[Buck619]

The deer management program I started to use on my property is that I only shoot bucks that are 3 1/2 years old. I take about 3-4 does per year. And I put mineral blocks and deer pellets out (not corn). Before this I only button and small bucks, since I started this I now see nice 6 pointers and the past 3 years I took 2-8 pointers and one 7 pointer. My brother last year took a nice 10 pointer. But the best thing is now I see more deer, more rubs and scrapes and have seen some buck fights. Calls and rattling have been working more now then ever before

 

[DGFORD]

Less Buck tags...Great idea, IF people abide by the laws. Im sure everyone out there knows someone who shoots a smaller buck and then fails to check it in because they want to save their tag for a mountable buck. The main problem we have is all of the damn button bucks getting slaughtered. In ZONE 34 (2 years ago) 41 button bucks were checked in on the first "doe day" hunt. This was just what was checked in at Belleplain Supply. That is ridiculous. This all stems from the "Its brown its down" theory. That needs to stop altogether. Another major step to getting more quality bucks would be for the state to put some of the money we spend on permits and stamps back into the hunting in this state. Where does it all go? I can name a whole list of state fields that were not planted this year. On weatherby road, they waited until the end of the summer and planted sorghum. It never had enough time to reach full growth before the frost killed it off. You go away to other places like Kansas, Maryland, (just to name a couple) and the state lands have standing soybean, corn, milo, clover, alfalfa and so on. This state sucks! Another thing they need to do... Trim the woods roads. Good luck getting to a good piece of hunting land if you have a nice truck. The roads are getting totally out of control. They are overgrown. With that said, if youre caught trimming the trees and cutting them down or whatever, you get fined. Total B.S. I can honestly say this much, If the damn bird wathcers wanted something done, it would happen. Hunters bring a lot of money into the state. Whether its buying the licenses and stamps, or buying ammo, clothing, etc. The state gets a piece. We need to get something going here. Let me know how you all feel about this issue.

 

[BobM]

Just look at states such as ILL and IA to figure out what works. Shorter gun seasons and less buck tags.

Do we really need to be hunting in FEB? What about the good old doe days instead of either-sex days? The loss of the true winter bow season? Why do we have a Fall Bow and Permit Bow? (money). F&G is doing a good job managing the resources in such a congested state but a little more common sense is needed to see that hunters want more quality rather than quantity.

 

[bayonne]

the unlimited anterless is wiping out the heard on public land and not helping the private land do away with unlimmited on public land and have it for private land only then the land owners can manage their doe numbers if needed and we will start seeing alot more bucks less deer being born is less bucks being born it should be a two doe per season limit and have antler ar state wide it works

 

[luknikk]

Eliminate driving on state land.. or state wide for all I care.. I've been in drives and done drives.. Only on the last day of a hunt.. IMO I really think it's a cheesy way to take a deer. Sorry If I offended anyone, But I prefer scouting and stand hunting or doing a slow stalk..Plus driving the hell out of deer especially during the 2 day ML season makes them sitand sit and sit..

Fewer buck Tags, and AR'S for the whole state..
1'st buck 3 points one side. Next buck 4 points on one side..

 

[imb21]

NO BODY HAS YET TO ANSWER MY QUESTION FOR THE PAST YEAR!!!! WHY DO YOU NEED MORE THAN 1 BUCK PER YEAR!! [confused][confused][confused][confused][confused][confused][confused][confused][confused][confused] there arent quality bucks or as many cause you guys all shoot as many as the state will allow you. practice some management of you own, you dont eat the antlers so why do you need 5 bucks a year????[confused][confused][confused][confused][confused]

 

[Matty]

Earn a buck is what causes that problem Rich.

People feel rushed to kill an antlerless deer so they can kill a buck. The first shot they get they take. Granted, most people will p [no swearing please] buttons knowingly, but it can be nearly impossible to tell at 20+ yards. Who's willing to blow a shot waiting to see? You want that buck tag in your pocket as soon as possible. I know Ive killed a few bb's over the years, and every single time was a Gods honest accident. I HATE killing a bb. But the state doesnt give me a lot of leeway there. I gotta "EARN" my buck. I had to p [no swearing please] the biggest buck of my life opening day this year..THAT SUCKED...Its happened before too...and I KNOW Im not the only guy that has to p [no swearing please] bucks because of EAB.

