Management - One Buck Rule

[NightHawk]

I think the 1 buck rule has helped the age structure and is allowing better genes to be disseminated throughout the herd. I don't believe it's a redistribution of the bucks or anything like that. I think that 10% of the hunters take 90% of the bucks so by limiting them to 1 buck per year it makes them work harder for a big buck  and allows the deer to mature

[ishoot4thrills]

TJ,

I'm with you. I like the one buck only rule that we have here. It can be frustrating sometimes but I like the results it has brought to us in KY. Been deer hunting since the '70s and I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of deer I see compared to back then, especially bucks. I don't kill as many bucks as I did in the '80s and '90s because I pass on several compared to then and end up with maybe a doe or two and let my kids kill whatever is legal.

BTW, I saw your picture in the latest issue of our hunting guide, close to the front, posing with several does with some other dudes. Nice picture. That is you, isn't it?

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

You can kill 3 bucks total here now , used to be you could kill 5 bucks per year . Here they trade deer management for Dollars and the dollars are winning big time. If they could charge you per fish you caught they would .


I hunted OH for several years and they have it right , 1 buck no matter how you take him and you are done.

Jack

[stevemfwills]

personally i think indiana would do good if they went too a earn a buck tag.you have to take a doe before you get a buck tag.if there so worried about taking so many does make people who will only kill bucks earn it.....just my too cents

[CDR]

Come on my fellow Michigander's, someone please try and explain ours. HELP!

[KentuckyTJ]

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
TJ,

I'm with you. I like the one buck only rule that we have here. It can be frustrating sometimes but I like the results it has brought to us in KY. Been deer hunting since the '70s and I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of deer I see compared to back then, especially bucks. I don't kill as many bucks as I did in the '80s and '90s because I pass on several compared to then and end up with maybe a doe or two and let my kids kill whatever is legal.

BTW, I saw your picture in the latest issue of our hunting guide, close to the front, posing with several does with some other dudes. Nice picture. That is you, isn't it?

Yeah Doug that is yours truly. I'll have to tell you the story behind that someday.

[ishoot4thrills]

I knew it was you. Just shoot me a pm sometime with the story, or maybe I'll see ya around somewhere.

[leatherneck]

I love the one buck rule in Ohio. Our history of a great buck herd and the trophys it puts out every year say it all.

[Mechslasher]

since s.c. did away with having to check in deer, i guess there isn't a limit any more much less an antler rule.  the book has a limit of 12 or so but there is no way for the dnr to keep track.  i'd love for the dnr to impliment an antler rule, but it will never happen as long as the insurance lobbyist run the dnr.  for every deer that gets hit by a car, it cost the insurance co. $5000 on average.  back in the 80/90's s.c. had around 1 million deer and the hunting was good with an average of 45 deer per sq. mile in my area.  not many big bucks but it wasn't anything to see 15-20 deer in an afternoon on my farm.  for the past 10+ years i've intensively managed my farm and have one, if not two, 160+ class bucks walking around.  someone mentioned the thick cover down south for the excessive bag limits.  truer words where never spoken.  mature bucks around here hang out in cover where visibility is measured in feet.  i'm constantly amazed when i watch hunting shows out west with huge bucks just walking around in waist high grass.  that would be a shooting gallery for some of us southern boys.

[kbetts]

Two bucks in Delaware.  I guess we're lucky.  One is a hunters choice tag (no minimum and you could use it on a doe...) the other is a "quality" tag.  They decreased the size limit to 14" from 15" this year.  We don't have check stations any longer, but the fuzz is very good about checking out tags at the taxidermist.
Our deer herd is very healthy.  My buddy took a few pics of a deer that could challenge the state record for archery.  He's freakin' out cause even after he showed the landowner the pics he was told "Have at 'em."  His year is pretty much spoken for.  Can't blame him.

[koops4]

In Michigan you can either purchase a regular archery tag which is for either one doe or buck, or you can purchase a combination tag.  One tag is for any size buck or a doe and the other tag is for an antlered deer with at least four points on one side or a doe.  The combination tags can be used during the firearm season but with additional rules which are not important here.  I think I have that right.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I would like to see the One Buck Rule here in NY.  I think it is from pure greed that people feel the need to shoot several bucks a year.

I have hunted antler restriction area's and it cost me deer. I didnt mind as much because I saw other deer (does).  I think it would stink for a kid to be robbed at an opportunity so perhaps there could be exceptions.

I think Deer management is a good think however it falls heavily upon the state to do it right.  Hunters alone will not be able to do it right.  Too many people are greedy and many do not see the larger picture. I hear a lot of ignorant old sayings from hunters.  Sometimes people think that what happens in front of their tree stand is the status quo.  Also the Populatios vary widely across the state which would need further scrutiny.

I think the State needs to make as accurate censuses as possible. They need to properly record kills and enforce illegal activity.

I think it is great that they are using hunters to effectivly manage the herd but they should not stop there.

I beleive they need to work collabratively with Farmers and Forestry units to manage habitat.  Since Corn and Soy are so popular many farmers are plowing up CRP fields because at the end of the day Money Talks.  I hope they can find a way through tax breaks and what not to make it possible for a percetage of land to be managed for wildlife.

