BWA Newsletter - January 2004A Bluffland Whitetails Association quarterly publication for
First youth firearm deer hunt held in Whitewater SanctuaryThis year’s mild October weather was not overlooked by 50 budding deer hunters who participated in Minnesota’s first youth firearm deer hunt that was held in the Whitewater Sanctuary during the MEA weekend (October 16-19). Before heading for the woods, the hunters and their non-hunting mentors first participated in an orientation session held at the Whitewater State Park headquarters. The session, which was conducted by DNR big game program coordinator, Lou Cornicelli, and area wildlife manager, Jon Cole, focused on regulations and safety. But Cornicelli also emphasized that the object of the hunt was to provide a safe, enjoyable hunting experience for kids, and to give them an opportunity to take the deer of their choice, regardless of size or sex. In a collaborative effort between BWA and the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association (MDHA), the young hunters were provided with hunting packs, big game cleaning kits, folding hunting knives, and various types of scent products to assist them during their hunt. A dinner was also held for the hunters and their mentors during the first evening of the four-day hunt. All hunters were encouraged to write stories about their experience. Stories that were submitted are printed at the end of this article. Nineteen deer were taken during the four-day hunt; ten bucks and nine does. Contests were held for the biggest doe and the best hunting story. Brad Fasbender of Rochester took a 120 pound doe and won a Kodi-Pak knife set donated by MDHA. Jeff Heim of St. Charles was awarded a hunting video donated by BWA for his story about harvesting a doe on the first day of the hunt. According to Jon Cole, the level of success enjoyed by the youngsters was about right, given the number of participants in the woods. The harvesting of a deer is certainly the objective in any deer hunt, and it is expected by many of us. But for this hunt, the real success was measured in the smiles on the faces of the kids who participated, the hunting stories that were swapped during the evening dinner, and the gratitude on the faces of the parents and relatives who mentored the kids during the hunt.
—Chris Kolbert
A message from BWA's president...Dedication Every volunteer organization has a certain number of dedicated individuals who really seem to keep things running smoothly. BWA is no different, so I would like to call attention to some of our members who have helped immensely over the last year. First, I must mention our esteemed vice president, Jim Vagts. When Jim isn’t doing farm business, he is usually helping out BWA in some manner. He coordinates the publishing of this newsletter and has done an excellent job contacting potential authors for both articles and member profiles. Jim has a unique way of presenting his case, making it difficult for anyone to turn him down. In fact, he’s so good at it that I’ve asked him why he has not yet stepped into politics! Although he would tell you that he doesn’t do much for BWA, he is the backbone of the BWA newsletter and a vital part of the organization. I would be remiss if I did not mention Jim’s sidekick in the newsletter business, Marilyn Bratager. Initially, BWA hired Marilyn as the editor of our newsletter and web site. However, Marilyn has truly taken an interest in the organization and has become a valuable member of our group. BWA secretary, Bryan Todd, and his wife, Karen, keep the organization alive by sending out newsletters and other mailings. Bryan was instrumental in making the Whitewater Sanctuary youth hunt a success. He helped propose the idea; then coordinated many of the activities, including the dinner held for the young hunters. Another member who should be credited with making the youth hunt a success is Todd Grimes. Todd took an interest in the hunt from the start. He spent a considerable amount of personal time photographing and helping out the young hunters and their mentors as they came into the DNR headquarters with deer. He also monitored the DNR parking lots, talking to hunters and helping when it was needed. Treasurer Mike Rain is the financial wizard of the organization. Without his guidance and forethought, BWA would not be as financially sound as it is. Mike’s experience with leading other organizations has been especially helpful, and his critical mind has provoked intensive discussions among the board, leading to decisions that are based on logic, reason, and experience. Director Gary Bartsch has been extremely generous by allowing the board of directors to use his business as a meeting place. During our meetings, both Gary and member Kent Holen have provided refreshments at their own expense. Geoff Heppding, also a BWA director, runs a successful business, yet has dedicated a significant amount of his personal and work time to making the Chatfield banquet and the BWA Whitetail Expo successful. This is no small feat, and Geoff does all of this on nothing more than a skeleton crew. Several others have coordinated banquets, which are crucial to the survival of the organization. Mike Staggemeyer, director Rick Boyer, Steve Bjerke, secretary Bryan Todd, vice-president Jim Vagts, and director Ty Bestor have all spent numerous hours of personal time making sure that their banquets are successful. BWA members, in general, are a dedicated lot, and I am sure that I have forgotten many who have contributed their time and energy to the organization. My apologies are extended to those who were inadvertently omitted. I wish that I had more space to list everyone. Indeed, when I asked for volunteers to help out the DNR at CWD check stations, several people let me know that they were willing to help. It is this level of selflessness that makes BWA a great organization. I feel privileged to work with these people, and I would like to thank them for their dedication.
