|
In the area along Lake
Ontario between Pulaski's Salmon River and Watertown, in upper state New
York it wasn't too long ago when New York deer hunting was poor and
today's quality deer management principles would have been
irrelevant. But times have changed. The NY deer herd though
recently reduced is overpopulated in some sections and the land
still shows signs of over browsing. Although the deer are
healthy, the habitat has become damaged. In an attempt to help
create a healthy balance between the deer and their environment we
practice quality deer management
QDM principals as a part of our deer hunting strategies. There are
many articles and a few excellent books on quality deer management. We have a few acres of our own and
vigorously practice
quality deer management. No, we don't have enough land that we can control the
deer herd to any
great degree but responsibility begins somewhere. We talk to
our neighbors and friends and anyone who will listen about quality deer management
and we find most deer hunters are
really interested in improving the deer herd, but few are willing to give up the
way they hunt deer. However, some deer hunters have taken up the quality deer
management banner and the proof is in the taking. We took this 217 lb. buck on
our land after having passed him up the previous two NY deer hunting seasons. Yes, bucks do roam, but if they're
not hassled they just may decide to hang out rather than move to an area where
"trouble might be a lurkin'." The following is our synopsis of quality deer management.
The Problem: In
order to hunt a trophy whitetail buck it needs to first grow to maturity.
In
order for it to grow to near maturity it needs to live at least 3½ years. This
sounds simple and it is but it isn't easy. Why, for two
reasons. First, most bucks taken are harvested at one and a half years
old, therefore many potential trophy bucks don't
survive to maturity. Secondly, a greater emphasis is placed on shooting
bucks over does. This causes the deer herd to become out of balance resulting
in a poor buck to doe ratio. The old mindset of not shooting the does,
correctly developed
when deer were scarce, is bad for bucks and the deer herd of today in general. 
Not shooting does results in a disproportionate ratio of bucks
to does. And since a buck desires to breed every available doe, he
will end up worn down
beyond what he should be normally after the breeding
season. If the winter is particularly hard he may
not make the winter. Secondly if he does make the
winter he is in a diminished state. Without the proper nutrition
(large herds cause an over browse condition) growing healthy antlers
and a decent body weight is difficult. As long as the buck to doe ratio and
the deer population condition does not
change for the better, the cycle becomes a downward trend for all the deer,
especially the bucks. The Solution:
Change your deer hunting mindset and help
others to do the same. The state's DEC is very forward thinking and has established
deer hunting regulations to better balance the buck/doe ratio and control deer
population. Therefore, harvest
as many does as your license permits following the DEC's rules. This creates a better buck to doe
ratio.  Make it your hunting goal to harvest bucks that
are a minimum of 3½ years old. Try your best to
harvest only 3½ year olds or better. This goal is difficult and aging
mistakes will be made but for
the most part with education and patience it is doable. I know it's hard
at first to let that young
buck walk, especially if you are thinking....' If I don't get it someone else
might'. This may be true but no one said this would be easy and the payoff
is that someone might not get it and next year he'll be 1 year older and
bigger. If you want the meat it is better to harvest a doe and let that
young buck walk.
Make QDM believers. Talk to your friends or anybody else
that is interested in hunting big whitetail bucks. The more hunters with the
same goals, the more successful the project.
Don't shoot the coyotes just for the sake of "saving the deer herd"
unless you are in an area of an overabundance of coyotes. An overabundance of
coyotes is rare in this area. Coyotes help control the deer herd. Coyotes are
indiscriminate hunters. They'll take bucks and does at a more or less equal ratio
to population therefore not worsening the buck/doe ratio. Don't disturb the land, particularly
the buck sanctuary. For more on this subject see Dave's hunting tip
#3.
Wildlife biologists and thousands of hunters support these quality deer
management ideas across the country. If
you practice quality deer management you will experience higher quality whitetail buck hunting
and deer hunting in New York will continue to improve.
*We recommend the book Quality
Deer Management, the Basics and Beyond by Charles Alsheimer.
If anyone in the eastern Lake Ontario region has questions
about our quality deer management program and our experiences with it, just call or e-mail me at:
Tel: 315-465-3345
Internet: rentals@lakeontario-cottages.com
|
New York!