Unfortunately this all costs money (lots of it)but isn't that what our licenses are for?  I think the filtering of funds needs to be redirected so we can once again use the money designated for programs to fund the programs they were intended for.  

At least here in NY that's what aughtta happen     and that's my .002 take it for what it's worth.

[La. bowhunter]

Here in Louisiana we can kill 6 deer per season 3 buck tags and 3 doe tags with no size restrictions on anything. We have lots of deer probably too many in places but our bucks are nothing to brag about. I wish we did have some kind of antler restriction to try and get some bigger bucks.

[LoweBow]

Originally posted by KentuckyTJ:
 

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
TJ,

I'm with you. I like the one buck only rule that we have here. It can be frustrating sometimes but I like the results it has brought to us in KY. Been deer hunting since the '70s and I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of deer I see compared to back then, especially bucks. I don't kill as many bucks as I did in the '80s and '90s because I pass on several compared to then and end up with maybe a doe or two and let my kids kill whatever is legal.

BTW, I saw your picture in the latest issue of our hunting guide, close to the front, posing with several does with some other dudes. Nice picture. That is you, isn't it?

Yeah Doug that is yours truly. I'll have to tell you the story behind that someday. [/b]

Do tell Thomas.....LMAO!

[Bowwild]

After reading these posts I'd like to make a couple more observations. The spread or point limits some states use to limit buck harvest certainly have merit and are better than nothing.  However, these kinds of restrictions can result in a bit of high-grading of your deer herd.  Imagine if you told a forester to only cut the straghtest and limbfree trees in your woods. If you have a bunch of genetically supeiror young, straight and limb-free trees these might get cut under this protocol.  If a young buck has great genetics (and nutrition) and grows antlers with 8 points and right to the ears (15 inch) this buck would be killed under every antler restriction regulation. So, in heavily hunted country with 6-point or 14-15" spread rules almost all such deer would be taken, even the great 1.5-2.5 year old deer. If the hunter can kill more than one buck they'll take even more of these super young bucks.

Another issue with antler restricitions are compliance. Some hunters may have difficulty determining if a deer is legal or not.  Yes, we can count to 6 in Kentucky (even with our shoes on). But sometimes the decision is it a point, can you see the rack, etc. can make it tough on some. Same goes for spread restrictions. That's why in KY where we have these WMA 15" rules we also say this is a rack with an outside spread even with the spread of the ears. This gives the hunter a bit of way to estimate it. Although, the hunter can get in trouble by not taking in consideration the buck's "attitude".  Imagine a deer in a relaxed condition looking right at you. The ear tips would be about 15" in our country. However, if that buck's posture was aggressive, the ears are laid back and narrowed in spread -- maybe only 10"'s wide!  I wouldn't want to try to explain that one to the Warden.

Having written all this, we have some 15" minimum spread Wildlife Areas in KY (copied after some county-wide restrictions in Georgia).  These spread rules work pretty well on these areas -- one produced 3 Booners in a single season.

Not all hunting regulations are decided purely for biological reasons. Perception, desires, and "politics" come into play sometimes. As long as the resource isn't negatively impacted, these are legimate factors to consider when making regulations.

[Cottonwood]

I get but one A Tag for a buck, that can also be used for antlerless here in Montana that can be used in Archery Only Season, and try to use it wisely.  If OTC B Tags are offered, then I buy those as well, as I fill each one.

[LoweBow]

Originally posted by Bowwild:


Not all hunting regulations are decided purely for biological reasons. Perception, desires, and "politics" come into play sometimes. As long as the resource isn't negatively impacted, these are legimate factors to consider when making regulations.

Roy...I couldn't agree more w/ all your posts on this subject.  I think you summed up my feelings perfectly and I know I could not have written it better.

The "polotics" side of some management decisions in KY have me baffled.  Not to change the subject, but what other than polotics would push our Commission into issuing Elk "spike" tags agains the opinions our Biologists other than a Political reason?  Our state is lucky to have some of the finest biologists in the Country and I'd love to see them backed by the Commision more often....But there have been fights in our past that were biologically sound that I stood on the other side of the "Polotics" of the issue..LOL  I guess it's where you stand at that time....3 years to a brand new Commission and a new day in KY I pray.

[gregg dudley]

After hunting in ga for several years, I think they have the limit and antler restriction compromise (as RC described) pretty close to being right.  The part where they manage some properties collectively instead of individually has a lot of merit for further exploration and expansion.  Similarly, the Sambar hunt in Florida manages the resource rather than the hunter by setting  limit of game to be taken and potentially ending the hunt if the limit is reached.

Florida has a two deer a day limit    with no way of regulating harvest state-wide.  More and more conversation is evolving to change that and I expect to see some type of management change in the next few years.  here is hoping that it will be informed and scientific.

[T Lail]

wish they would do it here in NC......lots of deer, very few nice ones in my part of the state...if he makes it to three, he is ancient....

[Wapiti Chaser]

Wish NY would make a one buck limit. Instead we keep fighting over antler point restrictions while people are out killing two 1 1/2 bucks legally each year. If we had a one buck limit both sides win ! I just can't figure it out.