Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
I'd be interested in hearing from you that hunt under regimented buck management programs and how you're faring.
I hunt at Ames and we're in about our 12th year under a program that started with a 115" minimum then went to a 120" and then to a 125" or 4.5 years old minimum. Overall, I think we may have some older deer but I can't really tell much difference in the size of our bucks. I also think we may have fewer deer than when we started. Last year's statewide "button buck" change should have people looking harder before shooting does. You would think that those having been under a buck program for 12 years would already be somewhat attuned to looking harder already; particularly at potential shooter bucks. That being said, I think we're up to about 17 bucks killed that either met our minimum or were aged at 4.5 or older, somewhere around 14 bucks that met neither restriction, and something like 17 button bucks. That's 31 potential target bucks that won't be available next season versus the 17 that were taken this year. I think we need a $1000.00 fine to curb some trigger fingers.
I hunt at Ames and we're in about our 12th year under a program that started with a 115" minimum then went to a 120" and then to a 125" or 4.5 years old minimum. Overall, I think we may have some older deer but I can't really tell much difference in the size of our bucks. I also think we may have fewer deer than when we started. Last year's statewide "button buck" change should have people looking harder before shooting does. You would think that those having been under a buck program for 12 years would already be somewhat attuned to looking harder already; particularly at potential shooter bucks. That being said, I think we're up to about 17 bucks killed that either met our minimum or were aged at 4.5 or older, somewhere around 14 bucks that met neither restriction, and something like 17 button bucks. That's 31 potential target bucks that won't be available next season versus the 17 that were taken this year. I think we need a $1000.00 fine to curb some trigger fingers.