First Sit wrote:Dewey wrote:My biggest challenge right now is the number of shooter bucks is drastically lower than it was 5-10 years ago. Considering that challenge I think I am still doing pretty well as far as encounters go.
This was my first year venturing up to Wis for deer so I'm not sure how it used to be. However ive heard this statement from a few Wis folks including dan. what do you feel is the reason for lower mature buck numbers hunting pressure, late antlerless hunts, cwd, or maybe all of those?
The thought of CWD has killed more deer than CWD since it just leads to bad management of deer herds. Hunter numbers have dropped so I'll toss pressure out as well.
Ultimately its too many doe tags and too many does shot. Bucks have one purpose and that is too breed. Well its kinda hard to do it solo. No does and you don't have fawns which grow up into big bucks. There are areas that need does shot. But the state as a whole does not. I have never heard anybody complain about seeing too many deer and not having a tag to shoot one. I hear guys complain every year about having a half dozen tags and never getting a shot at filling one. I don't know what the answer is, but it sure ain't what we are doing now.
I mean it could be worse so I guess there is that. But it could and should be a lot better. Maybe slash doe tags and put in APR's? Would really tank the harvest numbers for a couple seasons, but it would be nice to go out and see deer, even if I can't shoot any.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?