If you could change one regulation in your state

[SwampCat]

Casual anecdote time.

My state began to allow straight walled cartridge rifles a few years ago in both the "muzzleloader" season and also the general firearms season in a region of the state (Michigan's southern lower peninsula, where 60% of hunting effort is applied and 75% of the deer herd resides) where it was previously a shotgun-only zone.

I have noted an uptick in the number of dead deer carcasses on my farm, obviously wounded from nearby hunters before running off to the best piece of cover in the township to die. I find 5-7 each year, usually all bucks, in an area that is overrun with does. Disturbing.

I think guys plunk down their cash, buy their rifle with a shiny new chinese scope already attached to it, get her boresighted at Cabela's, watch a few videos of guys killing big game at extended distances, and can't resist touching off a round or two at a deer 300 yards away just as legal shooting light expires. I am certain this is going on around me.

I have killed most of my rifle shot deer with a .450 bushmaster - and it has hammered them. But, I have never shot one over 100 yards. A lot of folks here did exactly as you said - including me. I bought a .350 legend package gun for my grand daughters to use instead of a ML. It shocked me when I opened my first box of .350 and saw how small the cartridges were - compared to my .450. A lot of the guys here did cripple a lot of deer with a .350. They advertise that round is good out to 200 yards. I am sure it will kill a deer at that range, but I wouldnt shoot one over 100 yards. I think the .400 legend a lot better round.

I did shoot a deer with the .350 during mg season. Quartering away at 60 yards. Entered second to last rib and exited through the meat on back of off shoulder. 180 gr win. It didnt go far. But I dont doubt what you are seeing.

And as you say, anecdotal evidence, among our hunters - crossbow, compound, ml, mg - I have seen more deer lost with a 6.5 creedmoor than all others put together. And no, we shoot more with archery equipment than anything else. On paper, the 6.5 should be great - for us, it has not been.

 

[DRG3]

Yeah, crossbows haven't hurt the Kentucky hunting either. I bought a crossbow for my kids that couldn't pull the poundage on a compound to use during archery season so it would give them a chance to hunt. We shot it, and honestly, it's a little aggravating compared to a vertical bow. It's heavier and the time between shots was slower. Also, I don't think the practice/shooting curve is any different. I had bought a compound for my son, and he was shooting accurately to 40 yards within a few hours. I do the same thing every year. I shoot my compound, and I can shoot accurately to 60 yards in just a few shots. Modern compounds don't take the practice and time they used to. We spent more time dialing in the crossbow than we did the compound. And, on stand, you can hold these high letoff compounds for a long time. The crossbow, you have to have it on a rest to hold it for the same length of time. The gap between the two is narrowing.

Agreed 100% on this. I have gone to a crossbow due to shoulder issues and it's fine. I use an excalibur due to the simplicity. I could shoot just as accurately at the same distances with my vertical bow, and it was a more enjoyable shooting experience. Having now done both at length, I just don't think there is a huge difference in performance- at least between my crossbow today and what I was doing with a vertical bow. I'm defiantly not killing more deer.
There may be a difference in creating more hunters- i guess whether that is positive of negative depends on which factors you consider.

 

[DRG3]

Great topic. I was torn on this one between baiting, rifle season timing and the one I'm going to go with-
I would make all Non resident big game (including turkey) done on a draw like Iowa or KS.
I also hunt out of state, often in states with a draw, so I do understand both sides and still land on that I think it would improve hunting in the state. Part of the reason i seem to gravitate to draw states is the quality of hunting. I also think it would improve things for the resident hunters.

 

[T-Max]

Great topic. I was torn on this one between baiting, rifle season timing and the one I'm going to go with-
I would make all Non resident big game (including turkey) done on a draw like Iowa or KS.
I also hunt out of state, often in states with a draw, so I do understand both sides and still land on that I think it would improve hunting in the state. Part of the reason i seem to gravitate to draw states is the quality of hunting. I also think it would improve things for the resident hunters.

Well you don't want them to do it like Kansas if you want to improve things for the residents, that's for sure...

 

[BenA]

How local does one have to be for a person to be ok with you hunting on the property next to you? There are plenty of places in LA where they hate non-locals hunting in "their" area. They don't have to be from another state at all for them to be looked at with disdain and as taking opportunities away from them. If I own it, I should have the right to hunt on it the same as my neighbor who lives on their property. Where I sleep every night should have no bearing on my rights as a landowner.

 

[DRG3]

How local does one have to be for a person to be ok with you hunting on the property next to you? There are plenty of places in LA where they hate non-locals hunting in "their" area. They don't have to be from another state at all for them to be looked at with disdain and as taking opportunities away from them. If I own it, I should have the right to hunt on it the same as my neighbor who lives on their property. Where I sleep every night should have no bearing on my rights as a landowner.

I understand that point of view. I just see it differently. Each state draws a line somewhere. My line would be residency.

 

[BenA]

I understand that point of view. I just see it differently. Each state draws a line somewhere. My line would be residency.

Residency of town, county, voting precinct, state, or country? And, why does it make a difference if I own the property? My license fees go to the same place the state's resident does. I just put a lot more money towards funding the state's fish and wildlife department. Their funding is almost entirely from license sales. Kentucky's department relies on non-residents for almost half of its funding now. Why put that much of your budget reliant on people from out of state?

 

[westonwhitetail]

I don't have any huge gripes here in Wisconsin. I've thought one buck per year no matter what weapon, gun, bow, etc. That might help some bucks make it another year. Also. I'd reduce the number of extra seasons, youth hunters can just use a cross bow instead of rifle if they want to go earlier in the year and there are too many late season hunts, just have bow season after muzzloader and call it a year...

 

[DRG3]

Residency of town, county, voting precinct, state, or country? And, why does it make a difference if I own the property? My license fees go to the same place the state's resident does. I just put a lot more money towards funding the state's fish and wildlife department. Their funding is almost entirely from license sales. Kentucky's department relies on non-residents for almost half of its funding now. Why put that much of your budget reliant on people from out of state?

Residency at the state level in my scenario.
If I were KDFW, I would not be thrilled with the status of my budget. It would be looking to change that ratio.

 

[bwoods11]

I’d like to make my county (Pope, Minnesota) an archery only county !