Deer Tags

A long,  long time....... since the 1980's I would say

That is what I was thinking, it has been as long as I can remember. So why are they talking about a one tag system.

Hmmm is the GNF considering a one tag system?? Haven't heard anything about it.

John Arman Said:
How long have we been able to have a bow tag over the counter and apply for a rifle tag ?

Years ago whitetail antlerless rifle tags and both mule deer antlerless and antlered deer were on a draw by unit and rifle antlered whitetail tags were bought over the counter and good statewide. An antlerless tag could be used for either a doe or a buck and a mule deer antlerless tag could be used for any deer in the state, mule deer doe or buck, whitetail buck, or whitetail doe. Since the late 70's or early 80's all rifle tags have been on a draw by unit and the type of deer specified on the tag was the only deer it was good for.

John Arman Said:
That is what I was thinking, it has been as long as I can remember. So why are they talking about a one tag system.

Because most of the people doing that talking are too young to remember what historical deer herd numbers look like. They think there have always been a half dozen deer in every shelterbelt and abandoned farmstead in the state and now that deer numbers have been reduced to more acceptable levels they think deer are becoming extinct. For the most part these are the same people who bragged about shooting many antlerless deer every year and also told everyone that would listen that the buck tags should go to the "serious deer hunters" and if someone wasn't willing to hold out for a trophy buck they should only apply for a doe tag.

Don't worry, these people are driven by ego not science so nothing will come of their noise.

This talk is nothing but a solution looking for a problem. It stems from our current low deer population and the ability for some hunters to get more than one buck tag while others could wait a year or two to get one.

The fact ramains that all hunters have the opportunity to purchase an archery tag or apply for a muzzle loader license.

If deer numbers continue to decline, I suppose something like this will be studied harder. Our current winter condition will help restore deer numbers in quick fashion. Another winter like this one should put us back close to where we were.

Until then, it's emotion. Why can he when I can't? Again, bottom line is, we all could.

Bowhuntin Said:

John Arman Said:
How long have we been able to have a bow tag over the counter and apply for a rifle tag ?

Years ago whitetail antlerless rifle tags and both mule deer antlerless and antlered deer were on a draw by unit and rifle antlered whitetail tags were bought over the counter and good statewide. An antlerless tag could be used for either a doe or a buck and a mule deer antlerless tag could be used for any deer in the state, mule deer doe or buck, whitetail buck, or whitetail doe. Since the late 70's or early 80's all rifle tags have been on a draw by unit and the type of deer specified on the tag was the only deer it was good for.

John Arman Said:
That is what I was thinking, it has been as long as I can remember. So why are they talking about a one tag system.

Because most of the people doing that talking are too young to remember what historical deer herd numbers look like. They think there have always been a half dozen deer in every shelterbelt and abandoned farmstead in the state and now that deer numbers have been reduced to more acceptable levels they think deer are becoming extinct. For the most part these are the same people who bragged about shooting many antlerless deer every year and also told everyone that would listen that the buck tags should go to the "serious deer hunters" and if someone wasn't willing to hold out for a trophy buck they should only apply for a doe tag.

Don't worry, these people are driven by ego not science so nothing will come of their noise.

 I wouldnt mind seeing it go to a one tag system total for a year or two to get numbers back where they want them to be. 

Winters like this one are what we need to get deer numbers up.  2 or 3 more of these and there'll be complaining from the opposite end of the opinions again.

I agree, however I guess the biggest things will be the aerial surveys to see exactly where numbers are at, along with the harvest reports. Once those are all compiled, we can go from there.

multi-species-angler Said:
Winters like this one are what we need to get deer numbers up.  2 or 3 more of these and there'll be complaining from the opposite end of the opinions again.

I'd like to see the G&F keep the pressure on the deer herd (whitetail anyway) and keep the numbers where they are right now. When/ if deer numbers get away on them again it will take years to get them under control again. Too many deer cost too many people too much money with crop depradation and vehicle accidents.

