Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: Happy Hunter
Subject: Deer Overpopulation
I wholeheartedly agree with Billy Bob’s assessment of the deer issue here. I really like that some states have implemented an “earn-a-buck” program that requires harvesting one or more does before you can harvest a buck – I hope our Wildlife Commission gets with this program quickly. Personally, I only shoot does, as I eat what I shoot and does tend to be better tasting than bucks, particularly buck in rut. Plus, I have never had a good recipe for antlers.
To Kira Dirlik, who asked about buying venison… I believe its prohibited to sell wild venison. There are sources for venison from “deer farms” but I have never seen one in NC – although they might exist and I’m just not aware of them.
And to her point that the biggest, strongest, healthiest buck are being killed, leaving breeding to the weaker bucks… let me tell you a little bit about deer in rut… True, bucks battle for the affection of the does, and the strongest win out. However, a dominant buck will breed somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-10 does in a season’s rut period. Basically, for two weeks or so a year, the bucks are fighting, breeding machines. A dominant buck will pass along his genes to many, many does over his “peak period” of 5-10 years of age. Of course to live that long, he has to be smart. That’s why “big buck hunters” focus on tagging the dominant buck… its a huge challenge. There is a dominant 12 pointer that I have seen once (but continue to see sign from him every year) in the area I hunt. He is like a ghost, travels only at night, and I have probably walked by him bedded down a dozen times without spooking him. They get really, really smart.
Personally, I wouldn’t shoot him if he walked out in front of me at 20 yards – he’d be tough and gamey. Big Buck Hunters, on the other hand, are into hunting for the pure hunt of it, and would rather go home empty handed than tag a doe. Me, I’m in it for the groceries 🙂 I had a great venison roast for dinner this weekend, and now I’m enjoying sandwiches from it for lunch.
Perhaps we should have some distinction between the Big Buck Hunters, and the food gatherers (me!). I may not have a wall full of antlers, but I have a freezer full of venison and am doing my part to control the deer population in our area.