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Hypothetical poll question

AIRASSAULT

PMA Member
I've always kind of wondered what it would be like if our state closed all antlered deer seasons for lets say... 2 years, and only allowed antlerless only harvests. Just think, in the long run, everyone would be happy. Insurance Companies may not have as much to gripe about, farmers crop damage would be lower, and best of all... the 'what seems like millions' of 1.5 yr old bucks that we see every year will have a chance to be un-scathed and make it to a mature 3.5 yr old.. I think it would be awesome. It may stink to not be able to harvest a buck for a couple years, but afterall, sacrifice has been a big part of my life the last few years and it sure would be cool to go sit in the stand and see just as many 3.5 yr olds running around as I do 1.5 yr olds. What do you guys/gals think? How many of you would say 'yay' or 'nay'?
 
I wish my area held a few more mature bucks, but I don't really want it to be quite that easy. It just seems like it would take away some of the magic of seeing a mature buck in the woods if they became that common. If anyone could do it, I just think it'd lose a little of the draw for me.
 
I say "NAY".Where would the 1 1/2 year olds come from in 3 years if you shoot all the does for 2 years?
There is a lot of ways to cut down on vehicle/deer accidents that don't involve killing all the deer but none of them generate the $$$$ as much as hunting does.Here is a couple examples.
#1 Make those areas along major highway that have a "Deer Crossing next X miles" a 45mph speed zone.I see those areas all the time.No one slows down a bit or pays any attention to those signs.I drive 25 miles to work along a highway in s/e Iowa at 9pm and drive home at 6am.I drive 50mph or less.People fly by me at 65 or 70 all the time.I think about a dozen times in the last few years i have seen those people stopped a few miles ahead because they hit a deer.Probably could have been avoided if they had been driving slower and paying more attention.
#2 Make it illegal for farmer to harvest their crops after dark.People think the deer are on the roads in the fall because of the rut and running all night.But I think a lot of it is from farmers pushing them out of fields where they are feeding at night.
The State will never do these things because they don't make money at it.
 
Interesting thought. Maybe they could just ban shooting 1 1/2 year old bucks other than in the youth season. That would be something i'd consider supporting. It will never happen but the results could be nice.
 
i would support the antler restriction like missouri has although my first big buck was a fully mature 230lb clean 6pt.
 
I've always kind of wondered what it would be like if our state closed all antlered deer seasons for lets say... 2 years, and only allowed antlerless only harvests. Just think, in the long run, everyone would be happy.
Poachers especially!
naughty.gif
Just think, no competition....

Not every one is caught up in the Horn Porn craze so I vote nay.
 
Several states have restricitons of some sort.Missouri has a 4point min.Wisconsin has an "earn a buck" restriction.Not really sure if one is better than the other but both are better than the "slaughter does" idea that Iowa has.
The point restriction is good I think.I know there are some awesome 6 pointers that are around at times but that don't happen often.About as often as antlered does.
 
I say "NAY".Where would the 1 1/2 year olds come from in 3 years if you shoot all the does for 2 years?
There is a lot of ways to cut down on vehicle/deer accidents that don't involve killing all the deer but none of them generate the $$$$ as much as hunting does.Here is a couple examples.
#1 Make those areas along major highway that have a "Deer Crossing next X miles" a 45mph speed zone.I see those areas all the time.No one slows down a bit or pays any attention to those signs.I drive 25 miles to work along a highway in s/e Iowa at 9pm and drive home at 6am.I drive 50mph or less.People fly by me at 65 or 70 all the time.I think about a dozen times in the last few years i have seen those people stopped a few miles ahead because they hit a deer.Probably could have been avoided if they had been driving slower and paying more attention.
#2 Make it illegal for farmer to harvest their crops after dark.People think the deer are on the roads in the fall because of the rut and running all night.But I think a lot of it is from farmers pushing them out of fields where they are feeding at night.
The State will never do these things because they don't make money at it.

#2 will never ever ever happen, seriously, think realistically, this state revolves around farming. :thrwrck:
 
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All the DNR has to do is put an end to this party hunting on buck tags during shotgun season. That would be enough to save a lot of bucks.

Besides who would hunt if you could only shoot does??????????? So I don't think it would work.
 
Maybe it would make prices go down.. that would be awesome..
-I'd still hunt if I could only shoot a doe.. I'm not in it just to kill a big buck.
 
I think that things are going fine the way they are. I remember having to be in a lottery as a resident to get a tag for the first shotgun season so I could be among the elite that could only shoot a buck.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Liv4Rut
All the DNR has to do is put an end to this party hunting on buck tags during shotgun season. That would be enough to save a lot of bucks.

Amen :way:

You all realize that there has to be does too right? The Iowa deer population can't just be bucks.
 
Air Assault,

I have actually seen this happen first hand. When 9-11 occured the ammunition plant closed down the plant that fall to no hunting. This gave all 25,000 acres no hunting pressure and the only deer that died were from car collision, old age, starvation etc.... That following year was a banner year with giant after giant being shot including the Swehla buck.

Back then there used to be deer all over, I have been hunting there since 2000. In the 9 years I have seen a very aggressive approach on shooting does. I mean tons of does. At least a 4:1 doe to buck harvest ratio. Now you are hard pressed to find a doe. Granted they are there but they are much harder to come by. Its about as close to a 1:1 buck to doe ratio that I have seen anywhere. The deer quality just isn't there anymore. There are still big bucks, but not like there used to be when there was tons of does. Back in the day you used to be able to drive into your spot in the morning and see 50 deer along the roads, now you are lucky to see 1 or two.

In my opinion the more does the better to a certain point.
 
I just think it is a BIG HOLE that is very abused!!

Horn porn addiction is a horrible thing.
When I was in fifth grade I did a history report for school. I interviewed my neighbor who was 60 at the time. That was 25 years ago. He remembered when the state was re-introducing deer to Iowa. He said that when he was a kid you never saw deer.
The DNR is doing a good job. If anyone doubts that, look at how many people are falling over themselves to get into our state to hunt. I say let them keep doing what they are trained to do.
 
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