Oddly enough, I actually attended the CAB meetings and supported the current buck limits. And, I believe in 'intelligent' antlerless harvest.
BUT, I also see what the propaganda has caused and the attitude of the hunters in my area. Heck. we have folks from all over coming in to help 'manage' our does and so-called cull bucks. Then, they jump to the next club/lease and 'manage' those, too!!!
Cull bucks really irks me....
I agree at times it was mis-guided by many, myself included. At the same time the sky is falling there are no deer in Alabama is just as bad. Slow down and make sure of what is going on.
I mention the 5,000 acre lease cause that is the place I actually learned about deer and their habits because of the buck restrictions. I basically lived there for 10 years, ask my wife. I consumed everything related to deer management and the one thing that holds true, hunter management is the hardest thing to overcome. The sad thing is that hunters will never agree.
As Westervelt spoke about, once clubs have more than 10 members the troubles begin. They were at the CAB along with QDMA and State biologist, etc....meeting for antler restrictions on WMAs and or Counties.
Where I hunt and roam now I don't see what is happening elsewhere. From what I gather there is truly some concern in certain areas. The only reason I posted on this thread is sometimes there are other reasons the deer are no longer in a certain area. That factor is often overlooked.
Several places I've watched the past years seem to have lost the deer in that particular area. Every one of those places has to do with habitat change.
The area at 247 and Hwy 72, those deer had to move cause of the pit taking out their bedding area. They still come to feed but rarely will you see them there during daylight now. Their bedding area has moved at least a 1/2 mile away. That will once again change in a year or so as a fill site is taking over that habitat. I bet there are guys on here that are used to seeing those deer. There usually is a really good buck hanging out with the other deer.
In another area that one should slow down anytime thru there, I haven't seen a single deer this year. The big change was how much timber was taken out on both sides of the road. There is still a strip of pines, just past the pines is a lunar moonscape for miles. I imagine the deer will return in year or so when habitat is better suited. About a mile down the road, deer crossings have increased.
I could mention more but that covers the gist of it of my point.