—Chris Kolbert, president
Youth hunt letters and photo album
I was lucky to get drawn. We didn’t see anything today, but hopefully tomorrow we will get a monster.
Well, first of all we had to climb a big hill with all of our stuff, then put stands up, and then we sat the whole day. The first deer we saw was a ways away in some brush, and I couldn’t get a shot. And then Pat’s phone rang and he talked awhile and we were waiting. Then we saw a big doe that probably would have made the big weight contest, but we held off. I was looking for a buck. It was a long day because we sat the whole time, but I had a lot of fun, and Pat is a great guy.
It meant a lot because I got to hunt with my dad and we ended up seeing 12 deer on opening day. I didn’t shoot because I wanted to come back tomorrow. I had fun when four deer were under my stand. I could feel my heart beating very fast.
Today I was excited because I had a big 10-point buck come by. I think you guys should do it again for the young kids. I know my brother will have a lot of fun if you do it again.
I think this youth hunt is very special to me because I have an opportunity to have deer come to me. Today we saw one too late but we are still not giving up.
I saw four does and then later in the day around 5:00 a six-pointer walked in front of me out in the bean field. I could not get a good shot at him, so I grunted for 15 minutes straight until I got his attention and he walked into my shooting lane. I shot at him and it took only one shot and he was done with. The end.
I saw four does in the afternoon. I was up on a bluff looking down in the valley. Then later I saw one buck down in a bean field. My cousin shot it. And after they dragged the deer out, five does ran across the bean field.
Getting drawn for this special hunt meant getting a chance to see and shoot at tons of deer; buck or doe. When I was drawn, I felt lucky and was thinking I felt privileged to get to hunt before everyone else with firearms. I was excited that I got drawn.
Getting drawn was a shock to me. I didn’t think I would be drawn. I was excited to be able to hunt. The day went well. I saw many deer in the afternoon. The deer seemed to be in their natural state, which is a change from the other gun seasons. The day went well and was well organized.
Well into the morning we had seen several deer, and then we took a break from hunting after lunch. We then came back about 3:00 p.m. and saw two more deer. Shortly after those, there was a nice buck about 75 yards away with monster tines. He began to play with the trees he was standing under. Then all of a sudden he smelled us and took off.
I was lucky to be drawn. The first day Jeremy, Dad, and I went scouting and found two good spots, and we saw two bucks; one that was a six-pointer and a couple of does. We went sitting right away, and a big eight-pointer came by, and I shot. It was high, and it ran to somebody else and he shot it. It was pretty cool because he let us see it and all that stuff.
I was excited that I got drawn for this hunt, and yes, I would recommend it to my friends. In fact, I already have. We went atop Jacobs’ hill first today and flushed out a 12-pointer to some other people. We went down by the creek next. As soon as my uncle saw a blood trail he got all excited and looked up; gut pile. After that we went to the big alfalfa field and snuck up on a doe and played the waiting game with two does. Two knuckleheads came walking down the field and scared the one I was about to shoot.
To me to get this kind of drawing is awesome. My first thought was that I was going to get a big buck. I started the day not seeing anything. It got to the end of the day, and I had my stand set. I passed up 15 deer right away. I saw three does way out in the field, but I was still waiting for the big one. The next thing I knew he was standing 10 yards away. I hit him and got him.
The morning was really slow but gave you time to think and really enjoy nature, birds, squirrels, etc. It was a lot of fun and time seemed to fly by. In the last minutes we saw the most deer ever. A couple of bucks and many does, but all out of range. Other people and us were watching. Tomorrow looks pretty promising.
Being picked for this 50-kid youth hunt feels weird when it was out of almost 200 kids. Even though I saw only one deer on the first day, I will still keep hunting. Thanks a lot.
I liked being chosen for the hunt. Only the first day, and I almost got a nice buck. I saw many does. Hope I get a good one soon. I hope in the future I get picked again for exclusive hunts. I would have shot this one doe, nice size, but it was 35 yards outside the refuge.
I didn’t see anything, but close to 6:15 my dad stood up and spooked a deer. Then we heard it jump back and then it snorted at us. That was pretty much our day.
When I first heard I got drawn for this youth hunt, I was extremely excited. What made it even better was that my little brother didn’t. Today I saw one buck. I got a couple shots off, but not one good enough. We tracked the deer for at least an hour and a half, but because there was such little blood, we lost the trail. I’m not too heartbroken; hunting is about letting some go. There is always tomorrow.
