When it comes to any proposal to shorten or change the seasons in Alabama, I honestly think that part of the problem is that only a very small percentage of Alabama hunters have ever hunted in a state, where the deer herd is actually tightly and actively managed, and everything is fully enforced, be it KY, IL, TX, KS, IA, MO. I wish everyone in AL could hunt a prime week in any of those states, seeing what can be accomplished, with shorter seasons, tighter regs, better age structure, and better management by the powers that be.
I think something people miss with that is not everyone is a hardo out to shoot 140inch deer. A lot of people want to go to their hunting lease/camp, hang out, and sit in a shooting house about 20-30 times a year mostly on weekends and holidays. Hunting is very much a social thing in Alabama. I've got relatives that go to "hunting camp" just to hang out, shoot the shucks "with the guys", and cook breakfast.
I hunt with an old timer who hasn't killed a deer in 3 years in probably 60 sits. If you told him he could only hold a rifle 7 days a year and sit in his shooting house he'd be livid, even though he isn't even shooting anything.
If you really want to improve the age structure, you need to limit the bucks taken or put antler restrictions in place. Then actually go out and enforce it.
Lastly, there's a nutritional and potentially genetic differential between AL and a place like MO.
