QDM?? One mans wish!

[Guy]

I really wish the whole state would be QDM of four points on a side.

I think it would produce bigger and better bucks.

What do you all think??

[Mac]

I have read several articles on the success of the Penn. Changes.

[Randy]

It would not bother me. In fact I would like it but....I really don't want teh government to set any more rules for me to follow! I jus we as a group of hunters would come to this agreement on our own.

But neither will ever happen. The government wants to get rid of the high population they say exists and I think most hunters just want to kill something and not really have to hunt!

[FootLongDawg]

I agree. But it must be done in conjunction with doe harvesting. Massive doe harvesting in most places. :clap:

[reylamb]

What you are describing is TDM, as in Trophy Deer Management and I for one would be against it. Who is to say what is and is not a quality deer for me, or anyone for that matter. Some of us do not give a rat's rear end what the deer is sporting on his head.

[Guy]

I understand the meat hunting. Which is great as well. I take two does a year for that reason.

However, it is nice to bag a wallhanger. I for one do not subscribe to a "brown it's down" way of thinkink.

Just my opinion. No offense to anyone!!

[reylamb]

Let's put it this way. Yesterday I had a very nice, very respectable mature 6 point almost in bow range. I would venture to say not too many would have passed on him. He was a 6 point because he had no brow tines. Under state mandated TDM rules, as in PA, I could not have killed him becuase he was not quality enough for someone's line of thinking. I never did get a shot but would have taken it had I been presented with the opportunity.

Arkansas is actually rethinking their mandated TDM rules, and there was a good article on it on the web. The TDM rules actually did not accomplish what they thought it would and actually may be working against them as many hunters are quitting since they can not find a deer that is quality by the state's standards. I may have to search for that article, it was very informative.

As another example. There is a picture, I think on the bragging board of a 4 point that was the person's first deer kill, a true quality deer and a true trophy. Under statemandated TDM she could not have shot that deer.

I think a better solution to make both sides happy is a 1 buck per year rule.

[GeauxLSU]

Current system of ONE buck with a minimum antler requirement and one 'anything' is best IMHO (assuming two bucks are the 'needed' harvest goals).
It allows kids/first timers to take any buck they want which will surely be a trophy to them. Also allows freedom for 'culling' when deemed appropriate. 'Meat' hunters have MORE than enough does to shoot.
Trophy hunters can wait for two booners if they choose. Everybody wins without too drastically infriging on any 'groups' goals.
The biggest issue with trophy management, is your club members and your neighbors. Not someone two counties away.
Having said all that, there is sufficient illegal taking of game to make a statewide trophy managed system VERY difficult to implement successfully IMHO. I'd be willing to bet that 'big boy' we've all seen on our place is more likely to be poached (any number of ways) than taken legally on your club. :rolleyes: Sadly game laws won't change that. Now PENALTIES on the other hand.....

Hunt/fish safely,
Phil

[Guy]

Yeah, I can understand that six point scenario. Also, remember a few years back soemone shot a B&C spike. Yes a spike. It was in GON.

Maybe education of how to judge a deers age? I don't know.

All i do know is I have been hunting my *** off for years and do not have a wall hanger ::huh: ::;

I will keep at it though. But some kind of agreement should exist that is favorable to all. Just don't know how to implement such a thing.

[gafishnut]

I'm not for the State Govt. or Feds to legislate anymore of what I can and can't do. All we need is for a politician to decide what is impotant to us.

On the other hand; if local hunters whithin an area want to set some paramiters on their local area, why not let them hash it out among themselves? Isn't that the way it works in a few of the Southern Counties?

[Cranium]

Absolutely NO statewide QDM regs for me!! Stop & think for a few minutes..
What is the practical purpose of statewide QDM regs based upon points or spreads?? To better your chances of killing a B&C/P&Y buck?? Are you willing to destroy deer hunting for future generations in GA just to try & satisfy that goal?
Most everyone complains that lease prices are too high...how high do you think they will be if the entire state is a TDM state?? How much will out of state hunters be willing to pay for a week of deer hunting in a TDM state?

The next complaint that everyone has is the decreasing number of hunters...how are you going to attract new hunters when you are going to tell them that they can look at those bucks, but they can't shoot them..cause they aren't up to your state determined "trophy" status yet.
I have news for you...in today's world there are too many other things for people to spend their money on, or spend their time doing, than hunting IF YOU are also going to try & tell them what is a "trophy" to THEM. We have all went thru the different stages of a deer hunter & yet somehow now that we have supposedly "matured" to where we want to be, ALL new & future hunters should START out where we are already at??!!!!!!

Yes, I do have some deer already hanging on the wall that EVERY one of you would consider a trophy...that isn't why I hunt...I hunt for the enjoyment, relaxation, camaraderie, & challenge...I do NOT grade my hunting experience a success or failure based upon the # of points on a side or the spread of the rack....I may have minimum personal standards before I harvest a buck, but those standards don't determine whether I have a sucessful hunt or not...& my standards are definitely different than my 2 sons standards..& way different than my 12 yr old nephews that I "guide" for..cause they have never harvested a whitetail.

Flame away....

[reylamb]

A B&C spike? I can not believe that. Let's see, just for kicks:

Minimum entry score 165
Very generous spread measurement of 25 inches
2 circumference measurements of 10 inches total (this brute had 5 inch beams)
Would leave us with main beam lengths of wow, 65 inches, or 5'5".

