SD51555
5 year old buck +
Something hit me while I was thumbing through a tree catalog this morning.
We are off to a great start with winter in most of MN (knock on wood). Should we be fortunate enough that the winter stays mild enough for the does to head into spring in good shape to produce many twins and triplets, we could be just a couple years away from "healed." I mention this as we've been talking about coops and viability. A few things to keep in mind.
*Coops are about a vision of something better. This may be the year to form one with the carrot of hope being that we've got a chance at a good fawn crop. One conservative harvest this coming fall could push things ahead greatly. Combined with another manageable winter and conservative harvest, the doe emergency could end completely.
*Remember nothing is compulsory or forever. Many of us hope for a single year of doe protection. If that's not a sell, propose carve outs for kids, elderly, first timers, or whatever. It's not all giving on the part of the members. It's an investment for the following year, and the product is shot at getting out of the mess we're in.
*The alternative is that we all hunt harder and longer for fewer and smaller deer and likely end up eating tag soup anyway.
It's a vision. Share it.
We are off to a great start with winter in most of MN (knock on wood). Should we be fortunate enough that the winter stays mild enough for the does to head into spring in good shape to produce many twins and triplets, we could be just a couple years away from "healed." I mention this as we've been talking about coops and viability. A few things to keep in mind.
*Coops are about a vision of something better. This may be the year to form one with the carrot of hope being that we've got a chance at a good fawn crop. One conservative harvest this coming fall could push things ahead greatly. Combined with another manageable winter and conservative harvest, the doe emergency could end completely.
*Remember nothing is compulsory or forever. Many of us hope for a single year of doe protection. If that's not a sell, propose carve outs for kids, elderly, first timers, or whatever. It's not all giving on the part of the members. It's an investment for the following year, and the product is shot at getting out of the mess we're in.
*The alternative is that we all hunt harder and longer for fewer and smaller deer and likely end up eating tag soup anyway.
It's a vision. Share it.