Deer problems in Region 5

[Gun Dog]

I don't think you can micro-manage deer populations to get more "trophy" bucks. There's just too many variables. As Ride said, Biologists manage for healthy, stable populations. If they tried to promote one tiny subset then another group will suffer.

Hunters don't cooperate either -- this year we had 4 doe tags but only filled one.

[Maxx]

Tank- you are correct, but how many more people would buy a second mule deer tag for the open doe season?

Manage for a "healthy population? Does this not mean that the older,mature bucks are the ones doing the breeding? That is what it means to me. Yes, I want larger horns, but that is almost a by-product of not wanting loads of small bucks being killed "easily".

A few of you have said that you are meat hunters, so what is wrong with taking a doe? It is good meat! Ah HA, there is a bias towards taking a "buck" ( no matter how small they are), as it is the more "manly" thing to do. As some people have stated, if they had a doe tag, and a small buck was beside the doe, they would shoot the buck,

Face it, to properly manage the population, the Does must be "trimmed", otherwise they are all having twin's, and yet the bucks that they are " creating" are killed when they are 2 or 3. It is a cycle that will only lead to less and less "mature" bucks IMO.

This is what the eastern US did to try and trim the Whitetail Population, they opened more Doe season, BUT they had to convince the hunters that it was "OK" to take a doe,

Gun Dog is the perfect example of why the LEH for Does does not work, they had 3 unfilled Doe tags YET I am sure that a young person, or Old meat hunter would be thrilled to kill that Doe for Meat, and Sport- It is much easier to find a Doe than a Buck, right?

[Gun Dog]

Gun Dog is the perfect example of why the LEH for Does does not work, they had 3 unfilled Doe tags YET I am sure that a young person, or Old meat hunter would be thrilled to kill that Doe for Meat, and Sport- It is much easier to find a Doe than a Buck, right?

And yet, we also had three little buckaroos on the game pole. Why? Because if there's a bunch of does and one buck you fill the "difficult" tag first. You can always shoot a doe tomorrow, right?

The other factor is, given a choice, I'd prefer a barren (i.e. not lactating) doe and that takes time to sort out. You can always shoot a doe tomorrow, right?

It's not a case of manly men shoot bucks; it about manly men respect motherhood.

[Marc]

If it was an issue of still to many does then they should increase the LEH. If I had a doe tag hell yah I'd fill it if the opertunity arised. But killing off all the does isn't going to help either. You still want good numbers and by shooting the bucks, small or big means the does will produce more fawns to replace them next spring. It's the same mentality of shooting drake mallards. Leave the hens to breed to increase the numbers for harvest.

Marc.

[hunter1947]

Lets face it ,it all comes down to having a proper buck to doe racial at the right number to have a healthy population. hunter 1947.

[Fisher-Dude]

I am going to try take out a Region 5 buck this week. I am not going to be picky either!

BCRams, try not to fall in the water, stab yourself, burn yourself, or drive over your gun. Good luck!

[Deerwhacker]

Another thing to think about is that the deer population in reg 5 is not lacking.note that this is from my ONE trip bear hunting near 100mile this past spring.I seen LOTS of deer. it was dangerous riding my dirtbike i almost smoked a nice 20"ish buck (this was antler size in april). this was the snag lake area by the way . I know maxx intended this thread to be about the lack of trophy bucks but all the goverment is conserned about is the overall deer population.

[ianwuzhere]

maybe there is a large population of "trophy" bucks, but they just have eluded you like they have eluded me- i know they are out there just have to be party lucky and put in yer time to get em. I actually like it that there are more smaller bucks- cuz it always makes u wanna hunt for that "trophy" buck. I wouldnt like to see everyone get a trophy buck... just my 2 cents

[Ride]

One more thing to add. We all need to remember one thing. Large bucks come from good GENETICS. Its like everything on this planet. Genetics is the most determining factor in quality of an animal. It doesn't matter if that trophy buck breeds a doe when he has his biggest set of antlers or if he gets lucky with breeding in his first season with a small set of antlers, its what he passes in his genetic line. With good genetics and a healthy land to sustain the populations you get good bucks.

Don't get me wrong. Doe harvest is an effective management tool used properly. Healthy buck to doe ratios are important and critical to the populations.

This is a good conversation, lets keep it going.........