How would you change deer season?

Lots of talk lately about too liberal of laws on amount of does that can be taken, buck restrictions, etc... Let's keep it simple and take the biologists recommendations out of the equation. If Alabama had the agriculture to support it and could produce deer like some of the mid-west states, on a consistent basis, would you be willing to shorten the season to reduce pressure, give them time to grow, etc...? If so, what would be your ideal season length? No arguing, just a hypothetical question.

Leave it like it is.

Bow hunt only. You asked

I wouldn't shorten the season but would like to go back to a doe season instead of 1 doe per day per hunter.

I would not have the MCAT on the 22nd of january...preventing me from hunting really until then haha but other than that, reduce amount of does taken...

Wanting answers based on hypotheticals and what ifs doesn't really work. I'd like to see the buck limit removed. As far as the doe killing goes it was preached to do so for so long that people bought into it. I don't think you have to change doe days just let the masses preach number problems the way they have the need for killing does and most will get on board. There is plenty of private land public land, and clubs out there for everyone to find what they are able and wanting to with deer hunting in this state. This can be done without trying to legislate hunting laws so to make others hunt how you want.

District 5

Archery -
Nov 10 - Nov 30 / Dec 15 - Feb 10

Firearm -
Wed before Thanksgiving - Nov 30 / Dec 15 - Feb 10

3 bucks with antler restrictions / 3 does / 2 either sex

Wish it were 1 buck tag issued and buy doe permits at $10 per tag. Makes me sick seeing the grown men dragging up the spikes and young fork horns every day at the processor.

One buck. 2 at most. Instead of "doe days" or doe season limit doe harvest by only issuing so many per hunter. You can take em whenever you want but you can only take 2 or 4 or 6 or whatever it is. Other states do this. Got a region with enough does to support more harvest? Let people buy bonus tags there or get on dmap or whatever.

I'd rather them just leave it alone. The only thing i would like changed is to go to buck tags

Be careful. About 3 years ago a guy posted a thread where he and his buddies hammered some young bucks at the WMA in Demopolis and some negative comments were posted. Then the masses attacked the guys that posted negative comments and it got ugly. Basically, we learned as long as it's legal to keep your eyes forward, smile, and say congrats. At least until they are on their 3rd harvest record.

So what if? As long as they killed those deer legally what does it matter to you

I think you missed the question all together. He just wanted opinions. Nobody suggested you change what your doing on your land or to legislate any laws.

Calm down. I'm just telling the story bro. Just preparing 257 for the storm, but from his past posts on here, I think he can handle it.

I agree...maybe two buck tags for me but just sick and tired of passing up young 8s 6s 4s and so on then they walk over the ridge and get blasted...that's why it matters to me cause I just don't see why someone takes pride in shooting a spike that weighs 100 lbs when he could just have easily shot a doe bigger than that and passed on the young buck...but to each his own

Wouldn't that be the definition of insanity?

There will always be that guy over the ridge.

And, when he kills his 1, 2, 3 etc., his brother will take his spot.

I'd leave it three bucks, 3 does, you can buy two more doe tags.
Cut gun days way back. Go to strict buck tags.The deer population
would increase quick.

Problem is that you are assuming there would be enforcement to a regulation. We really know that won't happen.

archery only Oct. 15- Jan. 31 either sex
firearms Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving and Dec. 20- Jan. 3 either sex
only one deer per day
3 buck limit

Issue 3 buck tags and bring back doe days

This is a loaded question. It would take some time to give a well thought out answer.

I'd start by having the entire state restrict buck harvest for a solid year, perhaps two.

Drastic results takes drastic measures.

I hunt the same area of the state JW hunts and I tend to agree with him. And no, we're not insane up here in hillbilly land.

Could go back to 2 does a day in some areas maybe, 3 bucks a season is just right.

I don't think I misunderstood anything. This idea of having bigger bucks and how to do it is mentioned frequently. So shortening seasons wouldn't be regulations? Going down to 2 or even 1 buck per year wouldn't be regulations? Both of which would clearly affect what I could do on my own land.

Most of these questions would be better worded something like what laws can be changed to force hunters to hunt in a way that promotes the idea and way I want to hunt. Because that's what these kind of discussions are clearly about. They're never about personal decisions one can make on his own land or lease they're always about what laws can be changed to affect all.

lol I know some grown men that drag in more than one grown buck a year. I say leave it like it is.

Oct 15 - Jan 31, legal weapon(s) of hunter's choice. Not sure on the buck limits but wouldn't decrease them. Go back to two does a day in areas that can support it.

and they aren't the type of folks that want to pay to shoot a doe either.

