I think our current process for recording your three bucks is just a warm up. I think pretty soon you will actually be issued three tags that must be attached to the horns like other states. I think this would be great for growing bigger bucks, and improving the overall age structure of our deer in alabama. We all know now that some people kill three bucks then just print off another tag and fill it up also. I dont , but I know some people do. I dont think for a minute that this would stop the outlaw from killing more than his share , but it would keep more honest people honest and make people be pretty selective on that third buck. I think it would be the one single thing that could most impact the quality of hunting in the state.

The only thing I don't like about the three buck limit is if you hunt public land you have only a couple of weeks to shoot a doe. If they want to grow bigger deer they need to make it easier to shoot something other than the first small buck that walks out. I try to be selsctive but when you aren't able to kill a doe during doe days then you have to take whats available.

Bibb if you look at the quality bucks coming in this year,I think its clear to some of us that as it is there has been some good impact already.
Gdalecoach its clear you are a meat hunter and thats fine. I would rather eat deer meat everyday too. These changes are for the benefit of the quality of hunting available in Alabama. Looks like you'll just have to hunt harder or become a better hunter to get your does. Are you bowhunting. Maybe thats how you can get you does or hunt other areas like corps land.

Amen! I would love to see the tag system come about. Even if there is no check in station, having to tag your kill would be a start. As far as Gdales comment. . .if he is shooting the first deer that walks out that could be his problem.. and chances are on public land, you arent going to see three wall hangers anyway, so go on and use one of em on that meat deer. Personally, I wouldnt mind if we didnt have but one or two buck tags . . definitely makes you choose your kill more wisely.

I'd like to see the tag system.

Maybe they could institute a call check in system.

The DCNR currently manages wildlife on 756,000 acres of land on properly designated wildlife management areas. Those areas are designated for wildlife mangement in accordance with the game and fish laws. The commissioner of the DCNR has been given broad authority to manage those areas as he sees fit.

If you want the DCNR to have authority to manage wildlife anywhere else in the state that you want them to, you need to go thru the legislature and get laws passed that authorize the DCNR to do that. Until you do that, don't expect people to honor the rules people like you come up with by manipulating the system to get your way without going thru proper legal procedures.

If the land the state manages by law is not good enough for you, get your own land or lease some land and then make up all the rules up you want to and manage it however you like. Tie little tags on antlers and restrict yourself from hunting to your little heart's desire.

Hunting is a right recognized by our constitution. Our state game and fish laws allow for hunting within reasonable limits set to protect the species... not for wildlife management. If you don't like it, go thru the proper legal procedures to get it changed or get over it. Until then, your petty rules will continue to be violated.

I've been screaming that very argument, from the rooftops, since before there was an imaginary buck limit.
Feds aren't interested, they defer to state for seasons & bag limits on NF lands.
State seems only to be interested in expanding their rule over private lands, leaving public land hunters to scavenge for tiny morsels that fall from the plate.

I doubt tags would make any difference or have any impact around the areas I hunt now? I figure if folks down around where I hunt shot more than 3 bucks they just would not tag them. Why not tag does too? That might impact areas that I hunt as much as buck tags, North Pickens County is not over populated anyway.

1. The folks "you know" will just take the chance of shoot and drive like hell home so they don't get caught with an untagged buck.
2. Outlaws will always kill more than supposed to.
3. Honest folks are already honest. If they ain't, they ain't.
4. Tags won't keep some that "you know" from doing wrong, but huge stiff fines, jail time, and the states support for increased GW's and surveillance will prevent "some".

Now if folks know "some" that are breaking laws and those folks REALLY CARE ABOUT CONSERVATION AND GAME LAWS, they will turn those SOB's in.

CHACHINGE!!

I agree , I have not actually witnessed somebody do it, but I am just sure there are plenty of people sorry enough to not think twice about it.

I agree Outback. On most NF land I hunt, the buck/doe ratio is getting way out of whack. There are very few mature bucks also. I think an earlier doe season and a longer one will greatly benefit the deer herd there. I am not opposed to a tag system, it would keep an honest man honest. If some hunters would use better judgement, we wouldn't have a 3 buck limit anyway. I know of some people who used to kill as many as 20 deer a year. If some people have unfilled tags and want to give one to another hunter who has met their limit I wouldn't be opposed to that either.

Do the math:

Estimated population of deer in Alabama according to Gary Moody when the qdm limits were being debated: 1.7 - 1.8 million deer.

Kill 35% of 1.7 million to keep at same level = 595,000

Total deer killed during 2009-2010 season = 289,000

Additional needed to keep deer in check = 306,000

We better quit killing coyotes. They're doing our job for us already. Add tags and a bunch of other qdm crap and we might need to import some more coyotes to keep the deer population from exploding. Lord knows more hunting opportunity ain't the answer.

I don't think you can say that for the whole state. There are some areas that do need more deer killed, but there are also some areas that need to back off the doe slaying.

If you get excited and get that feeling that causes us all to deer hunt, shoot! One simple rule.

The whole state is exactly what I'm talking about.

The specifics of individual properties were not used to implement qdm limits... they were implemented statewide. A tagging rule would follow the same logic... manage statewide, not specifically.

306,000 fewer deer killed than qdm advocates and you're bringing up tagging rules being needed??

If equal numbers of does and bucks of that 306,000 had been killed, that leaves 153,000 more bucks that could have been killed without "harming the health of the herd" as the liberal qdm bunch preaches it.

Which "hole in the bucket" are we going to use as a reason for the next rule to restrict legitimate hunters from killing deer???

they'll go to a tag system eventually if serious hunters will keep pressing for it - alabama's deer hunters are becoming more quality oriented, so i think it's just around the corner - i'd like to see a 2-part tag system for both bucks and does - possibly even divide each county into quadrants - this would allow for different quotas where needed - the harvest information provided by a tag system would be extremely valuable in managing our state's deer herd

Ok, here is my question,say a guy is a meat hunter and he does not care one bit about horns. Should he be limited by the state simply because as some on this forum say, he is not a quality hunter. I will not fault a guy if he shoots a doe every day of the season if he wants as long as it doesnt go to waste. I think the trophy hunting elite mentality has done damage to the sport of hunting. I have to hunt in places where there are very few deer because I cant afford the 2,000.00 dollar lease and you can bet your bippy if a spike or a 4 point comes out somebody is going to smoke him because he may be the only one you see all year. Please dont jump on me to bad

If you go back to the beginning of this debacle, no one cared to ask what the rank and file hunters thought or how we felt about how we would be affected. "Study groups" composed of members of special interests groups met and made their proposals relying to a large degree on a survey of 18,000 Alabama Wildlife Federation members in support of their agenda.

There were around 250,000 licensed hunters who were never surveyed for their input. The directors at the DCNR had little input and were opposed to the changes. They expressed concern that fewer deer hunters and fewer deer being killed would be a result.

It's easy to pull numbers out of the air and say a majority of hunters across Alabama support this qdm crap. Until I see the results of an independent survey that includes all hunters, not just members of a special interest group, then I will know the truth. No such survey exists because it was never conducted.