EAB needs to go away and people need to shoot does without being forced to (which is supposed to be true next year). This way we can pick and choose which does to take. Taking a mature doe can be harder than killing a big buck, they arent stupid animals, most of them have seen more hunting seasons then some of the members on here. Those are the does we want to take out. And Im not saying kill every dang doe, just keep them in check. Thats all.

My thinking is this now (just my opinion, I know several will be up in arms, but its just my opinion):

Keep the unlimited antlerless where needed. (doesnt mean you have to kill unlimited antlerless deer, but it helps in really overpopulated areas.

Get rid of EAB so there is no "rush" to kill your "doe".

Shoot a BB, surrender a buck tag.

2 buck tags to be used during any season. Thats it. Use them both during bow if you want, both during firearm, one during each, doesnt matter, but two is all you get. Now people will HOPEFULLY be more selective in the bucks they take. (unless DGFord is right and they just dont check them).

APR might be nice too, but I think a lot of people would be pissed off enough with only 2 buck tags, so we wont go there.

Oh and I was thinking about it, Im not so sure I believe in "Highgrading" anymore.

Think about it:

Life with AR: A 1.5 year old 8 pointer walks by Bubba Joe. BANG! Dead. (Darn, he had good genes, but wasnt protected by AR's 3pts or more on one side)

Life without AR: A 1.5 year old 8 pointer walks by Bubba Joe. BANG! Dead. There was no AR to protect him, but he's still dead because Bubba Joe was going to kill any buck that was legal, especially a nice 8ptr.

(Does that make sense? Seriously...Right?)

 

[Stealthy_Bowman]

I hate to say it, but unless the buck tag limit is drastically reduced to ONE or possibly TWO with additional restrictions, there isn't going to be enough of an impact to notice. Three tags is WAY too many, few guys shoot three or more bucks a season, if I were a betting man, I'd say it's way less than 5% of the hunters out there.


A noticeable difference will only be achieved with a one buck tag limit with maybe an additional, restricted, tag for say an 8 pointer or better.


Due to the increased quality of the hunt, I think that in the long run, a drastic reduction in tags will only attract more hunters to NJ, thereby increasing revenue to the division.

This is nothing new, other states have and are doing this already with resounding success. Single buck limits are being embraced, not shunned by hunters throughout the country.

I am a realist though, and do realize that this is after all NJ, as such it's pretty darn hopeless that we will ever see real and meaningful change that would allow for an older age cl [no swearing please] of bucks.

 

[imb21]

I hate to say it, but unless the buck tag limit is drastically reduced to ONE or possibly TWO with additional restrictions, there isn't going to be enough of an impact to notice. Three tags is WAY too many, few guys shoot three or more bucks a season, if I were a betting man, I'd say it's way less than 5% of the hunters out there.

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Matty]

NO BODY HAS YET TO ANSWER MY QUESTION FOR THE PAST YEAR!!!! WHY DO YOU NEED MORE THAN 1 BUCK PER YEAR!! there arent quality bucks or as many cause you guys all shoot as many as the state will allow you. practice some management of you own, you dont eat the antlers so why do you need 5 bucks a year????

Get it straight Pennsyltuckian! Its 6 bucks a year here! [rofl]

You dont NEED that many. Nobody does. I'd be plenty happy with one buck tag a year. I save my buck tag for a big boy every year anyway. I could have 1 tag or 12...doesnt matter. One big buck that will go on the wall is all I need. I always kill does for the freezer.

 

[CountryBoy]

I posted my idea for the changes I'd like to see a while ago...I'll find the thread.

But, I agree with less buck tags. However I do not agree with shortening of seasons. I don't see the point in that especially since shorter seasons would cause hunters to make hastier decisions on "iffy" bucks.

