February Fairview Deer Hunt [Archive] - Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum

grandzillaa

02-03-2007, 05:38 PM

tracker2- they use the word anterless, therefor if a buck has antlers less than 4 inches in lenght it can be shot. If a buck did shed its antlers then I would think it would be fair game. Nevertheless I wouldn't drive and spend $$$ on gas, lodgeing, and butchering etc for 4 more deer. By the time the hunt was done and the deer were in the butcher's it would have cost me nearly $1000.00-$1200.00. $300. on gas, a $100. on lodgeing and the rest on butchering(peps,jery,saus,etc).

varmitr

02-04-2007, 04:09 PM

dewie,
you simply cant imagine the amount of deer there...200-300 a day was not out of the ordinary, bacholer groups of 30 bucks in sept. does with triples and twins.
the landowners are sick of the animals there.
there are more than killed on the hiways.
its a long ways to go for 60 lbs of meat.
the elk problem is just as severe there too.

fat cat

02-06-2007, 02:14 AM

I sincerly hope nobody does this hunt. We are going through a severe winter, and will probably loose 1/3 of our herd any ways. The gov. could take different steps to look after this problem anyway. Back in the early 90's the fairview archery club developed, and maintained a deer intervention, feeding program. It was very successful, and saved a lot of deer for you boys to hunt. The land owners up here ain't that hard up. they are just looking for a hand out. I live here and there are bales laying everywhere. The problem could be fixed easy if anyone talked to someone with a bit of commen sence. If we all run out and start shooting half starved animals(should taste good) then we will pay when it comes to the draw. You all know that we are falling off the scale on throphy bucks already!!!

CBR hunter

02-06-2007, 07:52 PM

Well considering that the hunt sold out on the first day I expect that you folks will be hearing quite a few rifles being fired for the next month. Hope everyone is safe up there as it seems like a small area to have 150 people looking for 4 deer each. Wow that's a lot of deer when you think of it that way....:eek

deer cull

02-08-2007, 10:17 PM

Remember when they said there were to many Hen Pheasants, so many got shot some populations never recoverd.Shooting deer especialy winter sressed pregnant Does, and for sure a fair number of antler dropped Trophy Bucks is in a word SICK.Hopefully no pictures show up here.In many highly populated areas it's the landowners not allowing hunting that causes the problem.I hope the tag holders dont tell friends there going hunting,it can at best be called culling or in my opinion a sad slaughter of a poorly managed Deer herd.

Rackmastr

02-09-2007, 11:58 PM

Buckman,
Know the facts before you spout off like an animal rights activist. The deer herd is over populated....and from what I've heard, landowners in the area are quite good at hunting permission in the regular season. Crop damage isnt the only concern with overpopulation. Man it blows my mind that there are so many guys that worry about a hunt like this. Its a shame that some big bucks will get shot, but if the population needs controlling, then thats what has to happen. Everyone seems to play 'computer biologist' though.....:\

deer cull

02-10-2007, 11:28 PM

Like I said it's my opinion,I respect yours why can't you respect mine.The Alberta Government has done a poor job of managing our wildlife resourse for years. I dont blame the Biologists, it's not their faualt that they are underfunded.If there is an overpopulation of Deer they should be culled.But don't call it hunting, call it what it is.Surely this herd could have been thinned out during the regular season, not when the Deer are pregnant and extreemly stressed. Just a short note before I close.You said I spouted off like an "animal rights activist", I am an avid hunter and belive in planned wildlife management for consumtive and non consumtive reasons.You can be sure the anties will have something to say about this "Hunt".Do I think animals have rights. As a responsible Hunter I most certainly do,if that makes me an animal rights activist thats fine with me Buck.

Rackmastr

02-11-2007, 12:13 AM

Heh...I do like the comments on Animal Rights activist....