It was my first time hunting, and I had a great time. My favorite thing about hunting was that I got to hold a gun. The worst thing about my first time hunting was I did not see or shoot a deer.
I was glad to be chosen to be able to go on this hunt. It was a great day for hunting with a little breeze. I saw three to four does and one small buck. I hope tomorrow I will be able to get a clear shot and bring one home. I would recommend this hunt to any of my friends. It was a fun day.
I was really happy to be drawn for the Whitewater hunt. I am thirteen years old and still waiting for my first deer. I could hardly wait for the opening day hunt. We saw two deer late in the morning. Hopefully, there will be more activity on Saturday.
BWA annual meeting heldThe BWA annual meeting was held at the Holiday Inn South in Rochester, MN on December 10, 2003. An election of directors was held with the following members being voted in to serve for the 2004 year:
Bryan Todd and Geoff Heppding are directors whose terms are not up yet. Offices will be determined by the board at a later date.
Board member profiles
Ty Bestor
I live on a southeast Minnesota farm outside of Harmony. I have three children; all of whom have been introduced to the great outdoors. I was born and raised a mile from where I live currently. As a youngster I had the chance to hunt deer, rabbit, squirrel and pheasant from the home farm. The summer days were spent fishing in the Upper Iowa River near Granger. Bass, carp and suckers were the fish of choice at the time. As life evolved, I have found myself fishing for walleyes and lake trout, along with trips to Alaska to fish salmon and halibut. Hunting has been enhanced with a turkey season added to the mix. I enjoy woodland management and planting trees. Countless hours have been spent either planting or pruning trees. I hope that I get to see my work before I go. I became involved with the Bluffland Whitetails Association (BWA) at its first organizational meeting. Those meetings were long and grueling at times, but when we were through, all who were involved agreed that we had set a firm foundation for the grassroots group to build upon. I had been fortunate to have gained so much from hunting, fishing and being in the outdoors, that I felt it was time to repay some of my debt. I wanted for my children to experience some quality times in the outdoors and learn that you need to get involved if you want to see change. I could see that the quality of deer hunting in my area was on the downhill trend and yearned to see a change in the current herd. BWA was that ticket. As I have watched BWA grow, there have been many different ideas and thoughts of how we should proceed. If you stand back and look at these ideas, you realize that none of the ideas are wrong, and that all have some merit. It’s been a great ride so far. I currently serve on the board of directors and have served as past president also. If I can impress anything on to those who read this profile, it’s this; get involved. Not only for yourself, but for the future of hunting. The future that is seen in the eyes of your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or maybe the neighbor kids across the street. Get involved so that you can see the looks on their faces when they harvest their first deer. Or how about when they drop that first pheasant! The satisfaction of being there at that time is more payment than you’ll ever need for your service as a volunteer.
Chris Kolbert
Although I’ve been an avid outdoorsman all of my life and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute afield, I’ve found that raising my two children has been even more rewarding. Both enjoy archery practice on the range with their dad, and this year, my daughter accompanied me while duck hunting. I am not sure which one of us enjoyed the experience more. I feel that it is important to introduce kids to the outdoors and to provide opportunities for them to be successful. Not only does this provide a safe and legal outlet for high-energy kids, but it also helps them to acquire useful traits, such as independence and resourcefulness. In addition, it helps to protect the future of hunting as a whole. I started whitetail deer hunting with a bow at a time when few deer were present in southeast Minnesota, and I feel lucky to have watched the deer herd explode to its current size. In my early years of bowhunting, it was rare to see more than one or two deer during an evening sitting on stand. Now, it is common to see several. In my opinion, the increase in the deer population is largely due to management strategies designed to protect does and harvest bucks. This strategy worked beautifully to bring the Minnesota deer herd from a few hundred thousand to over a million animals. However, times have changed. Many hunters have chosen to hunt for trophy whitetails, and there is a growing feeling that in order to have the opportunity to take a big buck, land must be managed privately. At the same time, land access for the average hunter has decreased, making it more difficult to find land on which to hunt. I joined BWA because it is made up of friends, relatives, and neighbors who live and hunt where I do. Each of us has a vested interest in improving the quality of the hunt, whether that means harvesting a record book animal, putting venison in the freezer, or simply spending a quiet evening on stand and watching wildlife.
Member profiles
John Buckley, Sr.
