too many deer

[nekwah]

Here in nebraska there is a terrible lot of deer. Not that many big bucks but loads of does. On our ranch they are starting to ruin stuff. Eating very valuable hay and crops. We are allowed to shoot them if they are destroying stuff but we arent allowed to touch them. It seems like such a waste too start shooting does that we are very reluctant to do it. Something has to be done and i dont see a way around it. Why wont people just shoot a doe during deer season. Or better yet why isnt their a very long doe season in parts of the state with this problem?

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

I feel for you. Seriously. I think game management has gotten weirdly out of control, with huge numbers of deer destroying the habitat even as states make it harder and harder for people to hunt them. What a waste!

If I ever get to live in Nebraska (great state with the friendliest people I've ever met; I'd move there tomorrow if I could), I'd knock down all the does I could eat without ever giving a buck a second glance (well, maybe just one).

 

[PotatoJudge]

Unfortunately, state parks and wildlife are often lagging in applying current population data to bag limits.

If you need to protect your crops and there are too many deer, shoot them as the law allows. You think of it as wasting meat but something will eat it.

 

[caribou]

Shoot them.

If that doesnt work, shoot them again.



I think that would help, seeing how Killer Maneating Cow chewing High capacity Assault Wolves arent doing it right.

 

[bad_aim_billy]

There is still a "buck only" mentality in this country that has flourished for generations. Perhaps someday that will change, but I doubt it. Too many people obsessed by horns, even to the extent of not utilizing block/crop damage permits on their own land...

 

[jerkface11]

People hunt deer for a trophy not for food. We need to re-educate people on just how tasty the things really are.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Or better yet why isnt their a very long doe season in parts of the state with this problem?

That's the best question. The answer is, in many states, the regs HAVE caught up to the need, with extended doe seasons and other incentives to take does*. Sounds like NE is just slow on the uptake in updating their regs. The proper course of action is to sit in on meetings of the wildlife department and offer your input, and/or submit input in writing to the wildlife department. It seems a shame and terrible waste to just shoot them and let them rot, so I would ask both for a longer/special doe season, AND in the meantime, at least allow those with depredation permits to take the meat - what harm could that do, anyway? Write some letters, my man - the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

*For example, another way to incentivize hunters to take does is to restrict the number of bucks you can take. In this state, as of last year, now the maximum number of bucks one can take has been reduced from five down to three: 1 in ML season, 1 in gun season, and 1 with a bow. Honestly, with the buck/doe population as out of whack as it is, they are not going far enough on that, IMO. I think you should be allowed only TWO bucks total for the year: One with a bow, and one in EITHER ML season or gun season - your choice. Then there'd be a lot more does shot during ML season, as hunters would think twice about whether they want THAT buck, or want to hold out for a bigger one that might show itself during the rut during gun season later on. Of course, you can still get the 6 or 8 does or whatever it is, if you choose to maximize that route of hunting, and are able to find them.

 

[interlock]

principals of deer management

It sounds like nebraska have got the principals of deer management all wrong. shooting does is the only way to manage deer populations. if you shoot bucks you are in fact, managing the populations upwards. the does have a smaller breeding area under fewer bucks so each buck covers more does that are in a smaller area. I don't know about your deer, but our roe will produce twins if they have predation pressure. this can just increase the numbers quicker.

our roe deer (the nearest thing we have to your white tailed deer) sasons are bucks 1st april - 31st october does 1st november through to 31st march. there is quite a distaste for culling the heavily pregnant does late in the season, however this is the only way to keep numbers down. our deer numbers are expanding at an estimated 20% per year but i think this is a conservative estimate. we have species that are extending thier ranges across the uk (muntjac and CWD) roe, continue to extend and increase thier density and fallow the same. Reds are being seen in new places all of the time. This is in our small and densly populated island. You guys have some strange hunting seasons and the drive for bucks is readily apparent in the posts here. it is no wonder numbers are exploding. I am with Dr THW that putting pen to paper is the way ahead.

interlock

 

[rduckwor]

We are allowed to shoot them if they are destroying stuff but we arent allowed to touch them.