Allright, you have your opinion...I have mine...and I guess thats fine...I do agree the hunt should have been in December....

willy

02-13-2007, 05:11 PM

What diff does it make if its in dec or feb the does are pregnant and thats good way to control population. Disease factor is higher with the concentration of deer.

02-13-2007, 08:27 PM

I agree with Buck Man, it sounds more like a slaughter to me, definately not a hunt!! Much more stress will be had on deer as they are at their weakest right now. Last think they need is to be chased around the country side by so called "meat hunters" who the heck needs 4 does???????? It is a message board and it is my opinion. Farmers always need something to complain about! Too many deer? Maybe so. Relocate them or something. They do it with elk why not deer? Lots of places I can think of with not enough deer with doe tags still being given out. Some zones are just too big! Lots of deer in one area few in another. Meat hunters-lol, time spent on hunting, gas, and what not, probably cheaper to buy a big ol side of beef!!

101sonny

02-13-2007, 08:28 PM

Too many deer? Maybe so. Relocate them or something. :lol :lol :lol :lol :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin NOW THAT IS FUNNY.Relocate them to a freezer ;) Too many is too many You sure dont talk like a Hunter:x Gee i wonder why.:rolleyes

Craftyhunter

02-13-2007, 08:45 PM

And its still a hunt. Calling it a cull is inaccurate. It doesn't matter what time of year it has been placed in. F/W waited to see the numbers after the regular season and then made a management decision. And it makes no difference if a few bucks go down, so what, this hunt is for the meat hunters anyway they don't care about horns.

And yes mistakes are made both in the past and yet in the future with wildlife management. AS long as lessons are learned why carry a torch for it.

deer cull

02-13-2007, 09:54 PM

Finally some support for my point of view. The very word "hunting" at least for me means an element of sucess or failure. As a hunter who pursues game for many more reasons than just an animal tagged, I find the word 'cull" more appropriate.The tag holders in this scenario will probably fill their quota without having to use much more time or energy than simply sqeezing the trigger.Deer herds do on occasion get high,in this instance perhaps some deer should be removed ,or is it being done just to pacify the local farmers? In my experiece most meat hunters take good care of the animals they harvest,hopefully that will be the case here.
Thank you for your comments Ethical and good "HUNTING" to you all,Buck

citysfs

02-13-2007, 11:19 PM

Greetings to you all. We are just west of doe area in NW Alta and they just opened the season in region 7 here in BC. Its a shame that the game dept here waited so long as they could have put an extension on during regular deer season. Deer are next to any haystack they can find along with herds of elk and numerous donkeys. For the farmers its far from funny and they feel helpless. Who is going to walk in crotch deep snow to do their part?? I do not think that this season will get much action in this region ...but... the other side of the coin is that we may loose bigger if any of these local deer have the CWD bug and it goes uncontrolled. I was out the other nite to look around and could shoot many with a .22 as they would not get off the road. Yotes are having a field day from what I am told.

Wish we had a processing place that would donate to food bank and then i would possibly consider going out.

Appreciate all your input

02-13-2007, 11:25 PM

Ive noticed that the deer herd up in that area in the winter. One said he saw 30 bucks in one herd, well that could be every buck from miles and miles around. I am no anti hunter, but could not bring myself to take a doe when I could take a buck. I buy a general whitetail tag every year allowing me a buck or doe. If I don't see a nice buck well I guess I starve. Same thing with people that I have gotten into hunting. Love the meat could shoot lotsa does but don't. Think if you shoot a yearling doe who could potentially have twins every year for say 6 years. That is 13 potential deer you have taken from a herd. Ive seen fawns whos moms have been shot, they are lost and an easy target for a hunter or predator. As a hunter I can hike 10-15km in a day not for the kill or the meat but just to get out. Sure its nice to get an animal but if I don't see my nice 160 class Muley I go home empty. I have been in the area, too many deer is not the case! 600 deer seems like a number far to great! Its ludacris

ethical hunter

02-13-2007, 11:35 PM

I know everyone has a point of view but man you dont want to control a over populated area dont cry to the gov why they didnt do more in a few years when cwd is full blown and deer hunting is at a min .Then tell yourself you did what you could yah :( . your a bunch of sad hypocrite's.

