I would vote for it in a heartbeat OR do it like this....Have a rule that the buck has to be at least 8 points or better. There are so many hunters that kill more than the lawful amount of SMALL bucks every year in the Amherst and Rockbridge county area. Its really sad. I dont see what somone gets out of killing a small buck. Most of the time the reply is "its meat aint it"? if thats the case then SHOOT A DOE!!!!

What happens when u don't see a single doe all season, this is no joke!!!! I have seen one little buck and one baby doe fawn, I need meat for my freezer! So no offense, but that is what we get out of shooting a small buck!

If you don't see but 1 doe and 1 buck a season then you need to change hunting spots. No offense

's

I think a lot has to do with whether you hunt private or public land. Back in the 1980's and early 90's, I only hunted National Forest land in Rockingham Co. We would take off the entire first week of deer season and hunt until that first Saturday (the traditional 1st doe day). I think in five years of hunting there I killed one spike and one 5 point buck. Couple of does on the first Saturday as well. There was 3 or 4 of us that hunted and I did better then most. If you talk to folks now who hunt in Western Rockingham Co., they were tell you there are less deer now then there were then. Reality is, the National Forests have low populations, aren't managed well by the DGIF and now there is even more pressure then before with Muzzleloader, Archery and then of course rifle and then late Muzzleloader season coming back in. It doesn't surprise me in the least that some folks have a hard time seeing deer, much less sticking one in the freezer.

I'm fortunate now in that I have some private land to hunt and while populations are down as compared to what they were just a few years ago, I've still got a place to hunt and can afford to let a few young deer walk because I know there will be others. Not everyone has the same opportunities and that's why I'm very thankful and gracious to the folks who allow me to hunt on their property.

And I am thankful for private land that I have to hunt as well, but regardless if im hunting private land or NF I still practice QDM. Its not like I walk on NF land and say "well here comes a 3 pointer, I better shoot em because someone else will or this will be only deer I see on NF all year." That's just insane to me. That just shows the mentality of hunters now and it does nothing but hurt yours and others chances of killing some nice bucks in the future because it's "the only deer ill see all year" that's ridiculous.

Too bad there's so many hunters that can't live and let live.

Developing season lengths, equipment regs, etc requires balancing biological and social concerns, recreation, etc. Most deer hunters don't bow hunt. It seems extremely selfish for the self ordained few to want to cut them out of the sport to satisfy the pipe dream of bigger bucks, especially considering there is no articuable biological interest served.

Another position regarding the establishment of bow only is that you're assuming that all deer hunters utilize all three seasons (bow, ml, rifle/shotgun). While I'm sure that a fair number do (I'd estimate roughly 30-40%), there probably is a significantly higher number of hunters who have either never bow hunted or no longer bow hunt. Just my opinion here, but an archery only restriction is taking the management of horns to an excessive level. I'm a meat hunter through and through. Although I try to let the small bucks walk, mainly for those folks that like to shoot the big bucks to have some building blocks, I llike the option of taking a small buck if I want. Ask Freddy, TScott, Hody, Big Bird and the rest of the crew about my doe addiction and I think you'll find that I'm passionate about hunting does. I'm scoffed, riddiculed, and labeled the odd duck (but I'm loved) for this passion, but if I suggested a doe only county, would that sound equally bad as an archery only county? I want to see shooter deer when I hunt. For me, anything that helps that desire I'm all for but I'm a dying breed in this day of quality horn management....I remember when there were so few deer that seeing a doe was a great day and you let the doe walk hoping she'd breed and produce more....

Eagle, it is not as easy as u make it by saying if one doe and one little buck is all I am seeing, then I need to hunt somewhere else! I am extremely limited to where I can hunt. Sure I can go to NF, but we all know how that goes! Private land is what I hunt and its daggon near impossible for anybody to get permission to hunt on other private land anywhere else! So while I truly do admire your quest and many others on here for being able to manage your deer hunts and can afford to pick and choose what you can harvest. I really do not have that option, if I want deer meat in my freezer! I would love nothing more to be able to go to multiple properties throughout the year, and see countless does and bucks that I can afford to let walk, in hopes of a shooter! Trust me I am all for that, but don't knock a good ole hunter that works his tail off every day of the year protecting his community in public service, with limited time to hunt, for taking a little buck if that is all I see on the property hunt. I mean no disrespect, whatsoever, and by no means want to start a war on here, we are all allowed to have our opinions and I truly respect yours,

Said it before and will say it again.. if VA adopted a 1 buck Limit a lot of small bucks would then be passed.. if you wanted to kill that young buck.. more power to you and good for you.. but alot of this "well I just wanted to break the ice" crap would stop..

Just let it be.lets don't get caught up in all that shooter buck stuff. He has horns,you want to take him...do it. If you are looking for something bigger, let it walk...just hope the guy on the other ridge is the first guy I mentioned. I think we might be thinking too much on how to change things and not enough on how to keep what we have. Blessing to all, Tim

71,

I see quite a few deer, maybe not as many as a few years back, but still quite a few. Question, the private land you hunt, what does it have for food? Do the deer have anything to eat there? I am dabbling with food plots now and think they will help get deer onto the property and hold them there. Also baiting works but understand you all can't. If the deer have no reason to be on your property why would they be there. Just as a note, I put a small food plot in for around $25. It makes a difference.

