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YES Shumlin is the worlds biggest treehugger. The next four years are goin to be HELL for us hunters. We need a petition to get him out of here!!!
I say no more free rides TAX all treehugger's 50$ a year payable to F&W.
what really pisses me off is the people riding bicycles who think they own the road, make room for bikes, bs! when they start paying registation fees then ill share the road, until then, move over or get run over! why dont they have to stop at stop signs? no they just blow right through them usually until they get hit, jackwagons!
I never completely understood the logic behind the prohibition against harvesting spike bucks. I understand that young bucks typically have small antlers and the current regulation allows such bucks to mature. However, I would think protecting spike bucks would, in the long term, produce a deer population with more bucks having antlers with fewer points. Is there non-state Fish and Wildlife data that supports the current regulations? I'm not seeing more bucks with trophy antlers in my area. If anything the regulation seems to be an unwritten requirement to mount a scope on your firearm.Also, I have a problem with Fish and Wildlife using the December muzzle loader season to cull antlerless deer. I don't know about where you hunt but deer are making themselves pretty scares after rifle season. By in large VT muzzle loader hunter are unable to fill these permits. I think if Fish and Wildlife was serious about culling the doe population they would issue those permits for use during rifle season.Just my two cents.I am concerned about all of these discussions regarding "thinning out the doe population". I certainly think the doe population needs to be managed, but we need to be very careful on how we implement doe season. I was an advocate for a muzzleloader season in October, but apparently, I was the minority. I still can't grasp the concept of killing doe in Decmber, after they have been bred. YOu shoot a mature doe after she has been bred, you could potentially be killing 2-3 more deer. An earlier muzzleloader seems to make sense to me. I believe NH has their season in September and that state has been very successful in managing the deer herd.One idea that scares me to death is the possibility of shooting doe during rifle season. I remember in the late 70's early 80's this state did allow hunters to shoot doe with a rifle. And you know what.. IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE SLAUGHTER. Guys were shooting 60lb doe and leaving them in the woods, it took years for the deer herd to recover after that. Hofefully, that will not happen again.I still think the antler restriction SUCKS!!! I saw two very healthy spikehorn during this past rifle season, one of which had 8 inch spikes and weighed about 130lbs. What in the world would be wrong with harvesting that deer. It probably won't make the winter. Those were the only buck that I saw. And I'm not one of these road hunters or lazy hunters that people on ths forum refer to. I hunt dark to dark in ALL/ANY condtions and put on more miles scouting then anyone I know. I have hunted in southern Windham County for my entire life and the last 2-3 years have been horrible. I feel it's a combination of winter kill, because that is inevitable, COYOTES, lack of hunting pressure, and the way the herd has been mismanaged. The state of VT and the F&W Dept is blowing smoke up your ass with all of their numbers and how this year was a successful year. They inflate the numbers to draw revenue. C'MON people.. To hold 3 deer meetings in the entire state is outrageous, in addition to the location of the meetings, absoulutely unacceptable. For those of you that think Gov. Shummy has no input in what the F&W Dept does, well you are completely blind and misguided. From what I am hearing already, I am quickly losing faith in our new F&W Commissioner. As you can probably tell, I am very frustrated with our F&W Dept and I think for those of you that feel the same should join me and we should voice our concerns with the legislation and whoever else will listen. I have two young children at home and I want them to enjoy the outdoors as much as I did 16 years from now, but the direction the state is headed, I am reluctant to think that is even realistic!!!
personally i think deer are smarter then we give them credit for:get a trail cam and night vision goggles and you'll see that there are a TON of good healthy deer in vt.they know when hunters go from ignoring the woods iin summer to scouting in fall,they change there patterns and go nocturnal.and yes,posted land is a haven for them and they know there are certain tracts of land they dont get harassed on.give them credit guys,they know us and our stink better then we do!the spikehorn law means older,smarter deer.that,and alot of hunters have got older and less likely to venture deep into thick swamps and mountains where the deer go during hunting season.they are there
Eureka!!!!!!!!!!! I think your onto something here, deer habits change, habitat changes, why not change the rules of engagement for the masses? If the deer are going to go nocturnal so should we. I propose new hunting hours for the over 50 crowd 4:30pm-5:30am.Think of the possiblities! night vision optics sales, no more taking days off to hunt, decriminalization of spot lighting and night time poaching, which we all know is a problem.Now we will be on equal terms and it will remove the stigma. I'm sure a mentoring program could be started.... Cabelas night vision googles, what page?
I see your point. Maybe the State of Vermont should hire specialists to shoot deer and thin out the herd since VT hunters can not be trusted to do it safely?
can tell from your sarcasm that you did not harvest a deer this year.im not codoning night hunting either,just saying most hunters piss and moan,walk 100 yards off thr road and call an end to the season.and yeah,night vision helped me identify an 8 ptr that went to the same field every night from the same game trail.wasnt hard to figure where he was at last light to make a legal shot 2 miles from there.and there you have it:who wants to drag a buck for miles?answer:very few hunters, so why bother,easier to blame F&W
