GMMAT

I'm having lunch with the wildlife officer for my area on Thursday.....and I know NC has passed a new resolution allowing extra doe tags (over the counter) to hunters on private land.

I KNOW I saw a LOT of the same deer over and over.....but over the period of a season....you'd think the numbers would average out. I saw over 8 does for every buck. Now again.....I only counted visible antlered deer as bucks.....but you'd still have to agree the numbers are skewed.

Who's the best person/entity to discuss how many does I need to take out of the herd.....what age of does.......etc....??? Would it be the CO (i.e. game warden)? I guess I could call the wildlife biologist, too.....but I'm trying to do this without involving my landowners.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, in advance, for your responses.

gibblet

the land-owners will probably have to get the tags for you.

Oneshot7

That sounds great i did not know that but i agree with gibblett. I personally think NC should go to the shoot a doe before you can shoot a buck for the first to help get it balanced out.

hardcorehunter

You made the comment that there are no bucks that will make P&Y where you hunt and the doe pop is high. Sounds like a doe only harvest is in order in the area. If the DNR doesn't do it; consider this practice yourself. Can't get P&Y by shooting immature bucks. Get the other hunters and yourself to ban together with," I am not shooting it, unless I am paying the taxidermy fee to get it mounted." Imagine the big bucks running this country and your state if even half of the hunters implemented this practice. AS far as who to talk to, your guess is as good as mine. As far as which does to shoot, that is simple, the MATURE ones. They are having twins and tripletts if you are looking to thin the herd. My answer is to shoot mature does only and let the bucks go.

Fieldmouse

I have to disagree. There are a lot of deer around here but it isn't bad yet. If anything they need to go to if it's not posted then it frre game for bow hunters even with in cities that don't allow hunting.

Wolfpack

I would talk to your local wildlife officer to get the name and number of the wildlife biologist in your area if you don't already have it. The biologist is the one who can help you with this. At least that is what I think? I always thought that if you hunt a certain place and see the same does or approx. every time( lets say 6 does) and you only see 2 bucks or have knowledge of only 2 bucks then you need to shoot 4 does in order to have the buck/doe ratio equal?I would be in favor of a doe only portion of the season orsome version. Even your limits are more reasonable than ours in the eastern part (6 deer with only 2 having to be does!!). What are they thinking? 5 does and 1 buck or like your area, 4 does and 2 bucks. Alot of things need to change in NC and we could have great bucks running around here too. We have the potential!Sorry so long[8D]

GMMAT

Nah....This isn't a depredation permit type thing. They'll be for sale over the counter.

I'm not assuming you keep up with my posts.....but if you had...you'd know that the herd I hunt is fairly large and fairly off-kilter as far as buck/doe ratio. I saw 344 deer from stand, this year (and I realize I saw a lot of the same ones over and over)....with only 40 being racked bucks. I need some does out of the herd NOW.

HCH....the reason I asked the question I did....is Nuge is ALWAYS saying to take the younger does out of the herd. I've also heard people say to take the older ones. Nuge says take the younger ones.....because they're bred last....and their offspring will naturally be less healthy than the older breeding stock. I just want someone in the know to give me a definitive answer.....backed by science of the deer in my area. And as far as taking bucks.....I shot a 2.5 and a 3.5 yr old out of th eherd, this year. I may only take 1, this year.....and he'll be at least a 2.5 (I have my eye on 1 2.5). I have a 4.5 (or older) targeted, too......and a 1/2 rack that'll be 3.5. I also may not even shoot a buck. My numbers....as far as no. of deer taken, though.....might get to where I don't even mention them. I need to take a bunch.

Wolfpack....I understand the limits in NC....and I think you're right. I'll implement my OWN regs for my herd, this year. I need to get this in check before it gets really bad.

Anybody up for helping butcher some does????

Fieldmouse

I live in the RTP area and I had 2 - 12 points, 2 - 10 points, 2- 8 points on a regular basis in my yard not to mention the 12 does that eat every fricking thing. It drove my neighbor nuts every week seeing these. The reason why they were here is because no one (or I bshould say not many) were hunting them. I for one passed on them because I have access to bigger deer up north and my neighbor's son was beginning his hunting this year. II think it would be cool to pop a P&Y for his first deer.

The main reason for not seeing P&Y deer is because folks around here shoot whatever moves. The deer are well educated by the time they get to P&Y class it makes it very difficult to hunt. However, I know they are here. I have seen a few real good kills this year.

Like I said before, it would be nice if they would go to bow hunt anything that's not posted. I believe there is at least one county your allowed to do this here in NC.

GMMAT

No offense, fieldmouse.....but I don't think we'll ever see this in NC ....nor would I want to. I'd hate to think of the MASS HYSTERIA involved if this were implemented.

Fieldmouse

I don't take any offense, no problem. I have a lot of places around here to hunt but choose to hunt else where because I'm still on my mission for 160+ class buck. One year I'll get one in bow range rather just watch'em go by. Next year my boy will be hunting and he can shoot one of the nice bucks running around my neighborhood.

I wish you luck. Keep looking for places to hunt. There are a lot of places to go and never overlook the small properties in this state. Also there is a lot of public ground with very little access or very hard to get to. Be creative and you could find yourself in a honey hole. My son's coach backs up to such a public spot. It's nearly impossible to walk to it from state access, hence he has one heck of a honey hole w/ P&Y bucks. If you owned a boat, your in like flint.

Good luck next year!