Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: charles]
#6680325
12/01/19 09:35 AM
12/01/19 09:35 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978 potter co. p.a.
pcr2
"Twerker"
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"Twerker"
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
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unfortunately as bad as the rear hams and backstraps only sounds.i'll find as many missin heads and left whole to rot as i will wasted rib meat.not me,just what i see.
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: charles]
#6680334
12/01/19 09:43 AM
12/01/19 09:43 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 714 Stanton Mi.
BigJoe.
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 714
Stanton Mi.
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your question was "How do you feel?" Here where we hunt around home in central lower Michigan we have been fortunate to have a healthy deer population. We moved to this location 24 years ago. We gained permission from the local land owner to deer hunt within walking distance from home. His first words about hunting his property were " we have too many does, probably 20 does to one buck". He was right! With a young hungry family we took several does a year. Once in a while one of us would shoot a buck. Always a year and a half old. We very rarely seen a buck with any size to them. Back then on opening day of firearm deer season the shooting was none stop for the first hour of daylight. Deer were running from woodlot to woodlot. After opening day you were lucky to see a deer during daylight hours.
Fast forward to about four or five years ago. Opening day had half the amount of shots fired that first hour. It wasn't because of lower deer numbers, it is because people around here have started practicing quality deer management. Weather they belong to a QDMA group or not these folks have seen the benefit of "Let em go, let em grow". At first I wasn't sold on QDMA. Then after listening to a few friends ad seeing their success, we started a quality control program here. We now own some land and have good success with letting the small bucks go and seeing more shooter bucks. Our taste buds have not changed. We still take does for the freezer and if someone has never shot a buck that is new to our group, they can shoot any legal buck they choose. And the high fives, back slapping and picture takeing will be no less than if it was a monster buck.
We are not snob hunters, we are down to earth simple people that like to hunt deer. I have all my deer antlers hanging proudly in my fur shed. From spikes to 8 pointers. No big record book bucks. But they all have a fond memory for me. What we do now is try to get a few bigger bucks. I remember back 30 some years ago when I would see folks with a nice big buck and I would think to myself "wow is that guy lucky". Was he lucky or did they practice quality management of some sort.
Getting back to your question, I feel as long as they are legal, take what you want. I will be happy to help and happy to give high fives, back slapping and picture taking no matter what size the deer is.
The one thing we all need to remember is to never look down on another sportsman or sportswomen for what they do as long as it is legal and ethical.
Happy Trapping, Joe
Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association Director at Large
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: charles]
#6680418
12/01/19 11:29 AM
12/01/19 11:29 AM
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Mark June
Unregistered
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Mark June
Unregistered
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Couple of small ones looking at me yesterday while I was pulling traps here in south Texas. Good thing I wasn't in heat!
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: charles]
#6680419
12/01/19 11:29 AM
12/01/19 11:29 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492 Garden,Michigan
Buck (Zandra)
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492
Garden,Michigan
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QDM should be voluntary and left at that.I just got off another site where the chest thumpers are crying about Michigans buck laws,they want it redone to benefit antler growth.Trophy hunting will kill the hunting industry,which is already on wobbly legs.
Buck(formely known as Zandra)
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: Buck (Zandra)]
#6680488
12/01/19 12:55 PM
12/01/19 12:55 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
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QDM should be voluntary and left at that.I just got off another site where the chest thumpers are crying about Michigans buck laws,they want it redone to benefit antler growth.Trophy hunting will kill the hunting industry,which is already on wobbly legs. Ditto! It has become a cult-like group of guys that can be downright jackasses toward anybody that shoots a buck that they don't think should have been shot. I have 51 opening days under my belt, and I am sickened by some of the hyperbole. Sad.
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: Michigander]
#6680504
12/01/19 01:07 PM
12/01/19 01:07 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,134 Armpit, ak
Dirt
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,134
Armpit, ak
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It depends on your deer population. If you have a surplus of deer taking does in place of a buck is a good idea as the population can handle the does being taken.
Where I hunt (low deer density) it is better off, in my opinion, to take the small buck. The buck will only be a net -1 in your deer population and that is it. Taking a doe not only kills her, but also any deer she would have birthed the next year and the following years. If you have a low density population why would it be legal to shoot does?
Who is John Galt?
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: charles]
#6680525
12/01/19 01:47 PM
12/01/19 01:47 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
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Dirt, in our state, most deer GMU's are county-by-county. It is nearly impossible to micromanage areas within a county. We have had some terrible outbreaks of Blue Tongue in the southern part of the state. I have many friends in one county that was hit very hard by it about 5 years ago. Some farms/parcels lost 90+% of their deer before it was over. Then, other areas nearby (within a couple miles) they lost none. Imagine what a patchwork of management that would require! My county, according to the DNR, has an over-population of deer, yet my own neighborhood has so few does that I don't want to tag one. I haven't shot a doe on my own 180 acres in maybe 12 years. They are getting thicker though, and before long I will gladly fill a doe tag. It kinda throws a wrench in the QDM mantra of letting the small bucks go and shooting a doe for meat, at least on my place.
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: Buck (Zandra)]
#6680646
12/01/19 04:26 PM
12/01/19 04:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,779 Northern lower Michigan
Feedinggrounds
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,779
Northern lower Michigan
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QDM should be voluntary and left at that.I just got off another site where the chest thumpers are crying about Michigans buck laws,they want it redone to benefit antler growth.Trophy hunting will kill the hunting industry,which is already on wobbly legs. As another Michigander I agree 100%, MUCC which does support our right to trap has been less than on the up and up when it comes to our deer regulations. They loss my financial support because of it. If our trapping org. had a membership option without automatic MUCC I would rejoin. Honestly I prefer to tag out on deer meat as quick as possible so I can trap my behind off.
you're only allowed so many sunrises... I aim to see every one of them!
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: RV6]
#6681233
12/02/19 09:24 AM
12/02/19 09:24 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236 West Michigan
Getting There
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
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Hey "neighbor", go ahead and let that "future trophy buck" walk. When he crosses on over to my place, his growing is done. x2
To Old U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
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Re: Shooting small bucks vs doe deer
[Re: twild]
#6681250
12/02/19 09:49 AM
12/02/19 09:49 AM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986 Shenandoah County, VA
l1ranger
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986
Shenandoah County, VA
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Shoot what ever makes ya happy, hunting is supposed to be fun. mostly this. I typically put the first deer I can get a shot on in the freezer. we are allowed 2 bucks, so if the first deer is a small buck, I'll generally pass on smaller bucks to keep that tag open in case the bruiser comes by. other than that, I'll take all the does I can put in the freezer. example, this year I haven't been out as much. I killed a spike on the firearms opener. this past saturday, I passed on several small bucks hoping for a doe or big buck. neither happened.
Josh
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