NC Buck Limit Changed

[roundball]

Bummer...in the NC zone I hunt in, this year's bag limit is flipping from 4 Bucks & 2 Does to 2 Bucks & 4 Does.

And usually when a change like this is made, it sits for a number of years for the WRC to get new data trends...so I may wind up my remaining deer hunting years with these new low buck bag limits.

On a positve note I could take a couple bucks during the main 2 week rut in early November, then just squirrel hunt the rest of Nov + Dec & Jan...they're a lot easier to drag out :grin:

 

[blackpowderscout]

If I may ask, what don't you like about taking more doe's?

I wish Florida would change our rules to allow more does and put a cap on the # of bucks.

Adam

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Jeez, RB - you gonna eat more than 2 deer a year? The best I've managed was 1&1/4! Save some room fer 'possums and sweet taters! :haha:

 

[roundball]

If I may ask, what don't you like about taking more doe's?
I wish Florida would change our rules to allow more does and put a cap on the # of bucks.
Adam

I'll readily admit that good bucks are the prize as far as I'm personally concerned...and I may still go out and sit for an occasional doe...but I never shoot does until after I've filled my buck tags, and I know from experience that once my buck tags are filled, I'm a lot less inclined to get out from under the electric blanket at 4:30am :grin:

 

[roundball]

Jeez, RB - you gonna eat more than 2 deer a year? The best I've managed was 1&1/4! Save some room fer 'possums and sweet taters! :haha:

I don't use them at all...give them all away to needy families...as I said above I might go back out a time or two and shoot a doe for the folks I give them to but really might just do a lot of squirrel hunting after the rut this year for a change of pace...got a .28ga Flint smoothbore and a .40cal Flint rifle I need to christen.

 

[nchawkeye]

I think that's a good thing...I quit killng smaller bucks on our farms years ago, but the dog hunters didn't...I sure hope they enforce it...We kill 40-50 deer a year on our 3 farms...Unless its a less experienced hunter, we encourage everyone to take as many does as their tags allow...The result..The last 4 years or so we have more ruttng activity and have larger, older bucks doing the chasing...Does eat good!!!

 

[Mad Professor]

The does taste just as good as the bucks :grin:

 

[d.thomson]

Not against trophy hunting as long as it gets used, but if you are only takeing the big bucks than you are watering down the heard. The big bucks need to breed and creat more big bucks. Mind you If I see abig buck come by I will take it, but if we have the tags a nice doe will do fine. Mind you we don't have the quantity of deer up here to be to choosey. F.K.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Don't use the meat? Man, grilled bone-in venison chops are some fine eating, not to mention swiss steak, country style steak in mushroom gravy, etc.

 

[roundball]

"...than you are watering down the heard..."

What does that mean?

 

[roundball]

I have nothing against anybody who likes[url] it...in[/url] fact I count on people wanting it so I can give it all away to them...if I couldn't do that I'd have to stop hunting...I just never had it prepared that I liked it.

And my Wife of 40 years has this "agreement" with me:
"If I promise never to bring a dead animal into the house, she promises never to cook it for me".
:thumbsup:

 

[d.thomson]

If all the big bucks are taken out of the equasion than they are not reproducing so the natural selection of only the biggest and strongest bucks get to breed. I'm shure some of the does get serviced by the big bucks before they are taken but mabe not. This statement was not ment to provoke and it is just anobservastion and an opinion. :surrender: You know what they say about opinions? F.K.

 

[roundball]

Well, I'm not a QDM professional touring the country for a living :grin:...but as I understand it, the two main points of QDM are:
1) Take out more does;
2) Stop taking smaller bucks;

In fact, many QDM programs establish minimum point restrictions...ie: must be at least 4 points, must be at least 6 points, etc...all oriented towards making hunters hold out for the older bigger bucks and letting the younger ones mature...so I don't believe herds are depleted of their genetics in this way at all.

This NC change is QDM in it's nature first by doubling the Doe take, and by cutting the Buck take 50%. Plus, many people who previously had 4 buck tags in their pocket will be much more conservative with only 2 tags and not blow them on the first couple of younger/smaller bucks they see...make them pause and be more[url] selective...decide[/url] if they really want to burn up a tag on a 4 or 6 pointer vs. saving it for possible 8-10-12 pointers instead.

I know I'd be sick if I used both of them on 6 & 8's then had to sit there later on and watch a 12 pointer wandering through an Oak ridge 50yds away. With 4 taqs I hunted like I only had 3, saving one until towards the end of the season...with 2 tags, I'll hunt as if I only have 1...hang onto the last one in case a real good shooter shows up later...can always use a buck tag on a doe if it gets to the end of the season, so there's not much chance of wasting the tag if I want to keep hunting and use them all.

 

[d.thomson]

Must be nice to have all those tages. Were I live we are only alowed one tag. Down south they are alowed up to six the first tage a buck and you have to go to the lic office and after that only does for the last five, Alot of deer car colisions.
Deer must be a real nucance down your way so I would imagine not all of the big bucks get taken so probably a slimmer chance of " watering down" the herd. anyway have a good day F.K.
P.S. your way of explaning it helps to understand what the bottom line is. Up here we are herd building a bit.

 

[bob1961]

i wish PA would allow us more then one buck a year :shake: :v ..............bob

 

[roundball]

Must be nice to have all those tages. Were I live we are only alowed one tag. Down south they are alowed up to six the first tage a buck and you have to go to the lic office and after that only does for the last five, Alot of deer car colisions.
Deer must be a real nucance down your way so I would imagine not all of the big bucks get taken so probably a slimmer chance of " watering down" the herd. anyway have a good day F.K.
P.S. your way of explaning it helps to understand what the bottom line is. Up here we are herd building a bit.

It seems all the southern, warm climate states have huge wildlife populations compared to the northern more harsh climates, deer in particular.

It appears to be nothing more than much longer growing seasons, resulting in a huge food supply almost year round except for a few weeks in January & February.

And really hi nutrition foods from thousands and thousands of acres of soybeans on big truck farms in the Eastern third of the state, then crops like soybeans and corn through the central part, and the western mountainous region becomes more like your situation up north...less crops, more natural foods.

Subsequently the deer densities are maxed in the east, less so in the central, and less so in the west as the type and quantities of food sources become less and less the further west towards the mountains you go...I think the deer herd is estimated at 1.2 million statewide...long seasons and generous bag limits...a great place to live if you're a hunter.

 

[bob1961]

PA has bout that many est deer too, but there spread out more :v ...............bob

 

[roundball]

PA has bout that many est deer too, but there spread out more :v ...............bob

Spread out more than what?

PENNSYLVANIA
46,055 square miles
12 million population

NORTH CAROLINA
52,668 square miles
8 million population

North Carolina is a huge state, and only 2/3rds the population of Pennsylvania

 

[bob1961]

wow, ya learn something new every day :bow: :v ...........bob

 

[wtilenw]

Just for giggles;
IDAHO
Population 1,429,096 (July 1, 2005)
Land Area: 83,557 square miles
:grin:
Idaho PRB