Georgia becoming a QDM state?

[gh1950]

I appreciate the paper and look forward to seeing more. It does make one wonder why we are allowed to harvest so many does when fawn recruitment is down. My hunting buddies and I have noted more coyotes on the cams this year. Maybe we need to concentrate more on them. Too bad they don't aren't as good as deer for dinner. Is there any data one how many folks actually tag out each year? I don't think I saw 12 deer last year, let alone shot them...

No one is FORCED to shoot any does, or small bucks, or the ever popular "cull" bucks. Or big bucks for that matter.

I've always thought it was ironic that everyone is all about improving the "deer herd", but the first stud they ever see, they put on the wall. Talk to a farmer, and ask him his thoughts on making hamburger out of his herd bull, and just letting all the yearlings take care of business.

From a biological point of view, and from a "herd management" point of view, and from an environmental point of view, a spike or button button is the most expendable part of the "herd." Especially for local management of a tract less than about 1500 acres, because that button or spike is going to be driven off the property. Long term, if you want to manage the "herd" you would be better off to let the does go, let the big boys go, and shoot all the spikes and buttons you see. Float that around your local crowd of TV inspired trophy hunters and see how it goes over.

 

[Zforzachariah14]

No one is FORCED to shoot any does, or small bucks, or the ever popular "cull" bucks. Or big bucks for that matter.

I've always thought it was ironic that everyone is all about improving the "deer herd", but the first stud they ever see, they put on the wall. Talk to a farmer, and ask him his thoughts on making hamburger out of his herd bull, and just letting all the yearlings take care of business.

From a biological point of view, and from a "herd management" point of view, and from an environmental point of view, a spike or button button is the most expendable part of the "herd." Especially for local management of a tract less than about 1500 acres, because that button or spike is going to be driven off the property. Long term, if you want to manage the "herd" you would be better off to let the does go, let the big boys go, and shoot all the spikes and buttons you see. Float that around your local crowd of TV inspired trophy hunters and see how it goes over.

Indeed you are correct, but if you are continually shooting everything that is smaller and letting the big boys go, how do you get big boys after 4 years? The real problem is too vast to just narrow down to QDM. To get off subject a little, Coyotes and predator issues are greater threat than QDM... Secondly, in my opinion, too many doe days and way too long of a rifle season. How do you suppose Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and places have such a great deer population? One-two week gun seasons a year and limited number of buck and does they are allowed to harvest. Granted they have the Agricultural landscape to support those numbers, its unreal compared to Georgia deer hunting. An average sitting in Oklahoma or Kansas, you will see 20 to 30 deer or more.

I'm not disagreeing with you, in fact, as you said, the only way to truly "manage" a herd, is to let the does go and big bucks continue to breed out and not shoot first great deer they see.. it's like this election, you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

 

[Sigo]

No one is FORCED to shoot any does, or small bucks, or the ever popular "cull" bucks. Or big bucks for that matter.

I've always thought it was ironic that everyone is all about improving the "deer herd", but the first stud they ever see, they put on the wall. Talk to a farmer, and ask him his thoughts on making hamburger out of his herd bull, and just letting all the yearlings take care of business.

From a biological point of view, and from a "herd management" point of view, and from an environmental point of view, a spike or button button is the most expendable part of the "herd." Especially for local management of a tract less than about 1500 acres, because that button or spike is going to be driven off the property. Long term, if you want to manage the "herd" you would be better off to let the does go, let the big boys go, and shoot all the spikes and buttons you see. Float that around your local crowd of TV inspired trophy hunters and see how it goes over.

Allowed and forced are two different words. Thanks for addressing the question.