You're in the minority of the group I was referring to. You know that.

I like this idea. And for those that say there is no enforcement for the tags, you think every deer in the midwest where tags are required are seen or even tagged? Always going to have outlaws no matter what. The honest person thta cares about taking care of the resource will do the right thing.

No enforcement now, and who on here is following the harvest law? I would assume the majority

I was just going to post the same thing!!

That won't fly around here. Allowing people the freedom to make their own decisions and hunt the way they like is very unpopular

No it's the proven fact that many in AL won't or can't make good smart decisions about killing anything. Whether it's greed or what I don't know. Go up to Illinois and hang with some hunters up there. They make good decisions.

Yep. I'm on the same page. What a buncha crybabies!!!!

Leave it alone.

It doesn't matter if it's Alabama or Florida, or anywhere else for that matter. Had a neighbor come to my house this afternoon with a 35 lb. button buck in the back of his Gator wanting to give it to me. He said they were going to the movies and didn't have time to fool with it. I was blown away. Evidently I was the third in line to get asked. Makes me wonder if I wouldn't have been here where that deer would have ended up. I took the deer, gutted it and dropped it off at the processor. First time I've ever been pissed off to be given venison, lol.

Then they can destroy the deer hunting on the lands they hunt. I know it's hard for some of yall to fathom but I know places that don't want deer on their property or at least VERY few. They are considered a pest and compete for other objectives. That should be their prerogative if we truly live in a free society. However, I would not want to deer hunt next door! Not everything is DEER. Some people don't like them!

Haven't read the other posts, so here goes.

Money--We have to come up with something to keep the
GW's and biologists. Tags, license fee increase, something.

We have to make sure the license buyers are at least somewhat satisfied within bounds the Biologist can determine and not guess. Hunting the full rut is a goshdarn necessity.

Tags--Aboslutely. No other way to do things.

Limits--Thats anybody's guess. Here, I would like to see it reduced to 2 bucks per person.

Reporting--absolutely mandatory.

CAB-- completely do away with it. They don't know what each individual faces in relation to what, how many, or when, nor do they G.A.S. If they did, each license buyer at least would know the name of the person representing them on the board. Cronyism at it's finest. It's super to read about who these guys have an appointment to speak to. The CAB should be speaking to the hunters and fishermen. He!! with the uppidy organizations. This segment of our system is the worst of all.

All of this ties into changes in the deer season, as well as I can see right now. It won't change by daylight.

I wish I could find these people, cause I could sure lend them a hand. Free of charge too.

A lot of these suggestions sound like Mississippi's current regs except for the tagging part

Who would you hand over the lawmaking to - the Legislature or the Conservation Commissioner (an appointed position and quite transitory)?

Gobbler, what do you think of it now?
Biologists are the one to handle the "regulations", not law. And by got, they don't have to think that the world is coming to an end if the small game hunters don't get a full month.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME----

I agree with gob. I don't know what the answer is but you won't find it in the legislature , they'll screw it up for sure! And then there's the Commish, every time the guv changes get ready for changes and lots of them.

I like the way it is now,I remember a few years back when we just could not shoot any does,but we could shoot a buck every day of the season...I was part of that slaughter(Lord forgive me) I have killed as many as 23 legal bucks in a single season.The 3 buck limit was one of the best things that ever happened in Alabama.I still think the powers that be needs to take a closer look at the doe seasons,and regulate it by zones,there are places that needs does killed,and some that don't.Hunter education is key,and I know you will always have outlaws,so stricter penalties for the ones caught would be a
start.

I have shot 2 buck in the last 5 years,with the exception of my long bow kill this year,and 1 doe.I took it upon myself to regulate me,and so could every one else if the would just stick there finger in there pocket ever once in a while.....

No does,5 bucks and leave it alone.I know what your saying,im a dumb arse but think about it. What do you have to show for a doe.your not gonna mount it.you say 5 bucks is to many.but folks it dont take many bucks to breed the does.the does are our future bucks thank how many bucks that 7or8 does most people are killing can make.heck make 3 of 5 bucks 8 point or better.I just dont like classified meat hunters. They say I cant eat the horns.to me they just dont know how to hunt.before everyone eats me alive.think about turkey hunting,most of you think its a shame to kill a jake.well hens to me should be like does. Theres way more hens than gobblers.justmy thoughts.and 1 more thing it really hurts for farmers to get permits they kill alot of deer during the summer and let them lay there.they could kill them bucks you protect because they dont have horns most of the summer

Maybe you should give up hunting and start playing golf if it bothers you that much. I'm happy for anyone that kills a deer that they are proud of.

