What to think of this?

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Can I combo up one of these shorty rods and a 5 piece from Hager City Chicken????

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LOL….sure can…but will probably be cold by the time it gets there!

So there is a posting, free venison, sounds good, everyone could use some of that every now and again. Im not sure if I necessarily have an issue with this as I have been given plenty of full deer(by people I know) But this person is anticipating shooting numbers of deer to simply give away to people, not like donating to the food shelf, which is now free, but giving away the game they have paid good money to hunt for, what happened to only taking as much as “YOU” need from our resources?? Am I out of line to be disturbed by this at all?

I feel that you should only take what you are going to use. Weather it be game of fish I only take what I’m going to use. Taking One for the food shelf is not a bad idea if the area that you are in can support it.

I hes in an area thats overpopulated with does then more power to him. I don’t see anything wrong with it.

We often shoot deer on land we have permission to hunt, and give it to the farmer/landowner. They like the meat, but don’t like to hunt, and they don’t like the deer eating all their corn!

I think in the intensive harvest zone where we hunt, this is not a problem. We do not give deer to anyone, and do not offer it to people other then landowners who request it, but I think it is helpful for both parties.

Now if someone were killing, and then searching for someone to give it to, then I may have a problem.

Is this the add?

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/zip/475165154.html

Years ago there was a guy my dad worked with that loved hunting ducks but wouldn’t eat them…..personally…I had a real problem with it. If you don’t eat it…don’t shoot it.

With that said….my dad loves venison but can’t get out in the woods…a couple of my friends deer hunt and if they get the opportunity to fill a management tag after getting a deer for their own freezer they pass that one along to my dad…only one.

On the surface this ad seems tacky like this person is a game hog….BUT…we don’t know all the details. It might be an area way over populated so harvesting more deer than their group needs will actually benefit the deer population for the coming winter and they are just making sure it won’t go to waste once they do harvest the animal.
OR
It could be exactly what it looks like on the surface…someone that wants to shoot as many as they can that doesn’t like eating venison and just wants to get rid of it.
Unless someone knows the poster personally it is all speculation.
JB

With both of my boys hunting and the “earn-a-buck” rule in effect….we may have to shoot up to 6 deer to get our bucks! yes, I will give away venison to every family member who wants some…then its friends and friends-of-friends….I would prefer not to have to shoot 3 does, but the DNR isn’t giving us a choice….I can only eat so much jerky….

Not to ask a silly question….but why do you NEED to shoot a buck??
If you don’t want 6 deer worth of venison why not just stop at what you do want for yourselves??

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With both of my boys hunting and the “earn-a-buck” rule in effect….we may have to shoot up to 6 deer to get our bucks! yes, I will give away venison to every family member who wants some…then its friends and friends-of-friends….I would prefer not to have to shoot 3 does, but the DNR isn’t giving us a choice….I can only eat so much jerky….

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I am not all too fond of this new regulation the DNR has in effect myself, Im not a trophy hunter but all the same for a guy who is thats just not right in my eyes to decide for a hunter what he/she should be hunting. That posting was on craigslist. Its not meant to be picked apart, like I said previously to each their own but that just doesnt strike me as something that is a good practice as I am a firm believer in only take what you are going to eat and provide for friends and family and within regulations, its only my beliefs and I dont expect everyone to agree with my beliefs. Just kind of wondering what anyone elses thoughts are on the matter.

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If you don’t want 6 deer worth of venison why not just stop at what you do want for yourselves??

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Because in most areas the buck to doe ratio is way out of wack and the doe heard needs to be thined out. I have no problem with a guy takeing out 5 does in MN in an intensive harvest area, even if you only need one for yourself you can always donate the rest to the venison donation program

Steve,
My question was directed at the statement “we may have to shoot up to 6 deer to get our bucks!” and I was questioning why they needed to shoot bucks.

That statement makes it sound like a chore to the shoot does just to get to a buck and that it won’t be a successful season without killing a buck and I don’t understand that.

I guess I believe if you kill it you eat it…..that is the way I was brought up. If you don’t want it…don’t shoot it.

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With both of my boys hunting and the “earn-a-buck” rule in effect.

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If you harvested a Doe last year in WI you should have recieved a EAB sticker in the mail. I am pretty sure that a Doe kill with a gun or bow from 2006 will get you a EAB sticker this year. If you have not recieved anything from the WI DNR check here EAB Status all you need to do is henter your WI DNR customer # and they will tell you if your able to get the sticker.

