deer hunters - it's time to be heard

Which of the following proposed changes to the hunting regulations do you support?

  • No changes - Things are fine the way they are.

    Votes: 31 16.2%
  • Shorten gun/ML seasons.

    Votes: 67 35.1%
  • 2 buck limit

    Votes: 117 61.3%
  • 4 antlerless limit

    Votes: 41 21.5%
  • 3 buck limit

    Votes: 18 9.4%
  • 3 antlerless limit

    Votes: 35 18.3%
  • Delay or change opener for gun/ML seasons.

    Votes: 57 29.8%
  • APRs. 8 pts or better plus 21" inside spread. 1 buck per year like they do it up north.

    Votes: 15 7.9%

  • Total voters
    191

cheapdate

Eight Pointer
The Wildlife Commission's public comment period is now open for the 2018 hunting and fishing regulations changes. For deer hunters who would like to see a move toward an older age structure in our deer herd, this is your chance. Here is the link that will take you to the comment section https://ncpaws.org/paws/wrc/publiccomments/publicentry/PublicComments.aspx. I'm an eastern hunter who wholeheartedly supports reducing buck harvests to two, with a later start to gun season, and I hope you do too. For those who would like to see a change, it could be a long time before you get another opportunity like the one we will have during the 2018 public hearings. Don't let the vocal minority keep the brown-and-down status quo.
 
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Greg

Old Mossy Horns
The problem around me isn't only the 'brown-its-down' attitude. It's that SO MANY people move in from other places to hunt near me, and apparently, they want their money'$ worth out of their lea$e. No amount of regulations is going to change that thinking short of putting a numerical quota on the deer that can be killed in the area. And then, it will be a "I better get my kills in as soon as possible before they close the area" mindset ... pretty much a no win situation, IMHO.
 

cheapdate

Eight Pointer
The problem around me isn't only the 'brown-its-down' attitude. It's that SO MANY people move in from other places to hunt near me, and apparently, they want their money'$ worth out of their lea$e. No amount of regulations is going to change that thinking short of putting a numerical quota on the deer that can be killed in the area. And then, it will be a "I better get my kills in as soon as possible before they close the area" mindset ... pretty much a no win situation, IMHO.

I have the same issue where I hunt Downeast. But like I said, this is a move toward better management. These regulation changes won't be a fix-all, but they will get us headed in the right direction, in my opinion.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
I hear you. It looks like they want to put things back the way they were in the Central Zone (with the exception of keeping Sunday hunting), and that's just fine with me.
 

pinehunter

Eight Pointer
Shortening seasons and the two buck limit will help for sure. The elephant in the room here is that still leaves over 2 months of running hounds through the woods.

I am all for dog hunting but if we are looking to improve the herd it seems like they will have to accept a shorter season as well. Like maybe running dogs starts a week or two after peak breeding

I am prepared for the flames.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I hear you. It looks like they want to put things back the way they were in the Central Zone (with the exception of keeping Sunday hunting), and that's just fine with me.
Yep ....doesn't bother me either in Central

I am with you Chris on the changes in the east.....got to start it somewhere
 

JoeSam1975

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Shortening seasons and the two buck limit will help for sure. The elephant in the room here is that still leaves over 2 months of running hounds through the woods.

I am all for dog hunting but if we are looking to improve the herd it seems like they will have to accept a shorter season as well. Like maybe running dogs starts a week or two after peak breeding


I am prepared for the flames.

As one that had 64 dogs, member of three hunting clubs, 2 in NC and 1 in VA.....I TOTALLY AGREE.
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
I don't understand why they are changing the regs in the area of the state with the best age distribution (at least as far as their data)?
 

302cj

Old Mossy Horns
Bigger deer = Higher lease rates= Less hunters.


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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I don't understand why they are changing the regs in the area of the state with the best age distribution (at least as far as their data)?

Have you been talkin to DRS? LOL

More factors in play with the changes than just those numbers
 

GotNoRules

Ten Pointer
Anything that helps NC hunting produce bigger deer and go away from shooting anything and everything.....Im for
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I don't know how I feel about it. I don't think it will have as much of an effect as it's been stated that is expected, however I'm for conservation as long as it makes sense. I still think eliminating bonus doe tags will have a greater effect, also mathematically the effect of going to 2 bucks won't be statistically significant. Not saying there won't be an impact, just that will vary from area to area but will not be a large change in numbers as a whole for the state. Guys that tag out still will do so, and hunters that kill one buck every other year will still see the same numbers. The number of hunters that fill those 2 either sex tags with bucks are such a small number each year that they barely account for a statistic anomaly.
If the changes go through then I'll adjust to it, after I punch my 2 tags I'll put the wife or kids on the next buck I find.


