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And if you oppose it, why?

One trophy maybe . I have deer hunted for 50 years as I started tagging along with my Dad and so many times he or I have used our tag to remove one that needed taken out .Not one we wanted to take but did anyway.

No problem with a second buck as long as there are restrictions on the second buck. Shooting some antlerless deer should also be in the equation.

:smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an

  Been in favor of one buck per year for NY for a while.  They did change the use of the bonus tags to non-antlered deer over 10 years ago but you can still shoot 2 bucks if you buy the additional bow/ML license.  Too many button bucks are being harvested on the extra doe/bonus tags.

CB

I am not in favor of one buck limit in my state of Alabama due to the population numbers. I have not killed any buck in over 5 years but opt to hammer the does and let the kids kill the bucks. We have a 3 buck honor system and I know people that kill way more than the 3 that they are allowed by law.

I could live with it and hunt a couple states with 1 buck limits, but wouldn't care for it in my home state.  The reason being is that we can hunt from 10/1 til 1/31 and it would be a major bummer if you got a nice buck in early Oct.  I'd rather see size restrictions instead.

In SC we do need a better management program but I do not believe that a 1 buck limit here would be good because of the population size.  I am not for antler restrictions either cause that does not improve the overall quality of the herd.  In SC many hunters are wanting a 5 buck limit throughout the state with tags.  In the lowcountry of SC there is no limit at all, while in the upstate we have a 5 buck limit.  I think that the limits should be set by the biologist so that we can strive to create a strong and healthy deer population.  :)

For conversation, buck harvests do nothing to contribute to long-term, overall herd reduction.  Considering this, why the resistance?

Furthermore, im curious to know how many of you who oppose the rule regularly shoot multiple 1.5 to 2.5 year old bucks on your tags?

I do not regularly shoot 1.5-2.5 year old bucks but I also do not put those down that do.  I have set limits for myself and that is all I can do.  There is nothing wrong for a casual hunter to shoot a nice 2.5 year old 8 point or a young un or older hunter to do so also.  Too many people are getting caught up in antler size and not what hunting is truly about.  I have no problem popping a young buck if a young hunter is with me so that I can get them introduced to the sport and excited.  I will hold off by myself or if it is the first few times they are with me, but young hunters lose interest when they start getting bored. Just my opinion of course.

Quote from: davisd9 on November 14, 2011, 03:52:57 PM
I do not regularly shoot 1.5-2.5 year old bucks but I also do not put those down that do.  I have set limits for myself and that is all I can do.  There is nothing wrong for a casual hunter to shoot a nice 2.5 year old 8 point or a young un or older hunter to do so also.  Too many people are getting caught up in antler size and not what hunting is truly about.  I have no problem popping a young buck if a young hunter is with me so that I can get them introduced to the sport and excited.  I will hold off by myself or if it is the first few times they are with me, but young hunters lose interest when they start getting bored. Just my opinion of course.

The point of the post or question is not to project trophy hunting on anyone.  

A 1 buck per year rule, clearly does not impose trophy hunting on anyone and in my own perspective, is the most equitable of all buck policies due to the fact thay it allows a hunter to as indiscriminant or duscriminant in what he chooses to harvest but also creates a more fair and enjoyable hunting atmosphere for a trophy hunter by diversifying the age structure of the buck population by reducing male deer harvest.

I would be very supportive of a 1 buck per county limit, with a set number of bucks per season in the same state.

We went from a 6 buck limit to a 3 buck limit several years back.  It has done nothing for age structure in any of the areas I hunt(many). The age class kill is still the same, hunters that killed a few dinks every year, still kill a few dinks every year. 

What you are proposing VA is a very valid means to increase the age structure, but I feel it should be per county instead of one buck in the whole state.

The best known whitetail states have one buck limits, hint hint.


ARs work amazingly well too. People can squalk about anter restrictions all they want, but until they have seen the long term effects, they cannot grasp the amazing results it offers. I have seen it work amazingly well in multiple areas with my own eyes over many years and know countless other hunters who have seen the same.

If we could shoot more than one buck a year in pennsylvania there wouldn't be any left! I just hit other states.

Deer populations in most of Texas are thriving.  We have minimum two buck counties, and some as many as four.  I voted no based on my state and area.  Your mileage may vary.

Quote from: davisd9 on November 14, 2011, 03:52:57 PM
I do not regularly shoot 1.5-2.5 year old bucks but I also do not put those down that do.  I have set limits for myself and that is all I can do.  There is nothing wrong for a casual hunter to shoot a nice 2.5 year old 8 point or a young un or older hunter to do so also.  Too many people are getting caught up in antler size and not what hunting is truly about.  I have no problem popping a young buck if a young hunter is with me so that I can get them introduced to the sport and excited.  I will hold off by myself or if it is the first few times they are with me, but young hunters lose interest when they start getting bored. Just my opinion of course.

Well said. My sentiments exactly

I don't hold back on shooting any legal deer.  I like the antlers as much as the next guy, but for me the beauty of a deer is on the inside.  I would rather shoot a doe than a buck, but that being said, the first one by is getting the gas.  Several farms I am lucky enough to hunt the farmers have only one condition; shoot  them all.  I won't exceed the daily or season limits, but don't plan on holding out for a "trophy" buck either.  I blame all of the TV shows on this "antler addiction" that fosters the belief that if you don't kill a monster buck, you aren't a real or dedicated deer hunter.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  I am a firm believer that an old, mature doe is as difficult to kill as any buck, especially a buck during the rut.  Like I said, I am hunting to fill the freezer, not the wall. 

Here in VA I would like to see the 3 buck limit at least dropped down to 2 with restrictions on the 2nd buck. It won't happen though as our Game Department is afraid of losing money if they did.
We also have the "Earn - A - Buck" system here but the problem is you can phone in a "phantom" doe and keep shootin' bucks.

I'm a Virginia hunter.  You can take up to 3 bucks here (2 west of the blue ridge).  I've been an advocate of 1 buck tag per year for a while now.  It can only improve the quality of the bucks we harvest.
If you don't think so, look what it did for Kentucky.
Ken

Quote from: ken613 on November 17, 2011, 02:49:35 PM
I'm a Virginia hunter.  You can take up to 3 bucks here (2 west of the blue ridge).  I've been an advocate of 1 buck tag per year for a while now.  It can only improve the quality of the bucks we harvest.
If you don't think so, look what it did for Kentucky.
Ken

Exactly!
Where you live Ken? I'm in Bedford