Ah the problem of blossoming deer populations.....my state has the same problem.
The REAL problem is biologists who should know better apparently dont realise that to effectively control a population, you MUST KILL FEMALES!!!! They give out deer tags like candy, but not enough doe tags. Which is why my state gets the short end of the stick for big buck genetics (we kill anything that shows any potential at 2.5 years of age with our 80 bazillion percent success rate).
The other problem is, nobody wants to shoot does. (Im not a big fan of North Dakota gun hunters to start with, dont get me started, If you want to know, PM me and Ill tell you some horror stories), but their all antler greedy. Thats all they want to shoot.
There are ways to "coerce" these people into shooting does however. Offer "preference points" for other big-game licenses for every three does shot, or whatever number you like. Or preference points into drawing a deer tag in a coveted locations. Bribe them, or they will NOT shoot does.
Our muzzleloader season is a weighted lottery held after regular gun season in early december, hardly the most ideal time to be afield with a primitive weapon (dont get me wrong, i love hunting that period) but its not good, the deer are all bungled up from the gang bangers, its cold (If youve been to ND in december, you know), its just not condusive to taking numbers of animals (its toted as a way to harvest more deer right now, which is does not accomplish). Anyway, ITS A WEIGHTED LOTTERY wether for doe or buck. Does that make sense when your trying to reduce a population.....NO!!! Make the buck tag lottery, but they should sell doe tags over the counter.
Im not a huge fan of my states Game and Fish (DNR), and Fish and Wildlife have been on my "list" a loooong time.
The problem is beuracrats sitting in an office at the state capital who received a M.S. Degree from the University of Timbuktu 28 years ago, who have no idea what happens in the real world, and who got their job because of campaign contributions and "who they know". Hunting is run by the rich, the average joe is in for rough waters ahead if its not curtailed early. Its happened in states like texas, and its happening in alot others. Its already happened in mine for waterfowl, and upland and big game is following fast. Pay to play, regulations catering to the well to do, I dont like it.
I think you guys should scream bloody murder at your state trying to fit more gun bangers into your M/L season. Extend the regular season, tack it onto the end of your M/L season, just keep it out of the M/L season. If your deer are anything like mine, they go completely nocturnal when those yahoos start beating around, and that hurts YOUR hunt. I quit bowhunting for two weeks in November usually during the peak of the rut because of orange clad 300 win mag totin morons blasting away at everything. (The huntin sucks, and I dont want a hole in me).
That was a bit of a rant....but the moral of my story is....DONT LET THEM DO IT, because before you know it, you wont have a M/L season at all, it will just be added to the gun season.
Boone