Are you sure you did not read that in the fall fiction series?

[gafishnut]

Well said Jeff :clap: :bounce:

[Wetzel]

I'd say no to statewide QDM, I like it the way it is now. However I would like to see more WMA's go to quality buck regs. with an occassional adult/child hunt where anything was legal.

A b&c spike? I'd like to see that one myself.. Wait... I think I found its picture.. :bounce:


http://www.tlbaa.org/Feisty-Fanny-new.jpg

[TurkeyCreek]

NO!!!!!!

While i only want to shoot a quality buck, not everyone does. kids and newcomers need to have the option of shooting any buck they want to.

[Guy]

I didn't even think about some of what you mentioned.

It is a good thread though! :p

And about that B&C Spike, can anyone back me up on this. It was like 2 or 3 years back in GON. The guy who shot it and mounted it. All his buddies were poking fun at him. It was HUGE! :speechles

How have the counties faired that do have QDM?

[WildBuck]

I am with Jeff C. I would not like telling my 12 year old son you can not shoot your first deer it is not big enough. I do like big antlers but that is not why i hunt.

[Joe Moran]

I didn't even think about some of what you mentioned.

It is a good thread though! :p

And about that B&C Spike, can anyone back me up on this. It was like 2 or 3 years back in GON. The guy who shot it and mounted it. All his buddies were poking fun at him. It was HUGE! :speechles

How have the counties faired that do have QDM?

I don't think that it was B&C, but I do think that it was the second largest spike ever taken in GA.

There is a debate taking place on the deer hunting forum about several members wanting to petition to make Taliaferro Co. a QDM county. I have hunted this county at the same club for about 8 years now.

We are a QDM or trophy club this year (we require 4 points on 1 side & 14" spread), but we allow kids that have never taken a buck before to take any buck they want. The law would not allow us to make this exception.

I believe & practice the spirit of QDM, but it's by choice...not force.

I invite anyone with any input on this matter, to please chime in on "Taliafferro Co. QDM" on the "Deer Hunting Forum" :type:

[Sandman619]

I think things are fine the way they are :)

[whatman]

i think you don't have any kids hunting with you.

[gobble79]

I like the way things are now. Very seldom do I shoot bucks. I just don't see that many I want to shoot. I shoot 2-3 does every year or my son does and I don't even fire a shot. I have been with several people when they killed their first buck (adults & kids) and I will not forget it (trophy size no, trophy to them yes). Did they get bloodied worse for a 10 pointer or a spike? (same) You can say what you want to, but until you get a few bucks under the belt, a doe doesn't give the same satisfaction as a buck(remember when you started hunting). I enjoy being in the woods and watching wildlife and do not fire the weapon very often but I have been hunting for a long time and have killed my share. I do not believe that the state should mandate what is legal according to buck size. I belong to a TMC and enjoy it but should not be forced to hunt that way if I don't want to.

[Throwback]

I really wish the whole state would throw QDM into the ash heap of history!

Just what we need, MORE government regulation!


T

[Jeff Phillips]

The State Of Georgia is already being managed to QDM standards, except for 1 of our buck tags. Liberal doe limits and restrictions on bucks equals QDM. Our herd is shrinking, the habitat is being restored, and most folks are happy about it.

The main problem we have is hunters have done a poor job of regulating themselves in some areas. Many on here, including me, complained last year about not seeing many/any deer. We need to control the doe harvest based on the population of our piece of land and make a club or individual decision on what we are looking for in a buck.

When I started hunting with the Game Wardens in Morgan County in 1981 we were all doing TDM. That was before the QDM movement or any state efforts to reduce the herd. We managed that block of land that included 3 clubs for larger antlers and we were very sucessful. Great group of guys with the same goals produced a wonderful hunting experiance!

We all have the ability within the current state regs to manage our property to our individual standards. That should be our goal. If you feel the need to hunt an area with additional antler restrictions the state has provided that oportunity. Find a club in 1 of the counties with antler restrictions on both bucks.

[coon dawg]

was the northeast Georgia Branch President for 7 years..........but I don't think it should be mandated statewide...............ONE BUCK LIMIT, bring back the tag system, and HARSH fines for violators will let enough bucks through the year to achieve "trophy" size for the headhunters, and the meat hunters would also be satisfied.........and a child could take the buck of his choosing......................you pull the trigger on ONE.........your DONE. ;)..................ps-one of the goals of QDM is to lower herd numbers, where the population is in harmony with the habitat........antler restrictions FORCE the "meat hunters", who say they don't care about rack size, to take does instead of immature bucks.......you can't force folks to pull the trigger on does.........which, as Footlongdawg alluded to, is BADLY needed in alot of counties/areas. :)

[Guy]

I am actually glad I started this thread.

There has to be some happy medium! I know for me, I will let the small bucks go. Now, my son is 5, when he starts to hunt in the next 3 to 4 years, I do hope he will be able to shoot a smaller buck as stated in Jeff's post. It will help in terms of the interest that a young hunter needs to remain in our sport.

So now, I am somewhere in the middle. ::huh:

[ga.greybeard]

::gone: A state wide QDM plan that was enforced and observed by the majority of
hunters would certainly help clubs with small tracts of land.
GGB :o