gunslinger

02-13-2007, 11:56 PM

i for one woudl really like to know the exact amount of supplementary tags that are filled in alberta during the hunting season, i filled two of them this year...i bet some of you might be surprised at how many does are harvested, might even be close to this doe cull.every herd needs to be managed and if it isnt then it will be out of control like it is in new york,, i have alot of clients that come from there with me every year and they all shoot like 7-8 deer a year jsut to control the doe to buck ratio...
something to think about, if we dont control the doe to buck ratio then it will every year double and pretty soon its out of control.

Duffy4

02-14-2007, 11:07 AM

"ethical hunter" got one part right. By removing a doe you are potentially removing a bunch of deer in the future. And that is a good thing in some areas and is why F&W trys to encourage hunters to take does to reduce deer numbers.

I saw a post on another board that went something like this... A fellow went up there and first day early he could not find deer at the graineries where a landowner had said they had been comming in. So he went "hunting" for them and found a bunch bedded in a ravine. Shot one doe and gutter her and dragged her to the farm. Then went off to find some buddies he knew were up to hunt some venison as well. He found them and brought them back for a little drive. Well he shot another doe on the drive and so did at least one of his friends. Then he desided to head for home but saw some deer while he was heading out so he took another doe.

Like many "meat hunters" these guys put their "trophy" in the fry pan.

Live trapping and relocating any animal is an expensive proposition. I don't think it is a good option here.

Robin in Rocky

Shedcrazy

02-14-2007, 11:41 AM

I was actually very surprised by some of the comments on this issue. I understand some of it is disappointment of large amounts of deer being harvested in your area but these deer have a good chance of a big die off or god forbid a place for CWD to develop. I have lived thru my area being part of the quote hunt and culls and no it's not great but it is part of game management which we hunters are a big part of.

Of course when you kill a doe you stop it from reproducing that is the point of an anterless season not only to harvest the do but stop it from producing more deer. That is how you reduce or control a population not by taking out surplus bucks.

As for as it not being hunting that is just helping us as a group seperate and fight. If someone wants to hunt does there and has a license they are hunting. Just because you want to shot big bucks and the next guy doesn't care he is not less of a hunter. At least these hunters are part of the wildlife management process in this province and did their part. I took several deer in our area under the quote tags this fall and at feel I did my part to help with CWD control. Do I like shooting big bucks of course but also know that deer management is based on taking out does so I took them.

I also attend game management meeting and CWD advisory meetings and at this meeting the complaints are that hunters don't have enough chances to help Fish and WIldlife in these herd reductions and here is a chancee and hunters complain. As for the timing, I assume part is due to the fact that deer are herded up this time of year and success rate can be higher and if anyone that has worked with government will know you can't add or change regualtions in a matter of days.

So good luck to all those HUNTERS out there doing their part for game management.

grandzillaa

02-14-2007, 12:07 PM

I'll take a doe for it is better to put it in my freezer and eat it, than to see it laying dead on the side of the highway and rot away or as they do on our highway remove it. I see 1 dead buck on our highway in a year and around 7-10 dead does, that why I would take the doe.

Someone said that if you take the fawn's mother then the fawn would be left to defend for its self. True... but a yote, wolf, bear or cat would go I would think after the sick or the weakest animal or smallest animal. But lets say the doe sacerficed its self in order to save the fawn's life for that moment in time, from this point on the fawn or fawns would need to defend for its self.

On a few occasions I saw does stand in the middle of the oil road broadside about 100yards away from me and stood there until their fawns passed by. These does meant nothing to me as I was after a buck.

There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of does.

does

02-14-2007, 02:31 PM

(By removing a doe you are potentially removing a bunch of deer in the future. )You can have it both ways something has to be done.

