Rebuttal to North Carolina deer season proposals

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I would hate to think that on September 13 this year I would hear high-powered rifles going off around my favorite bowhunting stand…but that may the direction that the NCWRC is moving in the next few years.

In response to the proposed changes of a any-weapons season across the state, I will state my stand on the issue. I do not have so much a problem with extending out the mountain hunting season district to match up with the central hunting season…but I would not like to see the central and mountain districts both move to match the eastern hunting season schedule (basically takes away 3 weeks of bow season and replaces it with rifle season). A longer mountain deer hunting season would help ease some deer density issues that the region is experiencing.

The bigger issue – any weapon legal on private lands from September “archery” opener until January 1. I absolutely oppose the proposal.

First, we have primitive weapons seasons for a reason…it is tradition, many hunters live for that time of year, enables archery hunters to pursue un-pressured deer, generates revenue for many sporting goods stores and archery stores. These businesses would take a huge hit if exclusive archery seasons were eliminated.

Second, deer harvest will not increase for many reasons. Hunters are going to still kill their 2 or 3 deer (often 2 or 3 immature bucks) and be done for the year – it will just happen 2 months earlier in the calendar year. They won’t kill a deer or two more per year just because they can carry a gun for 2 additional months.

Third, during the rut, which is usually the peak of harvest because deer are most vulnerable, hunting will be extremely difficult because deer have been pressured for 2 months already, causing an overall drop in harvests.

Fourth, the age structure of the buck population will be altered. Instead of archery hunters taking their fair share of mature bucks, then gun/muzzleloader hunters following up with 2 or 3 weeks of high ‘trophy’ kill rate, the first week or two of September hunting season will be when most of the mature bucks will be killed. After 2 months of hunting pressure, mature does and bucks will be very difficult creatures to kill – even with the rut in full swing. This could go so far as to alter breeding behavior.

Instead of the proposed changes, the NCWRC should change the bag limit of eastern counties to 2 buck, 4 does for starters. Additionally, changing the way hunters can use their tags will produce the greatest increase in overall deer harvest. One option would be to require hunters to Earn-A-Buck tag by shooting an antlerless doe. Another option would be to adopt a system like Maryland has in some counties. I might be a little off on this, but you can shoot a buck before an antlerless harvest, but then require 2 more does to be tagged to receive your second buck tag. Another avenue to increasing deer harvest is to increase hunter numbers…aggressively attack hunter recruitment by any number of state-sponsored and non-profit programs. Any of those 4 choices would increase overall harvest and help reduce some of North Carolina’s deer density problems.

I could list some more reasons that I am opposed to the proposed regulations, but I’ll leave it at that. This process, if it continues, will be one of the most heated debates in recent history between hunters and the NCWRC, but time will tell…

If you have an opinion on this controversial topic, please drop me a comment. I know that some of my opinions are just that…opinions, but I feel rather strongly about several of the points that I made and believe the NCWRC would be making a mistake to adopt such a season structure.

love2deerhunt

Just wanted to say that I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now and I really enjoy it. You have some interesting discussion.

I would like to put my two-cents worth in concerning the idea of this “any weapon” deer season structure. This would permanently alter my way of hunting. I normally have a couple of mature bucks patterned relatively well for the first week of bow season. In the piedmont area, my experience has been that the mature bucks are still in batchelor groups with stable feeding patterns for about the first week of bow season. Sometimes I am able to get lucky with my setup and get a good, early bow kill……. but if rifles were allowed that early, I can only imagine how many of these mature, patterned deer would be killed in the first week.

Secondly, I agree with you in that the rut (what little spike in deer movement that we have here in the piedmont of NC associated with the rut) would become hardly noticeable due to the massive amount of pressure that the “fair weather” hunters would put on the deer in September/October.

Many of my friends and I would like to see bow season open back up after January 1 for 3-4 weeks. This would give an opportunity to harvest some extra deer and be outside enjoying our sport.

Hopefully the NCWRC has better sense than to allow this issue an opportunity to fester!
outdoorsmorgasbord

Great thoughts ‘love2deerhunt’, Opening a late archery season to coincide with the urban archery seasons that are coming into their own would certainly increase harvest numbers.

Your point about patterning a mature buck in early archery season is one of those that I held back from my last post, but I feel the exact same way. That first week has always been my most productive week for seeing BIG Piedmont NC bucks, unfortunately, I haven’t been as good as arrowing them in mid-September as I have during other times of the season.

Finally, I am really glad that you have been enjoying the blog…tell your friends! Seriously, if you have some luck this fall in the deer woods, email me some pictures and a little story and I’ll put it up on the blog. Location omitted of course!

