nyantler

you are absolutely right Steve.. I think that change should be made to help the conservation effort... it shouldn't be about killing bigger bucks.. bigger bucks just happens to be a by-product of AR. And I agree that there are some that only want the bigger bucks.

I agree that the best way for change is through continued education... then there would be no need for Mandatory AR ...just seems like hunters resist listening to what they are being taught. And refuse to make any changes on their own to help manage the herds in their areas

I have been hunting for over 35 years and have no complaints and relish the opportunity to legally kill the deer of my choice and I have killed some very good bucks and have passed on many others. Why deny the common man of that opportunity or choice? Conservation laws shouldn't be about choice.. it should be about whats good for the conservation effort. Thats like saying that just because you like driving 100 mph that there shouldn't be a 65 mph speed limit.

nicebucks by the way

In 36 years of hunting I have never hunted anywhere in NY where I couldn't find at least 1 big buck. I agree that if you sit and wait for one you may wait all your life and never find one, but I will bet if you go looking for one there is one somewhere in your area to be found.

Don't be afraid to try it all Johnny... sometimes experimenting as a new hunter is half the fun. Most anything you can try has worked for one guy or another. Don't be afraid to think outside the box.

Someone answer me why is it a bad thing to have more trophy class bucks? I'm not getting that one

Well to you maybe they don't .. to me they do.

Oh and as for the thread question .. my answer would still be... nothing

I've been hunting big bucks since long before you even knew what QDM was Steve. I don't need to have any laws made to help me kill big deer... I've been doing it successfully for years. You are quick to make assumpsions about things you know nothing about. For your information I don't care whether AR happens or not... but it will. All I have said so far is that my opinion is that I am for some form of AR... because I think it's better for the whitetail.. period. But whether it happens or not makes absolutely no difference to me... I'll let the guys that say they don't have any big bucks to kill, but still support the status quo, lose the sleep.

I stand corrected... outside the ears is their criteria.

The last 3 big bucks I killed where in the first week of December on the snow.

You seem to be missing the point of what AR is for. It's about creating age structure and bettering the buck to doe ratio in the herd not about making more big bucks. Yes , that is a by product of the program. But, is not the intent of AR's. And I hate to burst your bubble but I have been with the NYS Big Buck Club for many years and can attest to the fact that most of the bucks entered into the record book each year are a result of LUCK. And I haven't seen any reduction in pride in any of the guys that have harvested those bucks.

What question are you specifically referring to that I haven't already answered? Culver

Not sure about the button buck thing... usually reduced button buck harvest would be attributed to the doe harvest. Not killing lone does, but waiting for mutiple does so that you can compare size and take the bigger does. This helps reduce the killing of button bucks which are a bit small on average compared a mature doe.

And there is nothing like a little spirited debate to get the blood flowing.

Then state your opinion. You keep attacking the individual... saying that charlie alshiemer does what he does to sell books and calenders means you don't know the man. And he doesn't sell ad space on his website. And though I'll agree that Charlie has made his living selling books and calenders, writing articles and doing seminars... he also works very hard and does a lot of research on everything he writes or speaks about. I'm not a big believer in the moon phase theory being the end all be all either, but if you know Charlie he didn't come up with it to sell calenders... in fact, the reason he does the calenders is because of all the requests he had years ago from guys that new he was doing the research. Don't begrudge a hardworking guy his living.

its not antlers outside the ears... its 14" which is inside the ears.. but if you use the ears as a guide and the antlers are at least as wide as the ears the buck will be legal.. The idea is to shoot mature bucks not see how close we can come to 14 inches. Sorry about the "nonsensical point" comment that was out of line.

exactly GJS4!

I agree culver...

Why did I know that slowhand would have a problem with Alshiemers rut predictions?.. you're easier to predict than the rut slow..lol

As for my website.. you will find no promotion of QDM at all there.. just a couple paragraphs about my personal hunting preference.. but nice try slowhand. The website is strictly for entertainment. Don't tell me you don't enjoy a good hunting story.

I have no agenda... just stating my opinion. I couldn't care less how you guys hunt.. I'll enjoy it any way they give it to me.. My standards will always be higher than what ever the DEC can come up with anyway. Any definitely higher than all yours. And covert.. I'll bet your buck has a spread wider than 14" .. you don't have to be a genius to see the buck you got is a mature buck.. you just keep coming up with more ridiculous ways to try and prove your nonsensical points.

I think we will see State wide AR whether you change your mind or not...

because there are NOT many that practice any QDM or follow any AR... the reality is that most hunters shoot anything they can fill a tag with... thats why it hasn't changed. In other words you get out of it what you put into it.