nyantler

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

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reported that hunters harvested an estimated 308,920 deer in the state's 2009-10 seasons, which is an eight percent decline from the previous seasons' harvest of 335,850. Hunters took 108,330 antlered deer in the 2009-10 seasons, down 11 percent from the previous license year's harvest of 122,410, but similar to the 2007-08 harvest of 109,200. Also, hunters harvested 200,590 antlerless deer in 2009-10, which is a six percent decline from the 213,440 antlerless deer taken in 2008-09. The 2007-08 antlerless deer harvest was 213,870. Where is the decimation????

I read all your comments and I still don't see why the PA conservation ppl want to decimate the herd.. thats ridiculous.

So what did that have to do with them wanting to decimate the herd?

not yet.. next year maybe

Yeah he's a keeper

I'm kinda curious why you can't wait til you get to camp or home to have that beer Brother?

Wow.. you really believe that any conservation authority would want to decimate the deer population in their state.. That is completely nuts!

Just to clarify... QDM itself by its definition is about maintaining a healthy herd based on the given habitat available to that herd. One part of the program is maintaining a good age structure among the bucks in that herd... passing on younger bucks allows for those buck to get older filling in the age classes to get a good representation of bucks in each age group. This inherantly creates a larger group of bigger and older bucks.. even if thats the only reason that someone is doing QDM on their property it doesn't take away from the fact that the rest of what happens with the program is helping the herd. And again, I see nothing wrong with guys wanting more big bucks to hunt.

QDM's purpose is not to creat more mature bucks to kill.. that is just a by-product of the program. Me passing on the broken antlered buck make no difference it how the program works. So yes I would pass... the following year he might make some other hunter very happy. I will be the first to say that I like the bigger antlers better, because I just like bigger antlers. My standards are very high so unless there is a freak 2.5 year old walking around out there I'm pretty certain I'm not gonna kill one.

Booze and guns, just like booze and vehicles don't mix. Bring coffee if you want to keep warm.

Why even hunt?... because the hunt isn't about just taking deer for me... I like being selective and just because i pass on one mature buck doesn't mean I won't have an opportunity for another. I agree that QDM for some guys means bigger bucks for them to shoot. But i don't see what the problem with wanting bigger bucks around. If faced with the opportunity of having 2 bucks in front of them, one small and one very large, I promise you that all hunters will opt for the big buck every time. I have filled my doe tags every year with my muzzleloader, thats another reason to hunt. I put one in my freezer and donate the other to the venison drive. There are a lot of things that concern me with some of the QDM programs guys have developed on their own.. but the general concept of QDM i think is a good idea. It's a shame that all the guys that have reservations about QDM are stuck on the whole antler thing.

they should have a survey sheet that every hunter can pick up when they purchase their license.

Signing a tag over to him would be fine.. but he asked to buy one. Maybe it was an innocent mistake.. but its our obligation as hunters to know the laws.. its important to read the regulation booklet.

Hunter you did the right thing... If that deer was that important to them that they wouldn't take the time to determine who really had the best bullet in the deer, then let them have the deer. They know when they tell the story that they aren't telling the real story no matter what they come up with. And like Fasteddie says.. stay away from those guys in the future...great thread title by the way.. very small hunters.

I have actually been faced with this very situation. Remember that the concept of passing on 1.5 and trying to kill a more mature buck isn't about taking mature bucks out of the herd its about leaving the young buck in the herd to increase the amount of older deer in the following years. I would pass on the broken horned buck. Leaving him in the herd doesn't hurt the age structure. If there is no pedicle damage he will grow his antlers again the next year and still be in the pool of mature bucks to take.

When I say "you guys" I mean you guys that shoot the first buck that walks by... if that is you then I'm talking about you if not then I'm not talking about you... maybe its your guilty conscience that makes you think that any of what I have said concerns you.

Its not so much that they reject QDM that bothers me.. they reject it without actually ever having looked at the program research from around the country. It would serve hunters good to at least take a look at how they might be able to implement deer management into New York... I hear more guys saying there they aren't seeing bucks, they aren't seeing good bucks, i need a doe tag to put meat in the freezer, All I see is does. BUT they aren't willing to take a look at why all that is happening. Honestly I'm not sure why I even care because it wouldn't affect the way I hunt at all. I just think its the right thing to do.