Which State will be the 1st to move it's gun season out???

[Sligh1]

If people are really concerned with deer/buck quality in Iowa they will push for size limits on bucks. That would really put a damper on the "brown and down" mentality during the shot gunning seasons, but it would give your young bucks a chance to mature.

Simplicity is the key to changes. Like, a simple calendar change to the gun seasons like we obviously discussing. For IOWA- the SIMPLICITY would come something like this, IMO: No party transferring of tags AND/OR a 1 buck limit. That's all Iowa would need to do to really go off the charts for improving buck quality & age. For example, putting size restrictions while keeping party hunting & gun drives at current levels would be too hard while many hunters are shooting at running bucks (why so many 2-3 year olds get annihilated during gun season, the good potential young bucks fall by the bucket loads during gun). But- put the limit to 1 buck or make a guy really think about burning his tag before shooting (by not being able to utilize the 10 other buck tags in the group). it would stop the groups who load up 5 bucks per farm at each stop (which I've seen for years & most those bucks are not mature as those outsmart most, they are usually the dumb but nice 2-3 year olds). Just my opinion.

I had a farm where 2 groups pushed the neighbors land with around 20 guys (this was a long time ago) & on the frequent occasions each group would leave with 3-8 bucks - this occurred each day of season & obviously dwindled with each passing day. I'd honestly say a nice size neighboring piece (maybe 400-500 acres) had 20-25 bucks killed off it in a year. I would also guess that not 5% of them were mature 5 year old bucks. How would you like to see that every day?!?!?!

 

[dac]

Having lived in KY for for 50 plus years and having rifle season on top of the rut I can say it will never change there. If you bring up changing it you will be stoned to death the gun hunters want it that way and they far outnumber everyone else. With that being said the difference there then here is KY has a whole lot more timber then Iowa party hunting is not allowed and driving deer is pretty much non existed. It is a one buck state so your tag is not weapon specific so you can bow hunt during gun season if you so choose. The way I understand Iowa gun season not being on top of the rut had nothing to do with a management decision it was just a matter of time that would not interfere with other things taking place.

 

[Joefish]

Living in So Mo I will say, the gun season falling during the rut is the only way to kill mature deer in this part of the state. It is heavily wooded with rough terrain in most places. There aren't Ag/Crops fields that deer will make themselves visible durning the late season. The only way to catch up to these animals is durning the rut. The cover deer have here is very abundant and they have no problems with finding safe places to crawl into. The only way MO could pull a late gun season off, is to divide the State in half, everything South of I-70 stays the way it is, everything North of I-70 can be pushed back into Dec. trust me, if we had the dirt here in SoMo and were able to grow the food that you guys can in N. MO and Iowa I would see no issues with late seasons, but we can't and for the most part won't ever see gun season away from rut time.

 

[letemgrow]

Living in So Mo I will say, the gun season falling during the rut is the only way to kill mature deer in this part of the state. It is heavily wooded with rough terrain in most places. There aren't Ag/Crops fields that deer will make themselves visible durning the late season. The only way to catch up to these animals is durning the rut. The cover deer have here is very abundant and they have no problems with finding safe places to crawl into. The only way MO could pull a late gun season off, is to divide the State in half, everything South of I-70 stays the way it is, everything North of I-70 can be pushed back into Dec. trust me, if we had the dirt here in SoMo and were able to grow the food that you guys can in N. MO and Iowa I would see no issues with late seasons, but we can't and for the most part won't ever see gun season away from rut time.

People that want mature deer in MO will have to form Co-op's of like minded hunters to start growing what they want.

Thats what we did, have just over 1000 acres now where everyone is after mature deer. The occasional youngster will be shot by a youth, which is no problem. Any area can handle a few young bucks dying, but not the majority of the buck kill being 3.5 or under.

I'd like to see a one buck yearly limit. Harder to shoot that 2.5 or 3.5 year old that is 120-140" two days before rifle starts...if that is their only buck for the year and they do not get another buck tag for rifle.

 

[dac]

People that want mature deer in MO will have to form Co-op's of like minded hunters to start growing what they want.

Thats what we did, have just over 1000 acres now where everyone is after mature deer. The occasional youngster will be shot by a youth, which is no problem. Any area can handle a few young bucks dying, but not the majority of the buck kill being 3.5 or under.

I'd like to see a one buck yearly limit. Harder to shoot that 2.5 or 3.5 year old that is 120-140" two days before rifle starts...if that is their only buck for the year and they do not get another buck tag for rifle.

KY is a one buck state and I didn't care what you shot as long as that was your ONE buck. But the sad reality is a whole lot of those people that shoot young bucks. Will also shot a nice buck later if given the chance and use their wife, girlfriend, mother, or whoever s tag to tag it. I think some hunters suffer from a disease they see antlers and they have to pull the trigger no matter what.