(There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of does. )i will vote for that grandzillaa .I would and do take does better meat when they just stand there and not run Amen .

M70

02-14-2007, 10:59 PM

"Ethical hunter" asked who really needs 4 does anyway? My response to that ......The amount of meat from four does would equal how many moose? or elk?

In some places in the states, hunters have actually been required to shoot a doe before they have been allowed to take their buck because the number of animals had exceeded carrying capacity. I put my faith in the fact that SRD has derived quotas based on science. Perhaps they have been wrong in isolated situations in the past but how could we confidently use any one's anecdotal experience over the work done by professional biologists? I suppose there may be some who have a difficult time hunting does (Bambi's mommy) but I wouldn't be one of them.

P.S.
Can someone tell me how long ago we were allowed to shoot hen pheasants? (Buckman's quote)

Jamie Hunt

02-14-2007, 11:10 PM

WOW did I hit Bizaro world or what??
Nationwide and myself actually aggree on something....

Sometimes what we do for fun comes with responsibility. This just happens to be one of those times. Good for the guys that got out there and did what needed to be done.

Jamie

Dewie

02-15-2007, 12:11 AM

I am sorry Iam not for this type of "HUNTING" but I also support my Alberta F&W. I just hope that they never over judged on there tags. I also know that half of these so called "meat hunters" are in it just to shoot things like a gopher rabbit, lots of guy shot 6-9 deer in the cwd zones just to shoot 3 bucks. That fine but the question is what are you doing with all the meat...... ITS GETTING WASTED!

Sorry Avid hunter, touchy subject.

doe cull(hunt)HenPhe

02-15-2007, 12:55 AM

I give up go ahead and shoot the Doe's,it's just not to my taste. My personal choice is more for the challenge of the hunt and not just the killing, or meat for the freezer.CWD as many of you know came into Alberta from infected domesticated game farm animals,it was not present prior to then.It would appear we have to clean up the mess caused by our governments lack of good judgement,however as far as I am aware that is not the reason for this cull. In regard to the Hen Pheasants it was in the early to mid eighties that an open season was declared, a huge number of wild biirds were shot and the season was closed.Most hunters I know say that many areas have never been the same.
Deer numbers are high in some areas, and of course low in others. As has been stated it is up to us to help control or conserve as the case may be so I will say know more about it. I only intended to give my point of view and not cause a rift between fellow hunters. My appologies to any one I may have offended.
Buck

M70

02-15-2007, 09:20 AM

Buckman no need to apologize. I'm not offended. I come to this forum to learn and throw my own opinion into the ring as you have.

I suppose it is the notion of challenge that exists for each individual hunter that keeps alot of us in this lifestyle. (I was going to say past time but I'm not sure if that word describes fully what we do.) I know for myself that after a few times of stumbling onto animals with little need for skill and a whole lot of luck, tends to get boring.

The notion of challenge is subjective though.
Why do some hunters want to use muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows, old calibres? ... Challenge. Why would alot of us rather walk a 5 section coulee instead of using a quad or truck? ........ Challenge. Why try something new even when pursuing the same old same old?.... Challenge. Granted a hunt for does may not be all that challenging but for a new hunter or a young hunter.....Challenge. For hunters that may not have been that successful during November.....meat.

Buckman, I don't necessarily share your views but I wouldn't hesitate to go hunting with you. You've got strong convictions.

gunslinger

02-15-2007, 09:44 AM

yup you bet fellas some very interesteing views here on this subject,,coincidentally i was reading the local newpaper up here in dawson creek at my rig yesterday and lone and behold what do i come across but a cull of mule deer does up here..it says---
attention hunters---lets help our local farmers by harvesting our over abundance of doe deer in this area.

meat shops are offering special prices for the hunters that bring in the meat to be made into sausage and hamburger.

