What dont some people get about QDM

[Nubs]

"Buck fever big time and so this year I said I would shoot the first buck that gave me a good shot and on opening day of the gun season I shot a 4 point buck."

Now this is just my own thought on QDM. Isn't the whole concept of QDM to harvest mature deer? If you choose to practice QDM which is a personal choice then wouldn't the goal be to harvest mature deer? So if the goal of QDM is to harvest mature deer and also increase the health of the herd, then why would you shoot a little 1.5yr old 4 point buck? I can see someone shooting that deer if they didn't care about QDM but if you have made the choice to to start QDM on your property and those who hunt with you have done the same; then shouldn't you let those yearling deer go so they can grow and become mature deer later on in life? Just a thought.

[dxthunter57]

thats what im saying
if i went to the person before the season and said you know were looking to do a QDM here
and he said nah im not going to participate there is nothing i can do and i respect his decision whole heartedly
but the person who shot this yealing buck agreed to shoot big or old deer
not yearling 3 pointers

[Demoderby4]

Well if it is your property and he is not abiding by you and your standards you may have to tell him to find another place to hunt, forgive me for not reading all the posts on here, so im sorry if i missed something about him being a close family member or something, but if you talk to him and he is lying to your face about what he wants to do and what he really wants to do is the opposite of you, your not gonna get very far with your qdm plan and accomplishing what you want to do with your land.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Nubs

"Buck fever big time and so this year I said I would shoot the first buck that gave me a good shot and on opening day of the gun season I shot a 4 point buck."

Now this is just my own thought on QDM. Isn't the whole concept of QDM to harvest mature deer? If you choose to practice QDM which is a personal choice then wouldn't the goal be to harvest mature deer? So if the goal of QDM is to harvest mature deer and also increase the health of the herd, then why would you shoot a little 1.5yr old 4 point buck? I can see someone shooting that deer if they didn't care about QDM but if you have made the choice to to start QDM on your property and those who hunt with you have done the same; then shouldn't you let those yearling deer go so they can grow and become mature deer later on in life? Just a thought.

 
Shooting more mature deer is only one part of QDM. Many, many QDMers openly allow inexperienced hunters to take any legal deer. That is certainly the way I approach it.
 
After you have taken a few deer, and maybe even your first buck, you can begin to hold off on those yearlings. But it takes time.

[dtrain56]

but I have found that the best you can do is to make your place great, control your own trigger finger, and expect your neighbors to follow the law. That's all.

 
that sums it up pretty well

[gunther89]

Nubs I have been passing up 1.5 year old buck for 7 years.  I don't make it a point to go out there and shoot 1.5 year old bucks, All I am saying is that I had never shot a buck before in my life and most of the time when someone shoots there first buck it isn't going to be one that goes on the wall.  You have to start small and work your way up.  Next year I won't shoot a 1.5 year old buck.

[ranwin33]

ORIGINAL: dxthunter57

thats what im saying
if i went to the person before the season and said you know were looking to do a QDM here
and he said nah im not going to participate there is nothing i can do and i respect his decision whole heartedly
but the person who shot this yealing buck agreed to shoot big or old deer
not yearling 3 pointers

You never know how someone is going to react in the heat of the moment.  At the beginning of the season their intention might well be to practice QDM - it's easier said than done.  But after a few days in the woods and not seeing anything, it becomes even more difficult and that might well be what went on here.  At least it sounds like they're considering it, and that is a start.  Maybe next year they'll let the small deer walk.  I let a bunch of deer walk this year, and not shooting them, or shooting at them, is still difficult for me, especially when I've got nothing on the ground yet.

[bigwisconsinbucks]

I have to agree with gunther on this issue. I too am involved in QDM and practice it on the land I hunt. However, this year I shot a 1.5 year old 5 pointer for my first bow buck. I wanted to get the experience and get one under my belt. After that deer I passed up numerous other 1.5 year olds and button bucks. A young hunter needs to taste the success and feed off it. Also, they need to gain confidence. Shooting a deer with a bow isn't an easy task as we all know.
On the other hand with a gun I have always passed up 1.5s and waited for a really nice 2.5 or 3.5 buck. I have seen QDM success on the land I hunt already after 3 years. There are many mature bucks roaming around and it's great to see. Taking 1 1.5 year old buck isn't going to damage your herd. Shooting any buck you see every time you hunt will hurt your mature buck sightings.

[Nubs]

gunther89, you said:

I consider myself a QDM participator, but to me you have to start out small and work your way up. You hear hunters tell young hunters to shoot any buck and work there way up, and build up there confidence. I figured I didn't need to do that because I thought I was a good shot. Well last year I had a good 2.5 year old buck come out and I missed him. Buck fever big time and so this year I said I would shoot the first buck that gave me a good shot and on opening day of the gun season I shot a 4 point buck. Everyone was happy for me in camp and even though we practice QDM noone gave me the lecture about how big he would have been in 2 years. QDM isn't about how big the rack will be when he is a 3.5 year old buck or bigger its about the health of the deer herd. A trophy buck is different for every person. I consider every deer a trophy and thank God everytime I get a deer.

You never mentioned in your post that you have never harvested a buck before. Congratulations on your first buck; you'll always remember the first one!

I also agree that children and first-time hunters should be given the freedom to harvest the deer of their choice. For example, my older brother has never shot a buck, and I have told him that he can shoot whatever he wants; however, he chooses to wait for a mature buck.

You never know how someone is going to react in the heat of the moment. At the beginning of the season their intention might well be to practice QDM - it's easier said than done.

If you have made the decision to practice QDM, and you have expressed those views to the others that you hunt with, then you should follow through with that. If you start your hunting season with a plan of action, I feel it is easier to follow through, and easier to let yearling bucks walk by without getting the itchy trigger finger.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Nubs

If you have made the decision to practice QDM, and you have expressed those views to the others that you hunt with, then you should follow through with that. If you start your hunting season with a plan of action, I feel it is easier to follow through, and easier to let yearling bucks walk by without getting the itchy trigger finger.

I only agree with this to a point. If you own the land, or have exclusive permission to hunt it, then you should reserve the right to change your mind as the season progresses.

Example: My only neighbor who does participate in QDM has had several bad seasons in a row. He's a good hunter but has had bad luck. I stopped at his camp late in the bow season, just before he had to head home. I asked him what his plan was for his final morning and he said, "The first buck to meet the APR is getting shot!" I wished him luck. And why wouldn't I? He has worked hard on his land and played by the rules. He did not get a deer that morning.