nyantler

Now that is what I call hunting.. GREAT story Noodle!

The only problem I see with increased doe tags is that doe harvest on one peice of property may be much higher than on another in the same WMU. Depending on the amount of hunting and hunters a given property has. I am uncertain how this is factored in as part of the overall doe population control prescribed for a given WMU. On the 1000 acres of leased land that I hunt in 7j and 7f we control our own doe take regardless of the amount of tags we have. We do it based on yearly observations. It seems to have worked well over the years.

What you call impact on the herd is actually going from overpoulation to closer to where the populations need to be with the lessened habitat. Seeing deer, or not seeing deer, is not a reliable way of determining optimim herd size. Read some research on coyote impact on deer herds... you'll be surprised to know that they really don't have much impact at all where deer are healthy. You'll also learn that killing off the alfa male and/or female can be worse than leaving the pack intact. I'm not saying they can't impact the herd I'm saying research shows that it happens quite infrequently in New York.

Truth is all the guys on here are pretty cool... we have some very different opinions about things, but thats what makes the topics intersting and keeps us all coming back

Educationg people is not forcing... having an opinion is not forcing... the fact that I personally can see no good reason for killing a small buck doesn't mean that I have a problem with hunters killing what's legal to kill. I find that the guys against management put down the guys that practice AR or QDM way more than the other way around. They even call us trophy hunters...oooooooooooooo .. likes thats something bad..lol

having attended numerous DEC forums over the years... I have to agree Doc... But, I have also noticed that any issue that the DEC has brought in front of hunters has been met by some sort of firestorm. That's why you'll never see the type of quality deer herds like in other states here in NY. And, hunters will just continue with the," I'm not seeing as many deer", "I'm not seeing as many big bucks", "We don't have deer like that in my area" complaints forever. By the way.. Happy Thanksgiving Fellas...to you and your families

Of all the trophy bucks in the record book.. very few of them come with stories of skill.. in fact, 90% are just plain lucky hunters... You don't need prime land to grow trophy deer... i know where there are huge bucks in residential areas where there is no hunting allowed, not exactly wild habitat... food plots are not necessary in the management process unless there isn't enough other food sources for the deer. And I know a dairy farmer that hunts the adirondacks only gets about 3 days a year to hunt and has taken a trophy buck the last 11 out of 12 years. He is very selective. I have been hunting bigger bucks for 15 years and have just as much or more fun as ever hunting. And I am not belittling or criticizing anyone for how they hunt.. i will admit that I have criticized their way of trying to debunk the whole management idea.

Spirited is a good word for it sometimes.. welcome to the forum

Welcome!

Absolutely beautiful!

Stalker.. come on now.. we all know that bigger is better... EVERY hunter, bar none, wants to take a trophy whitetail buck.. and if they tell you different they are lying...the want of a big buck has not hurt hunting at all. Imagine having just as good of a chance to kill a big buck as a small buck every year. The reason hunters shoot small bucks is because they are the easiest to kill... there are way more of them than there are big bucks. And rather than wait around for a big boy to show up they shoot the small one. If the age structure was at least 5 age classes deep there would be as many big bucks as there are small. Knowing that there are big bucks to be had i am sure most hunters might wait one out.

Lots of deer movement today with the snow on... passed on a 4 and 6 .... missed a big eight that I snuck up on at 3:30.. I never miss! It was a chippy too. 30 yards broadside... a little brushy but should have been a dead buck.. oh well saw the 4 just after the 8 at about 4pm. Tracked the 6 to his bedding area and caught him trying to sneak out the back. Saw seven does together no buck

QDM doesn't disguise anything... the model is written as its written ... some people who practice it might have an alterior motive.. but I still can not understand what the problem is with wanting more big bucks. That seems to be the problem that guys have with the program is that it produces bigger bucks... so what?

:-\

I'm sorry .. did you say something? Couldn't hear ya over the sound of me not caring.

I'm with WNY

I'll tell what i always do.... I read the regulations booklet.

I never said that.. you did. Doesn't matter to me what the DEC comes up with... my standards are way higher than anything they have or would impose anyway. I have never complained about not seeing enough deer or not seeing enough big bucks... I also don't complain about getting skunked as some guys put it...If NYS decides on an AR or not makes absolutely no diffence in my hunting experience what so ever. I couldn't care less who kills what... I just have an opinion on the subject thats all. If you enjoy killing small bucks, then thats what you ought to do. I'm NOT even for a point based AR... read my past comments. I think we had this discussion before Larry about you not paying attention

There's a good way to break the camp in.. great job

Who's worrying about AR's... I'm more concerned about herd management...

Doc, The only reason a yearling buck would be all that was available is because thats all that is shot each year, leaving no bucks to get any older. And yes you are just guessing... plus you always have the option of hunting somewhere else.. there is State land all over NY... funny too...even in places that have anterless permits...

Oh NO! Not Again?? :

I still don't see how the herd is decimated by the PA game commission...decimated would mean there are no deer left. How could there be no deer left when PA didn't even kill as many deer last year as in years past... And you still haven't answered the question of why the PA game commission would want to decimate the deer herd.. seeems like that would really hurt the hunting revenue... what you're saying is ridiculous

If I want to stay warm I'll put on a better pair of socks

Definitely the "did you catch a deer" question...thats the worst