guess were not the only ones having trouble with too many does in our area...
feb1-mar15/07 bag limit 2 mule doe deer

Fairview hunt

02-15-2007, 10:00 AM

The simple facts are clear. The landowners are ****ed. They want something done. So either we shoot-slaughter-cull-or-fill-in-the-verb-of-your-choice the flat heads. Or some guy in a uniform gets the job. Except he has to pop a hundred in a day. Hey, it's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
When this happened down south a couple years back, the boys got upset because F&W did it hush-hush and only let the locals in on the deal. So this time around they press-released it.
AFGA has been pushing for years that if there's a cull then let hunters do it. Which is how it should be.
That's why there's a CWD harvest. Except that got all screwed up because they over loaded the red tape.
No it's not perfect and the timing sucks because some trophy bucks are going to get popped without their head gear on.
But the alternative is far worse. So get over it.

goldscud

02-15-2007, 04:23 PM

Every time I hear this hunt, that happened over 30 years ago, is the reason for low pheasant numbers (outside the irrigation areas and a few river bottoms), it makes me mad. Could it be that since every tree/brush/shrub along field edges has been plowed under and every low spot in southern Alberta has been over-grazed by range maggots (cows) to look like the moon that pheasants have no place to over-winter? Perhaps habitat destruction could be a factor rather than a hen shoot from the 1970's. Where there is cover (irrigation areas/river bottoms) there is lots of pheasants. Populations can rebound if they have somewhere appropriate to survive. Sorry for the rant.

jrs

02-15-2007, 05:57 PM

"Perhaps habitat destruction could be a factor rather than a hen shoot from the 1970's."

True and confirmed. Every time an old leaky canal is repaired in southern Alberta more pheasant habitat is lost, every time a farmer gets a bigger more powerful plow a little is lost. Look at air photos from the 1960's and prior, there was always cover along fields and in rocky corners. Not so much anymore.

And if a cull was announced close to where i live, i'd be on it. We put four does in the freezer this year and so did every one else i hunt with. Theres still over-population problems. I thought the tag numbers were crazy before the season started but believe it or not the biologists know what there doing. Definetly helped.

Dewie

02-15-2007, 07:44 PM

who is doing all the plowing and removing the cover for the pheasants..... THE FARMERS. the same group of people that re complaining about the deer. So look at the legend what ever way you take it, it goes back to the farmers. Now before you go off on me for what I just said, my family are farmers but they believe that mother nature takes care of it self.

I am reminded of a time elk hunting crown land in the 400 and some ranchers came up to us because grizzly bears were killing there cattle and they wanted them dead.... and were going to great lengths to shoot them. and as most as you know that the grizzly population in the souh is in danger.

jrs

02-15-2007, 08:10 PM

"I am reminded of a time elk hunting crown land in the 400 and some ranchers came up to us because grizzly bears were killing there cattle and they wanted them dead.... and were going to great lengths to shoot them. and as most as you know that the grizzly population in the souh is in danger."

A friend of mine shot a grizzly off a guys front deck down their. They used to go to great lengths to findall the guys with tags. They do the same thing for elk now except first nations get most of the calls (don't come out of park in great numbers till March most years). There is still a lot of grizz down there, go around asking for black bear permission and they just offer you grizzlies (or ask if you know anyone with a tag, don't know how many times i've explained theres no more tags being issued).

Dewie

02-15-2007, 08:58 PM

Good point but i the ranchers keep shootin themthen there will never be tags. dont get me wrong I am no animal rights guy but I also take great respect fr the animals that I harvest. but the point of the story is that thats the grizzlies home and they do what they do to survive, the ranchers brought the cattle to there home. If you don't like it don't lease the land. Is that simple

jrs

02-15-2007, 09:50 PM

If the ranchers are shooting them its poaching, they can't shoot grizzlies. They can remove all the black bears they want but not grizzlies. Most of the grizzlies i heard of causing issues were closer to Pincher than the forestry though, private not leased land. I don't want to see a species wiped out. I feel my opinion of wanting tags given out is legitimate, i spend lots of time down there and there are not many areas at a single time with no grizzlies, pretty dense population it seems compared to other places i'v been. Lots of them around, maybe one or two more than the area should have with the amount of people using it all summer. Its only a matter of time before someone gets chomped on. I'd rather see parts of the area protected to keep the sheep herds from being wiped out, the grizzlies seem to be doing better in the area.

