Shoot More Does Less Small Bucks

[Mayfly]

So what is everyones policy for deer harvest? Are you strictly a trophy hunter? Or do you shoot anything that is brown??

I think this is something that is very important. I feel that more does should be shot and less small bucks. Rather than drawing a doe tag you should have to draw a buck tag. I'm not a biologist and don't know the pros and cons but wouldn't it be nice to have more big bucks running around....?

[Mayfly]

Tell me this.......

What is the rational in passing on a doe but shooting a spike buck??

That happens a lot....Just becasue there is a little antler on the deer the stock on that deer goes up in some hunters mind.

I guess the only way I could possibly understand it is if you didn't have a doe tag and you needed some meat.

Some people argue that it was their kids first hunt. That doesn't sit well either....you should be teaching children when they are young good hutning ethics and morals. No son/daughter....let that deer grow. In 3 years he will be on your wall!! Now isn't that something to hunt for!

That is why we do it...we love to hunt. It doesn't have to happen this year...maybe next year or the next.

[PUTZ]

Well ol putz has been neuterd years ago, so it's brown it's down .
Besides i'm out of stew meat and breakfast steaks.
I was A big buck long ago , but now i'm ?a puppy.
PUTZ

[Bufflehead]

 I'm a meat hunter, I've shot enough big bucks.

 If it's nice and fat and looks to be tender..POW!

 I agree, let some of those spikes and fork horns grow up.

 Years ago during the late 70s when if you seen a white @ss run through the woods you had a good year.

 A warden we talked to said there were 30 doe's hit that winter between Jacobson and Floodwood and 23 of them had not been bread.

 Bucks only is BS! if you ask me

 Spread the kill around

[WoodChuck]

 :) I also am a meat hunter, for the white tail deer has the best alround flavor of the split hoofed animals. i have never tasted buck horn stew or any other recipes calling for racks, forks or spikes to be added for flavoring. does or a good sized yearling will do for me, and if i get a chance at a big buck with big horns that just makes the hunt that more interesting.?

[Spinach]

I won't even raise my gun at the smaller bucks anymore, i've shot way to many deer to have to shoot a spike or fork to make me feel like I had a sucessful year. I look for the nicer does and will even shoot a smaller medium doe if I need some Venison in the freezer. My goal every year is to harvest a trophy buck, but isn't everyones?

I guess if I were hunting in an area that had a very small amount of deer, my view might be different, so I am one to not totally jump all over someone for shooting the first deer they see, that might be a spike, fork or a doe, some areas in the state do not allow anyone to be selective.

But given the choice, i agree 100%, let the smaller bucks go and grab a decent doe. I'm just fortunate enough to hunt in an area that lets me be selective.

[Wack n Stack]

I take around 6 to 7 does a year between my dad and I.  We have a great system for butchering deer. So it works out well. And the old timer can make some of the best sasuage that I have ever tried! His breakfast is his best!

Let the lttle guys walk and roll the does! You are only helping the herd in the long run.

[bowhunter73]

I agree with the over all outlook in here before i didn't even shoot small does. but its like Mr. Wack n Stack said it helps the herd over all. So this year I'm dropping ever doe i can. and as always the only buck I would shoot is a wall hanger or one with a poor rack and bad genetics. Understand I'm on 160 acers tons of does lots of small bucks and very very few shooter bucks. now with doe kills,food plots,And weeding out poor bucks maybe ill have less wall space.

I'm not the best hunter but I'm proud to be a trophy hunter. I love the challenge and the doe's keep me feed so ive got the energy to keep hunting the old bucks

[Wack n Stack]

I personally have gone round and round with the land owners adjacent to my parents property about this very issue.

They live on a 100 acre spot near Glendwood city WI and we have gained permission to hunt close to 500 acres in the area. So needless to say my choices are not limited. Esp. in WI where there is so many deer.

The problem I have is that the "other" major land owners belong to a quality deer management program. Where they only take deer that are 8's or bigger. Well where I hunt that could be a 150# buck with a basket rack.

Mom and Dad bought the land in 1997. When I first hunted I saw so many deer it was great. 20 to 30 deer a night. I noticed that this is good and not good in the same breath. Since then I have been taking as many does as the law allows and my freezer will hold.

I have seen a huge improvement in the buck to doe ratio and the over all size of the bucks in our area.

I do not disagree with a quality managed hunting groups. I simply disagree with only targeting and harvesting bucks over a regulated size limit. IMHO that is not what management is or should be all about.

