making wisconsin a deer lottery state

[schlupis]

If they do make a late oct antlerless hunt you are going to hate it as a bowhunter.. Have you heard if your state is still looking at the earn a buck system, like WI..and would you like the earn a buck system, I for one like EAB...

[EatDeer]

 Like it or not, EAB sounds like a way to help hunters practice QDM, which is what the state needs, in my opinion. I just hope that this late Oct, firearms season, allows bowhunting. Otherwise, many bowhunters aren't going to be very happy losing a week of the season.

[schlupis]

If it is like WI you can bow hunt but you have to wear blaze orange and you cant kill a buck during the antlerless only hunt.. I dont like it because the rut is starting to kick in and now everybody is out there killing does..  EAB is working well for many of us starting to see a lot bigger bucks.. I just dont think we need the antlerless only season.

[Legnip]

Rut or no rut. You still can't shoot a buck in an antlerless season, but I know that you like those "buttons"...[:)] The nice thing about the antlerless season is that it give everyone a little more time outdoors if they want it, and a better chance to tag a doe for the regular season. It may effect the rut some how, but I don't know how. The big boys will still chase does. There are a lot of guys who aren't fortunate enough to be able to take the entire week off or just get the opening Sat. & Sun. to tag both deer. Something to think about.

[schlupis]

How does it give people more time outdoors they bow season would still be going on and as a archery hunter I can fill my antlerless tag and earn my buck, plus fill my T-zone tage (which is the antlerless only tag). The antlerless only season affects the rut yes the bucks are still chasing but only at night not during the day as much because it sounds like Gettysburg out there. Plus all the added pressure of more hunters in the woods pushing them, because most T-zone hunters are doing deer drives to push deer.

[Legnip]

ORIGINAL: schlupis

How does it give people more time outdoors they bow season would still be going on and as a archery hunter I can fill my antlerless tag and earn my buck, plus fill my T-zone tage (which is the antlerless only tag). The antlerless only season affects the rut yes the bucks are still chasing but only at night not during the day as much because it sounds like Gettysburg out there. Plus all the added pressure of more hunters in the woods pushing them, because most T-zone hunters are doing deer drives to push deer.

 
Answer to your first question is easy. Not everyone is a bowhunter and if there is another season for gun, then the answer is pretty self explanitory. The truth is that some states are able to maintain the herd with the assistance of the does harvested during archery season. The average success rate for Archery season is 20-35% for "a" deer. The range for most bowhunters limits out at 30 yards. I'm not saying that 40 or 50 yards is out of the question, just that it exceeds the skill level of most. If herd reduction is the goal of this season, which it is, then a gun season is the most effective way.
 
I don't buy the statement your statement about buck going chasing only at night during the rut. Other states have a longer gun season and some go straight through the full rut. Those buck get shot during the day, and while chasing. A buck is going to go wherever his hot doe goes.
 
You said that most T-zone hunters are driving deer. Isn't that just how it's done in WI during gun season. Sit the first day or so, then start driving deer?

[schlupis]

Legnip how can the big buck chase his doe when she is getting shot. My point is I dont think it is a good idea my pesonal opinion because when the rut is on I dont like the idea of added hunters with guns shooting every doe they see because tags are only 2 bucks apiece so they go out an buy a whole mess of tags and just kill every doe insight...Which is what it sounds like the dnr would like hunters to do....
 
Do you really think Wisconsin has a doe overpopulation problem? I dont think we do as much as the dnr says we do... I think it has more to do with insurance issues like car deer accidents..

[Goose]

I know Im gonna catch hell for this one but here it goes...... If you would read the WI deer management program from the DNR that states all the facts it is pretty interesting and it changed my opinion on some things. First off I do disagree with the way CWD was handled and I have to believe that they know they handled it wrong but will not admit it. I do not agree with earn-a-buck and zone T anterless only seasons. When people say insurance companies have an effect on deer numbers why wouldnt they? The dnr has to look at car/deer colisions and act on it or they would not be doing their job. Crop damage reports also have to do with how many deer need to be taken if they have alot of farmers in certain areas complaining about damage to their crops the dnr has to act on it! Another thing to consider about deer numbers is that there is not many people driving deer around like there used to be. How many people sneak to there stand and back trying not to push any deer off their property? I would say that the majority of hunters out there want all the deer on there land staying on there land, so they are not moving them like they used to. The deer get pressured and turn nocturnal or go into cover and nobody pushes them from there. Would I like to see alot more deer every sit ? sure but you gotta understand the system. Their job is to keep everybody happy not just the hunters. I am not saying their numbers are perfect but it is the best in the country. We have to register every deer and they do have decent formulas to predict deer numbers. They have to consider biological carrying capacity for every unit and they do that by all the numbers they get. In farm country the biological carrying capacity is high but they then have to figure out the social carrying capacity which is how many deer can that unit have before farmers start complaining and deer/car collisions occur to often. Its never going to please everyone but it could be far worse.

[Legnip]

ORIGINAL: schlupis

Legnip how can the big buck chase his doe when she is getting shot. My point is I dont think it is a good idea my pesonal opinion because when the rut is on I dont like the idea of added hunters with guns shooting every doe they see because tags are only 2 bucks apiece so they go out an buy a whole mess of tags and just kill every doe insight...Which is what it sounds like the dnr would like hunters to do....

Do you really think Wisconsin has a doe overpopulation problem? I dont think we do as much as the dnr says we do... I think it has more to do with insurance issues like car deer accidents..

 
Easy. He is thinking with the wrong head. That is why he has stopped being nocturnal. I don't know if it matters whether he is chasing her or not, since he is off limits during the T-zone (doe only) hunt.
 
I think that WI did have a doe over population at one time. I don't think that it is that way anymore. I typically see a pretty even mix of bucks & does. Some years it has been as good as 1:1, but it just depends. The deep snow, wolves, coyotes, and bears keeps the herd in check.
 
I don't think the DNR knows quite what to do with the CWD. If they knock the herd way down, then I think they hope that will slow the spread until they can figure out what to do. It isn't an easy solution. Even if there was a vaccine, then how would it be administered? Baiting? Shots?

[EatDeer]

 Personal observations arent 100% accurate, but do provide a good idea of herd ratios in an given area. I've also worked in WIS, trimming tree's, and from the looks of your terrain, I think it would be pretty hard to know the exact numbers of doe's in the herd. The DNR probley does herd census with a airplane, which would result in a more accurate number. Thinning the herd is a last straw type of managment when dealing with CWD, you might have to accept another doe season to help the deer survive disease in the future. You may even have to stop depending on the DNR to solve the problem, if your personal hunting area is under populated. This is where several trail cam's through-out your properties would help you to ID the diffrent deer on your lands. Once your gather enough photo's you can adjust your harvest to meet a herd ratio you can call ideal.