I know...not an Obama supporter either. But, if TPWD didn't try to actively manage the herds, where would we be? They have to regulate because the vast majority of hunters cannot do it. Most hunters are weekend warriors...you know the type, we've all seen them. Maybe everyone that responds to this thread are willing and able to manage their land, lease, whatever, I really hope so. I personally would like to see an age limit on bucks taken, but again not everyone can accurately group the animals, so that is out. That leaves us with AR and I firmly support. Based on my history of hunting in Hamilton & Bosque counties (both AR), I have never seen a mature buck under 13" that needed to be culled in the 14 years I've hunted there.

You won't get flamed, but you will have to give everyone keys to your house, frig/freezer, pool and car... if you get to have access to their property they should have access to yours also.

What exactly are "we" managing? Seeing less deer is all it's "managed" on our lease.

What exactly are "we" managing? Seeing less deer is all it's "managed" on our lease.[/quote]

Wood county right? Maybe you have bigger problems going on in that county than the AR?? Seriously, think about it. If the AR was there to protect young deer and people were following it, why would you be seeing less deer?

BINGO CURLY!!!!! LETS GO GET THE BEER! set a time and place so we can get together.

Maybe because more spikes were being shot because more of those were being seen than "mature" bucks with 13" spreads. How am I supposed to know? I'm not a biologist or TP&W genious. I just know what I see anymore and that's less deer.

I see your point, but I still think there are other factors in your county making a huge difference. Maybe your lease should "self impose" a rule that spikes are off limits for lease members? Just because TPWD says it's legal, doesn't mean you have to follow it. If you want to see more deer and you think you know the reason you aren't, try something...what have you got to lose. BTW, I don't buy into the once a spike, always a spike debate. Maybe we agree on that

Is McKinney far for you?

10-4 on the once a spike always a spike being false. There has been only 2 spikes taken off our lease in the past 5 years.

I'm down in the Austin/LaGrange area...can yall make a roadtrip?

Only one thing wrong above...there are 3 buck or antlerless tags and 2 antlerless only tags...not a total of 6 white-tailed deer tags.

Lets all agree to disagree and get some pivo!

I havnt heard one positive about AR's so maybe i am wrong. I would like to know what county yall are in and what the bag limit was before the AR's.

All this AR discussing is making me thirsty!

It would go back to the way it was before the ARs. Tags were based on population, buck:doe, and it was supported by data the TPWD actually had. (Census and harvest)

I want a regulation based on quality data from TPWD biologists, that is like before was based on herd population, and buck:doe ratio. That gives hunters the option to pursue whatever they like meat or horns.
Just like before. If the hunter wants to take it upon himself to get more meat….go where the meat is and get it.
If the horn hunter wants to get bigger horns, go where the big horns are and get ‘em.

Not a regulation based on what my neighbor wants to shoot or wants me to shoot.


I wonder how it is that just because that was a co-op in that wanted TPWD to regulated their neighbors, which created the experimental counties. How in the heck does that evolve to there is a breeding problem, age structure problem, in my county and every other county this is getting implemented in ???

....
TPWD should ONLY manage the herd for population by giving more tag where is needed, and taking away tags where it is needed.


Can't do WHAT? Manage the herd the way their neighbor want 'em to?

There are area of the state that sub-divisions are crawling with deer, eating Momma's pansies.....more tags here....

There are areas of the state that have very few deer/acre. Probably a reason for it…. Habitat? TPWD Could get some 3rd grade science kids to do the biology work for 'em.....Not as many tags here.....



Again 3rd grade science.....you age deer with a calendar not a ruler.
Personally I think they need to use sound science to support their regulations. Since there is no SOUND SCIENCE behind the trumped up Age Structure “problem, and ”not everyone can accurately group animals” (by age) that should not be regulated by TPWD.

I have hunted Hamilton county for more than 40yrs. Family has farmed/ranched Hamilton/Bosque Counties for 150 yrs or so. THERE IS NO A NEED FOR A REGULATION TO FIX MADE UP AGE STRUCTURE, BREEDING, OR ANY OTHER HERD PROBLEM AS STATED BY TPWD.

Yea regulations can be hard to swallow. I remember when I was young, the biologist, came out and did surveys, and issued doe tags. They actually shot doe and checked their fetus development, etc. They got real data. They changed the number of bucks you could take based on real data. i.e. Going from 2-buck to 1-buck, or 1-buck to 2-bucks, etc. was supported by science in the region.

This AR thing is a whole ‘nuther animal and TPWD I showing their true Yellow-bellied colors by what they are doing.

There lies the problem all together... populations very in every county and every peice of property- Then TWPD would have to survey the entire state of TX Acre per Acre..

Great news you can get tags based off popultion with MLD program




How in the heck is TPWD going to survey every ranch and tell you your numbers- O wait thats called the MLD program

Oh and the city deer that falls on city regs not TWPD

You really need to look into the MLD program it pretty much fixes all your problems

Hopkins co. was 1 buck and 1doe in archery season and we had plenty of deer now its 2 bucks and 2 does in archery season or during thanksgiving weekend and now im lucky to see a deer when i go hunting.

PHishTX,
What kind of differences in the deer herd have you seen since Hamilton & Bosque county went from 1 buck to AR?

So there is pleanty of deer but it was a one buck, one doe county that doesnt add up.

Funny thing is, I've been on the same Wood County lease for 26 years. Our lease has changed owners 3 times but regardless, each year we get a deer survey along with our lease license that one of us fills out to mail in to the TP&W wanting to know first weekend of season deer kills (gender wise), deer seen (spikes, doe, fawns and bucks with forked horns and greater) and now for the past few years, they added turkey to the survey. We have filled it out honestly and religiously and mailed it in without fail. Some years the report was great, others it's been terrible. Yet every stinking year we have been alotted 1 doe permit for every 200 acres. 750 acres = 3 permits. Sounds to me like for 26 years, they haven't paid any attention to our survey. MLD or not, ARs or not, explain to me how for 26 years, we get the same # of doe permits every season. I honestly don't know.

How many dear did yall see last year. just curious!!

Good question. My dad filled it out last year. Will have to call him to see if he kept a copy.

That is strange though, that yall would get the same number of doe tags that many years in a row. there has to be some logic behind it.

Logic and TPWD dont go together.

Man we have a lot of smart folks on this forum!!