On our way back from our Missouri trip my buddies and I got to talking about where deer hunting is headed in the future and the ramifications, if any on the record books. This was spurred talking about the Mark Drury buck, the Franz buck debacle, etc. Hear me out. Currently we have some big TV shows right now and plenty of others who own or lease thousands of acres of property. These "companies" are spending tens of thousands of dollars a year planting, supplementing and feeding their deer hears, growing larger and larger bucks. They're also culling out the bucks that won't reach full potential and thinning doe heards. In other words, QDMA to the max. I personally don't see anything wrong with it and its neat to see how big some of these deer get by age 5. The question that came up was this. At what point to begin lumping these "companies" in with high fence operations? Yes, I fully realize one is free range, and the other is not. However with the intensive feed programs and such that these folks are doing, I can't imagine many of these deer straying far from these properties, even during the rut. I also heard stories, whether legit or not I don't know, of some of these "companies" paying surrounding properties to maintain a "buffer zone" around their own properties to ensure deer don't get killed. So, taking the fence part out of the equation or supplement a fence with a buffer zone. Whats the difference? At what point does B&C or P&Y step in and consider these kinds of operations no more free range or natural than a high fence operation? These deer are being farmed, raised if you will for TV. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I know of very few places that would ever have the luxury of letting a buck walk until he's 5 1/2 years old, and for PA, I hunt an awfully good large tract of land. As I said, I don't see anything wrong and have zero problems with it. Its just a good conversation piece and I'd love to hear others thoughts on this.
I for one do not see it as progress. It is the haves and have nots, and the have nots who whine it isn't fair may actually have a point. Herd management without a fence is a belief that only a cult would buy into, seems if you don't have a QDMA sticker on your truck you are treated like a ISSIS member. The way hunting is portrayed in magazines, TV and otherwise is no better than the rest of network productions putting false expectations into peoples heads.
Lol.. ok, QDMA sticker right in my back window. Passing young bucks without a doubt produces old bucks, keeping ratios as optimum as possible creates a more exciting rut and a better balanced herd... Blows my mind folks can't grasp that.
No, not really, perhaps where you are but not here. I see PLENTY immature deer every year that would meet the antler restrictions of most states that have them.
And as far as the money... I assume you are referring to dues, I personally see those funds going directly back into my community on a regular basis. In fact I volunteer my time for many of the activities that those dollars fund every year.
Not everybody has the ability to get a shot at a mature deer. You can't improve the herd the point where everybody has an equal chance at a mature trophy deer.
That is fine, but in no way means QDM does not work. I am all about shooting what makes you happy, for me that is big mature deer. Therefore I practice QDM. It isn't for everyone but it certainly works when done. PERIOD
Well, deer hunting is not headed in the right direction at all in my neck of the woods. Indians have had to right to shine deer, and road hunt on the reservation for years, And guess what happened, There is literally no deer on their reservation, So they got mad about not seeing any whitetail while road hunting or shining, So they took it in front of a judge, To try to shine and road hunt off the reservation, The judge agreed on it...... This is a real danger, I had an encounter with a road hunter, and thank god I didn't have a decoy out, it would have been shot, Real safety hazard. Me and a friend were coyote hunting, and here comes the spotlight shining through the woods, Thank god their was no deer around, They didn't know we were there, Whew that was a scary encounter!. So I am just not happy on this decision, There will be likely no deer in a couple years, And they are moving north also. Just my opinion.
I guess all is forgotten about genocide and stealing land. Indians did not ask to be governed by white mens laws it was forced on them.
Period like as in inarguable? BS. QDMA has lead to management of deer and that has lead to people taking ownership of the deer they manage. Ask any QDMA member what they think of a non QDMA member doing what ever they want that the law allows on their own property and the non member is treated with distain. How many times do you hear complaining on this site what a neighbor does on their own property, it is elitism.
People don't have to pay to practice QDM. We do it on all the farms that we hunt. And that doesn't mean that the surrounding properties allow these young bucks to walk all the time. For most of the guys that don't get a shot at mature deer its their own fault. I hunt properties where some guys never see a mature deer, but somehow I manage to find them. The biggest factor in my opinion is having the passion to kill a mature buck. If you don't put the work in to get the deer then don't complain when you don't kill one.
I do not feel a "buffer zone" would really do much unless you're leasing by the mile instead of acre. It might help a little, but would not ensure anything. I still feel a property that is neglected and never hunted is almost equal to a property that is highly managed. The antler craze is a little wild lately and it seems 200" is the new 150".
I get a little pissed when indians are blamed for the current state of game. How is the white man safe shooting coyotes in the dark but an indian is dangerous shooting a deer.
Well I know plenty of QDMA members, none of which try to control what any one does on any property that isn't theirs. Nor have I ever seen any of them act or speak as if they feel they own the deer lol... Painting with a mighty broad brush
None of the Indians today lived through any of that. That Excuse was played out decades ago. Not to mention Indians killed more of each other than were killed by white men. All the spear fishing, Casinos, now night hunting isn't about maintaining their history, it is purely about taking advantage.
I don't really care what the neighbors do. They have the right to shoot what makes then happy as long as they keep it legal. Just because I practice QDM it doesn't mean that I dislike others that don't. If a guy likes to shoot immature animals on his property then good for him, but don't expect me to invite him to come hunt on my property.
You win and you lose in life. You moved past it or you don't. What happened to the indians 100+ years ago is irrelevant to the society we live in today.