You mean the State Game and Fish says you can eliminate them but not butcher them for meat?

If so, time to get hold of your "Polyester Cowboy" who spends 60 days a year in Lincoln and get this fixed.

In the eastern half of the state (at least in the Bellevue area), they are so numerous that they even had limited hunts in Fontanelle Forrest (eastern edge of town AND a residential area) to thin then down a bit.

Seriously, they are becoming vermin in many places and the state needs to allow you to help correct this issue.

Good Luck,

RMD

 

[Husker_Fan]

We have a fairly long archery season, a nine day firearm season in November, a muzzle loader season all of December and an extra doe only season the first half of January.

Unfortunately, most of the hunting is done during the firearm season and folks always want a buck. This year I took two mature does (IIRC yearlings aren't bred, and there is more meat) one in the November firearm season and one in the January season. I'd take more of them if my freezer was bigger.

 

[Polishrifleman]

They can Kill about 4 more deer per person in Nebraska than we can in Washington.

A few big problems:

Lack of Hunting Population per acerage to hunt
Lack of Freezer Space (Go hunting and donate the meat)
A lot of private posted land

Invite us to hunt your ranch! Out of state guests aren't too expensive and we love the taste of venison.

 

[testar77]

Invite us to hunt your ranch! Out of state guests aren't too expensive and we love the taste of venison.

+1 to that! Heck we'll even shoot our own table fare

 

[Husker_Fan]

The freezer comment was a bit tounge in cheek. I think eight does taken off the property I hunted were donated last year.

What I was getting at is that I think it is more of an attitude issue than one of how many and how long the hunting seasons are.

I think a program like Wisconsin's "Earn a Buck" might be good. You have to fill a doe tag before you take a buck.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Have you ever thought of opening your land to Father/Mother-Son/Daughter hunts for does only?

Have you worked with your state game management team to offer this sort of thing to focus groups for youth or multi tag owners?

There are some incentive plans in other states that allow taking of extra deer because a land owner allowed lottery winner access to their land.

The 'Dr Tad' hit on a few good points.

Do you have any Blackbear on the property? If I was to come from Washington to cull out some Does, I'd like to hunt multiple species to make it worth my while.

Otherwise, I hear that Idaho has some Wolves they want to get rid of.

-Steve

 

[testar77]

I think a program like Wisconsin's "Earn a Buck" might be good. You have to fill a doe tag before you take a buck.

That would be cool! But it is hard to read about you guys complaining about too many deer, when like Polish rifleman said............. We only get 1 per year.

BUT if I were in your situation, I think that earn a buck thing would be a neat way to do it!

Toby

 

[DRYHUMOR]

If you are not allowed to pick them up when shot, leave them, then hunt the coyotes that come for them. There are too many of those also.

 

[rduckwor]

if you are not allowed to pick them up when shot, leave them, then hunt the coyotes that come for them. There are too many of those also.

+1

rmd

 

[jerkface11]

It's just stupid to be allowed to shoot them but not be allowed to eat them.

 

[X-Rap]

Here in Co we have an abundance of cow elk and literally thousands of private land permits left over for both does and cows. The problem here is that those leftover tags are on Private land and the owners want trespass $$ to hunt them or it is owned by energy companys who also do not like the public on their land.
When the elk get in the hay they call the DOW and get reimbursed for the damage and the game goes unhunted and unmanaged.
I'm not saying that is your case in Neb. but it may be and if not and you are successful in extending seasons and hunting opportunities for the does be aware that land must be opened to hunt or management will fail.
There are and always have been jerks and a$$ hats that don't respect the land be it public or private but there are ways of keeping track of who is doing what and protect the owners property.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

I would think with the economy the way it is, people would be grateful for the meat.

You, or someone else in Nebraska, could contact your shiny, seated politicos; and try to get the law changed so that culls go to the hungry.