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Why I don't buy Late Antlerless #'s

The stats for shed buck/square miles is not an accurate stat.If you figure over half of the square miles is cities and half of the other half is land that is tied up by big management groups.
Just a few more stats as long as we are on the numbers thing.There is 38 counties in Iowa out of 99 with single digit shed bucks reported.And 2 counties with over 100 each with Van Buren having the most with over 170.
I personally wouldn't care if they had the late rifle season if they did it somewhere besides where I live and hunt.Do it in the whole state except the southern 2 tiers for all I care.I WOULDN'T be one of the ones that say."I hunt the rifle season because its on land I don't normally hunt and if i shoot a shed buck so what."
The problem with the rifle season is that 80% of the people either like it or don't have any opinion because its not in their area that is getting hammered.
I would like to at least see where you could only hunt the late rifle season in the county you live in.Not many residents of Davis county hunt that season and if they do its because they are big outfitters that only take does off their property then.And I think thats great.
 
THA4- appreciate the good feedback. You do need to consider what I was saying with my points was not JUST the locker (I think locker is a GREAT example, especially from one of the highest volume in the state- PERSONALLY I see more value in that vs call-in #'s BUT that's my OPINION), I did have 2 other strong points. It's also OBVIOUS I am ONE GUY hearing and seeing these things. If ONE GUY is seeing things CONSISTENTLY, I can't say 100% for sure but, logic tells me others are seeing and hearing the same things across the state. Another reason we all like feedback from others.

I don't think ANYONE on here would say 100% same results would be seen at every locker and I don't think anyone is going to do a scientific polling of the places BUT my logic tells me I highly think other lockers are seeing the same things (and yes, i believe if we did poll lockers that #'s would be astoundingly similar to "my locker" and similarly different than call-in #'s show/report- until then, we can just discuss and share experiences). I don't think I or anyone else was throwing out absolutes or scientific facts. I was using common sense, logic & my observations.

I think we may be on 2 different topics: common sense, observation of facts (what I saw and heard can't be disputed in MY EXAMPLES) & logic VS hard-core science, polling and statistical data (and which I am saying the call-in for LATE SEASON is not air-tight by far and is very flawed). I never tried to go the 2nd route, never claimed it was some air-tight polling operation put on by Rasmussen Polling then broadcasted on fox news. It was logic, common sense and not being blind/deaf. :)

What I will claim is this:

There is NO WAY I believe those call-in #'s for antlerless shed bucks are anywhere close to accurate. I "BELIEVE" it's rediculously higher from MY experience at: ONE major locker, talking to 3 groups who call in does when they actually shoot shed bucks & finally from talking to hunters who are embarrassed they shot shed bucks and claim does.

When I hear those things and see those things, I put thread up to express what I saw and why I believe what I believe. I think my 3 experiences are basis enough for this thread. I also want to hear if others think or have seen the same thing. I personally think we need to hear from folks when they see things or hear things like this as it gives us more information, opinion and real world experience to make decisions. If we just made decisions based on this "call-in" #, I think we'd have bad information leading to possible bad decisions, that's my opinion and why I've backed it up with my experiences. *Yes, I believe shed bucks shot across state (IN MY OPINION) is in the THOUSAND(S) more than claimed on check-in.

(and I know you said above you don't dispute some of this and I do realize we are on the same page with some of this- and I think your comments were great, respectful and I know we're having a decent discussion here) :) I take that back.... ***REQUESTED CHANGES from THA4 (below) addeded.... THA4- you're so gay I bet you wear Rainbow Camoflauge. You'll never kill anything big because you're stuffing your face with your box of 100 donuts you bring in your treestand. Did your sex-change operation help your hunting skills in any way? Go back to your other regular websites www.gayboy.com or www.uglylonelydesperateandlooking.com Ok, kidding. I wasn't sure if that's what you were hoping for from below?!?! :)

*For now, I throw the "shed bucks per square mile" out the window since only 5-7% of the state is forested and I think the # shot is astoundingly higher anyway for shed bucks shot.
 