Northern Hunting Mom

02-15-2007, 10:18 PM

Having an area with serious deer over-population will adversely affect the amount of trophy bucks you can get out of the area. There is just not enough feed for all. If a buck does not get the high-protein feed he needs to grow a decent set of antlers, they will not grow, no matter the genes. If that buck is too stressed and starved from a hard winter, those antlers will not magically appear.

Managing a deer herd for trophies means you have to keep the population under control relative to what feed is available. I also don't think farmers should go bankrupt to unnaturally keep the deer numbers high. Having trophy bucks means keeping the deer herd healthy and that means proper pop. control.

I like to think disagreement between hunters is okay but do not degrade or belittle a hunter for doing what is ethical and legal. There is enough of a fight with the anti-s to keep us preoccupied.

surplus doe tags

02-16-2007, 04:52 AM

Lookie here fellers, the white tail ruin our winter feed for our cattle by crapping in it ,cattle won't go near it. mulie's don't do that. so all you bleeding heart liberal,pet loving, plastic shoe wearing, purse carrying citizens out there.the biologist's that work for our government know there stuff and as such recommend this hunt....now we have here a couple, of "arm chair Bio's " that don't know their azz from their elbow telling us this hunt is wrong. get a life or head back to your local hospital and get a tune up ( E.C.T. ) cause you surley need it.
farmer in alberta

grandzillaa

02-16-2007, 08:27 AM

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>lots of guys shot 6-9 deer in the cwd zones just to shoot 3 bucks. That's fine but the question is what are you doing with all the meat....ITS GETTING WASTED!<hr></blockquote> Don't be so hasty my friend in judging all of those cwd deer hunters. 1st off if the deer is infested with cwd its life is already wasted and the fact that there are now a few more cases shows that it is spreading. 2ndly there are a few of us out there who are not "Big buck hunters" and even some of us would take and be happy with does. As for 6-9 deer taking out of the cwd area, well there are a number of hunters and some on this board give the meat to the food bank (1st it is inspected) then given to the food bank. You say ITS GETTING WASTED...and maybe there are some who won't eat WT deer meat, those I hope use the food bank or share with friends and relatives. The fellows I hunt with share with friends and relatives. I personally harvest 5 deer in 2005 and shared the bounty with many friends and it was all eatin. The 3 WT deer I harvest this year is half eatin already. 3rdy some hunters on this board have this motto..."I kill what I eat, and I eat what I kill" or something close to that.

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>I also know that half of these so called" meat hunters" are in it just to shoot things like a gopher or a rabbit<hr></blockquote>I am not sure how you know that 1/2 of the cwd deer hunters are out there just to kill deer like you would gophers and rabbits....how do you know that? There may be some out their that would do that sort of thing, I can only hope there isn't. I hope and trust know one on this board would do such a thing.

Nonetheless if anyone out there has a better solution on how to control the spreading of cwd bring it on. If anyone invented a cure bring it on, otherwise the hunter is doing as the law requires. At the moment they need the hunters help to control the spreading of cwd. Somewhere down the line a cure may be found.

Craftyhunter

02-16-2007, 06:11 PM

Sorry bub you are wrong,
I was one of those CWD hunters, and I had supplemental tags as well. In all I took 6 deer last season and was given one quarter of a moose. Currently 2 1/2 months after the season I have proccessed almost half and went thru 1/4 of the meat. With only heads, hides and bottom legs being thrown away. Myself, friends, family and the pups have been enjoying every scrap. And I'll still be purchasing a 1/4 of beef in the fall. And I know several other hunters on this board that eat everything they take. If I wasn't working my tail off I would be heading north for somemore.

