Whitetail hunting..

[906th_Airborne]

Not sure what kind of regulations are put on outside of michigan but up here this year, on a combo liscense the FIRST deer has to have 3 points on ONE side, the second needs four. In many cases in my area, Ontonagon County, many deer just don't get that big anymore. 2 years ago I shot a "Dandy" 150lb forkhorn (shown below). A buck like that would be illegal to be taken now. I know lately there have been many small bucks taken, especially around here, but as I said earlier, they just don't grow big anymore. This new reg. is gonna put a hurting on the number of deer taken up here this year, guaranteed.

Anybody else get slammed down on with new regulations like this? And what kind of regulations do you all have in your area?

btw I started thinking about this because I read a thread on here earlier about hunting ... just couldnt seem to find it again.

 

[Crazy 8]

Here in Colorado, I don't think there are any restrictions on deer (that I know of) but elk have to have at least 4 pts or a 5" brow tine (I think that's what it is). I saw one spike last year, but a majority of the bulls I see are 5-6pts (only one that would have gone on my wall last year though). It's tough for meat hunters, but by doing this, here in a few years you'll start seeing better quality bucks.

 

[Blu Du]

i wish we had restrictions here in mn. the bucks will get big if there 3.5 years or older. 5.5 yrs is a trophy. every one here shoots spikes or what ever they see. wolves are hurting our deer population big time in northern mn.

 

[XC700116]

i wish we had restrictions here in mn. the bucks will get big if there 3.5 years or older. 5.5 yrs is a trophy. every one here shoots spikes or what ever they see. wolves are hurting our deer population big time in northern mn.

No kidding, Now in all their infinate wisdom in the central part of the state they have gone to a lottery doe tag again and no Pt restrictions on bucks. They're going to wind up back where they were 15 years ago with no decent bucks anymore.

If the population is that far down why don't they open a season on wolves and stop bringing fricken cougars in. Or make certain areas lottery draw for a license to begin with. MN needs to take some lessons from the western states on how to manage game animal heards.

This will be the first year I will not be hunting MN at all. I spent the first 28 years of my life there and went back there from Texas last year to hunt. I'll be damned if I'm going to drop the cash for a non-res tag to hunt there this year. I'll spend it towards my elk tag for CO this year as I'm moving there soon.

906th It's gonna suck for a little while but in about 5 or 6 years you'll be writing letters of thanks to the MI DNR. Oh and I know it does really suck for guys that put the food on the table via deer hunting as that was how I grew up, but it is better off in the long run that way.

 

[Skogen]

It will just help your buck population and help grow bigger bucks.

If you are shooting for meat. Shoot a doe. Same goes for elk, shoot a young cow vs. that dumb spike.

Horns does not make them better to eat, age and what they have been eating does.

 

[woodzy]

MN needs to take some lessons from the western states on how to manage game animal heards.

They must have... because this is exactly what they do out west.
You will be thanking them in a few years when your deer population and "rack quality" is back up.

 

[rp7x]

bigger bucks ?

my son read earn a buck in wisc not sure if its true yet . winter kill and wolf kill in mich is bad

 

[travydog]

im not bashing or nothing here but thats why they dont get that big anymore you shoot them to young if you let them get 3 or 4 point and get a little age you would have nice big racks. Im sorry but that little buck wouldnt be shot by me or anyone in the family i would rather shoot a doe. If they all are not getting big and are all like that little fork there that has to do with the lack of feed for them.

 

[Blu Du]

earn a buck in wisc for couple of years now.

 

[XC700116]

They must have... because this is exactly what they do out west.
You will be thanking them in a few years when your deer population and "rack quality" is back up.

Looks like MI did not MN. MN just went back to bucks only in many areas with lottery for a doe tag. Absolutely retarded.

 

[woodzy]

Looks like MI did not MN. MN just went back to bucks only in many areas with lottery for a doe tag. Absolutely retarded.

I don't get what is so retarded about this?? This is how we have it here in NW Montana and it works great. More does = more fawns = better deer population, in theory.... Right?

 

[xrated]

i wish we had restrictions here in mn. the bucks will get big if there 3.5 years or older. 5.5 yrs is a trophy. every one here shoots spikes or what ever they see. wolves are hurting our deer population big time in northern mn.

Man northern MN will never have deer like the southern part. Can't be done on the forage...big difference in growth when you eat corn and beans vs spruce buds and swamp grass.