Hunt smart, hunt hard, and shoot straight!
Green Thumb

Obviously deer population control (reduction) is the main goal here. The insurance companies and the farmers have finally been heard by the elected officials. My personal opinion is that there is nothing wrong with the seasons in NC, we just need something to do with the deer we harvest.Central NC has a very liberal bag limit,six deer(two of which can be bucks)and then you can get all the antlerless tags you want after that! I fill my freezer each fall and give away what I can ,but what to do with the rest? I try to support Hunters For The Hungry but the drop off locations are few and far between. Unfortunatley a lot of the hunters I know love to hunt but are too lazy to dress and deal with more than one or two deer each year .(We all know the real work starts after the trigger is pulled) I’m no exception, especially after helping family members and friends.

Unless we find somthing to do with all the deer that need to be harvested, extending seasons and bag limits and “shoot what you bring” will NOT make a difference.

I am afraid the deer that I love will be reduced to vermin status, if it hasn’t been all ready.

Thanks for the great blog. Join me in the boat soon before it’s time to shoot things with fur instead of scales!
deerhunter

The name of the game is killing more does and only a longer rifle season will do that.

Not many deer are being killed with a bow compared to a rifle.

And NC now has unlimited doe tags.
love2deerhunt

Here is an interesting NC hunt for ya that took place last year. I wasn’t present, but did the video editing…… 140 class in NC……Feel free to post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNwel1k5xYQ

Here is a link to our hunting/fishing TV show site. Feel free to link it and check us out. We are on in parts of VA and around Hickory/Charlotte, NC

http://www.appalachianoutdoors-tv.com/
outdoorsmorgasbord

‘Green Thumb’ – That is the issue, more hunters will mean more deer being killed and I love the idea about more aggressive and publicized hunter-donation programs to make people more willing to pull the trigger on antlerless deer a few more times throughout the season.

‘Deer Hunter’ – Extending the rifle season into January a couple weeks may up the doe harvest a little, but the bottom line is that 95% of hunters shoot 1,2, or 3 deer and hang it up for the year.
deerhunter

Then you have to give those 5% a longer season to use more bonus tags
outdoorsmorgasbord

It certainly is an interesting conundrum that the NCWRC has created…no matter, some hunters are going to feel like they’ve hit the jackpot and others are going to feel slighted. I think that the NCWRC would be wise to ease into any dramatic changes by taking it slow and making rather progressive changes…i.e., if they are set on this season in the long-term, make short-term changes of extending central region rifle season to match the current eastern seasons, etc. Encourage more cities to adopt the urban archery season. Provide hunters more opportunity for venison donation programs. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
I really appreciate everyone’s feedback and think that funneling this same feedback towards the NCWRC is the best thing we can do for our fellow hunters. We all love this precious resource and the last thing we want is sharpshooters and other non-hunters managing the resource for us.
http://ahcoffey@wilkes.net BigCountry

I like the season the way it is. I enjoy being out during the bow season, and feeling safe. Not hearing high powered rifles going off everywere.
I agree if the ncwc does let the insurance industry influence there decision and do this it will alter deer hunting in our state forever. We already have one of the most liberal deer seasons out there what more do they want? I used two bonus doe tags last year and I hope to again. I killed all but one with a bow. If your willing to work for them you can fill your tags with a bow. I don’t see how turning the fair weather hunters out in September is going to help our sport. All I can think of is those neighbors up the road that ride the roads will be starting in september next year.
I will be at our local meeting speaking up for the bow hunters. This time we will be fighting each other, instead of the enviromentalist.
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Steve

I live in South Carolina, and got in a hunting club in Granville county. The season is the reason I hunt there. If you want more deer killed, up the limit on does. Starting the season earlier won’t decrease the population(gun). Look at South Carolina. Some parts of South Carolina’s gun season starts August 15 and that part of the state still has the highest population of deer
travis clodfelter

why not open sunday hunting and possible extend the season through mid- january …. i agree with your opions on “any weapon season” i love bow and black powder i sure would hate to see it dissapear.
decoyshooter

Really enjoyed reading this. I love idea of earn a tag. If people would stop waiting during early season and start pulling trigger, it would help. I was brought up to shoot anything with horns, but have learned that was not right. Now I shoot every doe I can. I have noticed that i have seen more big bucks including standing over dead doe. People have misconception that one well placed shot will scare off every deer in area, but i can assure you from watching fields in granville county, it is not true. Deer including bucks will come right back. My opinion is to SQUEEZE.

Rebuttal to North Carolina deer season proposals

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