To me, this is a very interesting thread - I guess from the standpoint as a professional wildlife biologiest and a Govt Natural Resource manager - who had to make decisions to satisfy public demand - but were opposite my own ethics of selfish desires.
Telemark sees it ok to use thermal scopes to achieve a harvest goal. A true biologist, interested in reducing herd density cares not if the deer are killed over a corn pile or a master woodsman stayed on an individual track for a week before killing it. They both count one deer.
In many of our counties, with baiting, biologist harvest goals are not met. Based upon the comments from many folks how easy baiting makes it to kill a deer - it is obvious to deduce without baiting, our biologist’s harvest goals would not be anywhere close to being met.
I believe it was Howboutthemdogs that recently expressed dissatisfaction with local harvest of younger deer and has even thought about selling out again, and purchasing another farm in a better area. (Please forgive if this was not you). Many of us do not have that option - and have to play with the cards we are dealt.
I have many neighbors who own ten or fifteen acres - a feeder may be their only chance of getting a deer to walk across their property. They know they have no realistic opportunity to grow deer. I understand completely - I started out with - 12 acres and had no delusions of growing a 140” buck.
All my comments on here have not been made to criticize, but to hopefully make some folks understand the difficult position our game and fish decision makers find themselves, trying to satisfy at least some of us. All of us in this discussion are passionate hunters and wildlife managers - yet many of us have different thoughts on how to do - or not do something.
Telemark commented “Objectively, you did a good job. Who cares what a bunch of selfish pricks want?” As a “public servant”, my job evaluation actually had criteria for customer satisfaction. We could not just go out and do what we wanted to do - customers be damned - or we wouldnt be employed long. And contrary to what a lot of people think about govt employees, there really are a lot of them who are very conscientious and hard working.
As someone who has spent a career working for the govt, I have been told a number of times I should be a commissioner (not that I have the resources). That said, I am not sure our game and fish department would have the resources to pay me enough. It boggles my mind to think there are folks who want to do that. I envision that as a no win situation, in which you had ever opportunity to make a few folks happy and a lot of folks mad. I sure dont agree with all their decisions - but I dang sure would not want to be them.
For many of us, we are fortunate to own our own property. As long as legal, We can manage it based upon our own ethics or desires. We dont shoot does on my property, even though my normal hunters could legally account for dozens each year. I have fifteen acre neighbors who kill five does a year on their acreage. Sometimes, if the state regulations do not meet your goals, you have to set your own legal regulations. I finally quit fretting over state regulations or what my neighbors are doing - and started worrying only about what I can do.
Telemark sees it ok to use thermal scopes to achieve a harvest goal. A true biologist, interested in reducing herd density cares not if the deer are killed over a corn pile or a master woodsman stayed on an individual track for a week before killing it. They both count one deer.
In many of our counties, with baiting, biologist harvest goals are not met. Based upon the comments from many folks how easy baiting makes it to kill a deer - it is obvious to deduce without baiting, our biologist’s harvest goals would not be anywhere close to being met.
I believe it was Howboutthemdogs that recently expressed dissatisfaction with local harvest of younger deer and has even thought about selling out again, and purchasing another farm in a better area. (Please forgive if this was not you). Many of us do not have that option - and have to play with the cards we are dealt.
I have many neighbors who own ten or fifteen acres - a feeder may be their only chance of getting a deer to walk across their property. They know they have no realistic opportunity to grow deer. I understand completely - I started out with - 12 acres and had no delusions of growing a 140” buck.
All my comments on here have not been made to criticize, but to hopefully make some folks understand the difficult position our game and fish decision makers find themselves, trying to satisfy at least some of us. All of us in this discussion are passionate hunters and wildlife managers - yet many of us have different thoughts on how to do - or not do something.
Telemark commented “Objectively, you did a good job. Who cares what a bunch of selfish pricks want?” As a “public servant”, my job evaluation actually had criteria for customer satisfaction. We could not just go out and do what we wanted to do - customers be damned - or we wouldnt be employed long. And contrary to what a lot of people think about govt employees, there really are a lot of them who are very conscientious and hard working.
As someone who has spent a career working for the govt, I have been told a number of times I should be a commissioner (not that I have the resources). That said, I am not sure our game and fish department would have the resources to pay me enough. It boggles my mind to think there are folks who want to do that. I envision that as a no win situation, in which you had ever opportunity to make a few folks happy and a lot of folks mad. I sure dont agree with all their decisions - but I dang sure would not want to be them.
For many of us, we are fortunate to own our own property. As long as legal, We can manage it based upon our own ethics or desires. We dont shoot does on my property, even though my normal hunters could legally account for dozens each year. I have fifteen acre neighbors who kill five does a year on their acreage. Sometimes, if the state regulations do not meet your goals, you have to set your own legal regulations. I finally quit fretting over state regulations or what my neighbors are doing - and started worrying only about what I can do.