It is true that a large number of bucks are ever going to reach there full potentail. But I feel strongly that if we keep a good buck to doe ratio it will only improve our chances as "Hunters" to see larger bucks.

[Outdoors Junkie]

We hunt on state land near URL.  It is thick wilderness up in those parts.  If a deer comes by our stands, and it doesn't have spots, we are gonna shoot.  There are some members of our party that may go a couple years between seeing deer (they are not the best hunters).  I have seen timberwolves from my stand, my cousin has had black bear cubs playing by his stand.  We even have moose walk by once in a great while.  We have never filled out.  It is more about being out in the woods together sharing a love of the outdoors.

[Mayfly]

Outdoors_Junkie:

Do you have a larger version of your avatar. That deer looks huge! I would like to see. Doe or Buck?

[Outdoors Junkie]

I e-mailed you a larger picture.  It is a buck.  This buck had a very big body, but the rack was wide, but not a lot of height.  There are a lot of bucks like that up north.  They can only eat twigs, leaves and grass.  So, diet plays a big part in the size of the rack.  Not like a crop feed deer from farther south.

[Mayfly]

That is a big deer.......what did he weigh?

[ScottPugh]

Well the only deer I have shot in 8 or so years of deer hunting was a fork.  I thought it was a doe but when we went to check "her" out we saw the fork. 

That same year I saw a 8 point (huge where we hunt) that snuck up on me and stood 20 yards away looking right at me.  The second I would move anything (even blink) it would move.  I stared it down for 15 minutes then it turned and ran off, with me NEVER getting a shot off.  I faced that way the rest of the hunting season to never see it again. 

In years past my dad and uncles have taken a few spikes / buttons but this year that is not going to be allowed.  I think out of 8 deer last year 6 were buttons or spikes.  What is nice is my dad has been up at the cabin for most the time this summer so he knows pretty well what is in the area, and the size.  There are at least 4 different BIG does running around.  He said there are 2 big spikes, 2 other smaller spikes, and a few forks (that will left alone hopefully).  There is one 6 and another 8 also out there that he has seen. 

Management is the key to make those big guys grow.

[7Pines]

We're a "two deer a year" family.  If the animal is at least a yr. old, I shoot it.  Aint' got time for antlers.  Got enough antlers.  Need meat!
'Course, I do have two very large bucks that use both properties that I hunt extensively, so I will spend time to target them.  Wary, old, sneaky bastages...

[ScottPugh]

I will also add.  If we have one of my young (mid-late teens)cousins hunt with us it is open for them.  I remember when I first started to hunt everyone would hold off on their doe permits to give the young guys the ability to shoot a doe for the first weekend.

I do agree though.  It should be earn a buck (not a doe) at least in some regions.

[Wack n Stack]

I am all for that, let the youngsters have the best chance at harvesting a deer.

[Bufflehead]

 We always gave the kids first shot

 Now the other end of life has come into play.

 My dad is 75...This year, he is #1 for best spot..first deer.

 My boys are 16 and 18 and they have already tagged many deer. They want grandpa to shoot first also.

 

 

[HUNTER2]

Last year I passed on a 6 point twice with my bow only to find him dead with a arrow in his back the first day of slug hunting over by Sunburg.

[snowshoe]

I have to totaly disagree, Im 61 shot my first deer at age 9, and a few ever since, but i think the trophey hunting is going to ruin or deer in Minn Like Wisc. if you don't shoot the small bucks the small bucks breed small does and guess what small deer. Shoot the does heck yes, I have a cabin that we have hunted for manny manny years so we kind of know our deer population , and try to harvest the smaller deer good eatting and yes we take a few trophey bucks, last year a 215 12 point and a 195 14 point, but we left a few just my opinion and as anyone who knows me knows that i don't know crap, He He Snowshoe. Ibot 152

[Wack n Stack]

I agree with your statments to. But if you see a buck with a chance to get big??

I have no prblem WACK N those little retarded WI basket racks that will never amount to anything. But if they are a couple of years old with a decent looking rack, I get to full draw and say............Yup your dead but "It's your lucky day" I can WACK your girly and she will tase better........

[WillowWaldo]

All big bucks are small bucks at one time .... How do they growup to 12 and 14 points if they are shot as forks and 6's.  Trophy hunting is not going to ruin deer hunting  in MN,  Wisc has it so bad .....?????

WW