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Sligh1 said:
(and I know you said above you don't dispute some of this and I do realize we are on the same page with some of this- and I think your comments were great, respectful and I know we're having a decent discussion here) .
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yer a turd, learn how to kill big deer.......
:moon:
:D









sorry, all this kindness and cordialness was killing me
:grin:
 
Sligh1 said:
*For now, I throw the "shed bucks per square mile" out the window since only 5-7% of the state is forested
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Yeah, we all know that deer only live in timber.....;)

I agree statistics are less than perfect, but I will say that I don't think the bucks are getting exterminated in any given area. It seems odd that these bucks are so elusive during the rut yet during the late antlerless season they make up 40-50% of the harvest (who's stat is that?:grin:).
 
Go up to northern IA where you get in neighborhoods where there's not a tree in several sections in a row- tell me how many deer you see!? I don't see too many deer living in a 640 acre section of clean bean stubble. CRP/Timber coincidentally seems to be where I find em. :)

Learn to kill a big deer?!?! My only chance is late antlerless! I got a 215 lbs dressed doe, a 198 lbs doe, 233 lbs doe & 189 lbs doe, went for the biggest I could find- SUCCESS!!! Then I realized they were all shed bucks.
 
You know what the best thing about a shed buck being shot is? At least you know there are two antlers out there to find :) It just sucks all around. You will never make everyone happy.
 
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JNRBRONC said:
I agree statistics are less than perfect, but I will say that I don't think the bucks are getting exterminated in any given area. It seems odd that these bucks are so elusive during the rut yet during the late antlerless season they make up 40-50% of the harvest (who's stat is that?:grin:).
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I could not agree more.

We might as well sit on back and enjoy this season though because it will not be going anywhere soon unless people ante up and help thin some of these deer out in the earlier seasons also.

Until this happens we can put this thread as a sticky and start again after the late season next year and the forwarding years.
 
From what i seen last weekend, Over 60% of the bucks still had horns in Southern Iowa. And some big ones at that!
 
Blaster said:
From what i seen last weekend, Over 60% of the bucks still had horns in Southern Iowa. And some big ones at that!
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I'd go out on a limb here and say 70% of the bucks in our areas are still packin. Sure, there are some hot spots where the bucks dropped early, but overall, most bucks on still holding.
 
nannyslayer said:
I'd go out on a limb here and say 70% of the bucks in our areas are still packin. Sure, there are some hot spots where the bucks dropped early, but overall, most bucks on still holding.
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I was going to say 70%, but then Thomas would want so data!:grin:
 
(From last page "I will say that I don't think the bucks are getting exterminated in any given area. It seems odd that these bucks are so elusive during the rut", *never did get the quote thing down)

Not sure where you are hunting BUT bucks aren't too elusive during the rut I hunt in Iowa. Not uncommon to see 20 a day. During muzzleloader season I CONSISTENTLY see 5 to 20 bucks if I sit on standing beans or corn (both scenarios I obviously pass most the bucks). I just disagree bucks aren't that visible- late season is a EXCELLENT time to sit on food with a gun and see many bucks (often times older bucks). If 10 bucks were coming out to a field BEFORE DARK with full horns on average during Muzzlelaoder season, then 5 of them drop horns (common in my area) during late antlerless- man that's a whole lot of "does" that have a great chance of getting whaled- which is EXACTLY what's happening. Bucks young and old are NOT elusive in many cases during rut & late season, drop horns and are getting shot (probably a bunch of bucks that got passed earlier in season when they had racks).

*Probably 40-60% dropped by place I hunt near dsm. POLLING DATA: we called 2,345 hunters last night, found an average of 42.6985% bucks have dropped according to our statistical averages. Margain of error: 92% :)
 
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Not sure where you are hunting BUT bucks aren't too elusive during the rut I hunt in Iowa. Not uncommon to see 20 a day. During muzzleloader season I CONSISTENTLY see 5 to 20 bucks if I sit on standing beans or corn (both scenarios I obviously pass most the bucks). I just disagree bucks aren't that visible- late season is a EXCELLENT time to sit on food with a gun and see many bucks (often times older bucks). If 10 bucks were coming out to a field BEFORE DARK with full horns on average during Muzzlelaoder season, then 5 of them drop horns (common in my area) during late antlerless- man that's a whole lot of "does" that have a great chance of getting whaled- which is EXACTLY what's happening. Bucks young and old are NOT elusive in many cases during rut & late season, drop horns and are getting shot (probably a bunch of bucks that got passed earlier in season when they had racks).
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The rut statement by me was sarcastic. Bucks are vulnerable during the rut, but many people were having difficulty finding them last fall, then to have them "all getting shot" during the antlerless seemed ironic to me.

