bwoods11
5 year old buck +
Yes and like you said more deer overall...
Possible new MN muzzleloader record!
- Thread starter gunther89
- Start date
Yes and like you said more deer overall...
bwoods11
5 year old buck +
:)
My best friend is an archery guy. He guaranteed he can get MN back to #1 B&C state.
1-gun season would start first Wednesday in Dec and end Thursday at noon
2-muzzy season on public land only second Tuesday in December for one day
I bet that would work:):)
My best friend is an archery guy. He guaranteed he can get MN back to #1 B&C state.
1-gun season would start first Wednesday in Dec and end Thursday at noon
2-muzzy season on public land only second Tuesday in December for one day
I bet that would work:):)
biglakeba$$
5 year old buck +
The DNR will do nothing that risks lowering the harvest. Until they give in, none of the options Bwoods posted will ever even get on a table for discussion.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
DSD, I totally agree with this statement on every level, but the APR fanboys don't see it this way. That buck made it one or maybe 2 years under the protection of APR's, after that, he was protected by instinct and terrain. Some will say that he may have been shot in those first 2 years and that may be true, but he was just as likely to not have been shot as a young buck, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR GUN SEASON WASN'T DURING THE RUT!!! There was also the same likelihood that he would have been killed the year he was an antlerless fawn and no APR's are going to help that. Sorry guys, but you are all reading too much into this whole APR thing, your DNR uses it to force more hunters in the SE who do not see a legal buck and want something for the freezer to shoot an antlerless deer. That is all, nothing more. They are not out to get everyone in SE MN a crack at a trophy, if that was the case there would be limited buck tags through an application process. Killing those extra antlerless in lieu of a smaller buck isn't necessarily a bad thing if your populations are up, in 90% of MN that is not the case. APR's may produce a few more incidental mature deer, but it is not the end all, be all that some would have you think. I remember that area of MN producing trophy bucks back into the late 70's and before, and it would continue to do so, with or without APR's. Again, Buffalo Co has never had APR's and I'm pretty sure the numbers show it holds it's own with the best deer areas in the country, the same goes for many other places in WI. Look at the archery record deer that have been shot in WI in just the last few years, No APR's here whatsoever and those giant deer continue to grow and be harvested by hunters. It is all about having enough deer so that some of those bucks make it through regardless of the "rules". As sandbur and others stated above, More deer = More big bucks. Plain and simple. Also, the lengths of your hunting seasons won't matter as much if you have more deer. WI has a longer total season length than MN, and again, we hold our own in the trophy buck department in spite of that fact, because our populations are higher. In WI, longer seasons = doesn't matter, no APR's = doesn't matter, more deer and no gun hunting during the rut = lots of mature trophy bucks. You figure it out.
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exactly
biglakeba$$
5 year old buck +
We have a winner..... Said perfectly...
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I'm in my mid-50's so I can remember when Pa. had LOTS of deer. It wasn't unusual to see 25 to 35 deer in the FIRST GROUP you saw on opening day, with 1st day total sightings of 40 to 65 seen. Back then we had fewer seasons, no " do-overs " in the event of bad weather - and what I think is the biggest mistake the PGC ever made here........... A doe season for youth and seniors in mid-Oct. with rifles. For years the Pa. Game Commission said the reason for rifle buck season starting around Dec. 1st was so the rut could take place and the biggest % of does would be bred. ( hunters had wanted the gun season to start earlier closer to the rut like some other states ). Well now. What happens when you knock off a bunch of does in mid-Oct. before the rut gets into full swing??? Let's ask 9 yr. old Johnny for an answer.
" Gosh Mithter, sounds like ya wouldn't gots as many deer havin' babies next year,........... huh, Mithter???
You get a gold star, Johnny. You did a swell job on that math problem. Too bad you'll never make a Deer Manager, though.
" Gosh Mithter, sounds like ya wouldn't gots as many deer havin' babies next year,........... huh, Mithter???
You get a gold star, Johnny. You did a swell job on that math problem. Too bad you'll never make a Deer Manager, though.
bwoods11
5 year old buck +
I think you guys are mistakenly thinking that WE think APR is the answer to all our problems. We are in need of something to happen out here in our area. What was once a very good area for mature bucks is now average to below average. At this point I would take anything and APR would for sure-100% help. Moving the gun season back would be better. Limiting buck tags would be better yet. However, the odds of any of the three happening are long shots.
First realize that we have a major problem and status quo is not an option or we will be lucky to get bucks to 3 years old period.
As far as this particular buck did he benefit by APR, no one will ever know. But that is why I like APR is because it allows certain bucks to get older--- and hit that time period where he gets wise and difficult to hunt. That is of course, why many of us deer hunters enjoy the challenge of hunting mature bucks as we try to outsmart the crafty veteran!!
First realize that we have a major problem and status quo is not an option or we will be lucky to get bucks to 3 years old period.
As far as this particular buck did he benefit by APR, no one will ever know. But that is why I like APR is because it allows certain bucks to get older--- and hit that time period where he gets wise and difficult to hunt. That is of course, why many of us deer hunters enjoy the challenge of hunting mature bucks as we try to outsmart the crafty veteran!!
phil@thesidehill
5 year old buck +
and a 2 week concurrent antlerless during rifle season for much of the state for too many years. Those does that were bred in november and then killed in december don't add anything to the herd in the spring either. Don't get me wrong tho....i will kill a doe or two each year...but i'm picky on where i do it. I have places to hunt that simply have too many deer and people that won't shoot does....which works for me.
I agree. In SE MN the APR's may not be the best possible option, but they're better than nothing. There aren't too many people down here that would want to get rid of the APR's. I also think that the benefits of APR's will be amplified in the coming years now that there are fewer intensive harvest zones on SE MN. Time will tell if the DNR will actually allow the herd to rebuild though.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Phil....... and the guys from Minn. - I agree. Where and when is the key to doe tags. Some areas can take some kills - other areas are already too thin on deer numbers. Tags must be allotted each year based on ACTUAL deer numbers. Not some half-a$$ed " estimate " from a computer graph inside air-conditioned walls. That goes for ANY state IMO. You hit the nail on the head, Phil. ( " I'm picky where I do it " ) Bingo. That's why I didn't send for a doe tag this year for my camp area. Folks at other neighboring camps are laying off does too. 1 dead doe = no fawns come spring. All of our collective situations vary from state to state & region to region. Thus the need for tailoring tags / kills.
I wish I could push a magic button, guys.
I wish I could push a magic button, guys.
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