Besides being a life-long outdoorsman, I have been involved in a few activities in which I have tried to return a small portion of the benefits I have received from the outdoor world. I am a 26-year charter and committee member of MN Valley Ducks Unlimited Chapter, which has raised $450,000 for Ducks Unlimited (DU). I have been a DU member since 1941—the longest in Redwood County, and I haven’t missed a duck opener in 61 years. I instructed the Minnesota Youth Firearm Course for 30 years, and I’m a member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, and equally important BWA. I became familiar with BWA through a friend. I have hunted turkeys on his land for several years, and though he threatens to charge a trespass fee, he seems to forget year after year. Now, some may ask why a hunter from the prairie of southwest Minnesota would be interested in BWA. All I had to do was to consider the ethical, common-sense approach BWA has used in working with the DNR. I have always had the greatest respect for the dedicated DNR people, and though I may disagree with some DNR policies, change will best come through good discussion, exchange of ideas and civility. The dynamics of deer management are vastly different in different sections of Minnesota; and new, more flexible, regulations may better serve our whitetail herd. I attended the BWA Expo in Rochester last year and was impressed with the well-presented program and the demeanor of the members. Not a slob hunter or slob attitude to be seen. Congratulations!
Francis White
I have always loved being in the outdoors. As a kid growing up, I spent most of my free time in the woods or along the river. I was always looking for deer no matter what I was doing. I started shotgun hunting with my dad at the age of 12. He has taught me a lot about deer hunting over the years. I started bow hunting at the age of 14. I don’t know which one I like better, but bow hunting is sure more relaxing. I now live in Rochester where I work for the Park and Recreation Department. I have a beautiful wife and two wonderful little girls. So, times have changed, and I don’t have the time I used to. Yet, I still hunt every opportunity I can. My little girls even like scouting for deer with me, and the oldest one already wants to go hunting with Dad (yeah). I joined BWA in hopes of seeing a change in the age structure of our deer herd. I hope we can continue to work with landowners and the DNR to make things better.
CWD sampling targets met in southeastern MN
Lou Cornicelli As BWA members know, chronic wasting disease (CWD) samples were obtained from southeastern Minnesota deer registration stations this fall. These stations were staffed with people from different backgrounds but with a similar interest of protecting Minnesota’s valuable deer herd from CWD. In total, we hoped to collect 2,300 CWD samples; in the end we got 2,149. I’d call that a successful project, and say that we’ve finished routine CWD surveillance in southeastern Minnesota. While we hope to never find the disease, I feel strongly we’d be negligent if we didn’t look. As resource managers, we have an obligation to do what is right, even if the outcome isn’t desired. We knew all along that a project of this magnitude couldn’t be accomplished without support from the public, a huge volunteer effort, and the backing of our conservation groups. To that end, I want to say thanks for all your help, cooperation, and support during this difficult time. Thanks for standing out in the cold cutting off deer heads, and thanks for donating a fine shotgun to the raffle. People who were a little hesitant were swayed by the possibility of winning a gun. We even had several hunters come back with more deer so they could get another entry! It certainly made the difference in a lot of instances. On a personal note, I spent three weekends in Chatfield and can say without reservation that hunters were cordial, cooperative, and knowledgeable about the CWD project. I’d be hard pressed to think of an interaction that wasn’t positive. I had a great time talking to hunters about CWD and deer seasons. We swapped a lot of hunting stories, laughed about everything, and had an overall great time. As for results, we won’t be sending individual postcards out to hunters this year. Instead, we’ll post the results on our website as permit areas are completed. In other words, when permit area 345 testing is complete, it will be posted as a final total. I ask that everyone be patient as we’re trying to go through over 10,000 CWD samples. In closing; we did it…thanks, and I hope your deer season was safe and productive.
In the spotlight...Ed BoggessWhite Bear Lake, MN Assistant Chief, DNR Section of Wildlife
I came to Minnesota in 1982 as the state furbearer biologist. I wanted to come here because Minnesota has some of the most diverse wildlife habitats in the country—from tallgrass prairie to eastern deciduous forest to boreal forest, not to mention abundant wetlands, lakes, and rivers. I appreciated the wildlife abundance of the Kansas prairies but was anxious to get back to trees, hills, and surface water! My current job involves working on everything from waterfowl and pheasants to wild turkeys, bear, moose and deer, but I still have a keen interest in furbearers, and I chair a national fur resources committee for the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. My hobbies are vegetable gardening and hunting and fishing in general. My passion is big game hunting, particularly bowhunting. I shot my first deer with a bow in 1969, and that has been my favorite outdoor pursuit ever since! I have hunted elk with rifle, muzzleloader and bow and have shot a black bear, but by far my favorite activity is the pursuit of whitetails with a bow. I bowhunt Minnesota and Wisconsin every year and used to regularly hunt the U.P. of Michigan (before deer baiting became rampant there). I have killed deer in five Midwest states and a bull elk in Colorado. I belong to numerous conservation and hunting organizations and look forward to continuing to work with Bluffland Whitetails on managing one of Minnesota’s great resources—whitetailed deer!
