Comments on: Weigh in on Deer Proposal for Northwest MI

By: Jeffyngary

Jeffyngary — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:03:00 +0000

I think this is a fabulous idea. I live in Eaton County on the Thornapple river and we could sure use that in Southern Michigan too!!

By: GG Van Gelder

GG Van Gelder — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:26:00 +0000

I support the suggested QDM issue, we will then achive more
older bucks with larger racks, save the spikes and fork horns.
GG Van Gelder, Kalamazoo & Manistee.

By: JimS

JimS — Sat, 12 May 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Nobody is saying a doe is not a worthy trophy but the fact is that shooting a doe is not an option for public land firearms hunters, there are no antlerless permits available in these twelve counties. As far as helping to manage the herd in a healthy manner, under APR’s in Leelanau County, greater numbers of bucks and fewer numbers of antlerless deer are being harvested annually, than prior to the APR’s being put in place, which CANNOT result in a 1:1 sex ratio, it will create sex ratio’s that are even more unbalanced …but that’s a dirty little secret that the APR guys don’t want to talk about. ; )

By: Mcnitt276

Mcnitt276 — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:52:00 +0000

a couple years of antler restrictions and legal bucks will outnumber sublegal bucks. I have hunted wexford county my whole life, this antler restriction will work anywhere. You can kill the same number of bucks at older age classes.

By: Mcnitt276

Mcnitt276 — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:49:00 +0000

full inclusion of crossbows with bait. If you don’t like the fact that the DNR give bowhunters a choice of antlered or antlerless, then change that. The APR goal is to improve age class….we don’t control how many doe tags are issued.

By: Mhwooden

Mhwooden — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:21:00 +0000

All well and good to shot a doe but not all area have doe permits. Were I live there have been no doe permits for years. I have no young children and I don’t shot the little bucks but I still think that it the young hunter doesn’t get the chance at a buck even if it is a little one they may not be back next year. I personally don’t have any young children and I don’t shoot young bucks which means I don’t shoot many dear. But I surely think others should have a chance and stop this trophy mantality some seem to have.

By: Lincoln Rohn

Lincoln Rohn — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Its common sense. Lets see. We can use all modern archery, crossbows, magnum rifles, muzzle loaders that shoot 200 yards, range finders and trail cameras. killing a deer is not hard these days. Lets stop killing young bucks and give them a year or 2 to grow. Start taking pride in what we harvest. You argue that young or new hunters wont be able to harvest a buck if we put antler restrictions in place. That is crazy! With antler restrictions, they will be able to harvest a 8 point instead of a small spike or 4 point. If you say antler size does not matter your lying. Don’t tell me you would be way more pumped if you killed an 8 point then if you killed a spike. We all dream about an big buck coming down through the swamp and harvesting him, We don’t dream of a big ol spike horn. Come guys!! QDM works and its proven and there is scientific data to back it up. We manage 160 acres and pass all 1 1/2 year old bucks. Our average buck has increased by at least 80%. With kids growing up with the Outdoor channel and drury videos they want to kill quality bucks. Both of my boys have a total buy in on QDM. They are helping plant food plots, fill the feeders and harvest does. They feel like they are managing our resource, not just out to get “their buck”. Believe me, after one year of point restrictions NOBODY will be complaining, Period. We will have just as many 2 year olds after the first year as we have 1 year olds now.

By: JimS

JimS — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Zero public land antlerless permits available in the proposed 12 counties last year. Easy to say, “just shoot a doe” but for the public land firearms hunter, it’s not an available option. These regulations would make 85% of the deer in the woods off limits to those public land hunters.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Where I hunt (Wexford County) you have a hard time seeing any bucks at all with out puting a point restriction on. Let the hunter make the decsion.

By: JimS

JimS — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:40:00 +0000

You are simply incorrect about older does having the same disease prevalence as bucks, either younger or older. There is ample scientific data available that shows that yearling bucks have twice the prevalence rate as older does and mature bucks up to four times the prevalence rate as does, for Bovine tuberculosis. The same thing is true for CWD. A herd with an older buck age structure has significantly greater potential for spreading disease and is much more likely to be significantly impacted, should disease be found, than a herd with a younger age structure. bTB has been found in 4 of the 12 counties that would be impacted by these proposed regulations.