Bye Week OT: MgoHunters out there?

Submitted by Mich_Faithful on

With opening day coming monday, I'm sure all you other hunters out there are getting pretty excited for the season finally getting underway.  I plan on relaxing and getting ready for it this weekend with no Michigan game to watch this weekend.  Have spent a lot of time in the woods this offseason, hopefully it pays off for me since I have managed to at least get this guy on camera. 

 

Hopefully I get a chance to stick him.  Anyone else get anything cool on camera or any other cool stories for upcoming season? New bow or gear? Tips? Share stories. I figured since it should be a slow weekend this could bring some entertainment to some MGoUsers.

TTUwolverine

September 28th, 2012 at 10:59 PM ^

I'm a bit leery this season due to the rampant EHD outbreak. I hunt in the Kent county area, and I have heard numerous stories of entire herds being wiped out in that area. Basically ebola for deer. Scary shit. Also, in before deletion bitchezzzz.

Mich_Faithful

September 28th, 2012 at 11:23 PM ^

http://www.michigan.gov/images/emergingdiseases/EHD_2012_Reports_map_39…

Most recent, I think post, shows roughly 6500 deaths reported. I assumed the amount is actually higher, and reported rate should increase with more people going into the woods now.  Luckily this parcel I can hunt is in Wayne county and land we own is up near Alpena, so hopefully I don't have to worry about any of the EHD outbreak. However it has been devistating in some areas as the map shows.

Mich_Faithful

September 28th, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^

Yea I live in Livingston, work in Wayne, so I also hunt public land out near Pinckney. Reading some sites it sounds like some areas have been hit pretty bad. Although where I have walked on public lands around swamps and ponds I haven't seen any dead deer thankfully.

BlueWing

September 29th, 2012 at 6:31 PM ^

I'm near the Ionia, Clinton county border and we've been hit pretty hard. At the start of it all I didn't mind. There's so much deer out here that just eat up the crops and find their way onto our car hoods. It's when you start finding 8 & 10 points laying dead in your pond that you get frustrated.

mgobleu

September 28th, 2012 at 11:04 PM ^

Well, the "herd" around my dad's cabin has been pretty pathetic the past few years. We see fewer and fewer deer every year and can't do much as far as quality management because we're surrounded by state land and pretty over hunted. Now with the EHD thing going around, I don't hold out much hope for this season. HOWEVA, I just got a new magpul MOE grip, hand guard, vertical foregrip and tactical light mount for my 6.8spc, so I will at least get to enjoy toting my AR15 through the woods, imagining what it would be like to actually fire a shot.

Dantana

September 29th, 2012 at 12:36 AM ^

Spent 3 of the last 4 weekends up north at the hunting property. Have heard we have a few really nice bucks running around from the neighbors but they have escaped my trail cams thus far, only spikes, 4's and a couple small 6's. Trying to do the QDM thing so those guys will get a pass this year.

Deer are really hitting the food plots the last few weeks. Should have some nice fat does to blast in muzzleloader season!

Also going to try my hand at trapping this fall. Nothing major, just some dog proofs and a conibear or two to thin the coon population a bit. Looking for to the experience.

TTUwolverine

September 29th, 2012 at 12:54 AM ^

There are hundreds of thousands of acres of beautiful state and national forest land in lower Michigan, and almost all of it has shit-tastic hunting because A) it's overhunted and B) nobody has any restraint when it comes to small bucks.  Michigan has the available natural resources to maintain a balanced and healthy herd with mature deer, but will never realize it until the DNR institutes an aggresive QDM plan.  One tag... period, with antler point restrictions and a license quota.  Really anything is better than the current combo tag system that obliterates every deer in the state with a penis. 

/end rant

Dantana

September 29th, 2012 at 12:01 PM ^

Michigan definitely has the genetics and food resources to produce big bucks like other states.

