Dan's Question of the Week: How Many Deer Will You Use in a Year?

[JFry1969]

I voted three because its just me and my wife here at home now. The kids all live a long ways from here and never really cared for venison so three is all we need. However, we both try to take a couple more. Since times have gotten tough there are several non-hunting families around here that have asked us if we could get them a deer or two so we do our best to help them out. Our food pantry at church is also struggling (as is most other food pantries across the nation) and so they are always willing to take venison. We see it as an oppurtunity to help our neighbors in need and also have a reason to hunt more. Who knows, I might not be physically able to hunt some day and might need a little help too.

[tageater]

My family loves venison, but I won't shoot anymore. Years ago I would take 2-3 deer but now I will only shoot one nice buck or go fishing. I would like to see deer for my children to enjoy, but I think they will have to go to the zoo. Hunters don't have to participate in the DNR's raping of a beautiful God given resource. We are not "forced" to shoot a doe. Don't shoot does and we will have good hunting for our kids.

[bucktrax]

I like to try every year to get at least one with every type weapon, bow, shotgun, muzzleloader ! I usually get at least two made in to a bunch of specialty items, sausage, jerky, pastrami, etc.....and usually i give one to my sister-in-law,because they could always use the extra meat . None is ever wasted that is for sure!!!!

[texsalerno]

I will fill up to 5 tags in a great year. 95% of the venison will be given away to my hunting partner and others who like it a lot more than we do.

I like to practice potlatch. That is a North West Indian custom of the most successful hunters donating their kills to those that aren't so successful or not capable of hunting or fishing themselves. Kind of ego thing if you will.

[;)]

[retiredsailor]

I voted one since that is sufficient for my use. However, I generally bag between 3 to 5, mostly does since we have a pretty liberal season for them. Give the extra ones away.....sometimes to a needy family or to one of my friends. Several years ago, my sons, hunting buddy and his sons, had several extra deer so we butchered them and donated them to my buddy's church. Seems that some of the older folks in that congregation, living on fixed incomes, couldn't afford much 'red' meat and the donated venison went fast.

[eagle1953]

2 for me my girlfriend won`t eat deer. Only been getting 1 a year but I would rather eat deer than beef. If I were to get more I would donate it to the needy. Lots of people out of work now that could use it.

[JES8814]

I didn't tag any deer last year, my logger was supposed to be done by August and didn't finish until October, I only have 25 acres and my setups were wrong, when I climed up my perm. stand I about killed myself as bark grew over the steps, this year is looking good, there are always tasty morsels and a few good bucks. We can tag 7 deer here in Ohio. We only need 2 because I love beef and pork also. It costs alot for processing and it has to be hung for a week or two, when you eat your meat rare it has to be aged.

[ShoulderNuke!]

Honestly Dan its my opinion that there are a bunch of folks who think they need several deer yearly in their freezer .I think most of this is just a chest thumping kind of thing like a  macho  thing amongst hunters .Most families will never eat more than 1 or 2 full grown adult deer a year . 

I and my family will likely use  one or two a year and we eat it quite a bit but like most people who "Say " they eat mostly deer  while they chew on a chicken legg at the computer . We may eat venison once or twice a week on the average and I would bet most families may eat it less than 3 times a week as well if they eat it that much.

Just my thought is I  love deer hunting and shooting them as much as anyone, but some worry about perception and what other hunters " mainly"think. They also look for reasons to keep shooting deer every chance they get . Is that wrong "NO" as long as the deer does not go to waste and the hunter is at least honest with himself about why he is still shooting them even when his frezzer has more than enough deer for them till next season. .
NUKE out

[JES8814]

ORIGINAL: I would like to see deer for my children to enjoy, but I think they will have to go to the zoo. Hunters don't have to participate in the DNR's raping of a beautiful God given resource. We are not "forced" to shoot a doe. Don't shoot does and we will have good hunting for our kids.

I'm sure there are some places were deer are scarce, were are you? I look out my back door and rarely go a day withought seeing one. I have had twins born on my property at least 3 out of 6 yrs. here, I have counted 12 on my hill at one time and always a couple two or three. We are only ollowed one buck, up to 7 tags. The average isn,t 40#-45#, dressed, those would be less than one year old. DNR does a great job around here in Ohio

[Cut N Run]

ORIGINAL: tageater

My family loves venison, but I won't shoot anymore. Years ago I would take 2-3 deer but now I will only shoot one nice buck or go fishing. I would like to see deer for my children to enjoy, but I think they will have to go to the zoo. Hunters don't have to participate in the DNR's raping of a beautiful God given resource. We are not "forced" to shoot a doe. Don't shoot does and we will have good hunting for our kids.

N.C. has switched to allow taking UNLIMITED antlerless deer during hunting season because the deer population here is out of control. When I first started deer hunting 33 years ago, it was illegal to even take a doe. You were really doing something if you saw 5 deer in a day. Now, something's wrong if you DON'T see 10 deer in a morning of hunting. Back in the early 80s, it went to where does were allowed to be taken in archery season and during a 3 day period during the 6-week gun season. That quickly became a week of doe days in gun season, which progressed to does being legal any day of the hunting season. Tags went from one buck only in the late 70s to a buck and a doe, then two & two, on to two bucks & three or four does. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission would not have allowed those kind of numbers to be taken if it were going to damage the herd. There might not be enough deer where you are, but that is just not the case around here.

We have removed the deer's natural predators and it is up to us to fill in that void. By not shooting enough does, we have actually hurt the herd by there being too much competition for the same food resources, along with the fact that sub-dominant bucks can do some of the breeding, which will only hurt the overall genetics of the herd. The size of the animals will get smaller, which is a bad thing.

Don't shoot does now and our kids will probably be forced to take them year-round. Watch out as you are driving around too. The number of deer/ vehicle collisions has steadily incerased. That only means higher insurance rates for all of us.

Jim