That said…If you want that buck as one of your “5,” go for it! Whatever makes you happy.
We’ve “culled” a lot of deer over the years with inferior antler qualities off the place I hunt (short tines, short beams, goofy cowhorns, no brows). Not sure it really helps, but it doesn’t hurt either when the deer harvested are mature animals. Makes the hunting more fun…when you get a buck…even if he is a “cull.”
I don’t see how the new tag system is going to make it harder to manage does. Keep in mind, the DNR has to have a much wider scope when it comes to managing the state’s natural resources. Their job is to manage on a macro level, not a micro level. They have to juggle the needs of the natural resources, in this case it’s deer, with the wants of the hunters. That’s not an easy thing to do and some hunters definitely don’t make it easy on them because they’re constantly berating the DNR and the job they do. If you have a piece of property and you’re concerned there are too many does on your property, there are other programs available through the DNR to assist you. The new tag system isn’t the only tag system available. As far as the new tag system being a “mess,” I disagree. It’s only as difficult to understand as people make it. To be honest, and I’m not saying you’re one of them, but the only people I’ve talked to that are “confused” by the new tag system are people that were/are opposed to limits and tags all together and they don’t want to understand it. There are many different resources made available by the DNR that more than adequately explains the new tag system.
Before this turns into a war, there’s no one “golden rule” for deer management because there is more than one management goal and your management goal(s) should determine your management plan. Are you trophy managing or are you quality managing (because they’re not the same)? Plus, once you establish a management plan, it can’t (shouldn’t) remain static. The needs of the herd will change as their population make up changes, as the habitat changes, as the herd’s age structure changes.
So restricting the taking of does to Saturday only isn’t interfering with deer management? Good that you can get which deer you want to walk on which Saturday you want.
How about people who work on Saturdays, they are just screwed?
I have 1000+ acres but I can only take as many deer as someone with 1 acre, or someone who hunt WMA.
This is just another go
what are you using to determine that the deer in the pic is the same one you have seen on trailcam the last three years? what kind of characteristics are you going by to know its the same deer? just curious.
Just general body and horn shapes, nothing really reliable.
So restricting the taking of does to Saturday only isn’t interfering with deer management? Good that you can get which deer you want to walk on which Saturday you want.
How about people who work on Saturdays, they are just screwed?
I have 1000+ acres but I can only take as many deer as someone with 1 acre, or someone who hunt WMA.
This is just another government over reach to collect what monies they can. Setting people up for failure. How long before getting any tag is going to cost $100 each on top of your grossly over priced hunting license to start with.
Anyone who can say there isn’t a very large population of deer in the lower part of SC has no idea. Stop and talk to a farmer, any farmer.
A few fixes, open does tags to a week. second, tie the tags to size of land that is owned or managed. Third, issue tags (at no cost) for accurate information about what deer are being taken where so you have a clue about what you are making rules about. Fourth, if deer are in need of so much management then end the depredation permits that every land owner around me has. You know the one that lets you shoot deer at night with a light.
DNR is NOT what is was years ago and I for one have very little respect for what it has become.
The DNR isn’t restricting the taking of does to only Saturdays. The “free” antlerless tags are nothing more than a physical tag that represents what used to be a “doe day.” Before the tags, “doe days” determined when you could kill does the same way the physical “date restricted” tags will do now. That’s why the DNR offers up to four antlerless tags (not date specific). If you wish to kill a doe and it’s not a “doe day” or a date represented by one of your “date specific” antlerless tags, then you use one of the four antlerless tags yo
To get back on topic, the buck in the picture is definitely an immature buck but as others have said, if that buck put a smile on someone’s face and meat in their freezer, more power to them. As a very good friend of mine at the DNR has told me, “I’ll never lose sleep over a deer legally killed by a hunter.” Sure, I would’ve pass him but I wasn’t the one behind the trigger. That being said, if you’re going to manage for “good genetics” you must first be able to truly identify “under-developed” versus “poorly developed.” This buck was merely under-developed (immature) but accidents happen. I’ve shot “does” that somehow grew buttons and balls from the time I dropped them to the time I walked up to recover them. I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at identifying the more “square head” of a button buck versus the more “rounded head” of a doe because I haven’t made that mistake in quite a while. That’s all part of growing and maturing as a hunter and I believe we all have either gone through, are going through or will eventually go through that maturation process. As a young hunter, I wanted to simply kill A deer. Then, I grew into a teenage hunter that wanted to kill EVERY deer. Then I found myself growing into a more selective hunter and only wanted to shoot big does and bucks with “X” amount of points or better. Now, I tend to focus on does for meat and mature bucks that would be “wall worthy.” I get as much enjoyment out of watching young bucks grow into mature bucks as I used to get from squeezing the trigger. To be honest, I haven’t shot a buck in SC in 10 years. I’ve had plenty of opportunities but the bucks I saw simply weren’t ready (mature enough) or weren’t “wall worthy,” per my standards. I’m sure, once my son is old enough to hunt with me, I’ll be able to see him grow as my father did with me. My dad didn’t force his ways on me. He allowed me to grow at my own pace. He gave guidance and his opinion but then he put it back on me to make the decision.