BWA 2004 Expo
 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN This event will be of interest to all outdoors people from southeast Minnesota. Featured speakers will be Stan Potts and Gary Clancy.
The Expo is open to the public. Admission for adults is $5 at the door. Youth and children age 17 and under are free of charge.
BWA survey resultsThis survey was performed by the BWA board of directors, and not by an independent, professional contractor. We did, however, go to great lengths to be careful and accurate with the numbers and fair in our summarization of these results. Although not a random public survey, this survey reached out to BWA members and non-members alike in zone 3 in order to "temper" a one-sided response. The survey shows that the response of 140 members and non-members are very similar, thus giving a good "feel" for the attitudes of hunters in zone 3 altogether. It also shows that the BWA is on the right track when it comes to advocating what changes are needed in zone 3. Percentages are given for members and non-members. DNA= Did not answer.
The quality of the huntIt is no secret that the Bluffland Whitetails Association, with its diverse membership base, is fighting hard to achieve a deer herd that contains more mature deer. This is what the majority (or more likely all) of our members want. This is a fight that has already proven to be successful and potentially rewarding, considering the recent changes to the shotgun seasons. These small steps in our collective right direction should, and hopefully will, culminate in an end result that satisfies every member of the BWA, as well as many non-members. Unfortunately, I feel that we are somehow losing sight of the real goal of the BWA. I fear that we are being blinded by visions of gigantic bucks running everywhere throughout southeastern Minnesota. We want to surpass every other “big buck” state in Boone and Crockett entries. We know that we can produce an amazing level of book bucks if we can just get some things changed. But what are we really asking for? The answer is simple; we want to improve the quality of the hunt. Each person who chooses to pursue deer measures the quality of the hunt differently. This is where we may be defeating ourselves. In this day and age, the media, as well as many of our own attitudes, perpetuate the belief that deer hunting is about ending up with the most amount of antlers on your wall, as opposed to actually enjoying each and every time you set foot in the woods. The big buck stigma attached to so many hunters these days is telling the rest of the world that we don’t care about does, and that the only reason we care about young bucks is because they will hopefully become big bucks someday. In addition to skewing the public’s image of ourselves, the big buck stigma is changing the goals of too many beginners. There are too many newcomers to the sport of deer hunting who are holding out for big bucks when they should be trying to get a few clean, ethical kills under their belts. It is hard enough to harvest any deer as a beginner, let alone a mature whitetail. This difficulty could easily lead to new hunters abandoning the sport after a few years. Beginning hunters need our guidance, and we must show them that they don’t need to start out as big buck chasers to enjoy the hunting experience. The public’s image of ourselves and the BWA, as well as hunter recruitment, are two political elements that we can’t ignore. We need to present the image of a group of like-minded individuals who are trying to produce better conditions for everyone to enjoy the sport that we love. We also need to do everything in our power to make hunting enjoyable for newcomers. Every person that we recruit to the sport of deer hunting benefits every hunter. The BWA is a means for us to improve the quality of the hunt for every single outdoorsman. This is being accomplished by the willingness and hard work of every Bluffland Whitetails Association member. This is also being accomplished by the simple words of wisdom and encouragement spoken to every newcomer to our sport, as well as the extra care taken in conveying our image to the public. We must remember that our ultimate goal is to produce a quality hunt for every member, whether that quality is reflected in the harvest of a large buck or the opportunity to make it out in the woods and just enjoy yourself by seeing a deer or two.
—Tony Peterson, BWA member
Rut interruptedby Jay Strangis Reprinted with permission and courtesy of Jay Strangis and Petersen's Bowhunting. Deer hunting has changed a lot since grandpa's day. Well, at least in some states it has. Other states continue to live out the dark ages of deer management, buoyed by a public that would rather shoot a tiny buck than a mature doe; would rather fill as many tags as possible and would rather shoot any deer this year rather than bank on the future. The plain facts are these: when it comes to really big deer, there are only five great whitetail states—Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin. Was your state omitted? If it was, it is because either the habitat and genetics won't grow big deer or public opinion may be keeping them from being managed properly. The latter situation seems the more tragic of the two. It's a shame that states with all the potential in the world to produce giant deer fail to jump into the 21st century and get the job done. But sadly, that's the case in a number of key states. Who’s doing it best? Clearly, the states that are doing the best job today of growing numbers of big bucks all have one or two things in common: First, for the most part, they keep gun hunters out of the heart of the rut. Additionally, most of them don't allow centerfire rifle hunting—shotguns only. If you look at them one by one, it's easy to see the common threads:
Illinois: The first shotgun season opens just after the peak of the rut and lasts only three days. In addition, hunters are not allowed to discharge a firearm past sundown. Besides protecting the breeding season period from the onslaught of gun hunters, note that a couple of the states have added flourishes to the regulations that seem to add protection to big bucks during their most vulnerable days. Illinois does not allow any shooting after sundown. Ohio allows only one buck, per hunter, per season, regardless of weapon. Whether these added regulations were originally enacted to protect big deer matters less than the fact that they work. I asked Gordon Whittington, editor of North American Whitetail magazine and a trophy deer buff of the first sort, for his take on hunting seasons and their relation to deer management, particularly that of trophy deer. Is it true that withholding the heart of the rut from gun hunters may be having the effect of allowing bucks to reach trophy potential? "For the most part, it's going to hold true; the record book will bear that out, really," Whittington told me. "When you have shotgun hunting and a lack of peak rut hunting, that's when you really max out the production of 3.5- to 5.5-year-old bucks." Shotguns (and muzzleloaders) are obviously a key part of this equation, but it is possible to rank in the top five (as Wisconsin and Kansas do) even though a state offers a centerfire rifle season. How do they do it? Wisconsin is a state that has a huge deer herd and a massive rifle hunting culture. Kansas, another rifle hunting state, has fewer deer but is big country with low human density. Both have one seemingly important deer management tool in common. They spare their deer herds from rifle hunting during the heart of the rut, postponing the season so that it follows this period, with both states scheduling the hunt during the period around Thanksgiving. Why less trophies? It's obvious that some states are underachieving when it comes to producing trophy deer. Listen to Whittington: "Why doesn't Minnesota produce more big deer? No place in the world has the genetics, the food and the habitat like that state does. All you have to do is look at the Bream buck or the Minnesota Monarch sheds to know the potential is there." As Whittington admits, Minnesota is steeped in a deer hunting tradition and culture that doesn't lend itself to producing good deer. The entire state is hunted with firearms during the heart of the rut (northern two-thirds rifle, southern one-third shotgun) and Minnesota still allows party hunting, the practice of allowing hunters to fill tags for other hunters in their party; a privilege that is often abused. "Party hunting is a holdover from the meat-hunting days," Whittington told me. "It's amazing how many girlfriends, wives and grandmas fill their tags [by another hunter]" The result: a lot of bucks, mostly young, are shot during this peak of the rut period when they are most vulnerable. Whittington emphasizes that managing for trophies isn’t always about aiming at the trophy buck as the specific goal, but rather about proper deer management in general. “Fortunately, when states manage whitetail populations the right way, the end result is better bucks,” he said. “States like Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey have extremely high hunter densities. They also have too many deer relative to the food supply.” Couple an overpopulated deer herd with hunters who want to shoot bucks rather than does and you’ve got a management problem. Whittington again: “DNR’s used to say, ‘Hey, we had a record buck harvest,’ holding that up as a feather in their cap. We now see that it can result in a deer herd getting away from you. The results are more small bucks and too many does,” Whittington reasoned. The problem seems to be an old hunting culture at work that puts a priority on the words "I shot a buck," and insists that bragging rights go only to those that shoot bucks, no matter how small. That's an irresponsible attitude in Whittington's eyes. "Anybody who has hunted whitetails for a long time should be able to say, 'I shot more does than bucks'. That's being responsible." Other elements Of course, some states just have too many hunters for their own good. In other words, they may protect the deer from hunting during the heart of the rut (as Pennsylvania does) or they may restrict the entire area to shotguns (as Massachusetts does) but they can't protect bucks from the numbers of hunters themselves. Massive numbers of gun hunters in these states on limited ground make the pressure on the herd so intense that no timing of the hunt is going to protect bucks from the hunter's worst enemy--himself. The grand state of Michigan, where deer hunting season is as sacred and celebrated as Christmas, doesn't gun-hunt the heart of the rut, but they hunt right on the cusp, heading into the woods on November 15. The hunters' numbers are legion. God help the bucks in Michigan. To date, there is no hope for Michigan trophy hunting to improve substantially until changes are made. Pennsylvania has taken steps to improve their hunting that will be detailed here further on. North Dakota doesn't hold the numbers of deer hunters that states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and others do, but the rifle season straddles the heart of the rut and the boys with the rifles get after them. Some hunters, nicknamed "creepers," never leave their vehicle while