 

[letemgrow]

KY is a one buck state and I didn't care what you shot as long as that was your ONE buck. But the sad reality is a whole lot of those people that shoot young bucks. Will also shot a nice buck later if given the chance and use their wife, girlfriend, mother, or whoever s tag to tag it. I think some hunters suffer from a disease they see antlers and they have to pull the trigger no matter what.

Lot of that goes on in MO now too. People filling other people's buck tag during rifle. They will shoot a few bucks during the rifle season alone.

Always going to be rule breakers no matter what rules are put in place.

 

[dac]

Lot of that goes on in MO now too. People filling other people's buck tag during rifle. They will shoot a few bucks during the rifle season alone.

Always going to be rule breakers no matter what rules are put in place.

That's true, I just don't understand I could kill the biggest deer in the world and if I knew it wasn't 100 percent legal it would me absolutely nothing to me.

 

[nemohunter]

Living in So Mo I will say, the gun season falling during the rut is the only way to kill mature deer in this part of the state. It is heavily wooded with rough terrain in most places. There aren't Ag/Crops fields that deer will make themselves visible durning the late season. The only way to catch up to these animals is durning the rut. The cover deer have here is very abundant and they have no problems with finding safe places to crawl into. The only way MO could pull a late gun season off, is to divide the State in half, everything South of I-70 stays the way it is, everything North of I-70 can be pushed back into Dec. trust me, if we had the dirt here in SoMo and were able to grow the food that you guys can in N. MO and Iowa I would see no issues with late seasons, but we can't and for the most part won't ever see gun season away from rut time.

I understand what your saying about big timber but those deer still have to eat later on in the year, cold weather is going to make deer want to eat more whether it's waste grain or acorns or natural browse. What I'd like to see is an early muzzleloader season and a later, shorter rifle season, even if it was pushed back just a week I think it would be a real difference.

 

[MObowhunter10]

Some people have been saying that for years now.

I would not get ur hopes up too much on season changes for MO. Too many have the mentality here that the seasons r fine and u need to move to another state if u want change...

Sigh... Just frustrating. I can't even deal with the mindset of 80% of the members on a Missouri Hunting Forum.

 

[letemgrow]

Sigh... Just frustrating. I can't even deal with the mindset of 80% of the members on a Missouri Hunting Forum.

I left MO Whitetails cuz of that. The,"Good ol boys" run that forum. It's great for people that like shooting stuff, just don't talk mature bucks and being much of a land steward there as it prediminatley falls on deaf ears...

There r a few on there I really enjoyed talking to, yet I agree 80% on there r the good ol boy clan....

IA Whitetails and the QDMA forum are light years ahead when it comes to being more than a tag filler during deer season.

 

[letemgrow]

Ur considered an elitist on MO Whitetails if u shoot for mature deer, prefer bowhunting and want the rifle season moved.

 

[nemohunter]

Ur considered an elitist on MO Whitetails if u shoot for mature deer, prefer bowhunting and want the rifle season moved.

I agree with everything you said about Missouri whitetails, it's unbelievable the difference between these forums, I just like talking deer, lot of those guys equate moving a gun season to taking your guns away, that's why I don't hold out a lot of hope for gun season changes, and I never heard of being an elitist for bowhunting til I read some of that forum

 

[letemgrow]

I agree with everything you said about Missouri whitetails, it's unbelievable the difference between these forums, I just like talking deer, lot of those guys equate moving a gun season to taking your guns away, that's why I don't hold out a lot of hope for gun season changes, and I never heard of being an elitist for bowhunting til I read some of that forum

Good or bad, thats the MO mindset as a whole....

It just baffles me how they all hope/dream to kill a giant buck, then shot all those great young deer. Not sure how they ever hope it to happen going that route?? Gotta punch that buck tag on something with antlers tho.

I'd be freaking shocked if the season ever changed in MO...like end of the world shocked

 

[Joefish]

I understand what your saying about big timber but those deer still have to eat later on in the year, cold weather is going to make deer want to eat more whether it's waste grain or acorns or natural browse. What I'd like to see is an early muzzleloader season and a later, shorter rifle season, even if it was pushed back just a week I think it would be a real difference.

I agree with the early Muzzleloader and later Rifle seasons. As far as late season food, yes the last of the mast crops, and natural browse is what to target, but the deer don't have to move and make themselves visible to find these type of places. Once the rut is over down here, deer movement literally comes to a halt!

 

[Joefish]

Ur considered an elitist on MO Whitetails if u shoot for mature deer, prefer bowhunting and want the rifle season moved.

I will agree on this also, this site is light years ahead of MO Whitetails!

 

[MObowhunter10]

I left MO Whitetails cuz of that. The,"Good ol boys" run that forum. It's great for people that like shooting stuff, just don't talk mature bucks and being much of a land steward there as it prediminatley falls on deaf ears...

There r a few on there I really enjoyed talking to, yet I agree 80% on there r the good ol boy clan....

IA Whitetails and the QDMA forum are light years ahead when it comes to being more than a tag filler during deer season.

