Kill-em all they eating up folks bean crops,gardens and vehicle bumpers.

How many ppl on here can explain why an out-of-balance sex ratio is bad for a deer herd? From a biology standpoint? List the reasons. (Ppl think not shooting immature bucks is all about "trophy mgmt", but it's NOT.)

A few things... biologists know more about the biology of a deer herd today than yesteryear. And, Alabama's deer herd isn't the same as it was years ago. And, it doesn't help that many hunters do not participate in reporting their kill. "It encroached on my rights!!", they stated. GMAB. It's your responsibility as a hunter and a conservationist to contribute!

I go along with the state's agenda as they're just trying to do the right thing. But I manage my own deer herd based off what I know and I've done a lot to educate myself about the biology of a deer herd. I'm no biologist! But man I read the QDMA (now the NDA) publications and went to seminars and read everything I could get my hands/eyes on about everything deer herd and hunting related.

So I truly put the health of the herd before myself and my other hunters. It's what we all should do. Anyway, I keep detailed records of what's killed. What are the harvested doe weights by age? Are does dropping singles, twins or triplets? It matters!! What are the harvested buck weights by age? AND MORE information is collected and kept each year about our deer herd. It helps me know where I stand in managing my deer herd.

We shoot bucks by age, NOT antler points and if you can't tell the difference in a 3.5 yr old or young from a 4.5 yr old and older, you're not hunting on our land. It's not that hard. If a mistake is made, it's not hell, fire and damnation! Let's learn. And when you don't shoot bucks 3.5 yrs of age or younger, the opportunity to shoot 4.5 year old and older are very high.

I know some of you don't have the land to manage, but if you could talk to your neighbors and get educated and committed, things will turn around.

So, I manage my own deer herd and I'm not like a democrat expecting the gov to tell me how to live and manage my life. If we need to shoot does, we shoot does. Drop 5 does at a time if you can or IF you need to. Get your doe numbers shot early in the year, IF YOU NEED TO shoot does, base off criteria (Criteria is too much to go over here!).

Can a kid shoot an immature buck? Sure, but if they're going to hunt a few times during the year, WAIT... I promise, a good 3.5 yr old or older WILL show up and the kid can shoot that buck, which will be a good buck, instead of a spike. But if they want to shoot a spike, then hell, don't teach patience, like you should, and well, hell... shoot a damn spike and we'll celebrate.

Bucks? We only allow three mature bucks per membership, however, we allow for the killing of older mature bucks with less-than-desirable antlers if he takes you over three for the membership. I am all about taking mature bucks... esp if he's not something special antler-wise when he's 4.5 yrs old or older. But a min of three good quality bucks per yr per membership.

So I really don't know what the state is doing... I don't care. I manage my own deer herd and I put my deer herd before hunters and I use proven biological guidelines and they DON'T come from me, but Grant Woods, MSU, Auburn, University of TX, University of GA and some great biologists in this state.

I am happy with my results? YES!!! We see bucks... lots of them. We are happy with our way of management. It just takes discipline and dedication. Oh, a desire to learn about deer mgmt!

so yall be killing more bucks then the state regulation allows according to the information i have highlighted in RED.

I expect the membership allows for guests/family to take deer as part of the three. Just a guess.

Per membership not per person. This would include family and guests.

Pardon me... per membership. So the rule was three bucks per membership... until hunters started coming back to camp with video of VERY mature bucks they would film... many times, it was kids. The buck(s) was/were for sure mature, but the buck's antlers just were not very good and the hunter would pass on the mature buck waiting on a bigger buck. Ya know, some of these bucks were mature and bullies!!! 190 - 200+ lbs bullies!!! They needed to go, so we allowed a membership more than three bucks IF the buck was a "cull" per se. (BUT, HAD TO BE... HAD TO BE MATURE WITH ZERO EXCEPTIONS and his rack better not be a desirable rack... know what I mean?!) Now if you had your three bucks and if, IF you shot a really good buck for your 4th buck (you or your family member or guest), your ass would be gone and you're not keep the buck. But here's the deal, we don't have those kinds of members. We don't have rules like... "No shooting bucks at night!". There are rules and then there are ethics and our guys don't do stupid chit! Or unethical things.

I have an answer for you. The deer herd is not the same in all places of the state. If it were, it would be easier to manage. Even so, it seems to me most bioligists endorse killing more doe's. When I had one from the state come look at my lease, after about an hour touring the property she suggested we kill 15 doe's that deer season.

That seems to be the go to. You need a 1 to 1 buck to doe ratio. What other antlered animal do they push that for? Elk, Moose, Big Horn Sheep, antelope? I have never heard it if they have. But whitetail deer, kill all the doe's if you want big bucks

I think you grossly misunderstand a biologist if you think they say shoot all the does if you want big bucks. I’ve talked to several employed by the state and several not employed by the state and I have never heard any of them say that.

How is a buck a bully?

He runs every young buck off that he sees. Causing your younger bucks to disperse more than normal. That’s what I call them anyways. They usually are loaners when the other bucks are in bachelor groups.

The ranch we go to in Sonora is loaded with these. Old mature 8pts that the members won’t shoot because they are after big 10s or better. I watched them run every nice up and coming bucks and does way from the feeders. I told our buddy that they need to get rid of those old bucks so the nice young deer can get to the feeders. He said nobody will give up their tags to kill them. I told him I was his Huckleberry!!! I’d be proud of every one of those big 8pts I watched hunt after hunt.

Perfect bucks for kids to shoot!

Every mature buck runs off younger bucks

Not true. I’ve seen 5 bucks of all ages eating at the same feeder. All coming to the feeder in the same group. They call them bachelor groups on TV hunting shows.

I’m talking about a buck that wants to fight all other bucks all the time. Year round. Not just during the rut. Yes older bucks will push a younger buck off a doe during the rut, but once they leave the doe alone the older buck leaves them alone usually. These bully bucks aren’t common and they just want to fight and run other bucks off all the time. Overly aggressive.

I disagree

I’ve never seen a big buck “keep” young deer ran off.
As a matter of fact, every feeder I have has multiple young bucks that use them all year long. With or without a mature deer hanging around. I mean how far do you expect a mature deer to run another deer off? I’ve seen more aggression out of mature does by far.

Not saying management is perfect but I personally am seeing a lot more bucks in the woods and beside the highways than I did 5-6 years ago. Seems to be about the same on does. I attribute it to the 3 buck limit. Must be some who are obeying the law.

If you think you've got a "problem" with mature deer running off younger bucks from feeder.... you've gone full retard.

WFT is that? Holy chit that's stupid. Probably runs them all the way to the unmarked property line then comes back.......

Read what I said!!! Nothing stupid about it at all. I sat there and watch these older mature 8pts run every smaller buck and does away from the feeders for the 3 days I was there. You can do all the childish name calling crap you want and make yourself believe that you know better then everyone else. I’m telling people what I ve seen. I have seen it way more with older does then older bucks because until I hunted in Texas, I’ve never seen a mature 8pt that I wouldn’t shoot. Which is why most people never got to see them run the other deer off. Sometimes the “retard”needs to look in the mirror.