CNC, you continually throw up the FL and LA hunters and OOS hunters as if they are the problem. IMO, we as a group of Alabama residents, are the real problem. Based on my experience of owning smaller properties, leasing big acreage and running big managed clubs all over the SW and south central Blackbelt for the past 30 yrs or so, I've found the out of state hunters to be are far more selective and overall herd management minded and oriented, than your typical Alabama resident. The fact is, that most of Alabama is chock full of trespassers, poachers, thieves, game law violators, game hogs and just downright slob hunters. Both white and black, in the areas I'm in. You could fill a semi trailer full to the top with empty corn bags collected off the side of the road in any county in the state. I've hunted all over the southeast and no other state can hold a candle to the hunters in Alabama when it comes to the me, me, me, I'll shoot whatever I want, when I want, I dont care what the rules say, if I dont kill it, someone else will, and the overall general blood lust to simply see dead deer on the tailgate, every time they go into the woods or drive down a rural highway at night. There are plenty that take it as a personal challenge to kill every deer they see. It's just a fact. I'll take OOS hunters as neighbors beside me, all day, everyday, over a group of locals putting together a 20 man club on 1000 acres with $500-1000 dues and the typical shoot everything that walks members that are typical for most of those type clubs and attitude. Most of the guys on this site, when it comes to concern over wildlife, regulations and concerns over sustainability, are the exception to the norm for a large number of AL resident hunters.
If youre concerned about a declining deer herd, age structure, overharvest, etc. Then out of state hunters are exactly who you should be wanting to fill the state up with, to reverse the current harvest trends. Like I said, personally, I'd much rather have them surrounding me and my managed property than big groups of AL residents. Also, rest assured had Chuckie stayed in charge, I'm almost certain that the night hunting permit for deer, that you mentioned above, would have been the next new thing to be offered as a new "privilege" license. Alabama residents would have raced to buy those up, at any price.