they hunt the open and semi-open country. To make matters worse for the bucks, hunters can take multiple bucks with different weapons in North Dakota. The sad part is, North Dakota produces far fewer trophy bucks than the genetics of whitetails found between Minnesota and the province of Saskatchewan would dictate; meaning the bucks aren't getting a chance to mature. The private land factor Any place whitetail bucks are protected from extreme hunting pressure, are allowed to grow to the magical 3.5-year-and-above age and have any genetic predisposition to grow large antlers, has the potential to produce trophy deer. Even though states may not be setting regulations to specifically protect trophy animals, private landowners, in some instances, are, and that is expanding the face of trophy whitetail range. Texas, with its large ranches and, in some cases, high-fences, led the way in private land deer management in this country. The landowners were motivated to protect their animals, take some big bucks and allow others to grow. The results speak for themselves. Wisconsin has a large deer herd, high numbers of rifle hunters and a culture that believes in shooting any buck, yet they do spare bucks from rifle hunting during the heart of the rut, and that is reflected in the record books. What may not be reflected are the private land efforts that consistently produce the best bucks in the state. A prime example is the Buffalo County landowners, in southwestern Wisconsin, who got together years ago and made a pact to manage their parcels for trophy deer. This protection for young bucks resulted in an outstanding trophy-producing area that now dots the record books each year. Private parcels in other states where landowners share this motivation include Idaho, Montana and some of the provinces of Canada. As Whittington states, "In the last 10 years there has been a big swing in that (private land management) direction. The Baby Boomers are buying 200 acres to retire on, managing for wildlife and also managing for trophy deer. They want a place they and their kids can hunt. "Ultimately, most of the deer live on private land anyway, where deer numbers are higher and the age structure and buck-to-doe ratio is better.” Not all of the five-star states mentioned earlier likely set out to produce giant deer. Rather, the trophy deer were the result of early efforts to protect the herd in general. Good examples are Kansas and Iowa, where fragmented habitat suggested they step up and do something to protect their deer. To their credit, they did it! In the past couple of decades, several states have shown the guts to change regulations to help their trophy deer. In the late 1980s, Kentucky went to a one-buck limit. "Kentucky certainly does not have great genetics or great habitat," Whittington noted, "but they laid off the trigger." Kentucky has definitely seen improvement in their trophy quality over the succeeding 20 years. Whittington cited Indiana as another good example of a state willing to make change: "For years Indiana was conspicuously absent from this (trophy deer) list. They sit between Illinois and Ohio and have some of the best habitat in the world, but they put too much pressure on those bucks. They had a multiple buck limit and hunted during the peak of the rut. Last year they went to a one deer limit." Whittington said he expects to see improvements to trophy quality in the Hoosier state. I spoke to information specialist Joe Kosack with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, where 900,000 rifle hunters take to the deer woods each fall. Last year, thanks to the efforts of the state’s deer-management chief, Gary Alt, Pennsylvania went to antler restrictions, requiring a minimum of four points on at least one antler in 10 counties and three points in the remainder of the state. According to Kosack, Alt accomplished his goal by conducting seminars with hunters around the state and even produced a video to help support the notion. The title: Why Antler Restrictions Create Better Bucks. There is no doubt that Pennsylvania hunters are going to see significant results. In the long run In a conversation on this subject with Bowhuntings "Centershots" editor, Bill Winke, Bill made some good points regarding states such as North Dakota and Minnesota where armies of gun-toting hunters chase deer during the heart of the rut. "Really, it's kind of a waste," Bill commented. "You aren't hunting rut patterns on the opening day of rifle season; you're seeing the deer in survival patterns. If you were bowhunting, you'd still be seeing the deer in rut patterns, and that makes the hunting interesting." In the end, the bowhunting public pays for poor trophy deer management more than the gun hunters themselves. Archers spend more time in the woods, so technically they should see more trophy animals. However, no amount of time in a tree is going to improve your chances if the animals aren't there. If you spend 20 days in the woods without sighting a trophy animal, your hunting is four times poorer than a gun hunter who spends five days in the woods with similar results. The gun hunter can blame himself for his past greed, but who are we to blame. Quality hunting requires commitment, from hunters and from the states that make the rules. Until states and the public they serve are willing to protect bucks and manage for healthy herds; and until hunters are going to make the psychic shift to support such regulation and management, we all lose. If we don't live in Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas or Wisconsin, the rest of us can only dream of perhaps traveling to one of the whitetail Meccas where bucks have a chance to mature. The genetics factor Certainly genetics plays a key role in the ultimate size of a mature buck. Genetics are the blueprint for potential antler size though it is now well known that nutrition as well as age contribute greatly to fulfilling that potential. Still, some hunters would argue that all the big buck genes have been shot out of their state's herd. Others might say, when you take only the biggest trophy bucks you are killing the gene pool. According to the top deer biologists, the arguments don’t hold water. Genetics as they relate to antler size is such a complex equation that such simplistic theories can’t possibly explain trophy potential. The ultimate stone in the oatmeal comes down to the fact that great genetics aren’t just carried by bucks; they also are carried by the mother’s side—the doe. So the loss of an outstanding trophy buck seldom means the entire loss of those trophy genes from the herd. Is a state such as Pennsylvania that has gleaned most of the antlers out of the woods for generations, doomed to small-antlered deer even if they change their hunting regulations and culture? Not likely. The genetics should remain with the herd. All the deer need is a chance to grow.