Fall Bow 1st Saturday in September-End of October. 1 buck, 2 does (More does in high population areas). No EAB?BAD.

Permit Bow November/December. 1 buck, 2 does. No EAB/BAD.

6 Day Shotgun First full week in December. 1 buck, 1 doe.

Muzzleloader End of 6 day-End of January. 1 buck, 1 doe.

Winter Bow January 1-31st. 1 buck (If you did not fill your fall bow and permit bow buck tag), 2 does.

Just my ideas....

 

[imb21]

Are you saying that limiting the buck tag's to one and then SHOOT ALL THE BUTTON'S and our problem is solved????

Well there is nothing you can do about shooting buttons its gonna happen.....i think that it should only be one buck per year tho.....I am the same as you Rich I havent taken a buck in 4 years, and i let plenty small bucks up to 8 pointers walk by me. antler restrictions do work, and limiting the number of bucks taken a year will work as well

 

[imb21]

Fall Bow 1st Saturday in September-End of October. 1 buck, 2 does (More does in high population areas). No EAB?BAD.

Permit Bow November/December. 1 buck, 2 does. No EAB/BAD.

6 Day Shotgun First full week in December. 1 buck, 1 doe.

Muzzleloader End of 6 day-End of January. 1 buck, 1 doe.

Winter Bow January 1-31st. 1 buck (If you did not fill your fall bow and permit bow buck tag), 2 does.

so you are saying you should be allowed 5 bucks instead of 6, your nuts [ko]

 

[CountryBoy]

It's 4 bucks, if you decreased it much more you'd lose a lot of liscence sales.

 

[Matty]

Same here guys. I p [no swearing please] small eights, and plenty of other scrappers. I dont NEED to kill a buck to have a good season. I WANT to...but I dont need to. (Though I wish I was better at killing big bucks, it gets frustrating)

I actually passed a beautiful half racked 8 last year that I probably should have shot. He was BIG! I started realizing that I probably should have shot him when he got to about 45 yards....I had him at about 12yds broadside and oblivious![confusedagain]

 

[imb21]

if you decreased it much more you'd lose a lot of liscence sales.

explain why??? you think hunters are going to stop hunting cause they reduce the numbers....NO WAY!!! in the long run you are only helping the deer herds with antler restrictions and limiting the number of bucks to ONE maybe 2

 

[CountryBoy]

I am happy to kill one buck per year and I do not gun hunt anymore. So I would be happy with 1 buck tag for myself, but I am being realistic. Extreme changes can't be made overnight. If we fixed the management slightly year by year we wouldn't hurt the lisence sales dramatically and we could better guage what the herd really needs.

 

[CountryBoy]

explain why??? you think hunters are going to stop hunting cause they reduce the numbers....NO WAY!!! in the long run you are only helping the deer herds with antler restrictions and limiting the number of bucks to ONE maybe 2

I wouldn't affect most of the die hards we have here. It would affect the weekend warriors out there. Any change is better than what we have now.

Decrease the buck tags by one each year and maybe nobody will notice[hihi]

 

[Stealthy_Bowman]

if you decreased it much more you'd lose a lot of liscence sales.

Actually, you'd gain alot of non-resident hunters and therefore gain much more revenue than currently possible.

The hunter base living in states near NJ is simply staggering and quality deer hunting is a sure fire way to attract them to NJ. If NJ became a trophy state, NJF&W would generate a tremendous amount of revenue compared to what they do now. I wish they would start thinking like a damn business already. They NEED to or they are going to perish, it's inevitable. They are sitting on a gold mine of opportunity, they just need the cogliones to make the right changes.

 

[DGFORD]

Here is an example of what the bucks look like when they are given a chance to live for a few years, and also receive the proper nutrition. I killed this bad boy in Kentucky 11/10/06. I shot him at 25 yards with the Bow. He came in chasing a doe. I passed up a very nice 6 pointer about an hour prior to this one coming in. He has a 22 inch inside spread with 9-points and 2 small kickers on the base of the left beam. What an amazing hunt!!!