I can say this: if you're willing to discredit a whitetail biologist's or biologists' views, then you yourself have to discredit you own views. You would have to agree that the views of biologists would "and should" hold more credibility than your own. I am assuming Hogwild, jlccoffee 49er do not hold whitetail biology degrees.
I do not hold a degree in whitetail biology but I do not need to... Biologists are willing to share their views with me via print media, web, in-person talks, etc... and so why would I not listen?
I don't have a degree in biology, but I chose biology courses to satisfy my natural science requirements in both high school and college because of my interest in it. Fifty years of hunting experience in the same area may not impress you, but I think I've learned a thing or two along the way about the deer here that you and a lot of those biologists you read about have not learned about them.
You know as little about me as you know about the deer I hunt. I've gained a lot of respect for jlcoffee's opinions and even some of Danny's by comparing them to what I've learned thru the years thru application of the biological principles I've been taught and observation of the results. Application and observation is a large part of the scientific method of learning. Until you've had the experience that some of us older hunters have, you may think those biologists you are listening to are not letting their personal biases influence what they are teaching you. It might not be good on your part to exclude differing opinions without examining them more carefully.
I don't think you will find any learned biologists who honestly believe it is feasible to properly manage any species of free-ranging wildlife with uniform statewide rules. Probably not even those who supported the buck limit/antler restriction we have in place if the whole truth were known. There are too many non-scientific factors and variables in the mix. You will learn a lot more about politics and it's effects on all phases of your life as you grow older.
I also doubt if you've ever hunted anywhere near the area of west Jefferson and northeast Tuscaloosa County that is my lifelong stomping grounds. I've spent the better part of the last two days analyzing twelve years of data that has been collected from our hunting lease in preparation for a consultation with one of those biologists with a degree that you have a lot of respect for. So why not leave me and those biologists that I consult with to take care of my business here and I'll do the same for you.