Oh it's unbelievable. Just mentioning the words QDMA and you have about 20 posts in the first 10 minutes of doing nothing but bashing. Deer management and improving the herd is the last thing they want to talk about. It's difficult to stay level headed when reading some of the ignorant posts you read on that forum... I just recently transitioned over to this site and seeing many posts about passing up young bucks and actually putting management into practice is unfamiliar to me after being on missouriwhitetails for a bit... I like this SO much better!


And I'm not trying to completely bash that site, as I do enjoy a few members on there, but what I don't understand is the anger they get at just the mentioning of QDMA... They don't want to even contemplate the benefits of it, or think about working to create a better state. Posts that are not even coming across as forceful for pro-QDMA but rather just educational are taken to heart as if we were talking bad about their mother.. It's ridiculous!

 

[LYON]

Funny you guys mention how bad Missouri is. I work with a guy who is from northern Missouri and although he is now a resident of Iowa, he goes to Missouri every year to rifle hunt. Doesn't deer hunt in Iowa at all and has told me he can't stand how Iowa does hunting (mainly referring to shotgun drives). I just laugh and think go ahead and hunt Mo. I'll stay here.
But honestly it would be somewhat tough to grow up hunting with a rifle and then transition to shotgun or muzzy. I could understand how that would be tough.

 

[loneranger]

I moved from MI. Bought land up there lived 20 yrs surrounded by Nat Forest. Biologists told me 80% of ALL-Bucks were gone by 3rd day of Rifle Season! State has 800,000 gun hunters-400,000 bow hunters. State human pop is big. Also, hunt camps and Nov 15 a long standing, and I mean long,,tradition. DNR main driving force,, aside from some Biologists, is keep deer numbers down. Have had biologists tell me that-Off the official record. With the Farm Bureau, and current Gov-Insurance Co mindset,in Iowa,, don't talk about changing season dates too loud. Might give office holders an idea. Like," Hey,,we could really bring those brown Rat numbers down if we moved the guns to the RUT!".

 

[letemgrow]

Oh it's unbelievable. Just mentioning the words QDMA and you have about 20 posts in the first 10 minutes of doing nothing but bashing. Deer management and improving the herd is the last thing they want to talk about. It's difficult to stay level headed when reading some of the ignorant posts you read on that forum... I just recently transitioned over to this site and seeing many posts about passing up young bucks and actually putting management into practice is unfamiliar to me after being on missouriwhitetails for a bit... I like this SO much better!


And I'm not trying to completely bash that site, as I do enjoy a few members on there, but what I don't understand is the anger they get at just the mentioning of QDMA... They don't want to even contemplate the benefits of it, or think about working to create a better state. Posts that are not even coming across as forceful for pro-QDMA but rather just educational are taken to heart as if we were talking bad about their mother.. It's ridiculous!

MOWhitetails is great for like minded people, a lot of MO thinks that way so it has a big following.

For me, there was very little to be gained there from an information standpoint as a whole, becoming a better hunter, or learning more about the quarry we are after on MO Whitetails. If you want to see dead deer/turkey pics and pics of fish caught, that is your go to place.

Some of the cover crop info that was posted there was great stuff!!! I learned some valuable info from a few of the guys over there (Rat (go to guy for herbicides), Habitat MD, Mr Hannibal (cover crops and soil), Wildbio (MDC), Pinwheel, Mark (forgot his handle), Henry, Frank, and a few others .

For whatever reason, anyone wanting a better buck age structure is frowned upon by the majority of the crowd. Don't even mention herd dynamics either. That is a 15-20 page thread with those two words alone. Passing a big 3.5 year old is looked at with disbelief. Which I do not understand, cause they are shooting the buck because of the antlers, but he has not reached his potential? Seems counterproductive to say the least and so many times its posted that the neighbor will shoot him if you do not. Probably why a 3.5 year old is considered old here. Trying to one up the neighbors, only leaves you both with fewer big bucks.

Punching tags and slaying slabs is a good motto for MO Whitetails and it works for those with that same mindset

 

[letemgrow]

Funny you guys mention how bad Missouri is. I work with a guy who is from northern Missouri and although he is now a resident of Iowa, he goes to Missouri every year to rifle hunt. Doesn't deer hunt in Iowa at all and has told me he can't stand how Iowa does hunting (mainly referring to shotgun drives). I just laugh and think go ahead and hunt Mo. I'll stay here.
But honestly it would be somewhat tough to grow up hunting with a rifle and then transition to shotgun or muzzy. I could understand how that would be tough.

If I moved to IA, I'd skip the main gun seasons all together. Sounds like a war zone up there when I'm hunting my place late season. Not sure how they blaze 20-30 rounds and then 30 seconds to a minute later 20-30 more rounds? Does not sound too safe to me, nor do I like deer drives to try and take mature bucks. Not very productive as a whole IMO.

Why gun hunt when you get all those good days to bowhunt? Late muzzy is where I would be gun hunting anyways.