Quality Deer Management Association

[LowbanksArcher]

Your apparent disdain for the average meat hunter or average hunter in general is what gets under people's skin.

I have no problem with hunters that don't care to be selective with their harvest or lack the time, interest or money to improve their habitat, but don't deliberately disparage those that do. My two cents...

Just posting a couple quotes is all.

[GW11]

Just posting a couple quotes is all.

I realize he says that he has no problem but the "tone" is there. Particularly where he makes reference to "some people" hammering the doe population with the blessing of the government. Why wouldn't they? Only a small percentage of deer hunters are selective in what they shoot, the rest are going to shoot what's legal. Self regulation is just never going to happen.

You and I went down this road a couple of years ago but I think we came to an understanding. I fully respect the time and energy you guys put into what you do and love. It's just not for me. What gets under my skin is when those like me are looked down upon for not going along with that practice.

[Gregoire1960]

I agree that the MNR is usually about two or three years behind what is actually happening with the deer population but the "some people" you refer to are actually the vast majority of hunters.

You're free to practice what you like but the reality is that the majority I refer to are never going to get on board with QDMA practices. Your apparent disdain for the average meat hunter or average hunter in general is what gets under people's skin. I don't have any issues with you practicing what interests you on your property. Why does is bother you that the rest of us partake in a perfectly legal and enjoyable form of deer hunting? I like a nice set of antlers when I luck into them, but every deer is a trophy to me and the fellows I hunt with.

We're all on the same team, our style of play is different, that's all. There will still be plenty of deer in the province long after you and I are gone, regardless of how we hunt them and what we choose to shoot.

Guess you skipped over my posts. I have no problem with others doing what they want as long as it's legal. I do have a problem with lies about QDMA. I do have a problem with people disparaging an organization that they know nothing about, an organization that does a lot of good. The "some people" was a reference to a few particular trolls in this thread, don't try to read something into it that isn't there. Also, I hunt for meat, but I'm selective. I want to harvest a deer that's big enough to actually provide some meat. Shooting a fawn, spike, yearling doe won't do that. Passing on small deer allows them to get bigger...... why does that seem like such a bad idea to some? Seems to me that those people are the ones bothered by harvest practices. I've readily admitted that I would shoot a deer with big horns. who wouldn't?, but I also stated that my favourite harvest is a 2.5 yr old buck as it's still tender but big enough to provide some meat. A 2.5 yr old buck doesn't have "big horns" does it?

[GW11]

Guess you skipped over my posts. I have no problem with others doing what they want as long as it's legal. I do have a problem with lies about QDMA. I do have a problem with people disparaging an organization that they know nothing about, an organization that does a lot of good. The "some people" was a reference to a few particular trolls in this thread, don't try to read something into it that isn't there. Also, I hunt for meat, but I'm selective. I want to harvest a deer that's big enough to actually provide some meat. Shooting a fawn, spike, yearling doe won't do that. Passing on small deer allows them to get bigger...... why does that seem like such a bad idea to some? Seems to me that those people are the ones bothered by harvest practices. I've readily admitted that I would shoot a deer with big horns. who wouldn't?, but I also stated that my favourite harvest is a 2.5 yr old buck as it's still tender but big enough to provide some meat. A 2.5 yr old buck doesn't have "big horns" does it?

I read your posts but missed what you meant by "some people".

While I have never made comments about QDMA as an organization, the practical application of the principles here in Ontario don't make sense to me. Passing on a smaller buck only makes sense if your neighbour doesn't shoot him ten minutes later. If he's not what your looking for, that's your choice but unless you have vast private acreage, that might be the one and only time you ever see that deer. In reading your other posts you've learned to accept that possibility. Fair enough.

For what it's worth, I've passed on deer in the years when I had no trouble putting meat in the freezer to wait for more of a "trophy". Unfortunately, in recent years I'm lucky to have more than one good chance at any deer at all throughout the season so I take what I can get. If I pass, the next guy won't and my chance has come and gone. That's a totally foreign concept to some people in this province. Some get frustrated when they don't see deer every time they go out.

Hopefully you can understand my frustration with the idea that someone would frown on me for shooting whatever legal deer provides the best opportunity. Maybe I'm too quick to jump to conclusions about someone based on the perceived tone of a few posts and a little too defensive about hunters more like myself.

And a 2.5 year old buck? I'd say his antlers are "big enough".[emoji1]

[Gregoire1960]

I read your posts but missed what you meant by "some people".

While I have never made comments about QDMA as an organization, the practical application of the principles here in Ontario don't make sense to me. Passing on a smaller buck only makes sense if your neighbour doesn't shoot him ten minutes later. If he's not what your looking for, that's your choice but unless you have vast private acreage, that might be the one and only time you ever see that deer. In reading your other posts you've learned to accept that possibility. Fair enough.

