smo Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) After many years of a poor mans version of QDMA, here's what I've learned. First the bad. Be prepared for crazy, and I mean crazy jealousy. A former church member and I almost got into a fight at church. I'm not going into details, but this happened over a stupid deer. Get ready for major competition on hunting lands. For example as a kid growing up I had thousands of acres to hunt, now I'm down to 300 acres, which is a lot more than most have these days, but without QDMA I feel like I would still be in the thousands. If you don't have prime habitat, your just passing bucks to the rich, fat man. What I mean by that is, the rich man can afford to put out all the essential foods that a deer needs year round, therefore he will be drawing in all the monsters and you'll be left with the sub par bucks. The only way I feel like I could compete would be to own the nastiest, roughest land around, that will keep big bucks on the property. If the bucks are being harassed by coyotes and bear, the big bucks will move to an area of safety. The good. Well, the only good thing about a poor mans QDMA, is we have had many years of sub par bucks. The biggest buck we have taken is a 137" buck. Not what I've expected for as many years as we've been passing small bucks. When I was young to see a good 2 1/2 year old buck was phenomenal, but since we started passing small bucks, we see a good 2 1/2 year old quite often and have taken many. For the future my family and I have decided to tag out on the buck limit every year. We also used to take out as many does as possible. We will no longer do this in hopes that the fat, rich man will have to feed as many does as possible, and put pressure on his bank account. I hate that hunting has gone to this, but unfortunately this is where we are at. Happy hunting folks, and I hope we can get away from the craziness, and be happy neighbors once again. Edited November 22, 2015 by smo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 Wish we had 300 acres to manage here. But yeah if someone had enough money they could buy prime ground and enough of it to manage for real trophy animals. Little piddly 60 acre farm here lucky to get a 130 class animal around on tc pics once in every 4 or 5 years or so. Doe "management" has led to over killing in this area, deer numbers are the lowest i have seen in the 23 years we have been here. State maintains a liberal 3 doe a day limit that starts the 4th Saturday in September and runs through gun seasons into January. I have not myself shot a doe off our property probably in 8 or 9 years. I try to hold out for 3.5 year olds and do usually manage to take one buck a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 I completely disagree with your stance. The QDMA mentality has led to better hunting opportunities across the board. No one can keep deer on their farms 100% of the time and many other hunters benefit from what you call a rich fat mans game. Money may be kicking your tail a little bit but in all likelihood you have been out worked and outsmarted by fellow hunters. I'm sorry you have such a poor outlook on things, hopefully that turns around for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 If your not shooting does, then the tables should turn back to you, those big bucks should be coming over to find them, RIGHT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted November 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Food for thought. Myself and another farmer raised Cain for years for the adjoining land owners to quit taking small bucks and shoot more does. We finally got them to quit shooting the small bucks but would not take even 1 doe out, so my family would take as many does as possible. This year, after 10 plus years of managing, we finally get a monster buck in the area, and my cousin on whom I've hunted since I was a little boy, kicks me off. Reason for my rant. If the big buck wasn't there I would still be hunting. I've not been out worked or out smarted, just don't have the money to be able to draw the big bucks in. Bucks are where the does are and does are where the best food is. Edited November 23, 2015 by smo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 well then, your beef is with your GREEDY cousin not QDMA. You certianly did your part on the mangement side to help improve doe to buck ratio, kinda unfair to get the boot because things were turning around. I dont blame you for the rant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted November 24, 2015 Report Share Posted November 24, 2015 Times have changed and gaining permission to hunt land is mostly a thing of the past. I'm down to one small 40 acre cattle farm that the outfitters don't care to spend thousands to lease. On the private ground I don't see 5 year old 150+ inch deer so I set my sights lower and am happy with 125 inch deer that are 3.5. Trophy's are what you make them - not a scoring system or even other hunters. It's too bad your cousin kicked you off the land. Instead of getting angry and having bad blood consider getting him a trail cam for Christmas and wish him luck getting the big one. He might realize what a jerk he's been and have a change of heart. Even if he doesn't you're being the better man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 This is hunting...it's supposed to be fun and enjoyable. A lot of people (myself included at times) take it too seriously. People need to shoot what makes them happy. I admittedly went through a stage of trying to talk people into passing on small bucks and shooting does instead. You know....."kill a doe so the herd won't grow"...we all heard that. What a crock. Looking back now it was a mistake. If your feeling