Would u guys be opposed to archery only in your county?

Yes, adamantly...not sure what you are trying to accomplish?

Nothing. Just thinking about what wv did to a few counties and the monsters they are pulling out of there now.

I understand where you are coming from but biologist will tell you that you can accomplish the same objective by having point restrictions or QDMA. Of course that doesn't stop poachers but nothing really does. The way VDGIF is searching for cash these days I'm not sure they would go for a plan that would decrease their license revenue.

I would be good with a shortened gun season like they do in Illinois then a late archery season after it.

There is at least one archery only county in VA .. Fairfax .. not sure if Arlington has any hunting or not..

Yeah i know Fairfax is bow only. There are alot of deer up here in Fairfax too. Not sure about Arlington either.

Looking at the Regs.. I think Arlington is open for hunting.. and Archery Only as well.. so two counties I guess..

I would be against it. I love to deer hunt. Love my muzzleloaders, rifles and pistol too much to give them up all the time.

Horn hunting is o.k. once the freezer is full but they don't taste all that great. I would be in favor of one or two state operated bow only areas. Maybe a select WMA or three. Let's say Havens WMA. BUT, I would be for all big game hunting as archery only. Really don't think that would fly here though.

Don't know if I'd support it either. I have a permit to hunt an archery only property now and I look forward to rifle season because it increases my chances of getting a deer....especially since I was blanked last year and so far this year.

Its all about the MONEY and The way VDGIF is searching for cash these days I'm not sure they would go for a plan that would decrease their license sells. Never going to happen in va. .......... NEVER !!!

brian

It would be okay with me, but like Brian said DGIF would lose too much money

do you think they could do the same thing if they took away a buck tag some of the states out west have only a one buck season

I hunt APG north of Baltimore. A few years back they use to allow 7 deer with each weapon, shotgun, MZL, and bow. Since it was 3 different weapons you could shoot a buck with each, 2 does with each then another buck. It was pretty much, if its brown its down. Three years back we had EHD real bad and it killed about 50% of the herd at APG. With this they implemented new totals. All weapons were inclusive and you only had 7 total per season. If you shot a buck, you had to shoot 3 does before you could shoot another buck. The weapon didn't matter since they were inclusive. Friends said it wouldn't have any effect on the quality of deer but it did.

Since this was implemented the buck to doe ratio has gotten pretty good, 1:2 or so respectively. The quality of the bucks has gone up too. You use to see a 140 once a year or so, but the last 2 years we have had several 150s hit the ground. A friend who scouts a lot has his eyes on multiple 160s.

So to me going archery only can make an effect. You can also say you can only shoot so many deer regardless of weapon and make EAB work. I still think 90% of the population would follow the rules. In the national forests allowing some clear cutting would improve things, also, hunters could improve habitat if DNR would simply orchestrate it.

Guess I am saying there are many ways to this end. I am from MD, but I am sure if you were to engage DNR something could be worked out.

One of my projects is to discuss using pistol cartridge rifles during shotgun season. You can hunt with shotgun or handgun already, why not allow pistol cartridge rifles too. I have a 44 carbine that is a great deer cartridge.

My 2 cents.
Vic

I personally could give or take it! I bow hunt alot and most of the deer I kill with a ML or a rifle are within 40 yards anyway. Although I'd like to see ALOT of changes to VDGIF's so-called management plan, I agree with Brian and Barry. The state is too involved with trying to re-coup lost funds that it has led to this mess of a management plan and it will prolly never change.

Two of the biggest bucks I've seen this year, including ones posted here, were in my taxidermist's walk-in. They both came from Fairfax County and both killed with a bow.