Earn a buck Il style

[bullwinkle]

I read in the this months D&DH about the new bill introduced in IL. Shoot a doe and get another buck tag. I think it should be two/three does and get another buck tag but I really like this idea. With dwindling hunter numbers and more and more guys talking about quitting hunting, I think this could work in counties with high deer population. I would love it personally. I could take a cull buck and keep hunting. Right now, once you hit that trigger on the release it is over. Last year I shot my buck in Sept - ruined my Nov. I don't think I am going to hunt early this year just to make sure that does not happen again. I would also like the IL law of getting two bucks a year and you can take them anyway you would like.

Hoping for change in Wis deer program - Go Deer Czar Go

[Ostermann]

I agree about the 2 or 3 does for an extra tag. I've always thought that if the DNR could track how many deer you shot you could earn an extra tag. Kind of an incentive and that was more towards the pre-T-Zone/EAB time in the 90's. My Dad had a string of like 14, 15 deer or something in a row with bow back in the late 70's to about 1990. Would have been nice if he would have got an extra tag say after 5 years of success or something.

I have hunted in North Carolina where you can get 6 deer tags with your license (plus a bear tag, some turkey tags and boar tags for like $40). Depending on the area, you could shoot 4 bucks and 2 does. Some places were 3 bucks and 3 does. I wouldn't mind if the buck tags would be for any season either.

[bullwinkle]

The DNR needs to use a carrot instead of a stick - I really think the Dr Czar thinks like this from talking with people who are close to him. I would shoot 5 does for another buck tag. I would also be happy to get two tags and kill the bucks in what ever season I want. I know the Czar has Walker's ear. I am really hoping we revamp our rules - make the more hunter and landowner friendly.

The deer population wintered very well buy us. The only risk is the yote and bear population is high. In 3-4 weeks we should see if the does had another 2-3 fawn year. If they did, the good old days will be back around us.

[Ostermann]

I will be heading back to WI during July before heading East. I will have to see how things are. I have posted several times about how "quiet" the gun seasons were around the Waupaca/Outgamie border for the past 3 or 4 years. I did harvest a few deer but didn't see some of the deer, even in the fields far away, or heard the shots during the last few days of the season. Supposedly Herd Control units but rather quiet as opposed to say 2006 or earlier. One of my relatives did shoot a coyote chasing a doe a couple years ago.

I've also posted about filling tags one year and fewer deer the next. I like venison but I know if I shoot say 5 or 10 deer in one season, I would definitely expect a drop in deer numbers the following year.

[Jimbo]

Are you guys (posting on this thread) new to Wisconsin?

Earn A Buck has been in place for years, and if you read this forum, not something most hunters like/want. Unless you are suggesting shooting multiple does to get an extra buck tag...

Where I hunt (CWD) getting a buck tag for every doe I shoot is great. Reality is I only want to shoot one doe to get one extra buck tag, saving my Statewide buck tag for hunting up north.

The idea of shooting 5-6 does to earn a buck strikes me as odd, given so many hunters lamenting low deer sightings.

One final thought—careful what you wish for with Kroll. His statements and policy appear to be based on everything but science.

Jimbo

[bullwinkle]

Jimbo - We are talking about IL version of earn a buck - not the old WIsconsin. I guess I didn't know in CWD areas you are already able to earn a 3rd buck tag. I would love to see that in all over population counties.

I am surprised that there is not more deer activity in Eastern Waupaca county. I am hunting in Northern Waupaca, Shawano an sometime Oconto. All of our properties could use a few less does. No one is shooting them lately because the population tipped downward a little and there is pressure not to shoot them. I went from seeing 15-30 a evening of bow hunting to 5-15 in the lean years. Last year we were back up - this year I have a feeling will be an explosion. I also saw an increase in antler size when the population was down. Maybe it was something else but last year the deer around us were not sporting the headgear as in prior years and the populations bounced back. This past year everyone laid off the does and shot the 4ptr and 6ptr around me. I have a feeling we took a huge step backward. People felt it was better to shoot a small buck than a doe!!!

[Ostermann]

Jimbo - Not new to WI.

I think it would be nice to have a choice to use your 2 buck tags (regular archery and gun) for any season. I am not including the CWD because I do not have the experience in that part of the state.

My proposal is maybe a little 80's dated but it would give incentive to earn a 3rd buck tag if you shot a few does. I was raised in the late 80's with the limited numbers of choice permits. It was great when you got one because you had a better chance to get a deer than just having a buck tag. Fast forward to now, you can buy as many doe tags as you want. For a whopping $20 dollars I could buy a 10 doe tags. I like hunting and wouldn't mind having a season like that but I know that it would have serious detriment to the herd. I agree with what Bullwinkle said, a few areas could use less does. However, a couple years ago I think I heard about 7 shots the last day of the season. I hunt in Outagamie county, about 1 mile or so from the Waupaca border. Normally I have heard lots of shots for people trying to fill their tags. That happened during the 2000's before the big push for T-Zone and EAB.

My suggestions (regular units, not CWD):
-You can use your archery tag for a buck during the gun season with a gun. Or you can use your gun tag for a buck.
-For the herd control/T-zone units, you still can use the 1 free doe tag.
-Limit the amount of doe tags in the units. Something more reasonable, not the 10,000 in a unit. Say maybe 3-5000.
-If you harvest a certain amount of does in the herd control/T-zone, get an extra buck tag good for the current and following season.

[Dan Salmon]

Why not set up a quota system with call in registration and close the season when the quota has been met?

You could do this by both Buck and Doe. One tag to be bought per deer, all at the same price and as many as a person wants to buy until the quotas are all met. Any type of legal hunting equipment could be utilized and have one general deer season (not equipment specific) that opens on the same day and closes on the same day or when the quotas have been met.

No preference is given to any one group, everyone out on opening morning has no advantage over any other hunter which seems to be a chaffing point between hunters.

[Dan Salmon]

I would love it personally. I could take a cull buck and keep hunting.

Another article that states that there is no such thing as a "cull" buck in free ranging populations.

http://www.qdma.com/articles/why-we-cant-manage-deer-genetics

and this one

http://www.qdma.com/articles/will-dominant-bucks-dominate-the-breeding

[Jslotter]

I really don't think the deer population is as great as whoever says it is. For sure not in my unit. where I hunt a couple of different sections of land. I disagree that we need to be killing more antlerless deer.