DEBob

lemond33, A Barrow pit is a local term for a place contractors dig sand or fill for road or other constuction. In other words, they "barrow" the dirt. Doubt they'll return it though!!! Most little farms doown in Sussex have one or two. My dad's is digging one about 1o acres or so.

Unless I get wind of a better set-up, I'll try for one of the eights. I'm moving that weekend and time may be tight. Hope just to get out on the 2nd.

I found some real big sheds in March from two real bruisers. Been checking the area regularily and can't seem to find them. May have to wait for the rut.

I'm not sure if deer drink brackish water. I doubt they do so often.

Went for ride last night to check on some farms I hunt near Georgetown...tons of deer out but the were very concentrated. Low ground with beans had the most.

Coolerpup

Ive been scouting the Nanticoke Wildlife area. No big bucks yet, but quite a few does. I think im going to go back in the swampy area next time I go out.
Last year their were more trails the deer were using. This year Ive only found three, but they are HOT, worn slick, "deer highways" , just dont know when they are on them. Im workin on a game camera to place out there.
Picked up my license yesterday, and the seperate buck tags. I dont know if this will solve our doe population or not. I think most will use their buck tags first then maybe the doe tags if at all.

Almost forgot.......I bought a new bug suit to use this year in the early season. Its the leafy mesh, and so far ( let me find some wood to knock on) I have not been bitten once by a mosquito. Actually I dont know if its the suit or not, because I havent even heard any buzzing around my ears. This dry weather has been good for one thing.

AllenC

Edited by - Coolerpup on 08/18/2002 06:59:31

Duckmastor2

AllenC, I think this $10 buck tag is a horrible idea. It does nothing to promote quality deer mgmt. All it does is make hunting a little more expensive. Now $10 may not be a lot of money for you or I, but it may be for someone else. That would make harvesting a buck a privilage for the rich (I know thats a stretch, but you see where i'm going). If they want to promote QDM, put some antler restrictions in place and Enforce it!

I might have felt a little better about it if they would have said the money was going to something to improve the deer herd (Research, law enforcement, habititat purchaces), but no, its going towards an automated deer check in system. The whole point of checking in deer is to keep an eye on the health of the herd. Im no Wildlife Biologist and neither are the locals at the Archery shop who check my deer now. Hell, they dont even look at the deer unless its a trophy that needs weighing and scoring! The state should provide places to check deer during the seasons. I know its a long season, and i know it cost money, but it needs to be done. They system now is a joke and this automated system will make things no better. It might be more convienient for the hunter, but its bad for the deer.



Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

DEBob

Duckmastor2, No offense, but your post is innaccurate on several points. The new tag system attempts to focus the deer harvest on does. This is one of the underlying basics of QDM. Second, the money generated will be used for many of the things you asked: enforcement and research (land purchases are generally conducted with Openspace funds). The automated tag system was only conceptualized to make deer checking more avaiable for remote areas of the state. We all don't have a station next door nor do we all choose to use a butcher that also checks deer. No they don't look in detail at every deer taken. In fact, do to finance restrictions, they look at very few. Which brings us back to the reason the $10 buck tag was initiated...to increase revenues our voted in politions will not provide.

As for deer hunting becoming a rich man's game...it is...not due to F&W but because we choose to allow leasing into our ranks!!! We have become exclusive as to who we hunt with...we outbid each other for quality ground...we implement stategies to make our ground better and more productive, then we aim to keep everyone else out!!! If one lives in a glass house they should cast no stones....

Duckmastor2

Im not going to get into an arguement here DE because you do make some good points, but I think what i said is pretty accurate. Taking the buck stub out of the liscence and giving me an extra doe tag doesnt promote the harvest of more does in my opinion. If i remember correctly, you could harvest unlimited Does last year if you were willing to purchase a $10 tag for each extra deer after your tags were used. I bought one of these last year but never got to use it.

As for the $10 buck tag now, it says right on the tag and in the digest the money will go to the "funding of the automated check system and for improving Delawares Deer Mgmt program" Maybe if they explained the Deer Mgmt part better, i'd feel better about it. DNREC better be accounting for where the money is spent and give us hunters a break out at the end of the season. Like I said, i dont mind paying extra if it helps the herd. I just dont think this is the way to go about it.

I agree with you about the money aspect of hunting. Like anything else, when demand rises and supply goes down, prices go up. I do think some leases are outrageous, but prices wont fall unless people arent willing to pay.

Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

DEBob

Hopefully we'll end up with some type of antler restrictions in the not so distant future. Rumor has it, some of the public properties will be managed with a strict 15" rule. Here's hoping!! Delaware has a quality deer herd and I know DNREC is trying real hard to keep it that way or make it even better!!!

I've managed some of my properties following QDM standards and the results have been fairely impressive!!! If we could all buy into the concept, it could be phenomenal!!!

lemond33

i really dont mind paying the $10..as long as they continue to buy more land and good land

what type of archery setup is everyone using..here is mine:
Mat blk mx
68lb
28in
acc's
muzzy, steelheads, and shockwaves
peep..3 pins..out to 60+yds
tru fire release...thinking about switching that
ultra nok

DEBob

My bow is a Schafer Silvertip. It's a custom made recurve drawing 72 lbs. I shoot aluminum arrows tipped with shaving shard Wensel Woodsman or Zwickey Blackdiamond Broadheads. I use a shooting glove with built up tips. No pins.

Duckmastor2

I'll be shooting a Hoyt MagnaTec (1st year)
Set at 60Lb Draw
aluminum easton arrows
spitfire mechanical broadheads (1 1/2 in diameter)
C-10 glove release

The broadheads are a subject for debate, but they are twice as accurate as my old fixed blades. At 25 yds with fixed, no matter how much i practiced, it was a 50/50 chance for hit in the vitals. WIth the spitfires. Its been 100%. I've read all the opinions and test results on this website, but i'll only know for sure when i shoot a deer myself. The result will influence my future actions.

Good luck to all in the upcomming season. 15 days away!!



Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

lemond33

duckmaster..the spitfires are good, but the shockwaves and steelheads r SURE things.good luck with the new setup..

this evening i filmed deer in valley forge park...there were bucks everywhere. filmed a nice 10 pt as i posted n the past, i lived n that area and began my archery hunting in wayne pa. i was shooting deer from the park. they would come on the property..and..good night. i was on them. there are some huge deer there.