The Old Folks Home

[Ravynscroft]

WV, I bet I could repeat what you really said, word for word!

 

[Beer can]

 

[Pyxis]

I'm not big on trophy hunters. Don't mind hunting for meat, but trophy hunters make a prey species weaker, as opposed to all other predators that pick off the weak animals and make the prey species stronger as a whole. Kind of like how that big game hunter on purpose lured Cecil the lion away from his pride out of the reserve so he could shoot him because he was big and strong and healthy and he wanted a trophy, no matter if it hurt the already in trouble species. Deer aren't in trouble so it's not a totally fair comparison but it's still not great. My uncle once told me how he on purpose shot a big 12 point buck that was breeding the females as he was breeding them - waited for him to finish mating with one and then shot him.

On the topic of crossing rare breeds, I've done it. I would never ever try to pass the crosses off as pure though. This is Pretty Boy, he was my very beautiful AC cross rooster.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I layed out a grizzly in Juneau Salmon season hiking got between her and cubs
no way out but for her to die she was within 15 feet of me and fish and game
justified the shoot.. did go on the hunt for big horn sheep bagged the first day
went home never did it again..
learned duck hunting with a standard poodle quit because the meat was awful

 

[Beer can]

I ain't no trophy hunter, I hunt to fill my freezer. Browns down thunk 'em and trunk 'em. Littler one's are more tender and easier to drag :-D
(just kidding :-D)
Sure is nice to get a big buck though, can't eat the horns but it sure is nice.
Here in our area of NY and some other counties they've went to minimum antler restrictions, have to have at least three points on one side.
The public is about 50/50 on this, swinging more towards hating it like I am. The DEC wants to bring in more tourism and, so hope to get NY known for trophy racks like some other states are.
I don't hunt for trophy racks, nothing against it but I've missed out on filling my tags I pay good $$ for the last two yrs cause of this new rule.
Way I look at it the bucks will be harvested as 5-6 points instead of spikes and fours, don't see it changing much except the fact more hunters will be missing out on potential venison cause they ain't sure if it has that one more point. That and a potential for a hunter to shoot and leave a deer in the woods cause dang, it doesn't have three on one side...
I've even heard proponents for the restriction say it will better the genetics because bigger bucks will be breeding...silly fool, same deer same genetics wether it's two yrs old or five.
One point with what the DEC mentioned in their hunting regulations magazine you get when you purchase a licence, they compared size and weight between young immature bucks compared to older mature bucks, can't argue with the amount of potential meat for the freezer adding a yr or two to their growth.
Time will tell if this improves hunting here, I doubt it, too many illegal hunters IMHO.

 

[microchick]

They do that here in Missouri also, @Beer can. The Buck has to have at least 4 points to be legal. Now, with the CWD outbreak they have lifted the restriction in about half or more of the state. In 2012 the filled tags numbered 3152 in Macon Co Missouri for opening weekend of rifle/deer season. This year only 1740 deer were harvested.

Is this working? Good question. If they are trying to control CWD they had two test positive in the state last season.

Personally, while I find deer to be an annoyance at times, the number of harvested deer has dropped so drastically that it almost isn't worth even going out anymore. Whether or not this is even a viable way to control prion disease is questionable IMHO. To do so they would have to eliminate the entire deer population in the area...and it almost looks like they are succeeding. But new cases of CWD continue to surface.

It's a shame because the little town we live in really needs the business hunters bring into the area every year.

 

[Beer can]

No CWD cases in NY. The state is just hopefull that if we're known for trophy buck they might bring back the hunting tourism. We actually have a large hotel in our little town, had a restaurant too, been closed for a couple decades now. Their biggest business was hunting season. Tens of thousands of acres to hunt in this area. When I was a kid the town would be over run during the fall through spring between hunters and then snowmobilers. I like it better this way, mostly just a few locals hunting. But definitely bad for the state all around as far as the money that was spent here.

 

[perchie.girl]

CWD? please help the acronymically challenged.....

Here we have mule deer.... Seen small herds of them moving up the road in front of the car.... Geo Metro and their backs were easily as tall as the car....

deb

 

[pennyJo1960]

@Beer can was that ways for many of us but you can never go back
super harsh reality for all of us specially me

 

[Ravynscroft]

Deb, CWD... Chronic Wasting Disease...