What whitetail regulations would you have the DNR change if you could?

[baboon00]

1. Move the gun season to start the 3rd weekend in Nov.

2. Start bow season the beginning of Sep.

[Stump]

I like baboon's idea, so I'll add that to mine.


->First Sat in Sept archery opener
->Add scopes to muzzleloaders and change the muzzleloader season to 9 days
->In zone 3, bump all seasons back 2 weeks
->New trespassing laws that include at min doubling the current fines, close loopholes and with the chance of losing hunting privileges
->With the correct terminology and with dogs leashed at all times in the woods, allow dogs to track wounded deer

[hntrtravis]

With the correct terminology and with dogs leashed at all times in the woods, allow dogs to track wounded deer

Agreed. Its our duty as hunters to recover any wounded game we shoot. Why let bird hunters use dogs to recover game when big game hunters can't.

There would be a lot less wasted animals if we could use the help of dogs to recover wounded game.

[Bird]

Amazing how a simple question turned into a pissing match...

1. Eliminate the A and B season's in Zone 3, have 1 - 9 day gun season from the 3rd Saturday in Nov. to the Sunday after Thanksgiving, keep muzzleloader season the same.
2. Make Archery season end on the 1st Sunday in January.
3. Keep the no cross tagging buck rule in effect.
4. Keep the 4 point on 1 side APR in effect.
5. Not sure on the wording, but get hunter input via survey to set harvest limits every year.

I guess they do based on registration, but seeing deer and harvesting deer are different. The population is down all over, and I don't see the DNR reacting to that.

Just my 2 cents.

[Dor]

I like baboon's idea, so I'll add that to mine.


->First Sat in Sept archery opener
->Add scopes to muzzleloaders and change the muzzleloader season to 9 days
->In zone 3, bump all seasons back 2 weeks
->New trespassing laws that include at min doubling the current fines, close loopholes and with the chance of losing hunting privileges
->With the correct terminology and with dogs leashed at all times in the woods, allow dogs to track wounded deer

All excellent ideas!

[biker]

Get rid of the fricken back tags in Wisconsin. I hate wearing them. Much nicer just keeping my license in my backpack in Minnesota and Iowa.

[Swens]

Get rid of the fricken back tags in Wisconsin. I hate wearing them. Much nicer just keeping my license in my backpack in Minnesota and Iowa.

Bravo!

Hate them stupid back tags.

[Stump]

Oh and this is for Grasshopper.... I found one.

[Grasshopper]

[QUOTE Oh and this is for Grasshopper.... I found one.


[/QUOTE]

That's awesome!

[Grasshopper]

Amazing how a simple question turned into a pissing match...

1. Eliminate the A and B season's in Zone 3, have 1 - 9 day gun season from the 3rd Saturday in Nov. to the Sunday after Thanksgiving, keep muzzleloader season the same.
2. Make Archery season end on the 1st Sunday in January.
3. Keep the no cross tagging buck rule in effect.
4. Keep the 4 point on 1 side APR in effect.
5. Not sure on the wording, but get hunter input via survey to set harvest limits every year.

I guess they do based on registration, but seeing deer and harvesting deer are different. The population is down all over, and I don't see the DNR reacting to that.

Just my 2 cents.

I like all these too.

DNR needs smaller management units to better survey populations and issue the right number of tags. I'd also like to see them stop counting deer after they're dead as the main means of surveying the population. As Bird points out, by the time the harvest drops significantly, you're three years behind the curve.

We need more deer in my area. Some of my best friends are big-time cash-crop farmers and even they say "where are the deer?" Seriously, these guys are like family to me, but they view three does in the corner of an alfalfa field as reason for a shooting permit. When they started saying numbers are down, I KNEW they were down!

And I hate to even mention this, but I can't resist; someone brought up crossbows during archery season, especially for any hunter 55 or over, disabled or not. I would have no problem with that.

Stump, keep that train wreck dealie handy!

[caleb]

move gun seasons back ( Iowa has it right, just do the same). they do not need antler restrictions or earn a buck, it just works the way they have it.

[Stump]

I like your ideas Grasshopper and Bird except for combining A and B seasons. I truly think that a large segment of hunters would find themselves without land to hunt because of it. From a management perspective, I'm not sure there would be enough deer killed during that one season to make up for the X % of less hunters.

Last year roughly 14,800 hunters shot roughly 5700 deer during 3B.

[Grassbag251]

The population is down all over, and I don't see the DNR reacting to that.

They did restrict zone 345 to a 1 deer limit this year, which I was happy to see. Just when you think they don't know what they are talking about, as far as population denisty is concerned, they were right on that one. Although I am seeing a lot more deer now that the woods has been "quiet" of hunters. Goes to show what extreme hunting pressure will do to a deer herd

[Grasshopper]

I like your ideas Grasshopper and Bird except for combining A and B seasons. I truly think that a large segment of hunters would find themselves without land to hunt because of it. From a management perspective, I'm not sure there would be enough deer killed during that one season to make up for the X % of less hunters.

Last year roughly 14,800 hunters shot roughly 5700 deer during 3B.

Interesting you should bring this up, Stump. I was just talking to a DNR researcher who has looked into this. They don't feel combining the seasons would affect the harvest significantly at all. Social reasons and tradition (access, hunter acceptance) are really the only reason those season split are in place.

Grassbag, I'm in 345 too, and I was pleased to be in a Hunter's Choice unit. I think the deer kill dropped in this area, too. So hopefully in a year or two we'll see a rebound in numbers.

[MnBOWhntr]

Interesting you should bring this up, Stump. I was just talking to a DNR researcher who has looked into this. They don't feel combining the seasons would affect the harvest significantly at all. Social reasons and tradition (access, hunter acceptance) are really the only reason those season split are in place.

Grassbag, I'm in 345 too, and I was pleased to be in a Hunter's Choice unit. I think the deer kill dropped in this area, too. So hopefully in a year or two we'll see a rebound in numbers.

341 should be made a 1 deer area as well. atleast where I hunt around Goodhue the deer numbers are way down

[Stump]

Interesting you should bring this up, Stump. I was just talking to a DNR researcher who has looked into this. They don't feel combining the seasons would affect the harvest significantly at all. Social reasons and tradition (access, hunter acceptance) are really the only reason those season split are in place.

Grassbag, I'm in 345 too, and I was pleased to be in a Hunter's Choice unit. I think the deer kill dropped in this area, too. So hopefully in a year or two we'll see a rebound in numbers.

I would be VERY interested to speak to this individual to get his take on the subject and to see how his perspective has come about.

I know of several pieces of ground just around me that is hunted by the land owner and their close family, kids and then that same ground is hunted by other family and/or friends 2nd season. Ala how many land owners allow many to turkey hunt their ground. Take away the split season, the 2nd season hunters have lost their opportunity. Or atleast that would be my take on it. Partially the reason why I'd be very interested in speaking with this person.