For what it's worth, I've passed on deer in the years when I had no trouble putting meat in the freezer to wait for more of a "trophy". Unfortunately, in recent years I'm lucky to have more than one good chance at any deer at all throughout the season so I take what I can get. If I pass, the next guy won't and my chance has come and gone. That's a totally foreign concept to some people in this province. Some get frustrated when they don't see deer every time they go out.

Hopefully you can understand my frustration with the idea that someone would frown on me for shooting whatever legal deer provides the best opportunity. Maybe I'm too quick to jump to conclusions about someone based on the perceived tone of a few posts and a little too defensive about hunters more like myself.

And a 2.5 year old buck? I'd say his antlers are "big enough".[emoji1]

Honestly, I can live with someone else taking a small buck that I passed on. The first time it happened I felt a little angry and sick about it. Now I'm okay with it. I'm pretty sure a lot of them manage to make it thru the season, because I'm seeing more mature bucks 2.5 yrs of age and older, than I used to. Besides, if it means that someone else gets to harvest a spike etc., especially a kid, a new hunter or a hunter ending a long drought, and it means a lot to them, then why not? I just know that I'd be disappointed in myself for doing it. People can hate on me for that but I like setting the bar a little higher........ besides if I tag out too early my wife has a pile of honey-do's for me to complete.

[Rugger]

Back by popular demand

[Gilroy]

I think for [COLOR=#333333]QDMA to work properly you need to have some requirements already in place.

#1. You need land that can support the growth of plants,forage.
#2 You need equipment,time and money.
#3. You need neighbors for a distance around you that "buy into" this concept.

So basically landowners are more able to do this than individuals who just have permission to hunt over land.

If your hunting southern Ontario farm lands I think the farmers have basically done half the work for you, so your limited in how you can achieve results without fellow hunters hunting near by who will play the same game.

I really think the QDM is a concept started in the USA and much more suited to their landscape, warmer weather,more deer....

For those of us hunting the Big Woods in Ontario QDM is fine on your own land but will achieve limited results.If your in traditional deer woods and do not own at least A THOUSAND acres of land its probably a waste of time.Smaller parcels your basically feeding deer for neighbors and passing up on deer that will be shot by some one else.

I still incorporate a food plot into my vegetable garden each year and it has worked out great for me but it is a lot of time and effort.

[benjhind]

I think for QDMA to work properly you need to have some requirements already in place.

#1. You need land that can support the growth of plants,forage.
#2 You need equipment,time and money.
#3. You need neighbors for a distance around you that "buy into" this concept.

I think that if you don't have #1, you likely aren't hunting deer as deer need to eat to live, and if the land can't grow plants they likely aren't around.

For #2, I certainly don't have any fancy equipment or much money to spend on habitat enhancement. I like to enhance habitat through promoting native species that deer like to eat. In my area, these are shade-intolerant herbaceous species like raspberry, pokeweed, etc. that will pop out of the ground if you get light to them. They also double as fawning and bedding habitat. For this, I do use a chainsaw, but I bought it to get the wood to heat my home so I wouldn't call it a hunting investment. Much of QDM is just 'trigger management' which is free.

For #3, I definitely agree that if you have like-minded neighbours, your efforts will go much farther. However, you might be surprised on what you can achieve on small acreage. I have seen the results first hand of QDM on several properties where the neighbours practice a "brown its down" hunting strategy, and they are quite remarkable.


QDM is a logical step for folks who spend a lot of time hunting deer. Most of the people who get involved in QDM are folks that have the opportunity to tag out in early October, but want to keep hunting until December. They are folks who spend their late winter searching for antlers and want to spend their spring and summer doing something deer-related as well, so they do some habitat management or food plot stuff. In late summer, they might bait some cameras to take a census on their local herd, or do a browse survey to estimate carrying capacity. They do things to stretch their deer hunting into a year-round passion.

QDM is not for everyone. There's nothing wrong with that. I don't fault anyone for how they want to hunt (provided it is legal and follows basic hunter ethics). Lots of people love to knock QDM and spread lies about QDMA. I just don't see why hunters would want to knock me for the way I hunt just because it is different from theirs.

[Gregoire1960]

Well stated benjhind, my experience exactly. I'd also add that the MNR can't do micro-managing of properties, which a landowner can. That doesn't mean I can shoot a pile of does if my camera census shows an abundance of them, but it will allow me to refrain from it if my cameras tell me there aren't enough around to allow a sustainable harvest.

[boozyleroux]

I think people need to consider other people's reasons for hunting especially in view of the different stages of a persons hunting life cycle.
http://1source.basspro.com/index.php...ch-one-are-you

I know myself I've been through a couple of these but I've also noticed how I've been progressing through them.

People looking to practice qdma are likely not in the first two groups but instead fall in the last 3. I see a lot of people assuming that people who try to make improvements to their properties fall into the trophy hunter category. I'm not a qdma guy per se but I started putting a radish plot so the wildlife didn't have scrounge as much during the winter. Does it help me hunt? Not really because there are so many other food sources during hunting season. Does it help the wildlife? Sure does.