quality zones

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

how are the zones producing for bigger bucks ya know 3 points or better? was thinkin or wondering if they r producing better deer now they have been around awhile. wish there were more zones closer to myself though.

[onthehunt]

They are killing nicer deer in the QDMZ's that have been in place for awhile. Believe me, it works:cool:

[stephenf]

call the local taxidermist in those areas , ask how long until he stops taking in work ,usually around the end of oct . that should tell you something !!!!!!let em go so he can grow , no matter what so to speak ,if you kill him early you know he wont mature , if you pass on him he just might make it and surprise you.

[onthehunt]

I was feeding a deer behind my house for three years. He was an 11-pt, then a 10-pt, then a beautiful even 12. It was when I first moved into my new house. I couldn't figure how this deer was making it through all those seasons. A guy I know that lives down the road killed him about 2 miles from my house. I asked him if he's seen him before and his response was,"sure, I saw him last year but let him go, he looked young:nuts:". These guys that live around me know how to let a deer walk!:thup:

[QuintonZ29]

With out a doubt it works.....If the whole state would do it you would see the difference... My property is a QDM and when it first started I wasnt happy about it...but I used to kill junk with the occasional wall hanger...Now It has turned me into a watcher, I will watch these smaller bucks do what they do and its neet to see... most people never see that stuff, grunting, breeding,chasing and scraping, because they shoot as soon as they see a horn.... what I noticed the most was that after that smaller buck came through I now got to see what was behind it and this is how I filled my wall up now.....

[Deer Down]

I agree with you guys however the bigger problem is that the majority of the hunters out there are not aware of hunting managment until this happens young deer will continue to be shot:naughty:, remember young bucks become old bucks.:thup:

[ub1243]

My property is a QDM and when it first started I wasnt happy about it...but I used to kill junk with the occasional wall hanger...Now It has turned me into a watcher, I will watch these smaller bucks do what they do and its neet to see... most people never see that stuff, grunting, breeding,chasing and scraping, because they shoot as soon as they see a horn.... what I noticed the most was that after that smaller buck came through I now got to see what was behind it and this is how I filled my wall up now.....

very well said.

i'm the same way. the property i hunt is very well managed. i have to report every deer that is shot to a wildlife commitee. there are three hunters on this place. i set the rules. but still have to answer to the owners. my program is checked by a arborist/biologist every three to four years. if the forest shows over browse by the herd, i am told about it. so far the herd is kept in check, but we have a 50/50 ratio and a good age structure of bucks. it's a difficult balance. i want 4-5 year old bucks, but it takes a lot of food to let them grow for 4 years. it isn't easy to pass nice 8pts but it has payed off. the rut is insane some years.
all it takes is food and time, keeping the trigger finger in your pocket is the hardest part of QDMA.

[QuintonZ29]

It is tough because you pass a nice buck in hopes to shoot him next year and you never see him again because your neighbor shoots him....Thats the NJ problem.....I justify me passing a 100 inch deer by saying to myself and the people that hunt with me,"If I kill him he has no chance and if I pass on him he still has a chance"......Unless you control 1000 acres the chances are the deer you just passed will get shot by someone else....

[Slayer]

Our farm in Pa. has been in the 4 pts or more from the start.The first year I watched a 6pt walk by with at least a 22 inch inside spread at 20 yards.I have never seen or heard of him being taken yet.Last year with the rain-fog is the first year no one in our party shot a deer opening day.I did see 4 small bucks the second day so hopefully this year will be better.As far as seeing an increase in size we are not really seeing it.This can be attributted to several things. 1 Poaching on properties close by.2 Young hunters able to shoot any buck.
K.O.

[PhilCVG]

I believe it works. I'm waiting for a certain someone to find this thread and tell us all ( everyone single person has said it works, except for one and he is unsure ) that it doesn't work and the state is going to do away with it very soon ( which is exactly what I wasn't told when dealing with F&G a few years ago ).

[mudmarlin70]

:D:D:eek: