Do you agree with this ?

[Live to Hunt]

Killling every deer in this state is not management it's called eratication. A doe a day is not management. Call it what you want that's how I see it. I could go on but, I get it a lot of New Jersey hunters like this idea.

[chum stains]

QDM starts with your neighbors! If your neighboring properties / hunters are not on board it will NEVER work!

 

We started a QDMA in upstate P.A right around when the 3 on one side rule started.. Our QDMA started with my uncles property (50 acers) and the neighbors property (64 acers) then the next year another neighbor (80 acers) and another neighbors (150 acers) and over the course of about 8 years and one neighbor talking to the next, now that QDMA  is up over 2700 acers of connected properties that are all on board with doing food plots / habitat,  shooting your does early, and shooting bucks that are 3-1/2 years or better! In return we are now seeing multiple bucks every year over 130''-150''. In years past that would be a real surprise to see a deer like that up there, now it has become the norm and every year more properties get on board and bigger bucks are being killed! What is nice about the program is everyone communicates with one another about what they are seeing and comparing trail cam pics of what their inventory and doe to buck ratio's are.. Just this year there was a great 150'' deer that was on my uncles property all during fall bow that no one killed, had pics of it all the way up to rifle season.. opening day of rifle that buck was killed by a neighbor almost 2miles away, and we could not be happier for him! it was the biggest buck of his life and we would have never know what happened to that buck if the neighbor was'ent on board with the program. Now he has trail pics to go along with his memories!

 

The only reason that neighbor killed that buck was because of being patent and passing up the smaller ones all during bow season because he knew of all the trail cam pics / inventory of what was out there in the neighboring properties and his own..They cant get to be 3,4,5 years old if you kill them when there a 6pt. I dont know if this could ever work in jersey with the way the regs are and the mentality of the average new jersey deer hunter. I try to practice the same here on my 22acers but i know i the neighbors dont because the other neighbors dont and so on! But the proff is in the pudding!

 

New Jersey needs to start with the 3pt on one side rule. and only one buck per season, just by doing that in a few years you will have a huge increase in 2-1/2 yr bucks and then maybe the average ''Brown its down" jersey slayer will see what a little QDM can do. Dont get me wrong though, even up there with everyone on board we still let junior and first time hunters take what they want but the funny part is after they sit in on a neighbors QDM meeting and get educated and see whats out there, they are passing up the little ones too!

[Lphunsjr]

Dont get me wrong though, even up there with everyone on board we still let junior and first time hunters take what they want but the funny part is after they sit in on a neighbors QDM meeting and get educated and see whats out there, they are passing up the little ones too!

 

Exactly

[DeplorableDan]

After you see some of the giants killed nearby, it's hard to be satisfied with a young deer when you know he has the potential. It's more fun to let bucks walk, you get to observe their behavior and thus, learn more about the species. We are naturally wired to get excited about antlers, and when your land has the capability it's worth a shot to try and grow some mature bucks.

[Rusty]

 

 only one buck per season

 

I strongly agree with 1 buck per season.

 

 

New Jersey needs to start with the 3pt on one side rule.

 

But I have to just as strongly disagree with this.  ARS create a class of permanently protected, genetically inferior bucks.  This group of protected bucks increases over time while the number of legal bucks decreases.  ARs actually do the opposite of what they are intended for.  

[GhostBear]

What he said, and I saw it happen first hand.

[not on the rug]

I strongly agree with 1 buck per season.

 

 

 

But I have to just as strongly disagree with this.  ARS create a class of permanently protected, genetically inferior bucks.  This group of protected bucks increases over time while the number of legal bucks decreases.  ARs actually do the opposite of what they are intended for.  

1 or 2 would be fine with me

 

Totally agree on the ARS.  They absolutely do the opposite of what they are supposed to do 

[chum stains]

 

 

 

 

But I have to just as strongly disagree with this.  ARS create a class of permanently protected, genetically inferior bucks.  This group of protected bucks increases over time while the number of legal bucks decreases.  ARs actually do the opposite of what they are intended for.  

 

 

I understand where you are coming from, but what other options are there for protecting the 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 yr old bucks? 

 

[Rusty]

 

 

I understand where you are coming from, but what other options are there for protecting the 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 yr old bucks? 

 

First off, welcome to the site chum stains. 

 

If you look at the states that produce the biggest bucks, they have a limited number of buck tags.  Allow each hunter to take only 1 buck and you will see a tremendous improvement in the quality of our bucks here in NJ.   

[LittleM]

To stay on topic, yea, I agree with the sign - I think its basic biological logic.  BUT, for me, I don't much care.  Deer hunting is one of about 7 to 8 outdoor activities I engage in, at various times of the year, but some do overlap with the deer seasons.  I just like being out there once in awhile, to change things up and having the chance to kill one, so I am not particular at all.  I rarely kill more than two bucks a year anyway.  Anything from a spike to a ten-point is good with me.  I do like big bears, tho ...........

[Hunter115522]

At the end of the day, hunting means completely different things to different people. I know people that would pass up 120' bucks all day, and I know people that would be thrilled to death if they took a spike. We shouldn't judge people on the LEGAL animals they kill. Not everyone has access to great hunting properties, gets to spend 50+ days a year in the woods..etc. I have made the decision not to shoot small bucks years ago, however that's MY decision. I would never push that on others. If you would be happy with a spike, a 4, or a basket 6, by all means shoot what makes you happy. Who are we to judge each others legal kills? 

[chum stains]

 

 

 

 

 

First off, welcome to the site chum stains. 

 

If you look at the states that produce the biggest bucks, they have a limited number of buck tags.  Allow each hunter to take only 1 buck and you will see a tremendous improvement in the quality of our bucks here in NJ.   

 

 

Thanks Rusty! 

 

I guess that would be a step in the right direction! but i don't think it will stop the ''Brown its down'' Jersey mentality. Half the hunter in this state cant tell a button buck from a doe at 25yrds!

And dont even get me started on deer drives!

[dlist777]

For me, it's just a waste thing.  I try to hunt with minimal waste.  If I shoot a doe, I'm going to eat it.  If I shoot a buck, I'm going to eat it and the antlers are going on the wall.  If the antlers won't go on a wall, I'll shoot another doe if I want meat.  Everyone has their own standards for what antlers they will display and I'm sure it changes over time.  I'm 46 and I got my first bow buck this year.  It was 1.5 y/o NJ 5 pointer.  I was happy as a clam and it's on my wall now.  But, I'll probably be looking for something better next season....

[Rusty]

I got my first bow buck this year.  It was 1.5 y/o NJ 5 pointer.  I was happy as a clam and it's on my wall now.  

 

That's great, congratulations dlist777.   

[stratocaster]

I like this sign - a lot. Is it the holy grail of whitetail management ?  Perhaps not.  

 

I do try to limit my kills to 3.5 or older, and if I would just up it by one year, I would start eating more buck tag soup for sure but also in the long run probably start shooting larger bucks, so I know I can do more (but these damn crippled bucks keep showing in front of me...)

 

Do you care about this at all?  I am all for first time hunters and our youth shooting the 1.5 year olds, and to them a 2.5 year old is a trophy, so no issue there. How many of you been hunting for years and years and killed lots of bucks, but don't give a rats ass for at least seaking out something a little older?

 

I will go on record for saying "yes this is Jersey", and I do totally "Get it". I won't judge you for saying "I kill any buck I want with no regards to age, you can't eat the horns".  I appreciate that honesty and there is no shame in that either. My father who I love, and got me into hunting at age 10 still feels "can't eat the horns" at age 82. Different time - different age.

 

​I know several young hunters in their 20s that are quickly becoming big mature buck killers (way better than me). Some I see posting on these NJ websites. I find it refreshing to see that mentality - let the bucks  grow a few years first. When I was that age, I was ECSTATIC to shoot a spike or young 6...  It never dawned on me that if I held my tag, I may have a chance at something bigger. My father was so proud of me for any buck I shot with bow in my 20s, because he was a gun-gang hunter all his life. My first bow kill was a 1.5 year old 6pt at age 20, and my father actually pushed it to me on a one man drive. He was meandering / woodcock hunting through one patch, and pushed two bucks by me in another patch. We planned and executed it perfectly.    I am not sure if I could kill a buck big enough, at age 52, to surpass that feeling.   Why is it that today, shooting that same buck would make me cry? (and not tears of joy - but disapointment because I ended his life well before his prime?).

While I agree with the QDM concept, there has to be a few other factors in place before it will work.  NJ has 8722 sq miles and 39000 gun hunters?  3/5ths??? of the state is developed(bldgs, roads) which leaves little land to practice QDM and hunt.  Sure if you live/hunt next to a protected area or around houses you will have a better chance at harvesting a mature deer but that is not QDM.  QDM can't really be practiced on land less than 200 acres. You also need genetics and I know some guys will say NJ has "great genetics".  Once in while you will see a mature trophy buck killed but based on the numbers of deer killed is it really possible here.  For most of us, which is 90%, it is not possible.   The midwest and southeast and some western states have success with QDM. The midwest and western states have awesome genetics, huge amounts of land and food and hunters are spread out more than here so it is worth it to practice it there.  The deer are also a different subspecies of whitetail than we have so that makes a difference as well.  If you have the land go for it but IMO it's not worth it in NJ.