[Dexter]

Any of you going on the early hunt this weekend? I thought about going briefly, but will probably pass. With the warm temps, it just seems like a big PITA to get everything done in the same day: Travel there, find a doe, shoot it, travel home, skin it, butcher and package it.

Who knows... I'll probably end up going anyway.

 

[jwdinius1]

i was gonna let the gf pop one, but same thing too much work for the one day, figured i would chase ducks and gesse instead :beer:

 

[Brad from ND]

I'm headed up North. My buddy and I have 9 that we want to shoot this weekend. This will actually allow us to hunt bucks harder during the regular season. The last few years, we've had over 30 tags for 6 guys so it seams like we spend half the day gutting and dragging deer. I just hope a lot of bucks don't get shot with "bows" this weekend. Good luck to all who go!

 

[bretts]

uke: uke:

 

[thurdypointer]

I just hope a lot of bucks don't get shot with "bows" this weekend.

Thats a really good point. It wouldnt be tough for a guy to go get a bow license and go shoot a buck with a rifle. Hopefully theres people up there that are worried about this and try to stop it or report it if it happens

 

[kase]

lol...whats wrong bretts?

 

[texcl]

I live in 2d and was worried this early season would bring alot (IE too much) hunting pressure over around my house but I only saw 1 hunter within 20 mile of my place. I shot a doe but have thus far been unable to find it I'm sure I'll find it this mourning. If I lose it it'll be the first deer I've ever lost.

 

[Brad from ND]

We buddy and I shot all the does we wanted to shoot. We only heard 3 other shots all weekend. Looks like the bucks in our area are probably gonna be safe.

 

[fylling35]

Hunted up there this past weekend and didn't see anyone else hunting. We filled our tags but it was kinda sad to see that not many people took advantage of the opportunity.
Eli

 

[kase]

i think the state is going about it the wrong way. why not drop the price of antlerless deer tags? drop it to $10...theres a lot of guys that buy/apply for a buck tag just because its the same damn price...they only care about the meat, but bucks are bigger bodied and they want that chance at a big one. i would venture to guess that if they dropped the price of antlerless deer tags, the average joe that spends $20 and applies for a buck tag, will still spend that $20, but pick up 2 tags instead. the state probably wont lose much money on tag sales, and they will also achieve their objective to thin out the does. i dont even care if they raise the price of buck tags...raise it to $50...i'll still pay it. i'll probably still spend the usual $60 to $80 on doe tags as well...but i'll have double the quantity.

 

[Brad from ND]

I agree with Kase 1000%. I would shoot 20 instead of 10 in a heartbeat. i can always find a home for meat.

 

[HUNTNFISHND]

The cost of the tags are not the problem. The problem is ACCESS!

The GNF is selling nearly all of the tags with the current price. The thing is people can't get on the land where all of the deer are because landowners don't want the hunters killing or scaring off "their" bucks! :wink:

 

[kase]

they're not even coming close to selling all the tags. go look at the availability of antlerless tags still available https://secure.apps.state.nd.us/gnf/onlineservices/lic/public/online/lic/checkFCAvailability.htm. there's still thousands of tags to be bought. also, ive found that if you ask around, there will be a landowner that is willing to let you hunt if you're gonna take out a few skinheads. i agree though that getting access to land for bucks is a different story!

 

[bretts]

The cost of the tags are not the problem. The problem is ACCESS!

The GNF is selling nearly all of the tags with the current price. The thing is people can't get on the land where all of the deer are because landowners don't want the hunters killing or scaring off "their" bucks! :wink:

first off, I agree, to an extent, this whole doe season is ridicilious because the game and fish are trying to cover their butts in case we get tb, just to say they did something prevention wise. Lower doe tag prices, that's a great start, secondly a lot of these land owners are like this because of past experiences. A few bad apples going in "shooting does" and taking advantage of the land owner and taking a buck also. This happens frequently. I think the amount of deer numbers definitely stems from baiting, but also the weather cycle we are in. We've had some real easy winters, five years from now we could be talking about how low the deer numbers are because of the past winters being harsh. Trust me, there is plenty of land up there not posted that holds does.

 

[Savage260]

A few bad apples going in "shooting does" and taking advantage of the land owner and taking a buck also. This happens frequently.

bretts, does this really happen frequently? I don't own land, but I know quite a few people that do and most don't let any one else on except family, and those who are willing to pay. I have never heard any thing other than "I don't want some one coming in here shooting MY deer." I have no doubt there are bad apples, and every once in a while some jacka$$ does screw some one over, but I always hear that excuse. Can it really happen that often? I would hope very few are stupid enough to risk losing access by doing these things, and if they did wouldn't word get around who the idiots are? Word of mouth in these rural areas spreads faster than..........well, you know.

 

[bretts]

it happens frequently enough for many people to be leery, but it's that few guys that have tainted some guys views. On another hand, more and more people are becoming very protective of their land. There is A LOT of land posted up there, but there is some good plots land.