Could you shoot ANY deer when you started hunting?

[DEERSLAYER]

In Michigan I was required to have a doe permit if I wanted to shoot a doe with my gun and a buck had to have at least one antler 3" or longer. Hunters were seen as a tool in deer management and where not entitled to shoot what ever they wanted. With a bow you could shoot what ever you pleased.

All states that I have looked into in the past had some kind of sex and/or minimum antler size restrictions, but I have not checked them all out. Generally speaking I don't think a state could manage their herd properly if such limitations were not in place, but the past several years I keep running across people that think they should be able to shoot any deer they want with out regard to anything else. They seem to believe they are entitled to a deer, period. If they can't get one then they want the rules changed to make it easier so they can. So... I thought I would post this poll to see what I thought was obvious or be schooled, etc.

[GRFox]

No AR at all here in NY, but I've been selective ever since I shot my first buck with the bow when I was 16. First buck 50" 6pnt second buck 90" 8 third buck 119" 9 fourth buck 90" 8 fith buck 142" 9 and I hope they continue to get bigger each year.

I wanted to keep being selective and getting bigger and bigger till I shot my first P and Y and now that I have the pressure is off and this year I plan on setting my minimum to 110" which is more realistic for me in NY.

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

With a bow I was able to shoot any deer.. With a gun any buck wit 3 inch or longer points.

My personal opinion is that kids should be able to kill any deer especially with a bow, and unless there are not enough deer such as when there used to be restrictions against shooting does I personally ain't hunting just to shoot does especially when there are not enough deer where I hunt to begin with..
And I think you have some things to learn about our managment. Our DNR is not run by qualified managers. Its run by polititions who have no buisness manging deer herds. And thats the real complaint...

[Southern Man]

I started hunting in the early 80's. Back then it was buck only.

[Black Squirrel]

I voted any deer, but after thinking, when I first started hunting it was buck only, doe by permit. If you didn't get a doe permit you were limited to noly bucks. I only gun hunted when I started.

[RaisedByWolves]

I started gun hunting in 1997 and you could shoot at least one of whatever you want, yes bucks had to be 3" but you still got a tag for one...Same when i started bowhunting in 1999.

[BackWoodsHunter]

I think hunters safety graduates received an either sex tag and a doe tag in most units when I finished hunters safety in 2002...buck still had to have 3" or better but you had an either sex tag so could tag it as a doe I guess too if they were smaller...

[headgear]

When I started you needed a doe permit and the bucks had to have 3 inches of antler. Not many deer back in those days and it was kind of a big deal just to see a deer from the stand let alone shoot one. It took me 3 years to tag my first deer, a miniature 6 point buck who I actually rattled in. I missed the first two times (buck fever) but he just stood there for me until I got the 3rd shot into him.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

There were restrictions when I was growing up in Missouri. To shoot a doe, you had to draw a bonus tag. Also, bonus tags were only available in certain areas of the state.

[JRM6868]

Way back when I started you were only allowed a buck. Back late 70's early 80's you were lucky to see a deer and the day I saw 6 I was called a liar by everybody.

[DEERSLAYER]

No AR at all here in NY...

I assume you mean when you started correct?

With a bow I was able to shoot any deer.. With a gun any buck wit 3 inch or longer points.

My personal opinion is that kids should be able to kill any deer especially with a bow, and unless there are not enough deer such as when there used to be restrictions against shooting does I personally ain't hunting just to shoot does especially when there are not enough deer where I hunt to begin with..
And I think you have some things to learn about our managment. Our DNR is not run by qualified managers. Its run by polititions who have no buisness manging deer herds. And thats the real complaint...

I agree except I think kids should only be allowed to shoot what they want if the resource can sustain it. Kids need to learn that they are not "entitled" to anything (a common problem I see with kids today). They are still wildlife managers too and I thik they need to fully understand that. When I was a kid in school it seemed like all the other kids loved to deer hunt also and getting a deer was just icing on the cake for most. They really wanted one bad, but if they didn't get one they still loved the experience. It was really about everything else like "being one of the guy's" (adults), camp life, enjoying every little thing nature had to show you, scouting, telling stories, etc. I seen kids who where introduced to deer hunting by fathers that had great hunting area's and the kids always seemed to get a deer. For them it was all about getting a deer and over the years these kids seemed to drop like flies when they were not getting deer. They seemed to get frustrated or board with hunting and gave it up. On the other hand most of the kids that got few if any deer seemed to enjoy it more and tended to stay into hunting.

You said "I think you have some things to learn about our management." I think I understand that is a problem. It is a problem here also and unfortunately seems to be a growing problem in other states too.

[Indianahunter]

When I first started hunting you could shoot a buck during archery and a buck during the firearms season. Does were for a very few counties (3) in which you had to be drawn for a very limited number of tags. If you were lucky enough to get drawn you got 1 tag and that was it for the season. Within about 8 to 10 years you could shoot a number of does each county having a specified quota. Now we have counties that are as high as 8 does, we have a 1 buck rule for the season, and you can travel to any county and shoot that quota of deer. I think if I had enough time I could legally take 394 does and one buck this season...LOL

[virginiashadow]

Any deer.

[CatfishJack]

I shot my first deer ever in 1980 with a bow. Back then we could only shoot one deer per year. And if it was a bow kill, I had to call the warden and he hat to inspect it and register it. Try getting a hold of a warden to register your deer. What a hassle. I am happy Minnesota changed their rules to be more hunter friendly.

[Dewey]

I didn't shoot an antlerless deer for my first 15 seasons in the mid 80's-90's because I was taught growing up that you shouldn't shoot does to help keep the deer population up so I only killed bucks. Didn't shoot my first WI doe until gun season of 2000. Of course since then the DNR has had the kill em all mentality but I still practice this to some extent depending on how many deer are in the general area I am hunting.