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why not

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moose270

Guest
why not make non res, like my self buy lets say doe tags for 2 consecutive years before i am considered for a buck tag. this opens up more hunting to nr's but makes them control them doe herd instead of killing your big bucks. i know i would spend 200 a year to come and kill a doe and take some good buck foottage. just a thought

mike
 
I know I would not pay two hundred dollars to kill a doe. I, as well as most people can get some great footage of mega bucks in August no mater where you live, you just may have to tra-vel a hundred miles or so to overlook some soy bean fields in prime areas.


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I do like this kind of thinking but I'd probably take it one step farther and propose this.

NR still enter a drawing, earn preference points etc... once you've drawn a tag you automatically get 2. The only catch would be that you must fill the doe tag before the buck tag. I also think this should be done with us the residents. The only problem I see is we would then need check stations. I also think they (check stations) would beneficial.

I know quite a few guys that bought doe tags and never filled them, but did fill a buck tag. I gaurantee if they make us shoot does FIRST the herd population could be controled a lot easier and effectively. And with the help of check stations they know EXACTLY what,where,when these deer are being harvested.

My 2 cents.

Pupster
 
Even if they increase the number of NR tag's to 12000, and even if every NR hunter shoots a doe, I don't think it would have that much of an impact on the deer herd here in IA. 12000 may sound like a lot, but I think our annual harvest is somewhere around 200,000. It's been a while since I've checked out the state stats, but I don't think I'm that far off.
If the state of IA really, really wanted to see a decrease in the deer population, they would hand out free doe licenses. They've made them pretty plentiful in most counties, but they still charge you for them. Some guys take advantage of this, and some guys feel its too much money when you're supposed to be helping the state control the deer herd anyway.
CRITR
 
Critrgitr,
You are right about the NR shooting does wouldn't solve the problem but it certainly wouldn't hurt it.

The state needs revenue so I'm not so sure giving them away would be such a good idea, most counties sell out quickly.

Bottom line is if we as hunters don't take this herd problem in our own hands, and activly harvest does, the politicians are going to put it in someone elses hands. I don't know who's hands those would be, but I would rather we keep it in ours.

Remember what Richard Bishop said.

"If we don't make a significant reduction in the herd this year, we will be forced to impose new regulations to accomplish that goal. Many hunters may find these changes unacceptable. Extending firearms seasons earlier and later, or requiring antlerless only deer hunting for all deer hunters, have been suggested as possible options."

Pupster
 
Shooting more does sounds great but.................the almighty U.S. dollar is stretched pretty far for a lot of guys including me. I see where you are coming from but financially it is becoming almost too much. Most of us already spend hundreds to thousands already every year. I agree with the shooting does first before you are even eligible for a buck tag. Good topic.
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agree with pupsters earn a buck proposal that does not charge for a doe tag
 
From a person who shoots alot of does, I don't like the "earn a buck tag" idea. Simple reason: think how many fawn bucks are going to get shot because it's the first baldy that walks by. I've shot alot of does in recent years and not a button buck in the bunch...primarily because I have the time to pick what is almost certainly NOT a fawn. However, if I had to have a baldy on the ground in order to be eligible for a buck tag, you can bet the first antlerless deer to come by on October 1 is going to get an arrow. I see this as similar to the late-late season in that it is too high of a risk of shooting a shed buck. I don't know what the solution is, but if QDM is our goal, this certainly will be counter productive.

NWBuck
 
i agree with you , that is why you need check stations. does first, if you shoot a button buck when you register it for the buck tag you are done. you in esences you have shot your buck and your doe. hunters should also be made to take a skills test a questionaire when applying for tags, would help keep some of the slob hunters out of the woods.

the moose
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Bottom line is more does need harvested. period. Now whether or not the DNR sees that we successfully did that or not I don't know. I'm not sure how they know without checkstations.

I don't see how we will ever cure the killing of button bucks or shed bucks. Self discipline comes to my mind, but not everyone cares.

Pupster
 
moose270,
Then who in their right mind would take a button buck to the check station?

Pupster,
Self discipline aside, who wouldn't shoot the first baldy they can if it were November 1 and you hadn't qualified for a buck tag yet? I still think the only real solution is to increase the number of county tags and decrease the price of the first one.

NWBuck
 
How does increasing the number of tags and dropping the price save a button buck or a shed bucks life?

You may sell more tags but will it guarantee people will fill them? I personally know 4 guys that bought doe tags and had intentions of filling them, but for some reason or another they didn't. These guys all wrapped a tag around a bucks leg though.

I firmly believe we need check stations, then the DNR knows EXACTLY what is being harvested and where.

Who knows we might find out that enough does were harvested and none of this will even be a problem, but I'm guessing not.

I think this is a great topic!

Pupster
 
I think one problem with the earn a buck plan is that it will go out the window when the biggest buck a lot of guys have ever seen steps out in front of them. I know check stations would help, but even if we had them, there would be those who would hide their buck until they shot a doe (or button buck) or take the risk of not checking it.

Like others have said, the antlerless tags sold out in most counties. Just keep them cheap and plentiful for res and non res alike.
 
kt you always have risks, the guy hunting in october with the spot light i mean we can take this that route i am sure but i thought that this was a bit more logical.

the moose
 
Where I hunt in iowa, we have exactly that, check stations and have to shoot a doe first before you can harvest a buck. Does it work yes, have i brought button bucks into the check station yes, do I think it hurts the buck population, no. I think that is the only effective way to control the population for qdm you have to shoot deer of all ages and all sex. The program i am in, is working, the results are unbelievable I think if the whole state was like this, the results would also be unbelievable, ive seen it first hand and know it works, most hunters gripe about having to shoot a doe or two, that normally wouldnt, i know guys that complain ive never shot a doe in my life and they are making me shoot one, and i bet there are many others out there like this. if there was 12,000 Nr out there that had to shoot a doe first or at least had a cheap tag to shoot a doe that could be 12,000 does where in reality its probably more like 24,000 to 36,000 does shot due to next years fawns, so it could help populations. just think of every roadkill out there, there are tons of huge bucks does, fawns button bucks etc. taken off you hunting lands due to cars yet, most people dont gripe about that, but a guy shooting a button buck is almost considered a murder a sinner to the deer hunting world, they say survival of the fittest and i guarantee you a button buck that has made it through all of iowas seasons that first year is a deer that i want in my deer herd, not one that will actually look at you and never spook while you are drawing your bow. I think of it as in if somebody really wanted to truly only shoot big bucks, then they would have to pass on every 140-150 class animal they see and only shooot the 170+ class bucks which that would never happen, to some shootin a 140 class buck with potential is just as bad, if not worse than shooting a button buck. okay im typing too much, i just think that most wont try to shoot the button bucks and shoot a doe but thats not gonna happen a few will get shot, i shot 4 mature does and 2 button bucks this year, it happens
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IMO the DNR or the state or whoever aren't really concerned about the steps they take actually lowering the population. They want it to look like they are doing something, but the bottom line is more deer, more tags sold, more$$$.
 
Country Boy,
You're absolutely correct, its all about the almighty dollar, and the state is using the deer population as a front to gain more revenue for the state. In my opinion they're going to do what they want to do regardless of how many deer are in this state.
CRITR
 
I'm not so sure. With different groups compaining and lobbyists actively seeking different ways to reduce the herd, we might want to take it seriously.

Farmers (Crop Damage) and insurace companies (Car, deer accidents) have pretty loud voice when it comes to this issue..

Pupster
 
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