We have witnesses it on a small scale on our hunting property. The 6 of us in our camp (took some coaxing on a few) and a couple of neighbors roughly agreed to pass on anything smaller than a 6 pt a few years back. Probably around 450 acres total. In that short time, we've gone from seeing nothing but spikes, 4's and scrub 6's with an occassional nice 8pt to numerous 6's, 8's and even a 12 pt with 11 inch brow tines that has been seen this summer. It may sound weird but I find joy in watching the little guys knowing that they get a free pass til next year.

hillbillyblue

September 29th, 2012 at 10:52 AM ^

A good QDM plan is a must but i don't necessarily agree with a point restriction. I have seen to many year and a half old bucks with 8 points or more and have seen quite a few 6 and 7 point mature bucks. I would like to see some kind of restriction that would prevent hunters from shooting young bucks and only allow the harvesting of bucks that are at least 2.5 years old.

TTUwolverine

September 29th, 2012 at 11:11 AM ^

but that is damn near impossible to enforce on a large scale.  Distinguishing the difference between a 1.5 year old 8 point and a 2.5 year old 8 point is much more difficult than counting antlers.  A few young bucks will be taken, but I think that would be the exception over the rule by and large.  Unless there are other methods that I am unaware of, I like antler point restrictions.

Dantana

September 29th, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^

I agree. Unless the DNR breaks it down into zones like other species, then I think a 6 or 8pt minumum state wide would be fine. Yeah some year and a half 6's are going to be taken, but mainly only in southern Michigan. I hunt in the NLP and very rarely will see you a nice 1.5 year old 6 pt.

The biggest problem I see with antler restrictions is going to be the baby boomer generation. Far too many of those guys (my dad included) hunted when there were practically no deer around anywhere but up north. They literally shot the first buck they saw, mostly yearlings, because it would likely be the only one they saw. This has continued for decades even as deer populations have exploded. You've seen it with shooting does as well. Back then, shooting a doe was considered taboo.

I've seen it firsthand with my dad. We have three guys in our hunt camp over 60 and it took us years of razzing, teaching, and pleading with them to get them to pass on the small bucks. It was ingrained in them from a young age and hard to change.

BlueWing

September 29th, 2012 at 6:39 PM ^

QDM is a great idea from an outdoorsman perspective. But deer herds are also running rampant and need to be thinned out. I know many farmers that get permits in the spring to harvest some venison.

Basically, QDM is nice but not fit for all locations.

TTUwolverine

September 29th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^

QDM is a specific kind of management that accomplishes three objectives: Improve the age and quality of bucks, improve the buck/doe ratio, and manage the herd size to a level that does not strain the resources of the area. Not only do you impose antler restrictions, but you encourage hunters to harvest does by releasing lots of doe tags. This method is particularly effective in areas with a big herd with small/few bucks.

BlueWing

September 29th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^

Ideally, yes those are the results. But how many guys do you know that are out there to shoot the big does? That's just not the case. People get more selective and ultimately take less deer. At least this is my experience with it, combined with the fact that there is always "that guy/property" that doesn't follow it so I've never seen it work.

TTUwolverine

September 29th, 2012 at 11:45 PM ^

It's always tough to get guys to buy into it, but you've got to force the issue a little bit. If you offer hunters a bunch of doe tags and put a cap on the buck tags, with size restrictions, I think you'll see guys more willing to take does. Of course, you've got to enforce it... and when you have two conservation officers per DMU (seriously! two!), its a tall order for sure. I have no doubt that poaching will increase, but something needs to be done. I don't claim to have all the answers and there may be a better solution out there, but I know it's definitely time to change the current system.

justthinking

September 29th, 2012 at 12:49 AM ^

My buddy has found a dozen or so deer here in St. Joe Co and he said that none of them that he has found have been touched by coyotes, vultures, crows etc... nothing is touching the carcasses. That's spooky to me that predators who are always out for a free meal aren't having anything to do with these dead animals. The DNR says there is no worry for transmission to humans, but I'm waiting until 72 hours after the first hard frost before doing any hunting this year.

Of the dozen dead deer found so far, 5 have been bucks - largest was a 140 class 8 point. Sad.

Wait until the corn and beans get picked and more guys get into the woods - the numbers of dead EHD deer are going to go through the roof.

Safe hunting fellas!

turtleboy

September 29th, 2012 at 12:54 AM ^

I keep trying to get my friend into football but he just tells me the only sports he likes involve him killing and eating his opponent. Maybe with this rampant EHD outbreak screwing up the season and the population I can finally convince him to go Blue, though.