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FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
I don't understand why they are changing the regs in the area of the state with the best age distribution (at least as far as their data)?

To appease the tv trophy hunter boys! There no other reason to do it.

Don't drink their kool aid!

<>< Fish
 

beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
To appease the tv trophy hunter boys!

I haven't watched a hunt on tv in the past 14 years. I have no illusions of grandeur. I don't think, that within 3 years, every buck taken in NC will be worthy of internet :donk:donk:donk:donk stroking. What I do have, is the belief that if we show a little collective restraint, we will be able to kill a consistent amount of healthy deer. By we I mean every hunter. I'm not part of the everyone deserves a trophy crowd. Predation is growing, so is pavement, number of drivers and numbers of transients. Development is happening at a rapid rate in NC. Habitat is shrinking. If we aren't proactive in this, we'll be forced to be reactive.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
I haven't watched a hunt on tv in the past 14 years. I have no illusions of grandeur. I don't think, that within 3 years, every buck taken in NC will be worthy of internet :donk:donk:donk:donk stroking. What I do have, is the belief that if we show a little collective restraint, we will be able to kill a consistent amount of healthy deer. By we I mean every hunter. I'm not part of the everyone deserves a trophy crowd. Predation is growing, so is pavement, number of drivers and numbers of transients. Development is happening at a rapid rate in NC. Habitat is shrinking. If we aren't proactive in this, we'll be forced to be reactive.

We are killing a consistent amount of healthy deer. That is an undeniable fact. The new proposed regulations are not addressing deer herd health, they are addressing a trophy agenda without merit other than inches of horn and bragging rights. koolaid.gif

<>< Fish
 
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beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
We are killing a consistent amount of healthy deer. That is an undeniable fact.<>< Fish

We are. For now. I believe, and I could be wrong, that if we don't restrain ourselves, we won't be able to have this same discussion in 20 years.

As undeniable as your statement is, so is mine about predation, pavement, development, drivers, and folks moving in.

I'm not saying we need to fix something that is broken. I'm saying let's not give it a chance to break.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
56% of Hunters believe buck management on private land should be left up to those that hunt that land. The NCWRC stated that the deer herd is in good condition, as long as this is the case, no hunters preference should out weigh the others.

Changing the buck limit will not make or break the deer herd. Managing your doe population will.

https://www.qdma.com/reality-doebuck-ratios/
 
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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You need to go back and read it again DRS... it says the deer herd is biologically good ,BUT COULD BE BETTER WITH THE BUCK LIMIT AND SEASON ADJUSTMENTS.... dang man you are like the liberal media.... only use the part of the facts that suits your agenda....

Have you emailed the biologist yet?
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
DRS;1892469[url said:
https://www.qdma.com/reality-doebuck-ratios/[/url]
Thanks for posting that. We had this discussion a few years ago here on this board. I even made a spreadsheet to prove it, and it is true -- the sex ratio of a deer herd (? any population ?) is self-correcting. The problem, as we pointed out and so did the article, is that the age structure can easily go into the crapper if you clobber the bucks every year.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
I love bigger horns and bragging rights!

As do most if they are honest, but too may folks are only after just that. I hoping to brag on shooting a big hoochie mama doe that is too nosy for her own good this week. Those packages of summer sausage and jerky with fresh never frozen backstraps on the grill will be my bragging rights. :D

<>< Fish
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
deer would have been exterminated long ago if not for those horns. the challenge of the horns keeps the sport somewhat of a challenge.

otherwise it's just shooting. IMHO. YMMV.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
Truth ^ ... I could have tagged out by now on yearling does, fawns, and young bucks. Not how I roll. I haven't squeezed the trigger yet.
 

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Truth ^ ... I could have tagged out by now on yearling does, fawns, and young bucks. Not how I roll. I haven't squeezed the trigger yet.

Same here. Can you imagine how many deer would be left if everybody filled all of their tags?
 
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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
To appease the tv trophy hunter boys! There no other reason to do it.

Don't drink their kool aid!

<>< Fish

Yep thats it.

Just a lot more bucks going to be listed as doe/button buck.

At the end of the season and people that saved the two buck tags they will use them on what they see. Chances are they will be young bucks if they did not see anything larger.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Yep thats it.

Just a lot more bucks going to be listed as doe/button buck.

At the end of the season and people that saved the two buck tags they will use them on what they see. Chances are they will be young bucks if they did not see anything larger.

you show no respect for hunters, indicating they would all resort to poaching.. Would you do that?

tag em falsely?
 
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