A lot of factors helped create the decline in wildlife populations: the Civil War, Reconstruction, market hunting, the Depression and until the early 1900s no wildlife laws or regulations.

The same helped a decline in bird populations, too, especially market hunting and the fashion industry in the U.S. and Europe. Not just waterfowl, either. Songbirds were sold in markets in the Northeast and elsewhere. Christmas holiday shoots were big deals for families and towns, a sort of celebration. The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts were begun as a way to inventory birds but also try to stem the tide of the excessive shooting.

The restoration of deer, turkey and other wildlife in the Southeast is pretty amazing.

Who's advocating for no regulations?

Oh. No one.

Ah, I knew you'd chime in. You can't help yourself.

So I'll explain again, one final time and clearly enough that even you may understand since I know you're an intelligent guy. I know that. You and others who keep wanting more laws and regulations and whatnot are smart guys. You just can't help wanting everyone to be in lockstep, though, and that won't happen.

I don't want zero regulations and never have advocated for that. Ever. You and a few others get on the "anarchy!" kick because it's easy to be a knee-jerk reactionary throwing out idiotic labels instead of understanding that some folks just don't want or like more intrusion than what we have.

However, the reality is that laws and regulations exist and in some cases are needed. Conservation is one of them.

That's the reality. We have them. We just don't need MORE of them or to an excess or to the degree that people finally say "Ah, screw it." and quit.

See how that works? I know you do.

So, to reiterate: Who's advocating for no regulations?

Oh, right. No one.

Goatkiller, your post makes no sense. If Clem only wanted to benefit himself, he'd want MORE regulations, since he doesn't kill does. He would want doe killing outlawed. But that's not what he wants.

I guess I'm not as smart as you guys.

Clem doesn't like regulations. People should be able to kill all the does they want. Let's use speed limits as an example. Clem says everyone should be able to drive whatever speed they want. Nobody speeds on his way to work because it is out in the country and 2 miles from his house. He sees no problem. No regulations required in his opinion.

I drive through downtown B'ham and people are speeding on the interstate in heavy traffic. I say that is unsafe and someone will get hurt so we need speed limits. More regulations.

Enlighten me.

I'm thinking you get the argument now. In my opinion there is nothing extreme about limits on game.

Being accompanied by a Game Warden... well that would be ridiculous but nobody is advocating for that.

I wonder how many other states allow you to kill a doe a day for 3 1/2 months ? So I don't think there is any fear of having too many regulations in this State lol

I was talking to my grandfather about the Great Depression Years/WW2 recently and the topic of deer came up. He grew up in Section (near Scottsboro) and lived there until he was 21. He left in approximately 1950 and told me nobody in Section ever saw any deer the whole time he can remember living there; he said he knows for a fact he never saw a single one in person as a child/adolescent until he moved away.

I knew people were poor & hungry, but that really surprised me. I'm guessing all the deer were killed off pretty quick? Does anybody know how long it took for them to come back to an appreciable level?

It could be, but I've only put one person on ignore ever and that was for about 20 seconds. I figure I should be adult enough to consider someone else's viewpoint, even if I ultimately disagree or think it's silly, and then move on, without just blocking them.

I'd like to eat ice cream every day. The reality is I know I cannot. So I don't.

It's not a friggin' difficult concept to understand. What you want, and what the reality is, don't always jibe. So you accept the reality and make the most of it, or you try to get it changed if possible.

I remember being in a club in sumpter co. In the late 70's.
There were very few deer. It was something to even see a track.
I only remember one deer being killed. I also remember looking for lost dogs.
I was also in a club in Dallas county in the early 80's.
There were deer everywhere. I also remember looking for lost dogs there.

I wonder how many other states allow you to kill a doe a day for 3 1/2 months ? So I don't think there is any fear of having too many regulations in this State lol

I hunted Sumpter in the mid 60's.

For extra credit, when were elk released in Alabama and when and where was the last documented one killed??

1860's, right after the war?

I hunted Sumpter in the mid 60's. It was eye popping how many deer were down there at that time. I took some folks down first of Feb one time, we saw well over 1000 deer in half a daY AND 3-4 HOURS OF NIGHT LOOKING.

Last one was killed in Calhoun County I believe. Don't remember the exact date they were introduced.