In 20 plus years of hunting Aitkin county myold man has one wall hanger....and it wouldn't hang in SE MN.

With that said, I am a meat hunter and I have and will shoot a spike if that's what show up.

 

[xrated]

Looks like MI did not MN. MN just went back to bucks only in many areas with lottery for a doe tag. Absolutely retarded.

huh I thought Aitkin was still free doe...I better check.

Again, I just don't think even with management you are going to get "trophy" racks in the swamps of MN. Horn size is hugely dependent on forage...even if you have the genetics there, if you are eating tree buds you aren't going to grow horns.

 

[XC700116]

Aitkin might still be but the next 2 areas to the west (Brainerd and Emily areas) are lottery areas again.

Woodzy, The problem is that it (in MN anyway) had nearly whiped out the trophy population and everybody is shooting little spikes and fork horns. The overall population had to get so far inflated before there was anything resembling good quality bucks. Then they went and gave everybody 5 tags per year to lower the population, which it did and along with their program of "reintroducing" wolves and now cougar took a very heavy toll on the population.

They have been managing reactively for years and years and it's proven itself to be less than quality results. Most of the western states seem to take a more involved and proactive approach (at least with elk) and limit overall tags, and manage the heards by sex amoung those tags.

MN has no quota on deer tags other than those by antlerless permits. Litterally everyone in the country could come to MN and buy an over the counter deer tag for any area. Some would be bucks only some would be either sex, and many areas they are offering the bonus tags for antlerless up to 5 total tags.

They tend to take broad strokes. And what would be wrong with implementing a quota on total tags for certain areas, they do it with Bear and Turkey why not deer? Because its all about the $$ with the MN DNR.

 

[XC700116]

Again, I just don't think even with management you are going to get "trophy" racks in the swamps of MN. Horn size is hugely dependent on forage...even if you have the genetics there, if you are eating tree buds you aren't going to grow horns.

To some extent but then again my first deer was a 10 pt that missed the B&C book by 7/8" shot out of a tamarack swamp. Some areas will always be better for trophy bucks just off of food sources and genetics but if everybody is shooting 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 yr old deer they'll never reach their potential.

 

[xrated]

To some extent but then again my first deer was a 10 pt that missed the B&C book by 7/8" shot out of a tamarack swamp. Some areas will always be better for trophy bucks just off of food sources and genetics but if everybody is shooting 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 yr old deer they'll never reach their potential.

true...every once in awhile an old swamp buck will get horny enough to be stupid to come out and get shot. And that's what I'm waiting for...no way I am chasing bucks in the chit ever again!

Good point on the MN DNR being all about the money! IT'S always about making joe blow happy and filling the pockets vs doing what's best. Just look at the duck situation and the DNR keeping a 6 bird limit.

 

[woodzy]

Aitkin might still be but the next 2 areas to the west (Brainerd and Emily areas) are lottery areas again.

Woodzy, The problem is that it (in MN anyway) had nearly whiped out the trophy population and everybody is shooting little spikes and fork horns. The overall population had to get so far inflated before there was anything resembling good quality bucks. Then they went and gave everybody 5 tags per year to lower the population, which it did and along with their program of "reintroducing" wolves and now cougar took a very heavy toll on the population.

They have been managing reactively for years and years and it's proven itself to be less than quality results. Most of the western states seem to take a more involved and proactive approach (at least with elk) and limit overall tags, and manage the heards by sex amoung those tags.

MN has no quota on deer tags other than those by antlerless permits. Litterally everyone in the country could come to MN and buy an over the counter deer tag for any area. Some would be bucks only some would be either sex, and many areas they are offering the bonus tags for antlerless up to 5 total tags.

They tend to take broad strokes. And what would be wrong with implementing a quota on total tags for certain areas, they do it with Bear and Turkey why not deer? Because its all about the $$ with the MN DNR.

Sounds like you have some terrible population management going on. If it's all about the money, they should do what the states out west do with out of state hunters. Put a lottery on the tags, and make them expensive.

 

[Blu Du]

x i've been hunting aitkin county on and off for 25 yrs. and the bucks just don't get big there. 8 yrs ago shot a 10 pointer 165# deer and it was pathetic, about an 8" spread. i've seen forks with more horn then this thing had. it's all about genetics and nuitrients. i hunt 5 miles south of swatara