The DNR isn’t restricting the taking of does to only Saturdays. The “free” antlerless tags are nothing more than a physical tag that represents what used to be a “doe day.” Before the tags, “doe days” determined when you could kill does the same way the physical “date restricted” tags will do now. That’s why the DNR offers up to four antlerless tags (not date specific). If you wish to kill a doe and it’s not a “doe day” or a date represented by one of your “date specific” antlerless tags, then you use one of the four antlerless tags you purchased. Again, this is absolutely no different than it used to be before the new tag system. The only change is you have a physical tag as opposed to simply a day on the calendar.
So these additional tags are provided how? An additional cost? If there is no difference then why waste the money with tagging the deer that are taken on doe days? You can be insulting all you wish, but this is poor management plain and simple.
You’re conveniently ignoring the fact the DNR offers other programs to assist hunters/property managers/farmers with the deer on their properties. You’re right about one thing though. The DNR isn’t what it used to be…because the elected good’ol boys in the General Assembly have cut the DNR’s budget back to a level that it was in the 70’s. If you think this is a “government overreach” to get more money, then you need to complain to the General Assembly because unless money is earmarked specifically for the DNR and/or specific DNR programs, the money goes into the General Fund. Once there, it gets mismanaged in the same ways the General Assembly mismanages the rest of the state’s money.
No government agency should benefit or be able to keep any part of the fines they write. This leads to many problems in these agencies.
Reelshock, It’s clear you’re one of the typical DNR haters and every word being said to you is a waste of time but if you don’t at least attempt to understand what is done and why, then you’ll continue to be mad and confuse
Quote by Reelshock:
“So these additional tags are provided how? An additional cost? If there is no difference then why waste the money with tagging the deer that are taken on doe days? You can be insulting all you wish, but this is poor management plain and simple.”
The same way they’ve always been provided. The “non-date specific” antlerless tags are the same antlerless tags that can be purchased for $5 per tag and you can purchase up to 4 tags. The money for these tags is specifically earmarked for this tag program so the DNR actually gets that money for that program as opposed to going to the General Fund. I never said there wasn’t a difference. You stated, incorrectly, that doe harvests were “restricted” to Saturdays. FACT: The date specific antlerless tags you received when you purchased your hunting license and big game permit are nothing more than the “doe ways” we used to have but in tag form as opposed to simply looking at a calendar. FACT: You can still (like we’ve always been able to since the antlerless tag program has existed) purchase up to four (4) antlerless tags that are not “date specific.” Meaning, if you wish to kill a doe on a day not specified by one of your free antlerless tags, you can use one of these tags, if you purchased them. Yet again, you continue to ignore the FACT that the DNR offers other programs (ADQP, depredation permits…) for property owners/land managers/farmers to more specifically help them with their land/crop management needs so this new tag system isn’t the only form of “management” available and just because you don’t understand it or like it doesn’t mean it’s “poor.” Again, just because you refuse to acknowledge these other programs doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
I’ve said nothing insulting to you. If giving you the truth and facts about the new tag system is “insulting” to you then I don’t know what t tell you to make you feel better.
Quote by Reelshock:
"No government agency should benefit or be able to keep any part of the fines they write. This leads
Bangstick, don’t Mind reelshock, he’s still pissed he got caught baiting doves.
HaHaHa!! I don’t personally know the guy but I do know everyone I’ve ever met that has a dislike for LE usually found themselves on the wrong side of the law at one time or another.
I get having an opinion and/or not being in favor of something but don’t blatantly ignore all of the facts just for the sake of supporting one’s argument. That only makes one look ignorant and uniformed and shines a negative light on hunters in general. Fellow hunters know to differentiate between the two but the “outside” groups us all together and, while we (hunters) have too much in-fighting, it’s the “outside” that can have the most devastating impacts on us and our beloved sport of hunting.
Bangstick, don’t Mind reelshock, he’s still pissed he got caught baiting doves.
Fines that have been revoked, record cleared, a formal letter of apology has been delivered, and the LEO has been reprimanded.
So yep, I am mad about being right.
Oh and I have documented this same LEO shooting doves over a baited field. With any luck he will be out of a career by the end of the year. Pretty sure you grow Pennington song bird mix in a field…
Gotta admit Reelshock, it’s pretty low to wish a man would lose his job and jeopardize his/his families well-being simply because he wrote you a ticket and fines that were later dropped/erased. I get it, I’d be mad too, but I wouldn’t wish the LEO any ill will or misfortune for him and his family. He didn’t alter or derail your life or your family’s lives. I’m sorry you have nothing better going on in your life that you have a mission of ruining someone else’s career. I’m sure you’ll show him though. Then, hopefully, you’ll be able to be happy and live a happy life. After you ruin the LEO’s life, that is. You stay classy.
Reel shock,don’t take this the wrong way but you seem clueless and beyond help.We don’t kill bucks that small on a dog club.You asked for information and some very knowledgeable members took the time to give you some great tips.Everything they said was true.Then you shut down the information highway.The next time you ask for help,I doubt you will get many replies. They could have helped you so much, and believe me,you need help.
Gotta admit Reelshock, it’s pretty low to wish a man would lose his job and jeopardize his/his families well-being simply because he wrote you a ticket and fines that were later dropped/erased. I get it, I’d be mad too, but I wouldn’t wish the LEO any ill will or misfortune for him and his family. He didn’t alter or derail your life or your family’s lives. I’m sorry you have nothing better going on in your life that you have a mission of ruining someone else’s career. I’m sure you’ll show him though. Then, hopefully, you’ll be able to be happy and live a happy life. After you ruin the LEO’s life, that is. You stay classy.
So you would rather have a LEO who is abusing his position, breaking the law, and working with absolutely no integrity stay on the job?
That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
Gotta admit Reelshock, it’s pretty low to wish a man would lose his job and jeopardize his/his families well-being simply because he wrote you a ticket and fines that were later dropped/erased. I get it, I’d be mad too, but I wouldn’t wish the LEO any ill will or misfortune for him and his family. He didn’t alter or derail your life or your family’s lives. I’m sorry you have nothing better going on in your life that you have a mission of ruining someone else’s career. I’m sure you’ll show him though. Then, hopefully, you’ll be able to be happy and live a happy life. After you ruin the LEO’s life, that is. You stay classy.
So you would rather have a LEO who is abusing his position, breaking the law, and working with absolutely no integrity stay on the job? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. </font id=“red”>
Just like that buck being 3 years old, that’s</font id=“red”> impossible. To be the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard someone would’ve had to have said that.
Show me where I said that, please. I’ll patiently wait for your response.
Poly probably knows more about deer management than all of us combined. Regardless of what anyone on this website says, he is extremely knowledgeable in quality deer management.
23sailfish, isn’t deer hunting relatively new to you by some of your earlier posts on it?
I don’t disagree that polly may know a lot about deer management, but a faceless name on an internet sight is not a very good measure for me. Maybe a face to face conversation would change it some. As to all of us combined, I call B.S. The plantation managers and owners I know, know a lot as well as many members on this sight that don’t post here. I’m talking plantations from 600 acres to 22,000 acres. Not to mention a couple of DNR agents I’ve grown up with. I use this statement for you to judge me as well, we don’t know each other, but I assure you I have no reason to lie.
Besides Polly thinks all dog hunting should stop. Just hope if it does everyone steps up to the plate and quits worrying about a trophy buck and shoots some does and cull bucks. Big difference in a fenced in piece of property over a stretch of open swamp and the varying methods to manage deer in all areas. Really IMO there can be no QDMA in an area with small tracks and many landowners with differing ideas.
So in all this I’d call Reelshocks tailgate deer either a spike or cowhorn and feel comfortable. I would have probably let that one walk, looks very young to me. But then I’m more into hunting doe and letting most bucks walk. I’ll save the trophy’s for the first timers in my family and those that are interested
what are you using to determine that the deer in the pic is the same one you have seen on trailcam the last three years? what kind of characteristics are you going by to know its the same deer? just curious.
Im very familiar with truck tailgates and judging by the one in that picture that deer isn’t 2 months past his 1.5yr birthday. This is the biggest excuse making thread Ive ever seen, 23 thank you for this truthful statement that dead deer in the picture is a young immature buck. If you want to grow decent bucks, quit shooting the babies.
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Gotta admit Reelshock, it’s pretty low to wish a man would lose his job and jeopardize his/his families well-being simply because he wrote you a ticket and fines that were later dropped/erased. I get it, I’d be mad too, but I wouldn’t wish the LEO any ill will or misfortune for him and his family. He didn’t alter or derail your life or your family’s lives. I’m sorry you have nothing better going on in your life that you have a mission of ruining someone else’s career. I’m sure you’ll show him though. Then, hopefully, you’ll be able to be happy and live a happy life. After you ruin the LEO’s life, that is. You stay classy.
So you would rather have a LEO who is abusing his position, breaking the law, and working with absolutely no integrity stay on the job?
That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
Come on, Reelshock!! There are only two pages! Surely it’s not taking you this long to comb through the posts to find where anyone said anything remotely similar to what you’re saying.
While I wait, albeit less patiently, I’ll go ahead and answer your question. No, I wouldn’t rather have a LEO abusing their power, breaking the law or working without integrity. But that doesn’t mean I’d want him to lose his career. Having been in the unemployment line with a family to support, there are few worse feeling in the world. I would wish for any other person to have to experience that feeling. As someone that has held management/leadership positions from basic levels to corporate levels, if I had an employee that behaved as
I use this statement for you to judge me as well, we don’t know each other, but I assure you I have no reason to lie.
Just hope if it does everyone steps up to the plate and quits worrying about a trophy buck and shoots some does and cull bucks. Big difference in a fenced in piece of property over a stretch of open swamp and the varying methods to manage deer in all areas. Really IMO there can be no QDMA in an area with small tracks and many landowners with differing ideas.