Many moons ago I took my hunter safety course, which allowed me to go deer hunting with a shotgun. During this particular course, I was able to learn about the sport which would become a lifelong passion. I still remember where the course was given and many of its high points, including, stressing the governing of yourself while we are afield and wild-game management.

I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a chapter in the book we studied regarding wild-game management, but the grizzly old hunter that gave the course drove home the point so deep and hard that it sticks with me to this day.

At the dawn of the 2021 big-game season, it’s about time we all take the feelings and ego out of the equation and look at the science of wild-game management. This time, more specifically, deer management. This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit with an old friend — well she isn’t actually old — but I have known her for several years. When we first met, the idea of hunting was something fairly new to her. While she had hunted in the past, it never really got into her soul. Then she met a guy, yes a guy that had a passion for hunting anything that walked or flew. Over time she became more passionate about hunting than the guy, who since traveled a different path, so to speak.

For some season, she fell in love with shooting the bow, and archery hunting more than anything. So far so good. We shared stories and even hunted together, but there was one thing that I couldn’t get out of my head: all she wanted to hunt was big bucks. I tried to explain that shooting big bucks takes time and maybe she should reconsider, but she would have nothing to do with that. She was taught it’s got to be a big buck or nothing.

Well here we are years later, and she has yet to fill an archery tag. This past weekend she confided in me that she was going to start as a hunter and not a shooter. See, hunters are conservationists and shooters are just looking for the next thing to put on the wall. As hunters, it’s our responsibility to manage the herd and be a conservationist. This means taking does. The thought of just shooting bucks is old school and isn’t healthy for any herd.

While many of my opinions are based on feelings and years of experience, this particular view is based on science — deer management science, so to speak. Another thing that is no secret is deer over the past several years are finding their way into folks’ backyards, which is kind of nice if you aren’t used to seeing them in the wild, but not so nice if you have spent your hard-earned money keeping your yard up and invested in flowers and bushes, only to watch them get eaten up by deer.

There are several rules of thought for why deer may find their way into folks’ backyards, but there are only a couple that make any sense. Deer are finding food easy to get and are pretty much left to themselves in the city, because many local municipalities have laws against hunting and discharging a firearm in their “city” limits. While this is a good law, which protects folks from many things, it doesn’t help address the issue of “city deer.” Another reason that deer are moving into the cities is they have run out of room in their natural habitat.

The city of Jamestown has such an issue. Just ask the many well-meaning folks who are attempting to help out with the problem. Meetings have been held, decisions have been made and a “few skilled hunters” have been chosen to take part in this hunt. I personally have a couple issues as to who the person is hand-picking these “skilled hunters” and what the heck makes these folks “skilled.” I suppose that the folks that hand-picked the “skilled hunters” have reminded the “skilled hunter” that they are responsible for the deer after the shoot. Not many archery hunters can drop a deer in their tracks. Often, deer will run a little ways before they expire.

I’m sure the “few skilled hunters” understand all and place the perfect shot, because we all know that “skilled hunters” never make a shot that isn’t perfect. Well, I digress. From my understanding, the only deer that are to be shot are does. This is based on science and the fact the one best way to manage a deer herd, is by the taking of does.

Quality Deer Management believes that we should let young bucks go so they are protected from harvest, combined with an adequate harvest of female deer to produce healthy deer herds in balance with existing habitat conditions. It’s a long-standing belief that if habitat will support 20 deer per square mile, then keep it to 20 deer. If a habitat will support 30 deer per square mile, put 30 deer per square mile on it, but don’t put 30 deer on habitat that can only support 20.

QDM also improves age structures by allowing bucks to reach all age classes, not just 1¢ and 2¢ years. QDM accomplishes this by not shooting the majority of yearling bucks each year. There is nothing more that will bring out a lively discussion among deer hunters than bringing up deer-sex ratios. Other than deer density, few subjects ignite controversy as quickly as a discussion of the number of does per buck in any given parcel of woods. Let’s put it this way: a good healthy/quality deer has a buck-to-doe ratio of 6-1, six does to one buck. These are adult deer we are speaking of, the breeding age. I understand that this number may seem a little off, but let’s look at it this way. If we are looking at the age class that can breed, this cuts the traditional number of 10-1 down. Remember, we are talking about breeding/carrying capacity, not just carry capacity. Given the time frame — short window — when breeding is happening, this number makes more sense. Also remember that traditionally a mature doe will drop a pair of fawns each year, so it doesn’t take long before a herd can become out of control, so to speak.

Let’s use the “hypothetical” situation where a piece of property is holding 20 deer — seven does and the remainder are fawns. This is not counting bucks. There are at least two 2¢ bucks and one 1¢-spike buck, that you know of. It is not known the exact number of mature bucks 3¢-years-plus, but at least just say there are at least two. This piece of property is about 100 acres, with not all the deer staying in said 100 acres but spending the majority of the time there.

In this “hypothetical,” if you are just looking to kill a big deer, one would just wait on the 4¢-year buck, but the idea here is managing the property. Remember, we all are called sportsmen, and one of the keys to being a sportsman is being a conservationist, which in turn means to help manage the natural resources we have been blessed with.

Of course, this is the perfect situation and we all don’t live in that world. Personally, in New York state on property I hunt/manage I try to fill one of my archery tags with a doe and one, maybe two, with DMAP tag during gun and/or late season. Also, for me, I wouldn’t shoot a buck unless he is 3¢ years of age or older or bigger than anything I already have on the wall.

This works for me, but there are many who will argue this system. Taking a mature buck only is where I am at in my hunting life. If it had any headgear I would take it, but now I am at a different place. Deer/doe management is the hunter’s responsibility, and we need to take it seriously. Without the help we are doing today to manage the population, our children’s children may not have the same opportunities we all enjoy today.

New York state hunters this season will have to wear a fluorescent orange or pink hat or vest while deer hunting with a firearm this season. Also, deer and bear hunters will be allowed extended hunting hours to 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.