# Any Deer Tag



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

What do you guys think about using the SD system......instead of saying "Antlered" the tag says....."Any Whitetail."That is the way the Antelope system works here.It would allow someone who has only 1 tag to hold out for a big buck,but decide to fill his 1 tag with a doe instead of a small buck at the end of the season.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I assume you are saying that for the people that currently have buck tags, right??
I would be all for it. I still have a buck tag left that I will try and fill on Friday. If given the chance, I would much rather shoot a doe than a small buck. I do however, want some more deer meat. I will shoot a small buck this weekend if given the chance due to the tag restrictions. I think it would be a great idea and I would be all for it!!!!


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## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

I agree. In MO, it is "ANY DEER" or "ANTLERLESS DEER" and in MN in areas where you "automatically" get a doe permit if you want it, it's the same thing.

which would you rather shoot at 5 minutes to end of legal on the last day, a spike buck, a forkhorn, small 6--or a nice fat doe?


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

I don't think shooting a small buck is a big problem.....down in 2H where I hunt every year there are many smaller bucks taken AND every year there are many trophy sized bucks that never are harvested....if someone wants to truely shoot a trophy deer in ND it is available even with guys filling tags with small bucks.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Yes....I am saying the "Antlered" should be changed to "Any Whitetail."Which is the way Antelope tags are administered.

The only problem I see with this is.....more pressure on those Buck tags,at least until our deer herd drops to a level where you only get 1 tag..Everyone would apply for one now because you are pretty much guaranteed a doe tag in the 3rd draw.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

The issue Ken has been discussed at many of the G&F meetings. If they went to this type of system, the prevailing thoughts out of the G&F is that even more people would then be applying for buck tags.

It would also affect the ability of the G&F to target population levels in units as affectively as the current system does. Take for example the unit in the far south east corner of the state. They reduced doe tags for that unit last year and this year as population levels have reached targeted goals. Putting a doe/buck tag in that unit could upset harvest levels and drop populations below target.

This is my recollection of explanations I remember from the meetings in the past. I cannot say that this is still the view of the G&F, but to find out, one only needs to attend a meeting and then ask it!


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## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

I don't have a problem with anyone shooting a smaller buck, if that is what they want. I love to eat venison and a young buck tastes just fine to me. Lord knows I have shot my share of 1.5 yr old bucks, loved every bit of them.

What I am agreeing with is that in areas where there are enough deer to justify a substantial harvest of does, why limit a license to bucks only? If you are having two and three draws for doe tags, why not have the "buck" tag be an "any deer" tag so the holder can fill it with a deer he wants? If that is a small buck, fine and great...if it's doe on the last day, also fine and great!

If the population gets back down there, then the tag could be changed back to "antlered." With the computer systems used now, it would be very easy to implement such a system to print tag for each unit.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I understand that Ron and have heard that aguement myself at meetings.But then why do they do it for antelope?Antelope units are similar in size to deer units.How can they target specific population levels there if they allow you to shoot a doe/kid instead of a buck on the same tag?


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

zzzzzzzz


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

OK...."Any Deer." would be OK in units that don't have Mule Deer Buck tags.


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## goosehunter20 (Oct 19, 2006)

I agree I would much rather shoot a doe and let the little bucks grow up a few years.


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## bowhunt23 (Aug 31, 2006)

i don't tottally disagree with the the idea, but i come from a unit which is hard enough the way it is to get a buck tag and if you throw in this any tag the people that are just meat hunters will apply for the "any" tags instead of their usual doe tags because that way they can shoot the first deer they see. in units where there are a surplus of deer and it is easy to get your choice of tag i dont see a problem but then again how do you pick which units to use the any method so i think it would cause more problems then do good


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I guess you have to weigh this objective of letting small bucks grow, against the possibility of more apps for buck tags.Right now there are so many doe tags available and since all tags cost the same......most people are applying for the buck tag anyway.

If they shoot the first deer they see......it will most likely be a doe.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

KEN W said:


> I guess you have to weigh this objective of letting small bucks grow, against the possibility of more apps for buck tags.Right now there are so many doe tags available and since all tags cost the same......most people are applying for the buck tag anyway.
> 
> If they shoot the first deer they see......it will most likely be a doe.


What if they had different prices for buck vs doe tags?

Say $100 for a buck, and $20 for a doe, $5 for all remaining doe tags after the first drawing, with preference given those who have no tag after the first 2 drawings?

Something along those lines? Would increasing the cost of a buck tag provide more funding for someting useful, while also having the effect ensuring that only serious buck hunters applied for those limited tags?

Just thinking out loud..

Ryan


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## jdpete75 (Dec 16, 2003)

> while also having the effect ensuring that only serious buck hunters applied for those limited tags?


Since when is it only the *SERIOUS* buck hunters that deserve a tag. If you are so serious buy a quarter of land, post the he!! out of it and get a gratis tag every year. Done deal! Other than that keep your hands out of mine and everyone elses checkbook just so you can feed some superiority complex attitude that you deserve an antlered tag more than anybody else.

PS if you are so serious why not go to Montana


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

To save a lot of time on this issue, just go and look back in the archives. No new ideas will come forward, a lot of retread ideas will be dressed up to appear new.

Most of the ideas and issues have been addressed by the G&F as well as people with opinions on this issue in other threads.

We have had the raise the buck tag/lower doe tag idea! Brought to the Leg and defeated.

We have had the any deer tag idea, the last weekend of season idea for doe to be harvested with a buck tag. We have had the price the buck tag at $100.00 or $50.00 or whatever price!

Plain and simple, the G&F manage the herd based on population levels. Most units have sold out with the exception of a few and some of those have some serious access issues which affects sales.

There are a few people on this site that remember the days of 50,000 tags total and you made a choice of applying for a buck or doe with the idea of which most likely would give you the best odds of getting a tag. There where no second or third or 10th tag to be had. Most units did not have any tags left after the first drawing.

With CRP going away, now is not the time to be tinkering with a system that has worked fairly for a good number of years. Some of us have gone a quite a while between buck tags even with the weighted lottery. But as I have said before, go to the meetings and voice your idea! Who knows maybe this will be the year they see a need for tinkering!!!!!


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Ron....you are right.....there was a bill in the last legis. to raise buck tags to $30.....didn't go anywhere.But that still doesn't explain the GNF philosophy of using the any tag for antelope and not deer when the units are almost exactly the same.

I'll have to ask them that.


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