I honestly don't believe the tags or restrictions are the problem. It's the fact that if something happens it will be a CHANGE. The change is the problem in my opinion. I've never heard anyone complain about all the states that have a tag or restriction system. Never heard anyone say " no way in hell I would hunt in the Midwest with that dang tag system they have". The truth is; Alabama's deer regs have been so liberal for so long, it's hard to think about it being any different. Outlaws will be outlaws but I don't think everyone is going to run around getting tags for other people and then using them. When I lived in Indiana 25 years ago they had tags. I never heard one complaint about it and never heard of a situation of someone getting there grandma a tag and using it. I'm sure that stuff happened but it's not like it was a big problem. I've hunted in 5 other states, all of which required tags and had more restrictions. I never thought twice about just buying the tags and hunting. I also saw more deer and better deer on average than I do while hunting here.
Fact is; folks just aren't too fond of change and many people will not impose change upon themselves. It does not mean those people are all outlaws and many of them may follow the new rules. I'm also not saying I want more regs but it does seem through all the comments on here during deer season that maybe something needs to happen. So many were commenting about seeing less deer and the people looking for clubs seem to be pretty high. Seems a lot of people aren't happy with their hunting the way it is but don't want the CHANGE that it may take to get it. They want to join the club that has more deer and better deer and leave things like they are. Chances are those clubs that have more and better have already made these restrictions on themselves and that's why they are better.
I usually don't comment much on these things but it seems a lot of folks are throwing everyone in the same pot of "it won't work because people are outlaws and the state don't have enough GWs" . Or the crowd that "doesnt want the govt making more decisions". I could agree with that crowd a little more but it seems sometimes that people are so resistant to change that even when it's needed it's hard for a group as a whole to make it without someone setting some rules for them.
In the end I am blessed to get to hunt and enjoy the outdoors. I do not want to have to jump through so many hoops to get to do it but I am willing to see if something else can work better than what we have. I don't have the answer to that but I am willing to listen and try something.