Invasive non-native plants
Jim Edgar
In much the same way invasive land plants are altering the woodlots in southeast Minnesota, plants such as buckthorn, garlic mustard, honeysuckle, multi-flora rose and Siberian elm are invading many of our woodlots and meadows, crowding out desirable native plants. Desirable plants that can be crowded out include oak seedlings and native grasses. Why should a deer hunter care about these non-native plants? Non-native plants outgrow more desirable plants by leafing out earlier and keeping their leaves later than natives (giving them a longer growing season) or by not having natural predators. Deer love to eat acorns and oak seedlings, but I have yet to see browse damage on buckthorn. It is unlikely than any of these undesirable plants can be eliminated, but in many areas they can be controlled. Just like farmers attempt to control thistle and other noxious weeds, woodland owners need to attempt control of woody weeds like buckthorn and bi-annuals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I had a great time up here. I am glad that they did this, and I am thankful for the people who put this together. I got a really good deer. I got a 10-point buck. That was my first deer ever. I wish they would always do this because I'm sure others would have as much fun as I did. 
I was very excited when I first saw I was drawn for my first deer hunt! It was hard early in the morning to get started, but I couldn’t wait to see my first deer. I’m glad that my dad was along when I shot my first deer. We had a great time! I look forward to hunting deer again next year.
I am lucky to be drawn, and I am grateful for the chance to go into the refuge for a hunt. Well, we got there at 8:30 ready to hunt, and we took a 20-minute walk to get to a good spot. Then we sat in the same spot from 8:50 a.m. until 6:12 p.m. And the last five minutes one came by, but I could not get a good shot. Then, with about two minutes left, a doe came running out of the brush. I relaxed, took a breath and shot. Boom! I got her through the neck and out the shoulder.
I was raised in Stewartville, MN and spent much of my youth hunting, fishing, and trapping along the Root River and its tributaries. I was fortunate to grow up with a father and older brother who lived for the outdoors. Outdoor activities were not considered “sports” in my family. Rather, they were a way of life. So it was not surprising for me to set my first muskrat trap at the age of six and to use fur, fish, and game to supplement the pocketbook and the freezer during my “poor years” in college. I have hunted whitetails, mule deer, or pronghorn with bow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader in five different states and am always amazed at the survival instincts of big game. It has been that admiration for whitetail deer that has kept me fascinated since childhood.
Someone once said that some of us can live without wild places and some of us cannot. We all know that wild places are increasingly hard to find, but perhaps that really depends on our definition of wild places. To me, a wild place can be a small covert or out of the way woodland spot—perhaps as small as part of an acre. I stop and look, listen, and try to absorb the beauty that is there, and at 76 years of age, my passion is still with the outdoors and wild places—large or small.
I have been hunting deer for 20 years. It is, according to my wife, my obsession. I guess she might be right since I start planning my next deer season the minute the current season ends.
I am originally a farm kid from southwest Iowa, but I’ve worked for the Minnesota DNR for over 21 years. My early professional interests focused on furbearers after I became fascinated with the critters as a young trapper at the age of 15.
I studied coyotes for my master’s degree in wildlife management from Iowa State, and my first professional job was for the Kansas State University Extension Service helping western Kansas sheep and cattle ranchers learn how to manage predator problems and how to trap and call coyotes. I also conducted trapping workshops and 4-H trapper education camps.
Many sportsmen, particularly fishermen and waterfowl hunters, are familiar with exotic plants and animals such as Eurasian water milfoil and zebra mussels. These non-native species degrade our lakes and streams by crowding out native fish and plants.