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07-22-2014, 02:32 PM
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: SE Alberta
Posts: 620
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat
I've never tried to eat antlers but I've been told they are pretty tough!
Cat
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X2
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07-22-2014, 03:24 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,902
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Would like to see no supp tags in AB
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07-22-2014, 06:02 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,526
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper
Would like to see no supp tags in AB
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I don't see the point of cutting out supplimental tags if the carrying capacity is getting over run with does.
Too lopsided a ratio of too many does to bucks is no better than too many bucks for the does available .
Ccat
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07-23-2014, 05:54 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cold Lake, Alta.
Posts: 197
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I'm in 514 and two winters ago the deer got it pretty hard. Glad to see this. I didn't even shoot a deer last fall. Past up some small ones. Seeing more deer now than we did last May and June.
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07-24-2014, 10:57 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: sick and tired of bs
Posts: 141
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503
I live in 503 and have 2 parcels of land 160+80 about 10 miles apart, mixed on the 160 bush on the 80 and I have seen more than 300 deer on some of the fields here at the same time. many of my nieghbors want me to shoot more does than bucks, it is more about the policing of hunters than the number of animals. kind of like the walleye in lac la biche
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09-11-2014, 09:10 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Drayton Valley, AB
Posts: 699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner
In the 500 zone(516) I have hunted in for years now, I have hunted pre supplemental times to now and imo, once supplemental tags came out, the numbers of deer have tanked. I used to see lots of does with 2 fawns and a wide range of young bucks up to some nice ones for that area. It was not uncommon for me to pass on a lot of 2 to 3 point meat bucks waiting for a chance at one of the bigger bucks, if that didn't happen i could always close a tag during the last week on a meat buck. That hasn't happened for a few years now. Now you go all season and only see a few bucks, even the trails, tracks and scrapes you used to see are minimal. Not a biologist but it was better when you could shoot either or on a general tag only. Dad went after either a meat buck or a doe without fawns and I chased bucks. At best 2 deer got harvested. Once the supplemental draw came out, lots of trucks had 2 or more does in them or hanging in camps and then a buck or two. The does took a big hit for a few years and now it shows in the herd numbers. The deer numbers were already going down before the last few bad winters up there. Add in some more wolves which didn't help either. I haven't checked the new regs yet but wouldn't be sad if this zone didn't have supplemental draws anymore.
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I agree 100% on the supplemental tags and would like to see them go away. I hunt the same area and the deer numbers have tanked. Pre supplemental tags we could see 30+ deer a day and more than half would be bucks. Each yr of the supplemental tags the numbers cut in half. 3-4 years after the supplemental tags came into effect, in those same zones a good day was 5-6 deer total. Now a good day is 2 deer! The last couple years deep snow have done a number on the deer in the 509, 510, 516 zones. Last year in 4 days of hunting my hunting partner and I saw only 6 deer total between us.
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09-11-2014, 09:37 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,619
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper
Would like to see no supp tags in AB
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How about this idea.General Whitetail tag good for either Buck or Doe in every wmu, but only one animal,your choice.
This would please both the meat hunters and the trophy hunters.
Its time that we realize that big game hunting is not about feeding your family venison for the whole year,rather its about enjoying the spirit of the hunt.
If you want more meat challenge yourself, and hunt for Bull Elk in a general zone.They fill the freezer very fast
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09-11-2014, 09:53 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,526
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckman
How about this idea.General Whitetail tag good for either Buck or Doe in every wmu, but only one animal,your choice.
This would please both the meat hunters and the trophy hunters.
Its time that we realize that big game hunting is not about feeding your family venison for the whole year,rather its about enjoying the spirit of the hunt.
If you want more meat challenge yourself, and hunt for Bull Elk in a general zone.They fill the freezer very fast
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It wasn't too many years ago that we only got one tag in the 500's, and IIRC does were only open after the end of October.
I don't think anybody mentioned that hunting was more about filling the freezer than enjoying the spirit of the hunt, just because I prefer to kill does doesn't mean I don't enjoy hunting
Cat
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09-11-2014, 11:51 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,619
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat
It wasn't too many years ago that we only got one tag in the 500's, and IIRC does were only open after the end of October.