Back to the topic……………

I take 2 does off our land every year for donation. And this is the first year we are in the EAB. I am more “pro” then “NO” about it.

1. I am able to donate some of the finest tasteing meat to people who cant afford to eat.

2. The DNR is forcing hunters to take care of a huge problem.

3. I would rather see them in the freezer than on the side of the road.

So if a guy posted a ad for free Vension and he is trying to help out his area and heard more power to him.

If he is trigger happy and does not want to eat the deer then he is a dope!

I’m sure I’ll ruffle a few feathers but…….

I agree with the way it was typed…..I have to shoot doe to get our buck…. Let the small bucks walk and shoot doe.

The first few years of earn a buck were a joke….You had to kill a doe that year for a buck that season. Now you can earn a buck this year by harvesting a doe and it will be good for a buck next year…..so you guys that think you might be designated and a Earn a buck next year….shoot one this year.

I think that most men get there undies in a bunch if they don’t shoot a buck….YUP I shot my buck….(Scrubby little 4 or 6 pointer)I wish most guys could get past that….if you want meat shoot doe and let them smaller Bucks walk……I don’t think there is one guy in the world that wouldn’t rather shoot a Monster buck than a small buck…..you can’t get a monster if he doesn’t live to be 3 or 4 years of age and ideally 5-7 years of age….

Excluding kids and first time hunters, We need the catch and release mentality for deer hunting, if half of the guys out there would let the smaller bucks walk and shoot a doe…in three years you would not believe the increase in larger bucks in your areas……but no it’s gatta have HORNS or your not a man…..

I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve harvested 3-5 doe a year for the last five years. Giving all but 1 deer a year away to individuals that don’t have the opportunity to hunt. I’ve only harvested 1 buck in that 5 year time frame 135″ class ten pointer. Not a monster but worthy of the wall in my book. It’s hanging on my wall. Bring the camera with and try and shoot the small bucks with the camera…..it’s just as much fun shooting them with the camera and letting them walk, as it is shooting what could be the next world record…….that is if you let him walk. It’s the CPR of hunting. I’ve been busted trying to get the camera out and get a picture just as if I was trying to stand and take a shot with my bow…..I try and see how much I can get away with before they bust me…..It can be very funny when they are unsure of what they have seen.

Over them last five years I’ve passed up 5-10 bucks over the gun season, this season bow hunting I’ve passed up 8 smaller bucks and harvested a nice 140 pound doe…..boy she eats a lot better than them small bucks you shoot right now……They’ve been chasing the girls around and don’t have an ounce of fat on them right now…..

My boy is going to hunt for the first time this year….I’m going to give him the choice to shoot a small buck or let it walk…..I’m guessing that he’ll let the small ones walk for the opportunity to shoot a buck for the wall…. Every one has a different opinion of what a trophy is…..I’ll tell you a mature doe is way harder to harvest than a 1.5 year old buck……a 1.5 year old buck is probably the dumbest deer in the woods!!!!!

So lets start practicing CCPW (Capture Close photo and let walk)

Whatsa

I bet you are right…your son will probably let a small buck walk because you have taught him to be a sportsman…not just a hunter.

The bottom line is a lot of areas in Wi the DNR have designate herd control or Earn a Buck areas and they want a lot of doe harvested. So we need to shoot a lot of doe and the only way to do it is to give deer away or donate to the food shelves. Both situations are good for all involved. It allows the DNR and the hunter extra tags and opportunities to harvest deer and the food isn’t going to waste.

Whatsa

I could not agree more

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I think that most men get there undies in a bunch if they don’t shoot a buck….YUP I shot my buck….(Scrubby little 4 or 6 pointer)I wish most guys could get past that….if you want meat shoot doe and let them smaller Bucks walk……I don’t think there is one guy in the world that wouldn’t rather shoot a Monster buck than a small buck…..you can’t get a monster if he doesn’t live to be 3 or 4 years of age and ideally 5-7 years of age….
Excluding kids and first time hunters, We need the catch and release mentality for deer hunting, if half of the guys out there would let the smaller bucks walk and shoot a doe…in three years you would not believe the increase in larger bucks in your areas……but no it’s gatta have HORNS or your not a man…..

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I guess I believe if you kill it you eat it…..that is the way I was brought up. If you don’t want it…don’t shoot it.