Randy Kriel ( the same guy said there are 100,000 coyotes killed in ND) was talking on the radio last night and hinted no mule doe tags in the badlands and certain areas, and a 1 buck tag not the possibility of three. and a real large restriction on out of state hunters for bow also. and said it isn't set in stone until April when the proclaimation is out and the governors is out then signed.  Also was mentioned about increasing the pike limit to 5 instead of 3. most people want a 7 limit   Lot of discussion on bird population being way down in some areas  and they don't see a sage grouse season for many yrs.  NO speed goat season,

The other program talked about the drilling on land with the bighorn sheep and how the tree huggers want all the drilling in the badlands stopped because that is why there are no deer not the 2 bad winters we have had.  It also mentioned about somekind of plant in the badlands that they are going to try to protedt   I am thinking these huggers need to get out and mark the plants so the oil companies can go around them. 
I wonder how many of the tree huggers have actually been in the badlands walking around. A lot of times they have to get permission to walk across a ranchers land to get back in there and would get turned down for tresspassing. The huggers were almost in trees when they were talking about grazing because of all the damage the cows do to the plants they step on.
WHOEVER HAS THE MOST MONEY TO SPEND WILL WIN

marksman I got your message but for some reason it won't let me reply back, please contact me at jarman@teamuoa.com.

John,
I just thought I would take this opportunity to tell you, less fishing shows and more hunting shows.

Pigman I hear you :)

When the spring meetings come around, ask them about the internal study done by the G&F on one buck tag option. They have looked at it, and run numbers with high deer counts and low. The impact is an increase of double digit for overall success especially with the rise in bow tags over the last 10 years.
 
They do not even like to acknowledge that they did the study. I have asked why they never released the study to the public and the excuse was that the target was constantly moving thus making it hard to determine long term use of the study. Sounded like the idea was under review and study again, so maybe we will have another study to compare to the previous.

Any changes to the current system will affect all. Some will benefit by increased opportunity and others will lose some opportunity, The key is which group of people come out with the most gain! Opinions on this will slant I think toward personal use.

The last study showed that those that rifle hunt only would benefit overall and the majority of all hunters are strictly rifle hunters. Today I do not know if that holds true.

I use to bow hunt, and now I rifle and ML hunt, others I know do it all and as I said some only hunt with a rifle.

We really should not close our minds to change if it means an improvement for the majority. After all, when deer numbers plummet like they have the rifle, and ML take all the adjustment in tag numbers. Granted they account for the largest impact on the herd, but bow hunters are now upward of 25,000 overall. Seems to me it is time to spread some of the pain around!

One thing I've wondered ever since the one tag issue has been discussed is how will the tag be? Will it be statewide or unit specific or will it be statewide if you use the bow and Muzzy and unit specific if you use the rifle? Anyone know?

I'd sure hate to lose the ability to hunt statewide with my bow.

Yup, agree 100%.   Too many youngun's never hunted deer in the 60's or even the 70's.   With all the CRP lose it will never be as good as the late 90's or early 2000's  No matter what we get for winters.

I see no need or overall benefit to drop to a 1 tag system.  There has only been 2 occassions in 11 years where I have had 3 buck tags for the same year.  On one of those years, I shot 1 and the other, 2.  Granted I hunt for horns so not gonna shoot just anything but you get the point.  This year for example, I was turned down for rifle and muzzy.  Had a bow tag only.  The decrease in overall numbers is not due to the tag system.  It is due to MOTHER NATURE.  I see going to a 1 tag system causing a large increase to overall deer numbers even more so than our current system.  My armchair biology degree says leave it alone.     

solocam Said:
I see no need or overall benefit to drop to a 1 tag system.  There has only been 2 occassions in 11 years where I have had 3 buck tags for the same year.  On one of those years, I shot 1 and the other, 2.  Granted I hunt for horns so not gonna shoot just anything but you get the point.  This year for example, I was turned down for rifle and muzzy.  Had a bow tag only.  The decrease in overall numbers is not due to the tag system.  It is due to MOTHER NATURE.  I see going to a 1 tag system causing a large increase to overall deer numbers even more so than our current system.  My armchair biology degree says leave it alone.     

Agreed.

I would say the vast majority of bowhunters are like myself and often do not harvest a deer with their bow tag. For that matter many buck tags go unused each year.