More Does Less Bucks?

[Camp]

We hunt in unit L in Wilson County. I understand other units have less liberal doe harvests. At least in unit L, what are everyones thoughts on making the "legal buck" a minimum of 2 poimts on 1 side instead of a spike? From a management harvest viewpoint, I would rather take a doe instead of a small buck. How many other hunters would also be in support of, at least in Unit L, making a legal buck a minimum of 2 points on 1 side? We have been voluntarily passing on the small bucks (6 point and less) and wanted to see if there is enough support unit wide to ask TWRA to shift focus towards QDM. What are your thoughts? Thanks

 

[big 8s in Weakley county]

Yes and no If i had a kid that never had killed a deer before with me and all i had seen was i spike i would want him to kill it. I wouldnt be able to say no we cant kill it.

 

[Andrew]

Camp you're jumping right into the controversial stuff quick aren't ya? Haha, but i don't really think it makes a whole lot of difference. I think most people are going to pass on anything below an 8 anyway, and in my opinion, regulations just lead to more regulations.

If we really want to practice QDM, it's not going to be done through regulations, it has to be done through education. They need to provide suggestions for people and explain what QDM really is. As far as myself and all the hunters I know in Williamson County, we tend to be responsible, kill some does, and only kill old bucks. I know I passed on several 6's that would have been my first deer, and ended up killing a 4.5 yr. old 8 point for my first. That's the way we need to do it.

 

[BSK]

If we really want to practice QDM, it's not going to be done through regulations, it has to be done through education.

And there, in my opinion, is the correct answer.

Evan as one of the most hard-core advocates of QDM harvest practices, I don't want to see everyone forced to manage by the those rules. QDM will provide little benefit to the "couple of weekends per year" hunter. Everyone hunts for a different reason. Some hunters get a huge thrill out of killing any buck, young or old. I certainly don't want to limit that hunters success.

And when it comes to Unit L, that is the area in the least need of further buck regulations. In the highest deer density areas, hunters are killing a smaller and smaller percentage of the buck population each year, leaving more bucks to advance in age. It would be the areas with the lowest deer densities in combination with the highest hunter densities that might require more restrive buck harvest rules to produce an improved buck age structure.