Thoughts on QDM (Quality Deer Management) in Iowa?????????????

[Sligh1]

Little by little it HAS and will continue to get better. Maybe instead of 100 "Crazies" in your area 5 years ago- many have learned and now there is "only" 80. Even with "crazies" this state is amazing.
Look how much things have changed in 20 years and it took lots of work and education to get there. Little by little Iowa can be even better.
*(In a very short nutshell) I think the biggest battle and threat to IA deer herd- IN MY OPINION- is groups like Friends of Iowa, gigantic land areas that don't get does shot, insurance companies & lobbyist with selfish goals, etc.

 

[buckeye hunter16]

Thats why people have suggested that when deer are kept on a "refuge" they are property.And when that "Property" causes damage to other peoples property(cars) the owners are liable.
I can't decide either way,both sides can be argued effectively.
I can't get past the idea that I might just be jealous of that vast untapped hunting area.

 

[wild80]

Id just like to revisit this thread. Southeast Iowa is the best area I have ever hunted. However a sound QDM program in this area would only make the best better. Remember aside from hunter management there is habitat management, herd management, and herd monitoring in a sound QDM program.

Many areas in SE Iowa are overpopulated in sheer numbers of deer. Making the right management decisions based on record keeping and harvest data will add a whole new level of most land owners and managers management plan. When all four of these categories are in tune that is when you will see results that are out of the ordinary even in an area like SE Iowa that is already amazing as far as buck age class.

QDM Co-Ops are another great tool that does not get a lot of use in Iowa. Co-Ops bring neighboring land owners and hunters together during the deer seasons and even year round in some cases. Results of data can be extrapolated over a larger areas and those involved can share in the success of reaching co-op goals.

Other states are forced to use these common QDM practices to combat traditional management practices,large number of hunters, and pressure. Iowa as someone state earlier is already far above the curve in these areas. Co-Ops can combat one problem that still exist of jealousy among hunters and neighboring land owners. Hunting is much more enjoyable when everyone is working toward and sharing results of common goals rather than being sneaky and deceitful in a jealous approach to deer hunting.

 

[raven]

We need to do away with deer drives and party hunting in Iowa. We need to create more incentives for farmers to create wildlife habitat on their land (instead of incentives to grow more beef and/or hogs). We need corn and bean prices to go down (so people won't rip up every little strip of cover and small woodlot habitat to grow more grain. We need to educate hunters on how easy it is to grow monster bucks in Iowa if we just pass up the young ones and shoot does instead (by law or incentive).

Raven

 

[paulie]

by law or incentive).
watch what you askfore we had earn abuck six years in wis and it brings out the sneaky and deceitful and the jealous. Doe,s get regestered more then once car kills passed from friend to friend.But it did help in more trophy bucks because some people had to let bucks walk.

 

[bowhuntia]

Iowa needs/should go to ( 1 Buck Per Hunter Per Year Period ) this will help ODM in all cases the quickest.
No matter what size buck you shoot.

Just make it wall hanger in your mind and be happy........

 

[Ridgerunner]

by law or incentive).
watch what you askfore we had earn abuck six years in wis and it brings out the sneaky and deceitful and the jealous. Doe,s get regestered more then once car kills passed from friend to friend.But it did help in more trophy bucks because some people had to let bucks walk.

I couldn't agree more. Earn a buck is not what you think. The first year we had It, my neighbors shot 5 button bucks off 50 acres and then shot two more out of my field just to earn buck tags they will turn around and use on another ratchet head. My hunting area hasn't recovered yet and I have not harvested a mature buck on that farm since, when I did it with regularity prior to that time. These are the same people passing does just to shoot a buck of any age. Be responsible and shoot a few does now and then when necessary and when not necessary let them go, and for the benefit of all don't shoot fawns unless they are close and you can identify them or better yet not at all. The hunting is better when you have a heathy abundant herd of deer. I never understood why we were accepting button bucks to earn buck tags when all the time we were supposed to be shooting does and reducing the population. I understand you can't penalize someone for shooting a button buck but you certainly don't need to reward them with a buck tag for it. For Earn a buck to do what is intended it needs a clear set of criteria or it can be disastrous.

 

[Red Carpet Deer Videos]

Agree with FarmlandQDM

 

[loneranger]

Not all of SE Iowa is crawling with giants, or that many deer ,for that matter. Though I know of areas that are. They have quality minded landowners too. Just not so much the case,,around me. I finally did see more young bucks this past Nov, so maybe some are finally holding back.

 

[Highmark]

I couldn't agree more. Earn a buck is not what you think. The first year we had It, my neighbors shot 5 button bucks off 50 acres and then shot two more out of my field just to earn buck tags they will turn around and use on another ratchet head. My hunting area hasn't recovered yet and I have not harvested a mature buck on that farm since, when I did it with regularity prior to that time. These are the same people passing does just to shoot a buck of any age. Be responsible and shoot a few does now and then when necessary and when not necessary let them go, and for the benefit of all don't shoot fawns unless they are close and you can identify them or better yet not at all. The hunting is better when you have a heathy abundant herd of deer. I never understood why we were accepting button bucks to earn buck tags when all the time we were supposed to be shooting does and reducing the population. I understand you can't penalize someone for shooting a button buck but you certainly don't need to reward them with a buck tag for it. For Earn a buck to do what is intended it needs a clear set of criteria or it can be disastrous.

Bucks generally leave their birth area between age one and two and go 5+ miles to establish a new territory. This stops inbreeding. While I don't think shooting button's is a good practice it shouldn't hurt the mature buck population in your immediate area down the road.

 

[Jody Hoffman]

I just wanted to get opinions on QDM in Iowa. Do you think it is important?

Those of us who live in IA know that we are living in one of the best deer hunting states in North America. We produce quality deer year after year. Do you think QDM would be helpful, or do you think it is unneccesary because of the deer we are producing.

I would love to hear your comments and opinions on this one.

BT

When I moved back to Iowa in 1999 I hunted my dad's 90 acres, there is a huge WMA next to it and my dad didn't let anyone hunt deer for 15 years. I took early muzzleloader & set up by a pond. I saw a group of bucks about 20 of them all 8-10 point & except for one 8 point every buck had a small basket rack. I started to kill the little bucks, landowner tags were liberal and we filled them, in 3 years I culled the herd and started to see the change. Body weight went up & the racks started to spread out. In 10 years we have bucks scoring 180 -200 points & better the last doe I took dressed 160lbs & the last buck dressed out at 250lbs & scored 190. Sure I don't see more than 6 bucks on the trail cameras but there is a real record book buck out there that will score 220 or better easily. We don't allow hunting in a 10 acre patch of woods and every year the deer hide out there. It was worth the effort

 

[whitetailserialkillers]

When I moved back to Iowa in 1999 I hunted my dad's 90 acres, there is a huge WMA next to it and my dad didn't let anyone hunt deer for 15 years. I took early muzzleloader & set up by a pond. I saw a group of bucks about 20 of them all 8-10 point & except for one 8 point every buck had a small basket rack. I started to kill the little bucks, landowner tags were liberal and we filled them, in 3 years I culled the herd and started to see the change. Body weight went up & the racks started to spread out. In 10 years we have bucks scoring 180 -200 points & better the last doe I took dressed 160lbs & the last buck dressed out at 250lbs & scored 190. Sure I don't see more than 6 bucks on the trail cameras but there is a real record book buck out there that will score 220 or better easily. We don't allow hunting in a 10 acre patch of woods and every year the deer hide out there. It was worth the effort

Great job! It's very rewarding to turn s property around and see the deer herd evolve from quantity to quality. Best of luck out there....TH

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