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What’s the difference if YOU eat it, or if SOMEONE eats it.

I hunt duck, love the hunt, don’t really like the duck. My parents neighbor before he died loved duck, but couldn’t/wouldn’t hunt. Seemed like a perfect synergistic relationship to me.

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I’m sure I’ll ruffle a few feathers but…….

I agree with the way it was typed…..I have to shoot doe to get our buck…. Let the small bucks walk and shoot doe.
The first few years of earn a buck were a joke….You had to kill a doe that year for a buck that season. Now you can earn a buck this year by harvesting a doe and it will be good for a buck next year…..so you guys that think you might be designated and a Earn a buck next year….shoot one this year.

I think that most men get there undies in a bunch if they don’t shoot a buck….YUP I shot my buck….(Scrubby little 4 or 6 pointer)I wish most guys could get past that….if you want meat shoot doe and let them smaller Bucks walk……I don’t think there is one guy in the world that wouldn’t rather shoot a Monster buck than a small buck…..you can’t get a monster if he doesn’t live to be 3 or 4 years of age and ideally 5-7 years of age….
Excluding kids and first time hunters, We need the catch and release mentality for deer hunting, if half of the guys out there would let the smaller bucks walk and shoot a doe…in three years you would not believe the increase in larger bucks in your areas……but no it’s gatta have HORNS or your not a man…..
I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve harvested 3-5 doe a year for the last five years. Giving all but 1 deer a year away to individuals that don’t have the opportunity to hunt. I’ve only harvested 1 buck in that 5 year time frame 135″ class ten pointer. Not a monster but worthy of the wall in my book. It’s hanging on my wall. Bring the camera with and try and shoot the small bucks with the camera…..it’s just as much fun shooting them with the camera and letting them walk, as it is shooting what could be the next world record…….that is if you let him walk. It’s the CPR of hunting. I’ve been busted trying to get the camera out and get a picture just as if I was trying to stand and take a shot with my bow…..I try and see how much I can get away with before they bust me…..It can be very funny when they are unsure of what they have seen.
Over them last five years I’ve passed up 5-10 bucks over the gun season, this season bow hunting I’ve passed up 8 smaller bucks and harvested a nice 140 pound doe…..boy she eats a lot better than them small bucks you shoot right now……They’ve been chasing the girls around and don’t have an ounce of fat on them right now…..

My boy is going to hunt for the first time this year….I’m going to give him the choice to shoot a small buck or let it walk…..I’m guessing that he’ll let the small ones walk for the opportunity to shoot a buck for the wall…. Every one has a different opinion of what a trophy is…..I’ll tell you a mature doe is way harder to harvest than a 1.5 year old buck……a 1.5 year old buck is probably the dumbest deer in the woods!!!!!
So lets start practicing CCPW (Capture Close photo and let walk)

Whatsa

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Same thing I do, though last year I had to put down a 6 pointer that another guy on our land wounded. The worst part is, he had already shot a nice 10 pointer when he decided to shoot too far with a shotgun at the 1 1/2 year old 6. Other than that, I haven’t got a buck since 2003.

I had to take a smaller buck like that about 8 years ago….one of the neighbors wounded a buck that came past me…..in those situations you do what is right, take the animal out of any misery it may be in.

I use to hunt with a group of guys that would shoot everything….then expect you to tag it for them. Party hunting is legal in Wi. Finally I had to tell them guys to forget it……I’m not tagging any more of your bucks. They didn’t like it to well but other guys would be filling my tag then when I had a chance to shoot a shooter I wouldn’t have a tag. Our rule is now if you don’t have a tag don’t shoot it. We have also put a 15″ minimum inside spread on our shooters….it has improved the quality of bucks on our property.

Mossboss,
Now that you don’t have anyone to give them to do you still hunt ducks??

Am I so far out in left field in my thinking that if you don’t want it you shouldn’t kill it??

You don’t go to the grocery store and buy liver because your neighbor likes it.

If “the hunt” is the thrilling part why not shoot with a camera instead of a gun?? Success in hunting shouldn’t be measured by what or how many you kill or if you kill anything for that matter.

Here is a perspective to consider…..

How would you feel as a die hard bass guy if someone was keeping them but that person didn’t even like to eat fish and was just passing them off to someone that does??

