Big Bucks and Tags

[Catdaddy]

With waterfowl....days afield has more to do with harvest than limits

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[pee dee]

im not saying it should have any effect on the tag/no tags.....just saying i think i would be better for growing an older age class buck giving guys less time to shoot them at 1.5-2.5.

[walt4dun]

Alabama found that going to three tags changed the mindset alot. The thought of running out of tags weighs heavily on the mindset.

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FACT. A lot of people never burn that third tag cause they want to hunt all the way to the end. The end is the best part of the season here (rut).

[Carolina Counsel]

What do you have success with planting in the spring? Cowpeas and sorghum are really the only things that seem to do well in my red clay. Ladino Clover does ok.

Clover, chicory, aeschenenome (I am sure I mispelled it).

[Bigtimber2]

Yep. They received 10 more days.

True about tags, longer season few tags often lead to hunters being more selective. There is less pressure to burn a tag with a 3 month season than a 2 week season.

[Arrowman]

I'm confused as to why the length of the season has anything to do with killing x amount of deer?

The amount of time allowed to hunt shouldn't have anything to do with the amount of deer that are able to be harvested.

Because there are a lot more people who wouldn't follow the 4 buck rule than there are that would. Meaning that most people that kill 20+ bucks a year are still going to kill 20+ bucks a year. It's just like turkey tags, there's no way to enforce it. Lots of people kill more than 5 turkeys a year and they'll still kill more than 5 a year next year.

[Silentweapon338]

please enlighten me on this?

The point is just because you can hunt from August until January shouldn't be a determining factor as to how many deer can be harvested.

Length of season does not equate to amount of deer that should be taken.

Length of season should in fact equate to more encounters with different animals.

A hunter in SC can take advantage of the different seasonal changes and behavior changes manifested during these times.

One would hope that a SC hunter can exercise self control and pick say only (4) bucks out of the entire SC heard to harvest.

Those bucks can be cow horns or they can be 140" class bucks, but you only get 4.

I realize this concept will have devastating effects on you "I will not shoot a doe" folks who demand 1 lbs of processed deer per individual in your house per day.

No this isn't a conspiracy set up by Cargill to get you to eat more beef.

Contrary to popular belief there was no closed door meeting at a secret location in a Charleston house in a secret room filled with cigar smoke held by DNR top officials, 33rd degree masons, and a few select SC duck members to eventually only allow you 1 buck per 5 years.

[pee dee]

The point is just because you can hunt from August until January shouldn't be a determining factor as to how many deer can be harvested.

Length of season does not equate to amount of deer that should be taken.

Length of season should in fact equate to more encounters with different animals.

A hunter in SC can take advantage of the different seasonal changes and behavior changes manifested during these times.

One would hope that a SC hunter can exercise self control and pick say only (4) bucks out of the entire SC heard to harvest.

Those bucks can be cow horns or they can be 140" class bucks, but you only get 4.

I realize this concept will have devastating effects on you "I will not shoot a doe" folks who demand 1 lbs of processed deer per individual in your house per day.

No this isn't a conspiracy set up by Cargill to get you to eat more beef.

Contrary to popular belief there was no closed door meeting at a secret location in a Charleston house in a secret room filled with cigar smoke held by DNR top officials, 33rd degree masons, and a few select SC duck members to eventually only allow you 1 buck per 5 years.

I agree man, but I don't have near as much faith in ppl as you do.

Would I want a shorter season? Heck no. Do I want buck tags? Well I usually don't kill more than 2 bucks a year that 95% of the time go on the wall. I usually have several nice deer on camera every year, but 70% of my 2.5's get killed. they wander during the rut and get smoked. Two 3.5's that I had on camera from
July to mid October got killed 2.5 miles away on the other side of the river. I'd love to run collars on some of the deer on my property.

[BRR]

This thread is about on par with debating the improvement of education in public scools.

[pee dee]

This thread is about on par with debating the improvement of education in public scools.

Better genetics?

[ccleroy]

Because there are a lot more people who wouldn't follow the 4 buck rule than there are that would. Meaning that most people that kill 20+ bucks a year are still going to kill 20+ bucks a year. It's just like turkey tags, there's no way to enforce it. Lots of people kill more than 5 turkeys a year and they'll still kill more than 5 a year next year.

You are a special person.

[ccleroy]

We got a bunch of Pablo Escobar's running around here in SC.

[BRR]

Better genetics?

Certainly wouldn't hurt.....

[Sparkleberry Ridge Runner]

I'll be your Huckleberry!
As I've said before, we've been doing it pretty much since forever.
The length of time a place is quality managed will not grow bigger antlers, but will grow old deer both buck and doe.
At this point we harvest 7-10 year old deer EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
And more so to answer your question, we harvest 140"+ bucks consistently EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
The oldest ever harvested were 12 years old (1 buck and 1 doe aged at Matson's by CA) and the largest racked buck was approx. 170"
Yes, I agree that genetically SC is limited to what our native deer herd has to offer.
So what, it is what it is because we manage the deer on our place for age, not antlers!
Today, very few 1.5 YO bucks are killed by our neighbors....everybody wins and everyone kills big mature deer EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
That said, since we manage for age I am tickled pink to harvest a 7 YO that barely hits on 100"...

