Experiences with forming “co-ops” to manage for older deer???

[Sligh1]

Years ago I knew several folks involved at different levels with co-ops with neighbors to grow bigger &/or older deer. As well as habitat, monitoring for poachers, doe management, etc. Heck, back in MI- there was a few groups who tried to get deer to 2.5. & had some success. & for MI in that region- it was magical!!! Sad but magical for MI.

My personal point of view is this (right, wrong or indifferent or even unrealistic some may say)….. let’s say a group all agrees they want “5 year old deer” & pretty good at identifying younger deer…. Minus a seldom “oopsy”…. In theory & reality if folks are passing 4 & under…. There will be a never ending perpetual supply of 5 year bucks. Forever. *aside from ehd, bad years, bad poaching, etc. But on average, over a nice swath (let’s say neighbors totaled even 500 acres or more- bigger the better of course) - no doubt that EVERY YEAR there will be 5 year olds to hunt. Really simple biology & math involved here . Elementary.
There’s issues like “well this neighbor won’t get on board” or “one neighbor doesn’t stick to it”. Host of reasons. But common sense: endless supply of age class of deer you don’t shoot the previous season. Seems easy but clearly it’s hard.

I think the logic on its face is sound. Reality may be different. I have not heard much on co-ops for a while. Still a big thing? Even if it’s “hey, let’s let 1.5’s go” - whatever. Regional dependent. What’s y’all’s experience? Had a lot successes or a lot of problems with it? Good or bad. Curious. Many guys can’t own a lot of acres & to me, if u have honest neighbors with similar goals- seems like it’d be next best thing. IF THOSE FOLKS AGREE & ABIDE. Lot of out there and thoughts or experiences?

 

[Bucksnbears]

Years ago I knew several folks involved at different levels with co-ops with neighbors to grow bigger &/or older deer. As well as habitat, monitoring for poachers, doe management, etc. Heck, back in MI- there was a few groups who tried to get deer to 2.5. & had some success. & for MI in that region- it was magical!!! Sad but magical for MI.

My personal point of view is this (right, wrong or indifferent or even unrealistic some may say)….. let’s say a group all agrees they want “5 year old deer” & pretty good at identifying younger deer…. Minus a seldom “oopsy”…. In theory & reality if folks are passing 4 & under…. There will be a never ending perpetual supply of 5 year bucks. Forever. *aside from ehd, bad years, bad poaching, etc. But on average, over a nice swath (let’s say neighbors totaled even 500 acres or more- bigger the better of course) - no doubt that EVERY YEAR there will be 5 year olds to hunt. Really simple biology & math involved here . Elementary.
There’s issues like “well this neighbor won’t get on board” or “one neighbor doesn’t stick to it”. Host of reasons. But common sense: endless supply of age class of deer you don’t shoot the previous season. Seems easy but clearly it’s hard.

I think the logic on its face is sound. Reality may be different. I have not heard much on co-ops for a while. Still a big thing? Even if it’s “hey, let’s let 1.5’s go” - whatever. Regional dependent. What’s y’all’s experience? Had a lot successes or a lot of problems with it? Good or bad. Curious. Many guys can’t own a lot of acres & to me, if u have honest neighbors with similar goals- seems like it’d be next best thing. IF THOSE FOLKS AGREE & ABIDE. Lot of out there and thoughts or experiences?

Overall, although it sounds great, I still believe if you have a tag, shoot what makes YOU happy.
The "BIG BUCK" thing is ruining "hunting" as I knew it growing up. far as I'm concerned.
Let's say,a 5000 acre co_op formed and they all knew a 250" buck roamed it.
There would be VERY little recruitment of anybody getting to hunt there.
People ,especially kids would give up even trying.
There are plenty of big bucks shot each year even on unregulated lands.
I'd like to see it stay that way.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

I dont know that the average hunter is that great at judging age. It's crazy to me how many people I talk to that can't even accurately describe what they shot before recovering it. "I think it was a 10 point, but may have been an 8 or 9". Happens all the time. Or " yeah I shot this 9 point" turns out to be a 3 year old 12 point. Honestly boggles my mind how often this happens.

Right neighborhood, ya prolly work. I know some of the co ops share equipment. I think that's a phenomenal idea. Now everyone has access to a $30,000 drill... as example.

 

[newfarmer]

I love the idea- but it would never work up here in farm country where the gunners push out everything and swear it’s a 200” running. Heck- a few years ago a group chased a buck 21 miles because it had double drops (sadly I’m serious). Would take a special neighborhood but would be AWESOME to get it to work. I just might hang some QDM signs and see if the neighbors ask about them

 

[hillrunner]

I dont know that the average hunter is that great at judging age. It's crazy to me how many people I talk to that can't even accurately describe what they shot before recovering it. "I think it was a 10 point, but may have been an 8 or 9". Happens all the time. Or " yeah I shot this 9 point" turns out to be a 3 year old 12 point. Honestly boggles my mind how often this happens.

