Throwback
Chief Big Taw
realistically there is just not that many that do. I mean it is a tiny percentage of the hunters.
T
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Georgias deer herd by the numbers and by those who know
- Thread starter Mako22
- Start date
realistically there is just not that many that do. I mean it is a tiny percentage of the hunters.
T
I know a lot of hunters, and I`m down here where there are plenty of deer. I don`t know the first individual hunter who kills the limit. And none of these folks have any reason to lie about it.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
The "tools" to manage a deer herd exist whether the limit is 12 or 3. If a landowner or leaseholder has a doe problem, but has limited out his or her tags, I am sure one well placed ad in this forum saying "I need help managing my herd" would be responded to in a sufficient manner. I have said this before, but even when the state had too many deer and much lower limits I do not remember folks asking for help with their herd. There are plenty of hungry hunters out there who would be more than happy to help with your over population problem.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
There was a thread in here last year asking who has "tagged out." If I recall, it was responded to by several who claimed they had. Maybe I am mistaken.
Either way, I know of a few personally who shoot way over their limit in bucks every year, and also every doe that walks in front of them. It happens, I guess.
Throwback
Chief Big Taw
don't confuse poaching with legitimately taking your limit.
For every person that has killed their limit, there are probably a dozen that didn't kill a thing.
T
Throwback
Chief Big Taw
we don;t let non family people hunt our land for the same reason we don't let them (pay to) fish in our ponds anymore. Trash everywhere, doing donuts in their cars in our pasture, hiding fish on us when they leave, leaving gates open and letting the cows out, coming to the house every 5 minutes for some idiotic reason, etc.
no thanks.
T
JB0704
I Gots Goats
I get that stuff. And it is understandable. But, does that mean we have to have a statewide process for lowering the deer herd so you can manage your land your way?
Heck, folks with too many does could have a "kid-day" or something. Wouldn't that be better than a statewide kill-off?
The 12 deer limit is a TOOL to use to manage your property as you see fit, not a requirement to kill 12 deer. Use it for what it was made for.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
I believe that too. The problem isn't the responsible hunter next door, or the large landowner. It is the person who kills 8 deer off of 40 acres right next to another person's 100 acre lease.
The over-the-limit stuff was only to show that there are a ton of irresponsible hunters out there. I know everybody on here acts like the picture of outdoor virtue, but that isn't reality. My hunting experience has led me to believe that irresponsible hunters are the norm, not the exception.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
The problem is that it is also a tool used to decimate deer herds in areas where there are multiple small tracts. Managing a deer herd can be accomplished with much lower limits. I have given two examples so far. I know nobody will use them, because they don't want to. But I am saying the herd can be managed without giving a blanket 12 deer limit to every irresponsible hunter in the state. It can be done with a 3 deer limit just as efficiently if a landowner truly wants to see a herd "managed."
Just start inviting kids from orphanages over for a doe kill-off. How 'bout a wounded warrior, or a handicapped hunt on your lease to help with your doe problem. That's five tools I have listed for managing the herd without a 12 deer limit.
I'm just saying the limit is not necessary. I know everybody has their reasons for not doing it. We just need to be honest that there is not a single individual landowner, leaseholder, hunter in this state that NEEDS a 12 deer limit.
Throwback
Chief Big Taw
trust me, The number of people that kill more than a couple of deer a year are miniscule.
T
I trust the work and recommendations that Charlie Killmaster and his peers do. Some seem to think that they are just desk sitters with a college degree, nothin` more. I know better.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
T, according to my experience, many hunters will kill what they can. I know there are a lot of clubs out there filled with "trophy hunters," who will shoot one buck and maybe a doe. But there are a TON of folks out there who will shoot every deer that walks past them, and say "we need to kill more does." I heard one person say "the more deer we kill, the more we see." Just sayin', folks are not as good as you (pl) seem to give them credit for.
Will send you a pm if you need more specifics on what I have witnessed hunters do in the name of management.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
I know they are educated men and women with the best interest of the state in mind. No doubt. I am not included in the "some" you mentioned. If I came across as disrespectful to his, or any biologist's education, it was not intentional.
I just sometimes think a new idea could help things. I have given several so far which would be a "win-win" for both the folks who say the deer are gone and the folks who need more tools to manage.
benosmose
Senior Member
I know there are way fewer does in the county i live which is hancock but the size of the bucks taken here make up for that to me.I see why some people get all huffy about not seeing deer like they did ten years ago.In 2000 if you drove from sparta to greensboro on hwy 15 late at night you would see 50 or more deer on that ride now you might see 10 on a good summer night.Thats my redneck way of knowing there are way fewer deer here coupled with the fact i have a hard time seeing a doe after the rut when its cold enough to fool with one.I like where we are i just hope it stabilizes here and i think it has for the past couple years anyhow.
JB0704
I Gots Goats
To me, it doesn't matter how much a person claims that hunters should be trusted to "do the right thing." We all post no trespassing signs on our leases. So, everybody knows that unethical practice occurs a whole lot in the hunting community, otherwise, a simple boundary marker would do. Why would we trust all of our fellow hunters to be responsible with bag limits when we don't trust them with something as basic as not poaching our land? 
Lot's of tools out there that would be beneficial to all. This one hurts a lot of folks to benefit a few.
Lot's of tools out there that would be beneficial to all. This one hurts a lot of folks to benefit a few.
Buck Trax
Senior Member
If we can't trust our fellow hunters, as you suggest, why would lowering the limit help anyway?To me, it doesn't matter how much a person claims that hunters should be trusted to "do the right thing." We all post no trespassing signs on our leases. So, everybody knows that unethical practice occurs a whole lot in the hunting community, otherwise, a simple boundary marker would do. Why would we trust all of our fellow hunters to be responsible with bag limits when we don't trust them with something as basic as not poaching our land?
Lot's of tools out there that would be beneficial to all. This one hurts a lot of folks to benefit a few.
Mr.MainFrame10
Senior Member
This I don't doubt for one minute. I'm an educated man myself with a college degree and I know countless hours go into deer management. What I am merely stating is, that there is no accurate way to say what the deer herd number is. It is a prediction only! It would be the same thing as saying Lake Allatoona has "x" number of fish in it. It is next to impossible to say how many. I do believe however that the Game & Fish's efforts have helped with deer management. I also believe to that more ideas should be considered from the hunting public. We as corporate America have a tendency to think our own ideas and knowledge is superior to everyone else's. Anyway..., it is what it is...., a debate!
Anybody who kills fifteen deer a year now would still kill fifteen deer a year if the limit was two.
