Cooperatives do work great. I certainly promote them. Problem is once the neighbors who aren’t interested in joining a cooperative figure out what’s going on they start slaughtering bucks even more. I’ve heard them say it. “Dang right I’m going to kill every buck I can on my 40 cause those others guys have more land to hunt than I do and this is all I got.”🤦🏼‍♂️😂 They don’t realize they’re shooting themselves in the foot.

Controlling what other people do is a pretty big uphill battle. Not really different than anything else, replace "deer hunting" with say "people who don't know how to drive" or even "People who get in front of you in line at a grocery store that [apparently] do not know how to use screens, cards, or cash, and take fraking forever"

You can't control how people shoot deer any better than you can control how people vote. That is why I hate it when suggestions get thrown around about what to make illegal. The only people it affects are those of us who bother to follow the rules.

One of the slides from that presentation was a page out of the old style plat book. I think the imaginary deer home range I had drawn in included 12-14 landowners. One of the questions I got was, "Have you ever tried to buy heir property?"

Knowing the implication of that comment, I think I pivoted to "It will work in some situations, but certainly not all of them."

You are correct Matt. I have killed 4 bucks off my 40 acres in 18 years, my wife 1 my daughter 3 and son 3. Of those bucks 5 of them were 4plus 3 were 3 yr olds and the others were my son and daughters first two bucks. Until 3 years ago we had 3-4 bucks on property through the year that were 3 plus every year and 5-10 2 yr olds come through every year and the majority of both age classes lived through season. 3 years ago I killed my biggest off the property and neighbors killed the majority of the 3 yr olds and a bunch of does. Last year we had 3 3yr olds on camera and 1 4 yr old all 3 yr olds and several 2 yr olds were killed. This year I only had pics of one 4yr old a few nights and 1 possibly 2 3 yr olds and 5-7 2 yr olds. I let my daughter kill the 3yr old we had and we have one 1.5 yr old broke off 4 and a few spikes left. I may let my kids have at it next year and let them kill anything they want. I give up trying to get to any age on a buck.

I know exactly how you feel because I've been in the same boat as you for years. Last year I finally decided that if I can't beat them, I was going to join them. If it's 3 years old I'm shooting it. If it's younger than that, I don't care if anyone else who's with me shoots it. In fact, I'm getting some friends together this weekend and it looks like we are going to take out as many does as we can because there are way too many.

It's actually been fun again since I let go of the crazy idea that I could manage 80 acres when I can't manage my neighbors. That's an impossible pipe dream and it only took the fun out of it.

For example, my son called me at work yesterday and asked me if he could shoot this little guy. I wasn't under the impression it was a call, but like I said... who cares ? He hasn't shot one in years and wanted to, and for years I wouldn't let him. Now... SHOOT IT ! He had fun and we got plenty.

And his left side was broke off at the skull due to fighting and he was injured pretty bad. Win / win.

I don't rifle hunt. and have not hunted my property in 6 yrs last deer in killed here was a 150 inch 10 point 6 yrs ago I finally got one to maturity and hunted him 5 days and killed him. I don't care anything about killing a deer I just want to kill a big deer.i have a lease in Illinois and always have nice bucks to hunt up there and that's where I spend my time. I only kill one doe early season for jerkey then I hunt for a mature buck. it would be nice to hunt my land in bama but if I don't have a buck that fires me up I don't hunt. believe me I have control. if these neibors of mine down here could sit in a tree with me on my place in illinois and see what I let walk every year with a bow it would blow thier mind. like mbrock said these guys down here think if it exist it HAS to die. my area here in bama has potential and the genetics to grow big deer but the facebook generation is the one with no control.

Now that is managing hunter expectations and I'm glad you are having fun again.

When I bought my property, I didn't ask the neighbors how they hunted or managed the herd. I found the property that I could afford in a decent area that should have provided some fun family hunting. It has met my expectations, and in many ways, exceeded them... just not in trophy deer production. And I'm good with it.

I hunt a 400 acre working cattle ranch in North Alabama. I have hunted it now for almost 18 years and have never taken a deer off the place. I have seen bucks and does on the place every year and based on the population in the surrounding area, I decided to not shoot any does early on. Like my place in SE Alabama, I was letting all 3.5 y/o bucks walk but will not do that going forward. Several factors have changed the game in the last few years. (1) adjoining land - tracts of land range from 10 acres to 40 and when you walk the property line, you can see feeder after feeder within 25 yards of the line. (2) Houses - Unfortunately, folks keeping building houses closer and closer to our property. You can see feeders in the back of multiple houses and will occasionally hear a single, high powered rifle shot from one of the houses. (3) deer population/season - If everyone one of the adjoining land owners and some of the home owners shoot one or two deer a year, you have zero chance of gaining in population or letting deer survive. Season in that area is too long. (4) ranch hands - on the property every day and even though they are forbidden from hunting, my guess is if they see a buck of any size, down it goes.

Sad part about it is, this area has excellent genetics and the deer that somehow survive and are killed in the area produce high quality antlers. With so many uncontrollable factors, I will never be able to have this property reach its potential and have now decided to lower my standards by using corn feeders and will now shoot any decent sized 3.5 y/o buck. I hate, but that's just the way it is.

In SE Alabama, I hunt a 2,000 acre, 40+ year old club with minimal pressure, decent neighbors and members who practice trigger restraint. Completely different set of challenges on that property, but even with the right factors, there are not 140 inch deer behind every tree. Hunting and managing for quality deer in Alabama ain't easy, regardless of the circumstances.

Welll , best thing to do is try to enjoy and have fun with what you have .

Frankie - You're right. Used to piss me off but now I just enjoy being out there. Time is my limiting factor and just enjoy when I can get away for a few hours.

It's a tough expensive chore to get one to 5 years old now days. Best 2 yr old got his leg blown off by a neighbor, got 1200 acres with 1 shooter on it after not shooting a buck off it last yr. Got about 3 3-4 yr olds left currently but none of them may make it through the forever long season to be shooters next yr. Feeding about 2500lbs of corn a week to try and keep them around. Getting tough to justify the price!

I have a 100 acres I'm the only one hunts. It's part of a club, but the tract is separate and I get it to myself out of courtesy because I don't hunt the larger tracts at all. There are three clubs adjoining.

The property line sounds like a rifle range every Saturday of the season. This year I walked the two biggest bucks that use it; one twice. Both just barely met the club trophy rules but were not undoubtedly well over. I took pics with my potato phone and wished them luck. No big deal.

The deer I was trying to kill is a specific old doe. She's as sharp as they come; travels the land like a fish swimming up a river of scent. I had the rifle in my hand waiting for the shot to get right when the wind swirled on me. I am aggravated over that.

I have hunted deer in a few different states. The deer have been different subspecies varying by state and area within states. Some of them just don't get big antlers. I've got a fairly small 8pt rack on my wall that was actually a pretty good one for what and where it was. The water I waded with gators sliding off in the dark and time spent to get that one made the trophy. Antlers by themselves just don't matter.

That's a big old fatty.

The motto of most Alabama deer hunters is "if I don't shoot it someone else will"

Wish I had a dime for every time I've heard that BS.