (except this year i am taking my seventy seven year old grandpa).


really not going anywhere with this post so ill end here. my feelings are in my first post.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gundog870</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: G6</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbltree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious how much action there was by people utilizing the TG season to take antlerless deer this year? Friday morning I hunted all morning then drove about 20 miles back home thru Davis and Van Buren counties and didn't hear a single shot nor see a single hunter.

My son killed one Saturday a.m. and his buddy killed one as well but that's all the action I've seen.

Jessn11-24-07Doe.jpg


I've never been a big fan of this season but from what I've seen this year maybe the idea lost some of it's "luster" anyway.

What did you guys see? Lot's of people out hunting or no?? </div></div> I think they were all out screwing up my bowhunting from the way the deer were acting and from all the shooting around me. I left up north because some guys showed up to drive the area I was hunting and came home early only to have the same thing happen here. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif This early doe season is a damn joke if you ask me and is unsafe. Now I'm just waiting for the DNR to tell us we have to wear orange the doe season weekend, I'll pay the ticket first for not wearing it if it happens. I say we get to go back out and hunt with a bow during the shotgun season if they can hunt our season...... why not, there's no difference.</div></div>

All i will say is that going out during shotgun season is rediculous. I could see them cancelling bow season for these three days.</div></div> Exactly my point GD.
 
Here is my suggestion to manage the deer herd and not have 20 different seasons.

When you purchase your tag (whether it be Archery, 1st Shotgun, 2nd Shotgun, early muzzleloader, etc.) you receive 1 any sex tag and at least 1 if not 2 anterless tags. That means for every tag sold you may take 2 possibly 3 deer (1 any sex and the remainder anterless).

This was done in Wisconsin and the results have been very beneficial to the deer herd. I know there are going to be skeptics regarding this however here is how I think they can be overcome.

Revenue - Raise the license fee from $24.00 to $36.00 (just an example). Amazing enough, the revenue's will increase. How many hunters purchase only 1 tag and trophy hunt. They never would have purchased 1 or more anterless tags.

Trophy Hunters - There are several hunters that strictly trophy hunt. They never have any intention of harvesting a doe let alone more than 1. However, if they are given an anterless tag with their purchase, chances are that they will fill that tag sometime throughout the season.

Quota's - I have hunted several States and they always sell more tags than deer are shot. I think history would repeat itself here in Iowa as well. Furthermore, with the reporting system, the abitlity to actually monitor the true harvest will help manage the herd and set the license quota's for next year.

Season's - This would eliminate the Thanksgiving Season and focus on the season's that are established.

I feel that this would help meet the quota's, control the deer herd, limit the season's, and actually increase revenue's.
 
but if your tag is only good for one season, how is the DNR going to get you to buy so many tags? all the DNR will see/say, is that will sell less tags, and bring in less money. they WANT you to buy ten tags, and could care less if you only fill 4
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom