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Late "Anterless" Season Opinions, ROUND 2!

What is your opinion of Shed Buck Season? (ok, yes, late Antlerless)

  • The season was supposed to be temporary & needs to end as intended

    Votes: 159 71.0%
  • I believe, on average, it's a great thing, does little damage & should stay

    Votes: 7 3.1%
  • Too many hunters that don't know or care about what gets shot

    Votes: 67 29.9%
  • Even the good intentioned have too many opportunities to make mistakes on shed bucks

    Votes: 49 21.9%
  • I will be out hunting late antlerless & know I will not shoot a shed buck or button buck

    Votes: 11 4.9%
  • I will not be out during shed buck season.

    Votes: 74 33.0%
  • This season is a complete disaster & is very damaging to many areas & average hunting areas.

    Votes: 82 36.6%
  • I've seen meat lockers full of shed bucks & personally seen many shed bucks killed

    Votes: 19 8.5%
  • I support Farm Bureau and their strong lobbying for more deer killed.

    Votes: 4 1.8%
  • I love Shed Buck Season & it's the only time of the year I can dust the guns off & blast!

    Votes: 12 5.4%

  • Total voters
    224
  • Poll closed .
Let's face it, most who have distracted in this discussion most likely know they've been dominated in public debate. Guys- those standing with FB and the "who cares and what business it of yours if i choose to blast a shed buck" - you have been completely destroyed if anyone really wants to think through both points of view. There will always be 2 sides of the story BUT if this discussion was brought to a proper court or legal argument- you have officically been crushed.

Unfortunately, in our politically correct environment and our ultra-sensitive society- folks can't say what they really think in a public forum. i'll say it because i don't care.... i think the guy shooting the nice shed buck that was a nice non-typical is a shame, it's sad and it disgusts me to be honest. the same folks who do that better hope they do have their own land to hunt. no one can say a thing BUT when it's folks like who have PERMission to hunt and lose the permission because they do things like this: this will be the same people who will cry about leasing, losing permission and hunting is "only for the rich", etc. we all know the game- we all understand how this thought process goes - how folks can't say what they think, etc. i'd love to explain to your brother why it frustrates thousands what he did. then, we all know the response... "its legal, who are you to tell me what to do, you can't eat horns, you trophy hunters make me sick, i hunt for meat, if i didn't shoot it my neighbors will, my family survives on venison, my brother shows a picture of a big buck on his iw page- those big bucks are worthless & why would he showcase a good buck?,etc, etc" We all know the game, we all know the talking points. Just like a typical conservative vs liberal debate- you will likely shame folks from stating the truth (47% with romney), make people talk behind the seen BUT logic and understanding of the situation thankfully lead most to the truth, they just aren't vocal like i may be right now.
 
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Who is going to 'loose permission' because they shoot a shed buck? The farmers and FB wants them killed like you say???
And u think folks on this forum are the majority? Most here are horn hunters (myself included), but we are the minority. Get on a trapping website and see the responses they post to pics od deer folks shoot. Most of them hunt deer too and are just happy to get anything.
Sorry you are disgusted with my brother. I am rather proud of him! It is good to see he got one with the little time he can go out. Maybe some day you will have more responsibilities that keep you from the sport you love and will change your disgusting opinion.
I assume most that complain about deer numbers started hunting during the hay-days of overpopulation in the early 2000s (or got spoiled by them). I remember when you could not even shoot a doe during gun 1. If the DNR would have had the magic harvest formula to keep the numbers in check then, this post would not even be happening as the late season would not be occurring. I laugh when I hear 'there will be no deer left for the future generations'. There are more deer now than ever (except of course for when there was too many) and the populations can rebound quickly. Seems like some don't enjoy the challenge of the hunt anymore.
 
So is your area highly populated with deer? If so, why wouldn't u make a very simple but verifiable choice to shoot a doe? Was it purely he "didn't care" or couldn't tell?
 
Skip - he has decent deer numbers, but little opportunity. He had 4 deer come past at 75 yards and he shot the biggest one. He said one of his daughters saw them feeding in his back yard, she went out back and yelled at them, and then ended up running down behind his place where he was sitting on the power line. It was a combo of not caring and not being able to tell. He wanted a big one as he likes making lots of jerky!
 
So what kind of deer numbers are we talking when we are talki9ng "low"?

It's an interesting thing in Iowa. Around 2/3rd's of state are what is creating "contraversy" & negative hunter feedback to Dnr. Dnr has lobbied to have the deer permits cut back (generally upper 2/3rd's of state). Bottom 3rd has pockets of very high #'s- let's say an area with 70 deer per sq mile for example.
To answer ur question from one guy's experience.... The complaints & what I've heard from Dnr in "low pop areas" in upper 2/3rd's of Iowa..., some counties where 30-35 deer could be "seen in a day" have dropped to 3-5 in some occasions. Much of this is "near perfect" habitat for deer- a river area with miles of timber followed by miles of grain fields with more waste grain that can b consumed. I personally talk to guys who see 80% less deer than in past (example). This "prime land" is obviously way way way below carrying capacity & I agree accidents, crop damage & citizen desires need to be accounted for. But- "sounds like" from Dnr, hunter satisfaction and even general public- they r concerned FB has won and we've killed down to an unacceptable level. Dnr recommending a cut back on tags and seasons.
BUT - I would "guess" deer levels at 10-15% Carrying capacities in some parts of Iowa. 5-10 deer in a whole day being good BUT I like learning more from many others in those areas. Absolutely r pockets higher than this as well. Heck- my farm is loaded. I would GUESS kaare- all higher than SK?? Like how many deer in the deep North of America do u see in a day (I know capacity & regions r different). What's a "good day" up there though- morning & evening for a day- bucks vs does?? *man do I want to hunt up there!!! I actually wish it was possible for a guy from us to own more than 10 acres!!

*whats the regs and situation up there for shooting does??
 
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Who is going to 'loose permission' because they shoot a shed buck? The farmers and FB wants them killed like you say???
And u think folks on this forum are the majority? Most here are horn hunters (myself included), but we are the minority. Get on a trapping website and see the responses they post to pics od deer folks shoot. Most of them hunt deer too and are just happy to get anything.
Sorry you are disgusted with my brother. I am rather proud of him! It is good to see he got one with the little time he can go out. Maybe some day you will have more responsibilities that keep you from the sport you love and will change your disgusting opinion.
I assume most that complain about deer numbers started hunting during the hay-days of overpopulation in the early 2000s (or got spoiled by them). I remember when you could not even shoot a doe during gun 1. If the DNR would have had the magic harvest formula to keep the numbers in check then, this post would not even be happening as the late season would not be occurring. I laugh when I hear 'there will be no deer left for the future generations'. There are more deer now than ever (except of course for when there was too many) and the populations can rebound quickly. Seems like some don't enjoy the challenge of the hunt anymore.
I'm glad he will enjoy his deer. However, be honest..how hard would it have been to take the time to look for open holes where the bases were? It's easy to kill a deer with a rifle..Hell, it's easy to kill a deer with a muzzleloader or shotgun. And wait..challenge of the hunt? LOL..fricking RIFLE hunting deer..Challenge...disgusting is right. DNR needs to hold Braindeads feet to the fire, as do hunters. This controversial, non-science based, high $ backed by big wigs, shit show of a season needs to end.
 
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IC - you missed my point about the challenge of the hunt. It was challenging when I started hunting 30 years ago, then became a joke/easy with any weapon. It was buck only, by the way. Now folks complain there is still not a deer behind every tree and get upset when they have to wok at harvesting one.
And he would have shot the biggest one anyway, shed or not. Not a rifle either, it was a muzzy (I know, not much different). Bigger deer = more meat in his mind.
 
IC - you missed my point about the challenge of the hunt. It was challenging when I started hunting 30 years ago, then became a joke/easy with any weapon. It was buck only, by the way. Now folks complain there is still not a deer behind every tree and get upset when they have to wok at harvesting one.
And he would have shot the biggest one anyway, shed or not. Not a rifle either, it was a muzzy (I know, not much different). Bigger deer = more meat in his mind.

Buckeye..I should add, since this happened during Muzzleloader, to me, while it sucks, it's not the point of the thread. The point is, more shed bucks are killed after the 10th of January, needlessly. Let's end it.
 
So is your area highly populated with deer? If so, why wouldn't u make a very simple but verifiable choice to shoot a doe? Was it purely he "didn't care" or couldn't tell?
Gosh what makes you think its any of your business. Thats between him and his brother.
 
I've hunted it before and will hunt it again just not with a rifle. It was designed to thin the deer heard and not just doe, but could you imagine if it was for bucks also? Be a very crowded area. I see bucks with and without horns while hunting, haven't shot one yet during this season. I think with the amount of deer found dead this year the population is getting back to where they would like to see it, so I do think some changes will be made next year. Maybe less doe tags for certain counties and if there are any left, then those could be used for late season. My county always has some left and I'm sure not all of the ones they sell get used. I didn't use mine for 1st shotgun or the late ML season nor did I fill my any sex late ML tag. Had chances, just picky on what I shoot I guess.
 
I hunted it the first couple seasons and was successful in avoiding shooting a shed buck. Now that the numbers are down, I haven't hunted it the past 2 years.

I think our shotgun group is pretty good at thinning out the does during 2nd shotgun season.

Maybe if they want to keep the season they need to move it to December and have a 3 week antlerless only season that spans Shotgun 1 and 2.

I don't support a season that extends beyond Jan 10th.
 
This "prime land" is obviously way way way below carrying capacity & I agree accidents, crop damage & citizen desires need to be accounted for.

BUT - I would "guess" deer levels at 10-15% Carrying capacities in some parts of Iowa.

Iowa's "carrying capacity" is UNREAL. I would not use that in an argument about deer numbers.

Easy winters, acres upon acres upon acres of agricultural crops. Even 5 or 6 years ago, before all the doe tags were available, we were nowhere near "carrying capacity" IMO.

But, the farmers and FB would say otherwise, though.
 
And, as I annually point out, someone be sure to refresh this thread when March 1st rolls around and the Shed Hunting Forum is full of "75% of the bucks in my area are still packing". Just sayin'...happens every year :D

NWBuck
 
I haven't read any of this thread. Just remember, you reap what you sow. If you decide to hunt hard during the "antler less season" and then decide to grip about not seeing any bucks during regular season, well, look in the mirror.
 
NWBuck said:
And, as I annually point out, someone be sure to refresh this thread when March 1st rolls around and the Shed Hunting Forum is full of "75% of the bucks in my area are still packing". Just sayin'...happens every year :D

NWBuck

Exactly. This is a classic!
 
shed buck season

Honestly I dont think any of the choices apply the state does not care if you shoot a trophy buck or not the only reason for deer season is to keep the population down period. Do you really think they care if someone shoots a shed buck that some hunter could of harvested next year that would score over 200 inches
 
Honestly I dont think any of the choices apply the state does not care if you shoot a trophy buck or not the only reason for deer season is to keep the population down period. Do you really think they care if someone shoots a shed buck that some hunter could of harvested next year that would score over 200 inches
Are you saying that the poll is biased??? :confused: :D
 
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