I don't think anybody mentioned that hunting was more about filling the freezer than enjoying the spirit of the hunt, just because I prefer to kill does doesn't mean I don't enjoy hunting
Cat
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I just feel that Doe tags have become a way for SOME NOT ALL hunters to fill the freezer.I for one am pleased with the reduction.I enjoy eating the game I harvest as much as anyone,however its never been my main motivation for hunting.
On one of the leases I hunt a couple of hunters told me they only hunt there for Does.
They hunt there own property strictly for trophy Bucks.
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09-11-2014, 12:02 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,526
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckman
I just feel that Doe tags have become a way for SOME NOT ALL hunters to fill the freezer.I for one am pleased with the reduction.I enjoy eating the game I harvest as much as anyone,however its never been my main motivation for hunting.
On one of the leases I hunt a couple of hunters told me they only hunt there for Does.
They hunt there own property strictly for trophy Bucks.
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Some of the private land I hunt on I am told I can't shoot bucks, on some I'm told I can't shoot does- I have no problem with either rule that landowner wants to impose, it's his dirt.
On crown land i drop whatever I see that I have a tag to for.
I've killed lots of big bucks and bull moose over the years, heck my rattling antlers are 150's but ,most times I use the antlers for stuff that I can make with them, I don't hang them on the wall and I don't target big deer. but if a large racked deer is next to a doe the doe is getting plugged.
I really think that we often get the wrong idea of just why tags are issued, and it has little to do with hunting opportunities and certainly has nothing to do with the thought given that the idea is to get a deer with antlers.
if the tags in a certain area are dropped it's more likely to do with the carrying capacity than anything.
Up here there traditionally were very few white tail until recent times when the O&G industry really took off.
Now we have an overabundance of white tails and fewer mule deer.
If they quit issuing doe tags in the high 500's it won't bother me one way or another.
Cat
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09-11-2014, 01:50 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Fort Sask, AB
Posts: 4,910
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I've already bought my 2 supp tags. Our land and cabin is in WMU 360.
I took one doe last year along with my general buck.
I'll make the decision in Oct or Nov whether to take a doe or not, based on the #'s I see.
TBark
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09-11-2014, 07:57 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,619
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBark
I've already bought my 2 supp tags. Our land and cabin is in WMU 360.
I took one doe last year along with my general buck.
I'll make the decision in Oct or Nov whether to take a doe or not, based on the #'s I see.
TBark
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I wish more hunters felt the same way, and acted as you did. We have to conserve as well as harvest.
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09-11-2014, 09:15 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cold Lake
Posts: 1,722
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Quote:
Originally Posted by falco
I'm in 514 and two winters ago the deer got it pretty hard. Glad to see this. I didn't even shoot a deer last fall. Past up some small ones. Seeing more deer now than we did last May and June.
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I disagree....I hunt 514 and I have seen tons of deer over the last three year.
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09-12-2014, 07:38 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lloydminster
Posts: 1,539
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hogie135
I disagree....I hunt 514 and I have seen tons of deer over the last three year.
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Ive hunted 514 for 12 years. The deer population has taken a real beating up there and could use a break.
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09-12-2014, 09:04 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,685
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In the 2 areas I hunt, there apear to be no shortage of WT's.
In one area, I likely will not be taking a doe, as it seems to me like there is an unusually high number of spotted fawns, that will still need moms help to make it through...so IN this area I'll focus on something with antlers.
I have no idea how to score on the fly, so my rule here will be...if it's a buck, it's in the truck. And de-boned and in the freezer within hours. TThe antlers, no matter the size will go to the pup, he loves them.
The other area, is again thick with WT's, so this is where my supp tags will be used...not seeing any fawns as young as I mentioned in the other area on my cams in this area, so I'll be looking for mature does, without the young ones in tow. That having been said, I wonder if it's because the wolves take down more fawns in this area, while in the other, there are no wolves? Just a thought.
On the subject of supp tags, I can't remember the last time I filled all 3...I just don't have the freezer space, so I usually go with 1 and 1. But...last year I bow hunted exclusively...so I ended up with none and none, lol.
I hunt for meat for sure, a nice rack is a great adreniline rush once in a while, but it in no way defines me as a hunter.
As a wise man one typed "you can't eat horns...theyre too tough".
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