A good portion of the state has been under a two buck limit for a few years now but the eastern part of the state is for the most part is not. This year at the public meetings the issue of a statewide two-buck limit was proposed and this week the Wildlife Commission will vote on that as well as all the other proposals that were presented.
The purpose of the two buck limit is to encourage the taking of more mature bucks as well as the increase harvest of does. Areas that have been under the two-buck limit seem to have more mature and nicer bucks coming off the land. I’m not big on “trophy management” but I think it is much better to harvest the mature bucks rather then taking a lot of the younger bucks out. I’m for a two buck limit statewide as well as many of my fellow hunters and of course the state biologists are because they proposed it. Given all that there is a significant chance the commissioners won’t pass it and here is why.
Based on surveys and public comments the Commission knows that about 50% support the limit and 28% are opposed with the rest being undecided or having no opinion either way. Those that opposed the measure spoke mostly at the public meetings especially in the districts that this ruling will effect those in support spoke more often through the internet. My sources within the Wildlife think it is unlikely that the commission will vote for this measure where one out of every four hunters opposes the change. The majority of opinion may not be enough to sway the vote over a smaller vocal group. I would hope that the Commissioners give equal weight to public comments whether it was submitted at one of the public hearings or by the internet. The Commission is encouraging more use of the net for the purchase of licenses, surveys, big game harvest submissions (tagging), and communication between outdoorsmen and the Commission so they ought to accept the feedback they got on the subject. .
We will see this week what happens lets hope they handle this issue better then the Sunday Hunting ban.