NMU Blue

September 29th, 2012 at 1:35 AM ^

Two shoulder surgeries convinced me to buy a Parker Tomahawk. After watching my neighbor show me how to earn a scar and seven stitches, I learned to be accurate while keeping my thumb as low as possible. Yes, he was drunk and high, how did you know? The crossbow scope is accurate to 60 yards, and that covers my food plots nicely. Two eight points are routinely on my plots and pond, so this should be an interesting opener.

MGoblu8

September 29th, 2012 at 4:24 AM ^

I moved to South Florida several years ago and have only been deer hunting once since. Only thing I've hunted down here was gator. I'm going to my parents' house in mid October and hope to get some bow hunting in then. We have a 160 acre farm in Athens County. Good luck to all the MGoHunters out there!

Also: Why would the thread get deleted? There are obviously a bunch of us who enjoy hunting.

hillbillyblue

September 29th, 2012 at 6:31 AM ^

After years of leasing land and having to get permission to hunt other peoples property we finally bought a piece of land I can hunt. I don't have anything huge on the cameras yet but there are some respectable 2.5 and 3.5 year old bucks with one pretty nice 8pt that should be a wall hanger in a few years. I took my 11 year old daughter out last weekend for the youth hunt and was able to watch her shoot her first deer, a big doe. I'm not sure if anything will be able to top that this year.

NMU Blue

September 29th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^

I've been dreaming of taking my babies out since they were born. The wife threw me some apprehensive looks when they got shotguns on their first birthdays, but watching them gut their pumpkin deer every year makes her laugh. I bet watching your child harvest one is one of those teary eyed, chest thumping moments we all live for. Congratulations.

readyourguard

September 29th, 2012 at 7:11 AM ^

I hunt Oakland County regularly and then Muskegon County with 4 of my old Michigan roommates for Opening Day.



I'll be out Monday morning if the wind is right.



Be safe friends. Wear a harness!

readyourguard

September 29th, 2012 at 7:16 AM ^

Last year I helped my buddy take his deer to the processor 20 miles east of Muskegon. When we got there, 5 other hunters were dropping off their deer......all of them spikes.



I don't understand why So many Michigan hunters want to wipe out young bucks. SHOOT DOES! There are more of them and they taste the same.



XM - Mt 1822

September 29th, 2012 at 7:16 AM ^

this past week for the kids to use their rifles in.  Elevated it.  Planted rye in the field around it.  The deer are everywhere around here because of the corn and we have had a number of frosts and that usually gets the deer on the move.   Will use a few block permits for does before rifle season and me and my neighbors also practice our own QDMU with bucks.   I have let a lot of nice-body 5 and 6 pts walk away over the years including one time with one of my sons whispering in my ear, 'Shoot him daddy, shoot!'  Full moon today which is nice with Monday being the opener.  Safe hunt to all.   

bronxblue

September 29th, 2012 at 8:00 AM ^

Man, you learn something new about the composition of the MGoCommunity every day.  Would not have taken the group as having a decent number of hunters, but the more the merrirer I suppose.

wigeon

September 29th, 2012 at 8:38 AM ^

I do shoot deer regularly, but don't get jazzed for it.  Grouse and ducks are my thang. Today, I'm too damn sore from birdhunting yesterday afternoon (walked miles and miles through heavy cover) to do anything but lay low and lick my wounds.

Will get up in a tree Monday night and stick the first doe I see.  Mmmmmmm- backstraps.  

magboy81

September 29th, 2012 at 9:20 AM ^

I'll be packing up decoys and clothes. heading out to north Dakota for 2 weeks of duck hunting. what's great is that with the new technology, I don't have to miss the games while in the blind. good pick to everyone out there

Bluecamo

September 29th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^

Good luck to you and yours this hunting. I love this time of year. Nothing more invigorating than being in the blind, looking to whack da turdy pointer. I cant wait. I am glad there are a lot of others on this board that enjoy doing the same. Good luck and be safe.

mgoblueaustin

September 29th, 2012 at 11:12 AM ^

Love this time of year for so many reasons, including hunting season.  I wont be able to get out for bow but I'll be heading up north for gun in a month and a half.  Good luck to everyone, aim small, miss small