You can really find out what you are dealing with, when you agree to let the state boys come on to your place to do conception studies, as I did.
Rule 1 was I get the key to the gates back when they finish.
Rule 2 was that they let me know when they are coming back so I can inform the neighbors. I told this when they came the first time and folks in the "gump" need to realize that this is important. Everyone in our vacinity looks after the other landowner.
I put the 2 rules in play for a reason. I was wondering what might happen, but knowing that we were willing to go through the process to know what they would come up with and hoping we would get in some February hunting.
Well guess what?
1. I still don't have the key back.
2. A neighbor called me the night of their second trip to let me know that there was some shooting on our land. Who knew?
And I won't even go into our meeting (3 landowners) with the GW a week or so ago. Un-freaking-believable.
Damn, I may write a book.
Believe me, changes in the deer season are at the whimsical discretion of the folks in charge. And supervision of the employees to be involved in any change doesn't amount to a hill of beans.
I absolutely question the results of any study that goes through the CAB and the DCNR admin. I keep looking for what I deem is a proper attitude in them dealing with the public and have not seen it from these people.

Going to one buck or eliminating doe harvest is only going to create a bunch of outlaws or make it where we lose about 75% of the hunting population in this state.

Its thoughts like that, that are the problem.

Yet another hillbilly that seems fairly happy with the season and bag limits as they are. And I know you are one of the more sane ones.

How do you figure? I've discussed it with several people and thats the feed back I get. Not everyone is a trophy hunter.

I about pulled the trigger this morning on a good looking buck,just thought he needed a little more time,very tempting...I have a certain deer in mind over there,and just couldn't flip that safety off.may need to shoot me one of them does though.

I'm sure your people agree with you

Season opens on Dec 20 for all weapons thru Feb 28. 5 deer, either sex total and tags for each one..

These aren't "my people" just random people I've struck up conversations with at an outdoors stor or guys I know off of here

I think kill only what your family can eat. 4 or 5 tags per family or household. Kill whatever you want however you want but when your tags are gone your done. My son and I kill 2 each every year. Makes you think twice before you shoot. I hate seeing deer laying on the side of the road with the backstrap cut out. Trying to teach my son to be a good Stewart as well as a good hunter

There are more deer in north east Alabama and the black belt. So lets reflect that in our regs. Divide the state into four common sense zone.

Northeast
Central
Black belt
Southern

Season length is fine. Tailor the bag limits for each zone to the needs of that zone. Limit doe harvest in the zones where deer numbers have dropped. Adopt minimum buck standards including spread and beam length like Mississippi. Issue tags for all does and bucks. You get caught with a tagless deer, it comes out of your pocket book.

I would like this just fine!

I think the three buck limit is sufficient. I don't really see a problem with the season length. My changes would be to have a limited doe season ten to fourteen days and if a landowner thought they needed to take more have a state biologist come out and assess the property and if warranted issue extra doe permits, also strictly enforce the buck limit and lastly continue to conduct studies and make changes to the season end date based on those studies so everyone gets to hunt the rut.

3 Buck limit but only two with a gun the other would have to be with a bow. Adopt the buck standards that is being used in MS this at least would protect those stupid 1.5 year old bucks. As far as does do it by region with 3 per hunter being the high end and 0 on the low end in places that need the population to grow, and if there are any places that need it sale a certain number of bonus doe tags at $10 a piece..

Dang, a bunch of you guys sound like you are anti-deer killing. I know some of you guys are more interested in deer photography/videography (trail cams) and farming for deer, which is fine if that is your thing, but some folk deer hunt to kill deer (and eat them). First, all we heard when it was a buck a day and limited doe days was we were killing too many young bucks and screwing up the herd dynamics. We got unlimited doe days and buck restrictions and were told if you just have to kill something shoot a doe, they eat better. Now we are being told we don't have enough does so don't shoot does, but don't shoot bucks either because we need more mature bucks, I suppose to breed what few does we have left.

I would hope that any changes made would be for the betterment of the herd and not because folks are opposed to hunters not hunting a certain way. Most of the suggestions being made sure sound like the latter.

To the contrary I am a Hunter who likes hunting and likes killing deer, but I have also hunted long enough to know at least on my region we are heading in the wrong direction. The reason kids are choosing other things is because the population is so low around here deer hunting is boring to them. I am concerned about the future of hunting for my grandkids. So if I say it would be a good thing to lay off the does it's not that I don't want people to kill deer it's that I wanted there to be a huntable population for people to kill in the future.....

