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Curious about one buck rule:

loneranger

Well-Known Member
Greetings again,Hunting Ladies and Gentlemen. I am curious as to the rational behind the regulation Iowa has that you can take just one buck with a bow. Possibly it is because your bow season is so long? Not that I think there is anything wrong with the rule, I am just curious. Here in MI. a hunter can take two bucks a season. He or She, can use the buck tags during any season, gun or bow.Used to be two bucks any size. Now one has to have at least 4 pts on a side. I am interested in your comments. I have enjoyed all your imput on past questions, Thank You.
 
just a method of trying to keep the herd numbers in check. limiting the number of bucks taken, and increasing the number of does taken, is an effort to get our deer numbers under control. if too many bucks are taken, that will increase the herd, as it is the does that have the young. iowa hunters are allowed 2 bucks per year, one bow, and one gun (landowners tags are also anysex)
where you are, with the rule of only taking bucks with 4 pts on one side, must mean your herd is at a managable size, and they are trying to increase the trophy quality bucks, by allowing the smaller bucks to mature before they can be harveted
hope that helps
 
In the long run we can each get two bucks a year as long as one is with a gun and one is with a bow. Maybe the DNR does this to prevent too many people from hunting during bow season and too many people that only gun hunting taking two bucks. I saw to prevent too many people from hunting bow season because some people shoot a buck early and don't hunt much of the season. With two buck tags available for bow season you could take a decent buck and sit on the second tag for the rest of the season waiting for that record book buck. Maybe not, but just a thought.
 
You can take two bucks with a bow as long as one is taken during late muzzleloader season using a late muzzleloader tag. I am not sure but I think you can also have another with a landowner tag for a total of three...
 
I wish we had the one buck rule here in MI. This would prevent a lot of hunters from using the first tag to shoot the first 1 1/2 year old that walks by. Then the rest of the season they trophy hunt.
Yes Teeroy, that is exactly what MI is trying to do produce trophy bucks, but the DNR unfortunatly skipped a few steps. If the one buck rule was implemented it would make it difficult to decide whether to shoot a decent buck the first few weeks and miss the remainder of the season or hold out for the monster
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. I believe this is what Kansas does and it seems to produce some real dandies.
 
It's hard enough to get some hunters to shoot does as it is. We would not have the hunting opportunity we do in this state if we started to over-harvest the bucks. This is one place all hunters can practice QDM, try to keep doe numbers from getting out of hand.
 
guys i hunt a trial area here in michigan where it must be three points on one side. we should go state wide with this at least our bucks would make 2.5. most of the bucks up here are between 1.5 and 3.5 and so we never see the true potential of many deer. i see some nice 2.5 year olds that have major potential but never truely blossom. if people want meat they should shoot a doe our doe to buck ratio is easil 25 does to one buck. so by the time all of the bucks are done rutting all of these does they are so stared and die from lack of food from the harsh winters.

mike
 
QDM is a very difficult strategy to implement. You should be able to not only judge the antlers, but also be able to judge age and a deers potential. It is challanging for even the most seasoned hunters.

The hardest part about QDM is being able to convince not only hunters on your property, but your neighbors as well. Hunting traditions have been going on for years now without practicing QDM but we are running out of resources. QDM is not an easy strategy, and should be implemented in the most serious manner.

BT
 
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