Also, aren't you AF? If you are you might want to check out some of the military posts around you. Some have incredible numbers of deer on them. This year at APG they have bagged quite a few deer and some real nice bucks. Something to think about.

Vic

"Just let it be.lets don't get caught up in all that shooter buck stuff. He has horns,you want to take him...do it. If you are looking for something bigger, let it walk...just hope the guy on the other ridge is the first guy I mentioned. I think we might be thinking too much on how to change things and not enough on how to keep what we have. Blessing to all, Tim"

-Sorry but dont you think if we want to "keep what we have" then we should ALL start practicing QDM instead of shooting anything that walks? Not only will this help us "keep what we have" it will also increase what we have. Once again if you want meat, kill does, its not hard. Let the smaller bucks walk. There needs to be rules implemented to help people understand and appreciate QDM and respecting deer itself instead of blasting anything that walks in front ofthem. Rules such as "shorter seasons," "8 point limit," "archery season only" would help the the population and quality of bucks as well.

I’m sorry, but you want to shorten my season, make me bow only and I have to shoot an 8 or better to take a buck. Wow, all this in the name of antlers.
So when I take my annual trip up to the mountains of Va. and I spend between $500-$800 around trip, I am suppose to let that 6 or 7 pointer walk by me. That 8 you are allowing me to shoot, is there an age, size limit on him or is just being an 8 what you are looking for. I’m not allowed to shot a doe until the first Saturday and I’m gone by then. I have hunted the Va. Mountains for 42 years. The deer kill dropped about 15-20 years ago, about the same time hunters dropped off. You use to have to get up there Friday night to get a spot for your campers in the North River Camp Ground. Not to mention all the hunters camped along the Gravel roads. Now, I may see thirty campers the whole week. The mountain we hunt is named Hankey; you were not allowed to drive up it until 5 o’clock Monday morning. The game warden would come in and unlock the gate, cars and trucks were lined up a half mile waiting. There is no pressure to move the animals any more, the last 3 winters have not help either and what I think is the main problem, Coyotes, I heard more coyotes this year then I have ever heard in the past. But when I was stopped and checked by a road block up there I asked what the rule on hunting them was, He told me shoot all you see, but only during the day time hours in the NF.
My club down here, we have a 5 gallon rule, basically, if the horns fit inside a 5 gallon bucket you pay a 50 fine, doubled and tripled after that. Fourth time, you are out of the club. Our does must weight 75 lbs +. If you kill one under the weight… 25 dollars 50, 75 you are out.

I guess it going to take give and take from all. But I still think we are getting to caught up in the antlers. Last time I look the Regs state " Deer Season"

"My club down here, we have a 5 gallon rule, basically, if the horns fit inside a 5 gallon bucket you pay a 50 fine, doubled and tripled after that. Fourth time, you are out of the club. Our does must weight 75 lbs +. If you kill one under the weight… 25 dollars 50, 75 you are out."

-haha maybe i misunderstood you but you said you pay 500-800 dollars to come to the NF mountains of VA and shoot whatever you see when you have a club who obviously follows quality deer management rules and probably has nice bucks all over it? Hmmm def sounds like the right choice there. LOL And it sounds to me like your paying 500-800 dollars just to put some deer in your freezer.

-And if you think about it your annual trip that you pay 500-800 would be a whole lot more worth while if QDM was being practiced. That small 6 or 7 pointer that you blow away could be a nice 9 or 10 pointer.....

Ok, the annual trip I make every year is;
1.To spend time with my son, just as my father for me.
2.It takes me back, to a time when my dad was still here. Its good memories for me.
3.Yeah, it’s getting more expensive every year, but I will continue to go as long as I’m able to get up there and not depend on my son or anyone else to care for me.
4.I love the place, it’s the one place that has not been touch or changed in my 42 years of going up there.
5.So choose to continue going, yea I could stay home, and hunt the first week in Ivor VA., it would be a great time and sure the chances of getting a deer there out weights me getting one in the mountain. But the memories I have and will continue to create with my son are outweighed by nothing. So that 6 or 7 pointer or even worse in the eye’s of the QDM hunter a SPIKE may not be a quality deer to you, it sure is to me.
By the way, my club has the rule, but three other clubs around us don’t. I have watched nice bucks run across the field only to be taken by them. There has been a lot of debating rather or not to continue the practice.
When we fill the need to judge others by the deer they chose to kill, something has seriously has gone wrong with this tradition. Use to be a man killed a deer it was all handshakes and congratulation. Now hunter are pointing the finger and trying to make other hunters feel like they have committed a crime.
I’m not saying that I will shoot every deer that walks by, I have let deer walk and will continue to do so, but If I decide to take an “under managed quality deer” No one should be running their mouth on me.