I agree with you on ducks and bass but we are talking about deer and that is a whole different deal. Are there guys out there who are forced to shoot does because they have to do the earn a buck think? Maybe but hopefully those guys are waiting for a mature buck and will let the young bucks walk. Personally I hope MN never goes to the earn a buck system I would hate to have to pass on a wall hanger just because I have not shot a doe yet Like I said before there are many areas where the buck to doe ratio is way out of wack, 10 to 1 in some areas and in other areas it is higher than that. In MN I can take up to 5 deer, one buck and 4 does or 5 does. I already have one in the freezer and that is plenty for my family, if I am lucky enough to take four more does they will go to the food shelf, I will be helping to balance the heard and helping to feed families who can not afford to put food on the table and IMHO that is a good thing.

I’m wondering about this “food Shelf” Donation. Do the people recieving the food have a choice in what meat they get? For instance Venison rather than beef? I wonder how many people would refuse the venison to take the beef.

Sorry Steve but no one is FORCED to shoot anything….they decide to hunt in those areas knowing the rules…if they are just out to shoot a buck…hunt somewhere else, shoot your buck for your freezer, call it a season and go home.

I hear you on the deer herd management, thing is there isn’t THAT much meat on a deer and if a person likes venison they can easily eat up 2 or 3 deer in a year….my buddy does it regularly and he is the only one in the house that likes it.

I am glad you brought up the foodshelf thing…honestly…unless you are donating groceries on a weekly/monthly basis trying to validate shooting more deer than you want in your own freezer by saying you are feeding the hungy is total BS.

If you are that concerned about feeding the hungry sell your rifle/shotgun, stands, clothes, shells and whatever else you have for deer hunting and buy groceries, it will feed way more people than a couple deer will. Then annually you can take the $ you would have spent on deer hunting and buy groceries and donate them to the food shelf.

Sorry but the self righteous argument about feeding the hungry with the venison doesn’t hold any water unless, as I said you are donating groceries on a very regular basis, then I would agree you are truly concerned about the people that need food and not just trying to validate killing more deer than you need.

Buckshot…..I agree with Steve and stated earlier that the deer heard is out of balance in many areas of Wi…some people don’t believe it is as bad as the DNR claim…..but I have a tendency to believe it. Let compare it to Snow geese…..they are eating their way out of habitat…..at some point a disease will come in and wipe them all out….is it true that in the spring you can shoot as many as you want???? We do have CWD in Wi and they claim part of the way it spreads is by close contact in feeding areas…..I’ve seen 31 deer in a field at 4:30 in the afternoon this summer. That is a lot of deer in one field….Wi is trying to get a hold of a out of control deer heard……and it begins with shooting more doe and letting some of the bucks walk….. to have a healthy heard ideally you’d like a 1 to 1 buck to doe ratio… that will never happen if everybody want to shoot buck and not harvest doe. I’d guess in the Rice Lake area that I hunt the Buck to doe ratio is 15 Doe to 1 Buck…..do you think the mature buck in that area can service all those doe and spread his superior genes????? Not a chance now you have small spikes and fork horns getting a good share of the breeding in……..not really what I want to improve the heard….. But if you do let that spike or fork walk for 3-4 years he will begin to produce a wall hanger head gear…..will he ever be a world record probably not but he will produce a nice rack that would be worthy of a wall mount.

We need to change people philosophy. You look at the ranches that have the correct buck to doe ratio and hold off on shooting the 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks……they produce MONSTER BUCKS….and it really could happen on public land if we change our philosophy. It really depends on what we want to have for a deer herd…. When I go deer hunting opening weekend this year I’ll see 20-25 doe and maybe 4 bucks a couple scrubs and a couple almost shooters……..If I’m lucky I’ll see 1 shooter a season….than you have to get a clean shot at him…..that is the hard part…..I’d much rather see 4 doe and 8 bucks with a couple of them shooters…..if the buck to doe ratio was 2 to 1 buck we’d be passing on some dominant genetics…wouldn’t that be sweet….

What should we call it. ENCOUNTER PHOTO & WALK (EPW)try it some time shoot the doe and let the bucks walk until they get bigger..

My number one reason for wanting to shoot more does is to try and help balance the deer heard in MN. If I can take some venison for myself and give some to the food shelf and help put a dent in the doe population all while doing something that I love to do then what’s wrong with that? I have said it before and I will say it again if we were not able to eat the deer we hunt I would still want to hunt them, yes the venison is a nice benefit to deer hunting but it is not the number one reason I hunt, I am just plain obsessed with whitetails and I love whitetail hunting more than anything else in the world and I am not afraid to admit that. So Buckshot I have a question for you, if for what ever reason we were no longer able to eat Walleye’s would you sell your Ranger and all your fishing gear and quit fishing?