One last thing......unless you are probably in your forties and have hunted in South Alabama when you were young you probably have no idea what good hunting and hunting to kill deer is all about. I laugh when I hear people talking about how good their hunting is because they killed some does. Before the liberal doe limits were pushed we averaged thirty bucks six point or better every year off 1500 acres now that is killing deer and enjoying it Now after all the liberal doe killing for the better of the herd lol we are averaging around five bucks of the same antler size. This year with the land around us included we have right at 6500 acres with a grand total of one buck and six does killed.....if this is a good trend then let's keep what we are doing but I think it's is not. So I will continue to push for a more localized(districts) way of setting limits for the future of our hunting.....

1 buck and no does really will go over well. I for one would be an outlaw. Horns are over rated but I sure will shoot a goodun if it comes by.

30 bucks way to many. That may be why you only have one now.

I definitely do not support a one buck limit.....

We averaged that for over twenty years.....again you have no idea what good hunting is...

600 bucks over twenty years and now you only have shot one. They may have gotten smart and left. I know good hunting.

Evidently not.....

Leave it like it is. I wish there was a way to put an age restriction on it tho.

You are wasting your time....

If they did not see it themselves, they will never believe it!
Some of THE best bucks I know of being killed around here over the years came from properties with higher than average populations and had Rules to protect young bucks.

Evidently so.... I do find it strange that 7,000 acres would only produce 1 buck for you.

Fellows lets admit ,the deer numbers are not the same they were 5 years ago.and another thing I think this will support bidt,s lack of deer and everybodys else, to I think we have educated the does to the point most of them are scared to come out because soon as they step out most people shoot them ,it makes them nocturnal as well.and 30 buck,s is a normal on most big tracts of land.if it wouldnt no one would lease the land.if everyone would keep there finger off the trigger things would get alot better.wait on the big boy then you will have something to be proud of.I know alot of people that kill does because they say they taste better,thats bullcrap deermeat is deer meat.then I know people that pay 1000$ to join a club they kill as many deer as they can,they say gotta get my money,s worth thats crap. no matter what everyone comes up with excuses.

They must have all moved North.The last few yrs I have been seeing all kinds of deer in and around Decatur.The last few days they have been everywhere.I think yall are gonna keep on and mess up a good thing.

I believe 1 doe per day is sufficient in private land, as we only kill 7-8 does per year in 1,200 acres, I would love to see a rigid buck tag instead of the honor paper system. In the southern zone I would like for bow season to come in on Oct 15, and all hunting stopped Dec 1-10. Our club polices it self pretty well with kills.

Another observation..I have a buddy with two 500 acre leases near Red Bay.May have ten members..He has a a field planted and feed the deer there and rarely shoots anything.He always has deer and sometimes as many as 25 in the field at any given time..The other guys sitting around seeing very little..As soon as it starts getting hunted they are gone..Just saying!

I know what you mean but it seems that it's always the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. This generation of video game players want INSTANT gratification and ALOT of it. They should have hunted back in the 70's when there REALLY were not many/any deer. If you saw a track, you felt like you had a good hunt. It was only a dream really to actually see and kill one.

Actually if you read my post again that's not just me. That's two hunting clubs and a private landowner. I don't find it strange....it is just a product of shooting too many does even though the State and a private biologist were pushing it combined with a large predator population.

I know most of these younger hunters and those that never hunted during those days in this region will never accept what we saw first hand.....

Again that is why I am talking about just my district / area because I would go back to our deer densities in the 70's in a heartbeat....

Maybe some areas can function as things are today. That's completely understandable. The hunters there have regulated themselves and the harvest and things are just fine. But that's a minority I can assure you. You may not believe that, but it's real.

Here's the crazy thing about regulations on the taking of wildlife. It's absolutely to create more opportunity in the future! Holy crap, what an idea! Why do some people see it as taking something away? You can only take so much for so long. That is truth.

I bought our lifetime license so we wouldn't get tied up in any more "fees". Didn't really have to buy a license at all, but I did. I'm not gonna pay to shoot a doe on land I own and pay taxes on. How about we make that just for "leased land" and wma's since a landowner doesn't have to buy a license anyway. The only reason you guys are wanting a 10.00 doe tag is to limit others "again". We won't kill 3 does a piece this year, but I will if I want to.

It amazing to me that I sit here and watch people killing very nice bucks and does,Kids killing deer daily and posted on this website.I also know of many many nice bucks being seen and some killed that never make it to aldeer.Seems to me they are easy to come by for a lot of people and some couldn't find a deer in a pen at the zoo.