From the quoted paragraph above, sounds like you are seeing tons of bucks (5 to 20 in a sit?) and one or two shot while shed isn't going to crash your season next year. ;)
 
Sligh1 said:
(From last page "I will say that I don't think the bucks are getting exterminated in any given area. It seems odd that these bucks are so elusive during the rut", *never did get the quote thing down)

Not sure where you are hunting BUT bucks aren't too elusive during the rut I hunt in Iowa.
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Hunting in the hilly country of NE Iowa.

After the first couple weeks of shotgun hunting most of mine seemed to go nocturnal. Most of the mature bucks were moving at night.

On a non pressured good food source I am sure it might be different?

Yes, during the rut I see more bucks but depending on the terrain I might not see as many.
More open terrain with small woodlots I might see more?

Trust me Sligh I am on the same page as you and hate it.
But until we reach the quota the deer biologist want us to be in certain counties the season will not end.
Regardless of what is shot as soon as the weather breaks their will be other bucks (buttons included) to take the place of what was harvested this year. Always happens.

I do not think the IDNR will decimate their cash cow.






I hunt everyday I possibly can and put down a lot of does early and late season and I am sure you do also on your land.
This will be the only way they will end any of those seasons.
 
It's not just the mature bucks I'm talking about. 2 or 3 year olds are pretty much as bad (if not as bad or worse). I would imagine you could go to any food source in LATE JANUARY anywhere in Iowa and see a buck without horns before dark. Whether it's a 2 or 10 year old, still vulnerable and are getting shot. Heck, it's bad if a 1&1/2 to 2&1/2 shed buck gets shot- their stupid all year long BUT come out an hour or 2 before dark most anytime in Jan when things slow down. Shed bucks are VISIBLE as can be.
Good comments and thoughts from you all though. Agree with quite a bit of it.
 
Let's be honest if the DNR really wanted to manage the doe heard and have us shoot more does then why don't they give everyone a free doe tag? Why do I have to buy a doe tag for each season? If I buy a doe tag for the bow season and don't fill it why can't I use the same one during first shotgun season or late muzzleloader season? If the DNR wants them shot then why should they care how it's shot. It all comes down to the mighty dollar. In my opinion any doe tag you buy should be good from October 1 until January 10th as long as it is filled with the weapon for the season that is open.

I also think they need to change their reporting system, I don't think they get an accurate count of what is actually shot as I bet 10% of what is harvested isn't even called in. Many times I've called and the reporting system doesn't work, but I call back. I'm sure other get frustrated and don't.

My only other complaint is the new tags they went to. You know how hard it is to write in ink with a frozen pen or on a tag that is soaked with rain?

Enough said.....
 
PROGEAR1 said:
I also think they need to change their reporting system, I don't think they get an accurate count of what is actually shot as I bet 10% of what is harvested isn't even called in. Many times I've called and the reporting system doesn't work, but I call back. I'm sure other get frustrated and don't.
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I dont use the phone system anymore, the internet is far better, takes less than 30 seconds.... easy!
 
PROGEAR1 said:
Let's be honest if the DNR really wanted to manage the doe heard and have us shoot more does then why don't they give everyone a free doe tag? Why do I have to buy a doe tag for each season? If I buy a doe tag for the bow season and don't fill it why can't I use the same one during first shotgun season or late muzzleloader season? If the DNR wants them shot then why should they care how it's shot. It all comes down to the mighty dollar. In my opinion any doe tag you buy should be good from October 1 until January 10th as long as it is filled with the weapon for the season that is open.


Enough said.....
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I really do not see the price of the tags being an issue. People just have see what their priorities really are. I had a buddy buy a late season doe tag and never fired a shot for three days. But it was worth $4.00 a day for him to hunt.


If everyone could get free tags then they would have something else to whine about.
If everyone could use just one tag it would be chaos IMO.

People do need to remember it does cost money to do some of the things the DNR does and we will have to pay something for this privilege.

As far as the freezing cold and pens I could not agree more.
 
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