I think we had 5 killed last year that were between 120-130".....As my hunting buddy said...There were 16 heads on the wall at XXXX taxidermy. 7 of them were from our club....

B/c we haven't developed enough food plots yet and have no agriculture, we are held hostage a bit by droughts, etc.

Your move Sparkler

As stated earlier, there are some 140+ deer killed each year in SC. It appears that Cali has a place that is unique to our state. Yet JWilliams has a place that has been managing for many years that can not get the same results. Both places manage for age (which will result in larger antler in some cases)
My point is, will going to a statewide tagging system help either of them continue to maintain or increase their herd? I do not see where it will. Jwilliams posted that he did not see where it would for their property. For those who are NOT raping the deer herd I do not see where this proposed plan will help them. So why not have a part of the plan that allows these types of property to continue managing the way they have? The proposed plan includes the Quota Program supposedly to allow this freedom. Yet Ruth stated that DNR will reduce the number of buck tags for a property that is not harvesting enough does.

Cali - how would you like DNR coming in (if your property is enrolled in the QDMP) and telling you that in 2017 you will receive 2 buck tags and 30 doe tags?
JWilliams same question? Who would get to harvest the two bucks out of X number of members?

[porkchop 13]

The tags are only as good or honest as the person using them.
If more emphasis was put on big bucks in s.c. then you would have the same amount of deer/ big deer without tags. The other side of it is not everybody is all about killing 130-150" deer every year. (this comes from the people that want to have something to brag about) the rest of s.c hunters are perfectly content with killing 1-10 deer No matter what size they are and just enjoys the outdoor experience and the thrill of the hunt.

Those that are all wrapped up in trophy bucks only no offence to you but there are 49 other states you have the opportunity to do just that.
Allow s.c to be the state that people can come to enjoy outdoors and be able to kill few deer that don't have to be that trophy so they can brag about.

IT IS O.K. TO BE DIFFERENT. If s.c hunters could just accept that. BUT THE TROPHY HUNTERS CAN'T DO THIS!!

[gamecock1974]

It's elusive.... As in elude!

I was referring to the non-existent deer that is an "illusion" given they don't exist in my neck of the woods because every 4 point walking around it shot on sight.

Thanks for the vocabulary lesson though genius.

[Calibogue]

SRR, the thought of DNR telling me I'm gonna get two buck tags in five years doesn't bother me because I wear a baseball cap, not a tinfoil one!
It's not gonna happen unless of course they are near extirpation like in the 50's at which point it will be warranted.
Porkchop, I like so many others do love seeing big deer but the idea does not warp my enjoyment of the outdoors.
I grew up with great appreciation of the outdoors as will my children.
My 7 yo daughter at this point has a greater understanding and knowledge of wildlife and game management than most on this site and her enjoyment of the outdoors is already deep and passionate!
If I advise her to shoot or don't shoot.... She gets it!

[Silentweapon338]

As stated earlier, there are some 140+ deer killed each year in SC. It appears that Cali has a place that is unique to our state. Yet JWilliams has a place that has been managing for many years that can not get the same results. Both places manage for age (which will result in larger antler in some cases)
My point is, will going to a statewide tagging system help either of them continue to maintain or increase their herd? I do not see where it will. Jwilliams posted that he did not see where it would for their property. For those who are NOT raping the deer herd I do not see where this proposed plan will help them. So why not have a part of the plan that allows these types of property to continue managing the way they have? The proposed plan includes the Quota Program supposedly to allow this freedom. Yet Ruth stated that DNR will reduce the number of buck tags for a property that is not harvesting enough does.

Cali - how would you like DNR coming in (if your property is enrolled in the QDMP) and telling you that in 2017 you will receive 2 buck tags and 30 doe tags?
JWilliams same question? Who would get to harvest the two bucks out of X number of members?

Actually it may help them. It will help them in that they can continue to be selective in their practices, but don't have to worry about bucks wandering off and getting punked out by the crowd who thinks opts are big so when a 2.5 year old 16" buck strolls over to their property there is a moose on the loose.

[SC quacker2]

Cali - how would you like DNR coming in (if your property is enrolled in the QDMP) and telling you that in 2017 you will receive 2 buck tags and 30 doe tags?
JWilliams same question? Who would get to harvest the two bucks out of X number of members?

They are not the ones who will have an issue. The clubs with one member per less than 100 acres and smaller tract owners will.

[Sparkleberry Ridge Runner]

SRR, the thought of DNR telling me I'm gonna get two buck tags in five years doesn't bother me because I wear a baseball cap, not a tinfoil one!
It's not gonna happen unless of course they are near extirpation like in the 50's at which point it will be warranted.

I would have to disagree with you on this one based upon what Ruth himself stated. The number of buck tags will not be reduced based upon total herd numbers. According to Ruth, DNR will reduce the number of buck tags for a property enrolled in the program that is not killing enough does in order to make them kill more does. Straight from Ruth. Their reasoning is that the hunters will shoot so if does need killing in a county, then DNR will restrict the number of buck tags so more does will be shot.
I am not sure where you hunt but think about areas which are heavy with agriculture and deer numbers are higher than the rest of the state.
No tin foil. Just listening to what Ruth says.