Dewie

02-16-2007, 07:09 PM

I sorry ! I didn't point anyone out did I now we can fight about this all day, and I am almost positive that everyone on this board is ethical. So if you don't think that there is any meat being wasted thats fine.

As far as the "farmer" goes. Thats good that you think that about a discussion that we are having here. But maybe your not old enough to be in here. Cutting people down like your 10 years old. Its people like you that give farmers a bad name (always crying about something) listen to ours views. The government didn't cut farmers views down like that did they......

fat cat

02-25-2007, 12:36 AM

OK: Heard it all and promised myself I would not reply, but.. The true story I just heard, put me over the edge. It seems a crew of edmonton boys came up here "hunting" and got a pile of deer out of a "farmers" barn. As it goes the HUNTERS ask a local land owner in Cleardale if they could hunt on his land. He told them he had lots of deer hanging around a old barnsite go a head. The boys drove to the site and there was a herd of deer living(trying to survive) in the barn. they stuck the guns in and started shooting. God only knows how many they killed. This is not management! this is not hunting! this is totaly Peta material! I challenge anyone of you..F&G. Farmer. Old women what everthename to debate me and justify the slaughter of these animals, while they are starving. I hunt and will always hunt, but this is pure bull****!!!

Saskabush

02-25-2007, 12:49 AM

Fat Cat,

Do you have proof the deer were starving? I was there the first weekend of the hunt and shot two mature does and helped gut two others. All were fat healthy animals. Both of my deer had plenty of rump fat, kidney fat and nice fatty marrow. Those are all signs of healthy animals. Those deer are eating well. That is the whole reason the hunt exists. The deer are eating all the hay in an area where summer drought resulted in a poor hay crop. Deep snow in the fields means the deer move to the next best food source, bales and bins. There are plenty of areas having hard winters this year. However, this is the only quota hunt taking place. Why? because the farmers are desperate for help.
You can debate the political pros and cons to the quota hunt all you want, just don't assume that the animals are all starving and too weak to move.

Before somebody corrects me on it, I should clarify. Some deer will die of starvation. This year more will die than in other years. But many will survive and do just fine.

Faststeel

02-25-2007, 12:57 AM

I do know of one case in the CWD zone where a hunter was caught by the fish cops dumping a dead doe in the ditch then heading back to town to get the supplementary buck tag.
Its quite likely he will be dealt with to the letter of the law.FS

Craftyhunter

02-25-2007, 12:58 AM

Funny thing about second hand "true stories" if they sound like BS, they usually are. There are lots of abandoned barns in the area I hunt and have never seen tracks inside let alone a whole herd wintering like cattle.

Faststeel

02-25-2007, 01:50 AM

Fat cat,what now you want to debate the degree of difficulty?
This is not the olympics. If there is an over abundence and clearly in some parts of the province there is, as long as individuals aren't breaking any laws who care how easy it is to harvest them? FS

grandzillaa

02-25-2007, 06:15 AM

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Do you have proof the deer were starving?<hr></blockquote> I second the question. It may be true that some will die of winter's harse ways but that is how it works in nature. Yesterday afternoon I drove around the Pigeon lake area looking for land that was for sale, and I came across two herds of deer. The one herd was on this farm land walking up the drive way (across from Zeiner P.P.) to join the ones that were already there feasting their little hearts out on some hay that was about 60yards from the house. These deer had know problems dying do to winter kill off, nor will these deer die of gun shots that you can count on. Unless they wonder for several miles, but hey why would they want to do that since they got it so good.

