unit 1 closes today

[CouesFanatic]

1 hour ago, CatfishKev said:

But with the quota now in place and guys killing dinks wouldn't that allow the guys willing to put in work and get away from roads to have chances at some studs? I'm just thinking it will still allow the animals off the beaten path to get mature?

In theory. Tough to do when the unit shuts down in 6 days and the unit gets pounded for those 6 days. Not exactly a great hunting experience. I don't necessarily need to kill the biggest deer but at this point in life hunting with tons of other people and whacking a spike off the road just doesn't do it for me. I say let people shoot what they want, I just don't like what the quota system has turned the hunt experience into. I'd rather have 2-3 weeks with less tag holders and more mature deer. 

[idgaf]

1 hour ago, stanley said:

"hunters not having self control...."      You really think that a marketing campaign will lead to a lower number of mature bucks being killed??  My feeling is that hunters are going to shoot what they are going to shoot, and no marketing campaign is going to change that (At least not to a statistically significant extent...).

My crew and I simply love to hunt.  We sometimes kill some average/big deer, but we often kill smaller ones.  It has nothing to do with self control.  I don't consider myself a 'meat hunter', though I love the meat.  I'm just a hunter. 

The insinuation that other hunters should hold off on killing smaller legal animals so they can maybe kill a larger legal animal is sort of funny to me.  Like, what ever happened to; 'to each their own'??  Publicly shame someone who shoots a smaller legal animal?  What is the point of that???  That will make a difference?  LOL   Your final statement makes more sense to me.  Congrats to those who are out there having a great time hunting and sometimes killing!   

Regarding point restrictions, they did that a LONG time ago when I lived in Utah for college.  Turned-out to not really have much of an effect on growing older aged animals.  Just a bunch of small 3 points killed (3 point or better unit) and a bunch of two points shot and left to waste.   Studies showed it really did not have an effect on the older class (breeding aged) bucks.

It would go something like be a man hunt  mature animals.  🙄    wouldn't you and your friends have more time in the field if you hunted full size animals?  Im just saying there are more people in the field now than ever.   This lowers individual hunting hours as the masses increase, so overall hunting days for species increases.  

There is a way to keep harvest limits the same, increase age of harvest and increase hunting days in the field.  It wouldn't be liked though.  That is to designate rotating units traditional only.  Archery would be traditional only, muzzleloaders no scopes and no inlines, and rifles be limited to say 9 power scopes.  Do that for a couple of seasons and than go back to modern methods and after the initial complaining alot of hunters would be super excited  To get that hiatus tag.

I publicly shame two close friends and my dad(rip) for being meat hunters every chance I get and they do the same to me. I did shoot a spike elk this year. (More for the bones than the meat)  I also shot a calf with dots 3 seasons ago. (It was hit by a car)

After writing all this.  Everyone will do what they want and should be proud.

[CatfishKev]

51 minutes ago, CouesFanatic said:

In theory. Tough to do when the unit shuts down in 6 days and the unit gets pounded for those 6 days. Not exactly a great hunting experience. I don't necessarily need to kill the biggest deer but at this point in life hunting with tons of other people and whacking a spike off the road just doesn't do it for me. I say let people shoot what they want, I just don't like what the quota system has turned the hunt experience into. I'd rather have 2-3 weeks with less tag holders and more mature deer. 

Agreed on the right now aspect. I imagine this quota thing is a long term goal, maybe I'm wrong. I'm thinking that while archery gets closed down early bigger mature bucks out there are living and becoming studs.  Not great for the OTC archery guys right now but I think that overall trophy quality will surely increase each year.  Seems great for the rifle guys although I am not one. But I believe this will have a trickle effect for lack of better words and guys that play it right will start killing monsters if they put in the work in the following years. Whether that is archery or rifle.  I can't believe that guys shutting down a unit early during archery that are shooting first come first serve animals are going to ruin it for the real killers out there.  Honestly I see this as a huge opportunity for the guys that are willing to hunt hard and each year it will get better.  But as usual I'm just another turd with a fraudulent opinion.

[JSR]

When you road hunt a spike on opening day - 

 

 

 

 

[CatfishKev]

Dude got swag

[redhammer911]

On 8/28/2024 at 8:14 AM, dsotm said:

Should just go to draw only for NR

Step further draw for everyone and stop some of the point creep on people pocketing points then archery hunting. Make a choice and go hunt....

[Couesnut]

Im happy that forkies & spikes are getting shot.  That's 50 plus hunters out of the field & more big bucks left running.