I can remember going to Skyline back in the 78-84 yrs and seeing 25+ deer a day and many big deer were killed. I think the coyote are a 100x more of a problem than previous thought and the unlimited slaughter of does has ruined it.

So could one surmise that killing too many bucks wasn't nearly as bad for the overall deer herd in Alabama as many were led to believe?

I'd like to see it go back to doe days starting the day after Christmas Day & ending New Year's eve and one doe a day at that.

I would have no problem with that at all,but I would prefer it like it used to be,with no tag.no phone calls.I cant remember ever killing more than 3 bucks when we could kill one everyday.

Do the doe days on a county by county basis.

Good post, but I think it's not just the young hunters that want instant gratification. I started hunting in Northeast Alabama in the early 70's , I know what not seeing deer is all about.

County or districts would be the best way to do it. There is no way to effectively manage the deer population for the State as a whole.

If we have a limited doe season as suggested above I don't see the need for doe tags or the such either.....

Ok deer season for a long time had a doe season( end of dec.-first of jan.) and a hunter could kill as many bucks as he wants( most bucks are harder to kill). Then comes first change hunter can kill 2 does a day for entire season. Then 2nd change comes 3 buck limit. Now the 3rd change only one doe a day. You see it's going to change some people say it's going to make outlaws, outlaws aren't made they just show THEIR(for you English majors) true colors.

My changes would be some kind of an adjustment to doe harvest maybe dec. 15th - thru the weekend after jan.1st for the southern zone. Keep 3 buck limit with a 4 points minimum and if you can't kill enough deer with those regulations give up hunting and go fishing. Or kill all the hogs you want they got meat and no limits.

Limestone co.

Oct 1- Jan 15 season
2 buck annual limit
Reported tag system
Option to purchase a doe tag
Muzzle loader season Nov 5-15

Three buck limit statewide with 4-pts or better on one side.
Three doe limit statewide. In counties with high doe population allow hunters to purchase additional doe tags at 7 dollars each.
Statewide archery season: 1 Oct to 1 Dec
Blackpower: 2 Dec to 20 Dec
Modern Gun: 21 Dec to 10 Feb
Make the current voluntary check system mandatory.

Allow hunting over feeders.

Taser: 1 deer per day.

As a landowner who worked extra hard to purchase properties that have deer populations, I am very hesitant to shoot anything but a good mature buck. The does are strictly forbidden from being shot. That is the future of my resource.

On the other hand, I see individuals who lease properties are more apt to shoot without regard to sex or age class. Most, NOT ALL, are under the pretense they want to get their money's worth EVERY time they go afield. I am an officer in one of the oldest hunting clubs in North Alabama and it makes me shake my head when I see grown men shoot button heads and fawns that weigh less than 60 lbs. it is like If I don't shoot it someone else will. They then drop out of the club because they are not killing mature deer and the process starts all over again with a change over of about 10 members a year.

Our deer population is less than half of what it was 15 years ago. I would love to see two buck tags per Hunter that are purchased over the counter. I would also like to see a maximum of three doe tags per Hunter which could be taken by any legal hunting method. Bow season also needs to start on November 1 and run until February 7 without a split season here in North Alabama. The money generated from the deer tag sales would be used for more GWs to cover all our counties.

This is what I would like to see happen, but remember we all are different. I used to love hunting as a child with my dad here in North Alabama in the 1960's and seeing a deer every three or four years (sarcastic comment). We started protecting our does once they were populated here and you were the scum of the earth if you shot a doe. Those sentiments still carry over to a certain degree even today with me. I have only shot two mature deer a year for years now and see no sense in changing. I love looking at those beautiful racks and vividly remembering every detail about that hunt. I also get invited to hunt several properties that are off limits to hunting because the landowners know how I hunt.

That is all. Merry Christmas.
B

I would like it to go back the way it use to be about 20 to 30 years ago. Hunting was simple everybody hunted the same nobody even complained. Epically in north Alabama. Its to much hunting shows on TV that has messed that up. Hunting has really just went down hill if you as me

leave season the way it is , at least where i hunt .

-Doe limit set by county

2 Bucks per year (Any Size)on tag system matched to license at time of license purchase.

I am against doe day. Several variabels could ruin them days. Sick, work, weather ar just a few. As long as we have a real tag system it shouldnt matter. I'm all for limiting does to 2-3.

Also would like to be able to hunt over corn,

I can only speak for my area.