Now the other herd was in a bushy area on a oil well road and they to were in great shape including the fawns that were born last May/June. The does may have a couple of more fawns this spring, so it will equal out. Animals know how to survive natures harse ways ,the strong will make it through this winter and as I said many more will be born this spring.

lilsundance

02-25-2007, 12:23 PM

I have read post's that say the F&W should have extended the regular season so it would be more of a challenge etc. Did anyone stop to consider that they choose this time, when the animals are herded, to make sure that they get the kind of success they are after and have the numbers reduced by what was needed? Ya for some of you it might seem like a barrell shoot but the numbers needed to be reduced by a certain amount. They just choose a time frame that would greatly increase the odds of getting the kind of success that was required to help manage the herds.

Ironic

02-26-2007, 05:20 PM

I find it very ironic that it's the farmers who are ****in and moanin about how they are losing their crops to over populations. Yet so many farmers do not let hunters on their private land during legal hunting seasons, now they want our help. There are too many does in every zone and F&W should be looking at mandatory doe tags if you want a buck tag, shoot a doe and you get a buck tag. Too many does equals less and smaller bucks.

jrs

02-26-2007, 06:28 PM

I wouldn't say theres too many does everywhere. I've been in a few zones where there giving out 2 doe tags of each species per person and we'll see 5 bucks for every doe. The buck tags extremely easy to fill for meat hunters who aren't picky. A friend of mine hunted 112 this year and did not see a single doe on land he was allowed to hunt, lots of bucks though. (MULIES)

Deer Slaughter

02-28-2007, 02:31 PM

I agree wholeheartedly with Buckman. Especially about the sorry way our game managers are handling things! Good for you Buckman.

Saskabush

02-28-2007, 10:40 PM

For those who suggest that the normal draw season should have been extended or that this cull wasn't needed and shooting does is evil, here is some draw info for wmu 526 that might put things in perspective regarding the mule deer population in this area:

Antlerless mule deer licences available for WMU 526in 2006: 900 X 4 tags per draw = 3600tags available for one WMU!!!!

Undersubscribed licences available Sept 1: 341 (x4) = 1364 tags available after the draws!!

licences left Dec 20: 30 (x4)= 120tags

Also note that several other zones adjacent to 526 have 4 month multiple tag antlerless mulie seasons. Check the draw stats if you don't believe me.

If F&W can't even sell all the tags in a zone that has a four month season (sept 17-dec 20) and four tags per licence, why should we think extending the season would help? Also consider that Bear Canyon is a relatively out of the way part of that zone. Why would a person from Peace River, Fairview, or anywhere else drive 1 1/2 to 2 hours out of the way to shoot does when there is hundreds of them out our front door?

You can't force hunters to fill tags. The tags for that zone are readily available to anyone who wants them. For anybody that thinks 4 tags is too many, don't worry, there were still lots of deer left after the season (this is at least the second 3+ tag season in a row).

Ironically, with the hard winter we've had up here this may not be an issue next year.

grandzillaa

03-01-2007, 02:03 AM

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Why would a person from Peace River, Fair view, or anywhere else drive 11/2-2 hours out of the way to shoot does when there are 100s of them out in our front yards?<hr></blockquote>If I lived up there and I wasn't able to hunt in the fall of 2006, and I had the time to hunt now, then I would. Some did not have the time to hunt this pasted fall, so here's thier chance. This is just one way to look at it.

Saskabush

03-01-2007, 10:22 AM

grandzilla,

You are 100% correct. There just wasn't enough interest to fill that necessary tags during the regular season. By the time the problem became clear and the cull was organized it's february (people need to keep in mind that the doe season doesn't end until Dec 20). By adding the quota hunt in Feb, it allows hunters who were unsuccessful in the normal season to fill the freezer.

I'll use myself as an example, I didn't fill my cow elk or calf moose tag. With lots of room in the freezer I headed out and put two nice tasty does on ice. It's not the "thrill of the chase" type of hunt. It's go out and shoot some deer for the freezer as quickly, humanely (and safely) as possible.

As a side note, only four(4) licences were sold in Peace River.