Right neighborhood, ya prolly work. I know some of the co ops share equipment. I think that's a phenomenal idea. Now everyone has access to a $30,000 drill... as example.

I agree, a lot of guys cannot identify different bucks. Heck, trying to get guys to avoid button bucks while doe hunting is a challenge.
It would take a group of serious hunters who also keep a real close eye on anyone they allow to hunt.

 

[Snail3496]

There isn't a better idea on paper. I know of several successful ones in Michigan whos goal is nothing 2.5 or younger, and it has yielded huge dividends for them. That said, not too impressive compared to most of our standards outside of MI.

My pure opinion on the matter, I think the difficulty for most neighbors and when things get pretty grey comes at 3.5. As we all know, its not too uncommon for 3.5's to get 150+ in some of these areas. Give him a rutted up neck and a frosty morning and wires get crossed for 99% of neighbors. Especially the ones that dont hang many cams or drool over pictures like most of us do. All that said - its definitely worth a shot to try. It cant make things any worse. Even if it gets just 5% of the bucks a year older that can be HUGE.

 

[Daver]

A few years back a group of neighbors in our area had a fairly legit neighborhood coop going for several years. It kind of fell off once the organizing member sold his place and moved away though. I would say that it worked though, not that there were no "violations" of shooting younger bucks, but in the main there was a pretty good commitment to letting the younger bucks walk. Even if a given neighbor stumbled a bit by taking an, ahem, "management buck" as the season wound down, there were still many "passes" going on that led to older bucks still alive for the next season, etc.

Since the "formal" coop faded away some of us neighbors still informally agree to pass certain bucks in a given year and that has seemed to mostly work out OK too. Note - over this time I have shifted my own thinking away from passing ALL bucks less than 5 years old over to passing the "high potential" bucks at earlier ages and freely taking out say the 4 year old 135"ers, etc. I think it is probably more achievable to target a smaller number of high potential younger bucks to protect any way. FWIW.

Exceptions to any "rules" are young or first time hunters, etc. But for almost all of us, we have shot many nice bucks in our life now and doing something to enhance the chance that a giant, giant is on the scene is intriguing and worth a little self imposed restraint IMO.

 

[whitetail_obsession]

I think the concept of a co-op is good but with everything I think there needs to be exceptions for younger hunters to get them interested in the sport. Other members would have to be ok with a buck with great potential getting shot by one of these younger hunters. In terms of older age class deer I agree with others that most hunters can't judge beyond 3+ so striving for 5+ might be unrealistic. Also with the EHD outbreaks it would be very disheartening to let deer go to 5 and then have an outbreak and start all over. I think letting good to great potential younger deer walk is a good strategy but I think some deer without great genetics should be shot at 3 or 4. Not to try to cull their genetics because I think that is a fruitless endeavor due to the genetics in the doe herd but rather to reduce the stress on the herd and allow the great genetic bucks to have more nutrition and less competition. I think it could work but it would take a special group of neighbors. It would definitely be fun to see a good age structure and a strategy like this might be needed if these larger blocks of land keep getting broken up.

 

[Obsessed]

Sounds good on paper, but my personal experience with trusting others to do the same as I do, within a group, doesn't have a very good track record. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

[Stoney]

My thinking is similar, much easier to identify a very few deer with a lot of potential, share photos and agree to pass until some agreed upon age. It would be awesome if it worked out.

 

[Sligh1]

To clarify, FWIW:
1) agree 100000% to shoot management bucks (bullies, lessor genetics, etc) earlier than other bucks
2) the “5 year old mark” is just a made up one. Kinda the top tier. I was more saying this as general “let’s try to let XYZ Age class get there”. Maybe it’s 3. Whatever.
3) average dudes are horrible at guessing age & size. No doubt. The ONLY way this could work, IMO, is if u had reasonably educated guys with knowledge on age. Or sharing pics & educating others that want to learn. Kids is clearly a different subject.
4) no such thing as perfect or zero mistakes.

Great thoughts above. Heard some guys “throw in the towel” as it was pointless & others with more success. Interesting to hear the feedback for sure.

 

[NextBuk]

There isn't a better idea on paper.

Well said... and I agree, managing by age is definitely the best way and it absolutely does work. In an area of Wisconsin that I hunt, most neighbors are not at the 5.5 or better point, but enough of them are passing three year olds that we typically have some good 4 yr olds to hunt every year. We've for sure seen good progress.