Are hunters managing their own deer herds?

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I respectfully disagree here, Very simply, Yes, Hunters are manageing herds. What the heck do you think Hunting is, what is the role of G&F to oversee it all? GAME MANAGEMENT. Otherwise All hunting would be outlawed OR there would be No bag limits and no tags needed...

 

States of Utah, Texas and New mexico allready have antler restrictions, just to name a couple. Maybe not by choice but the restrictions are in place.

 

Luckily in AZ , we can still harvest spikes, whenever and wherever, if we so desire.... with tag of course.

 

The new Antlerless hunts in the kaibab also constitute as herd management, numbers of tags also " Managed", in an assigned unit of course. i.e "management" once again.

 

Maybe it won't be long, AZ will also have laws stateing " forked antler or better" or " Three point or smaller" as other states are doing. Or maybe even a limit on spread too.

 

AZ seems to allways be last in loseing individual freedoms and rights, but it won't be long...

 

A hunters personal choice to bag a spike, or a 100+ or nothing is just that, a personal choice. But maybe Big Brother will step in and make up your mind for you in days to come? No, theres no maybe about it, it's comeing.

 

Again, Yes- hunters are manageing deer herds.

-My .02 cents

 

The question you asked is very general and covers a broad spectrum, Great topic

 

Actually the game and fish set up all the requirements on who and how and when a hunter gets a tag, that is actually management. As hunters we are a piece of the WHO is carrying out the orders but it is "managed" from above

 

 

[tbrooks81]

I think wht_mtnman touched on an important point. There is a hierarchy of management with G&F being the CEO's. IMO tag numbers being offered per unit is the largest contributing factor of game management. I'm under the impression that these big decisions are based largely on revenue as G&F must make its own money to operate, but I have to hope there is science behind it as well. We as hunters (the WHO part) make it happen with our trigger fingers. We've taken numerous 'goofy' bucks and 80-90" forkers over the years and in a way thats game management since that particular genetic line has been removed.

Somewhat off subject but it relates, I raise tilapia in a backyard aquaculture setup. While we are not breeding these fish there is still management that needs to happen in the form of culling. Within 4-5 months I know which fish are going to grow out quicker and which are lagging. The smaller fish get targeted for culling to make room for the faster growers to get as big as possible. At the other end of the cycle, I target the biggest fish for harvesting to allow the others more time to grow. I guess what i'm getting at is in the grand scheme, there is room for meat hunters as well as trophy hold outs as long as the # of tags in the field relate to the game populations being hunted.

[CouesWhitetail]

"Are hunters managing their own deer herds?"

 

No.

 

Bill Quimby

 

+ 1

 

Could not agree more with that "NO"

 

 

+1

 

certainly not on a statewide scale.