In reading this thread from beginning to now it seems as if most all here are in the same book but on a different page. I don’t see anyone who agrees that it is ok to “kill” an animal just because it is legal. We all agree that the end result has to be the same. The animal must be killed legally and ethically then used in the same manner. I also think it is safe to say no one here is tolerant of hog hunters, those that hunt simply to kill with little or no regard to what happens to the game. All that said let’s understand why EAB exists.

The deer herd is not only above goal but out of balance. I believe the ideal balance is near 1:1 doe to buck. In many areas it is close to 10:1 doe to buck! Why is that bad? Many reasons, some biological and some recreational. Biologists will show you how an over abundance of deer (created by the whole population being 80-90% female) will rapidly consume their available forage causing them to eat more crops, gardens, hang out on road edges, and all sorts of other stuff. From a recreational point of view imagine seeing 10 deer everyday you hunt. Of the 10 deer would you be happier if 5 of those were bucks or only one was a buck? As we all know hunters are addicted to horns, likely the single largest reason the herd size is over goal.

Does anyone remember hunting in the 70’s and 80’s? Remember sending the state your $3 fee to apply for an “either or” tag? Remember when someone in your group actually got a doe tag? It was exciting news! Back in those days the females were seemingly in short supply so they were protected. People had been trained to kill bucks. Fast forward 25 years. Now a doe tag is included with every deer license and even some value meals at the fast food joints! But people won’t shoot them. After all if you spend $100 an acre to lease land for 9 days why on earth would you shoot a doe? Instead we further knock the deer balance out of proportion, it is a vicious circle.

Earn a buck isn’t popular. I’m not against it for the sole reason I know it is needed to bring our herd under control and that when it happens, our mature buck population will increase. What I hope doesn’t happen, but very well may, is finding a system similar to the either or tags of the 70’s and 80’s except for it being a buck tag. Imagine that! Buy a hunting license and get a doe tag while waiting to see, via a lottery, if you will be drawn for a buck tag!

To sum it up I feel that anyone looking to sincerely help reach the deer goals of our local biologists, by harvesting deer to be used by themselves or others, should be encouraged to do so within the guidelines set forth. We as sportsman and women owe it to our natural resources to take care of them. The biggest hurdle I see is convincing “guys” to shoot a doe over a buck, any buck.

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To sum it up I feel that anyone looking to sincerely help reach the deer goals of our local biologists, by harvesting deer to be used by themselves or others, should be encouraged to do so within the guidelines set forth. We as sportsman and women owe it to our natural resources to take care of them. The biggest hurdle I see is convincing “guys” to shoot a doe over a buck, any buck.

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No, we’d practice catch and release. It’s a benefit that fishing provides. Hunting, however, doesn’t provide that same priviledge. Once you shoot, there is no release option. If for some reason Buck and I all of the sudden couldn’t eat geese, then yes, we would have to quit hunting them. I’m simply not going to shoot something that I won’t make use of. That’s why we don’t choose to hunt every moving creature…. I tried squirrel once…. just didn’t quite acquire a taste for it. I too grew up with the philosophy that if you aren’t going to eat it, don’t shoot it. If my brothers shot it, they ate it…. and they choked down some very nasty meat before they decided to shoot wisely.

I grew up deer hunting, and I know the thrill of sitting in the woods, waiting for the sound of one coming down the trail. I know what it’s like to drop one and I know what it’s like to trail one. I understand the excitement of hunting – whether deer, duck or goose.

I guess I just have to wonder what your goal is as a hunter. Are you only out for a trophy? Because it really sounds as if some of you are….. even as Whatsa talks about improving the genes, I hear the need for a wall hanger, a world record, a big rack. It’s not about the meat….. it’s about the trophy. If you’re looking for a trophy, sit in the woods quietly, wait for it to arrive and take a picture…. let it pass by to be pictured again…. just like we advocate for trophy walleye and bass. If it’s about shooting a gun and hitting a target, well then set up a decoy and shoot away. If it’s about the meat….well, a doe tastes better than some seasoned old buck anyday. And if it’s truly solely about re-balancing the herd, then best not shoot any bucks at all.