it, then pull the trigger. Now, guess what situation the area I hunt is in....no does and too many small bucks. I'm talking like 4 bucks to 1 doe ratio. I am actually thinking about shooting a dink to put in the freezer for the first time in years and not shooting any does at all the next few years. Does money make it easier? I tend to believe so. I have 80 acres to hunt on. It's pressured fairly heavily, it's all ridges and creek bottom, and no crops or tillable ground. The deer don't live here, they just travel through. I may see a handful of bucks each year that are over 2 1/2. Across the road a young guy has 360 acres that his grandpa owns to hunt. Four people hunt it, and only in November, so the pressure is pretty light. They have access to tractors, and have acres of crops left in and big food plots. They take 160+ deer consistently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger-Hunter Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Plant winter wheat and hunt muzzleloader or late season for those big bucks - they survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 first I think you mean QDM not QDMA, but I don't know. quality deer management is a practice and QDMA is an organization. it's a tough battle that most don't fully understand, even those that shoot big bucks every year. a lot can be done on a budget to draw in and shoot good deer. the less you have to more work is all just like everything else. we just started a quality deer management co-op that involves a whole community and we're only in our 2nd season. many don't do much other than pass little bucks, which is only 25% of it. we've got approximately 11,500 acres of land owners participating. there's some drama and craziness but it's expected with that many involved. it's by far worth it. we turned a "if it's brown it's down" area into one where people have a legit chance at shooting a buck 3.5+ years old. it'll only get better too. we've had half a dozen hunters at least take their biggest buck to date and had some youth hunters take big bucks too. most are shooting 2.5 year old deer but so be it as long as they meet the antler restrictions of the co-op so everyone has a fair opportunity. i've got multiple summers worth of work turning one property that's only 10 acres into a deer haven that's surrounded by 1000+ of hunting leased farms and gun club property. i see 90+% of the bucks in the area go through or use my property at some point. when people think QDM they think passing "small" bucks, planting food plots, and nock down any doe in sight. then they wonder why they fail when that's all they do. work hard, learn all the corner stones of QDM, and don't worry so much about the big $ operations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrown Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I understand where you are coming from, money talks. I have pretty much given up on private. I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly large amount of public to hunt. I wish everyone would practice QDM, it helps to increase the health of the herd. However, everyone's goals are different. Some meat in the freezer, some just getting outside. Whatever you do, do not get mad at the "fat rich guy" and make your deer herd suffer for it. Nothing else, put your nose to the grinder and work harder, the success gets even sweeter, and it ends up being a slap in the face of the "rich guy", because they do not put the time nor effort into understanding and hunting mature bucks. It'll get better, had my best year yet, two 6.5 old bucks off public! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ODH Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I know this is an old thread but figured I'd give my 2 cents. I manage and hunt a small 37 acre farm with 10 acres of woods. I spend more time keeping it nice than I do actually hunting. Between working ground for food plots or mowing, spraying, keeping up with feeders and cameras 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I own a sweet 20 acres surrounded by hundreds of acres of pretty depressed bow hunting timber and bottoms. I have 9.5 acres of the only CRP within 8 miles...I have a 1.5 acre soybean foodplot that gets my undivided attention surrounded by 8-12 rows of corn on two sides with another .75 acres of perennials (chickory, clover, turnips) that leads into what I call the honey hole since its .5 acres surrounded by timber. I do everything I can to keep deer close, provide food, cover and water, but it all goes down the drain when that first gun season rolls around. It turns into a free for all and I end up with blaze orange on every property line I have. Its a crap shoot and no one cares anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ODH Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I agree gun season does mess things up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 the original poster said they take many 2.5 yr old bucks. upset the biggest was 137". 140" is a realistic limit to how big a buck in most parts of the country. it takes old age to get better and it sounds like they don't have too many that get there. a buck can only beat the odds for so long after it's an open season on him. doesn't leave much chance making it to 5.5+ to ensure he's over 90% of maximum antler growth if he starts getting shot it at 2.5 yrs old. buck home ranges are often several hundred acres or more. a few good acres is better than a bad 50 acres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted August 27, 2016 Report Share Posted August 27, 2016 This is an old thread but I think it doesnt hurt to give it a bump. I don't think it does much good to hold resentment towards others who can outspend you on things. It's just like hating on a guy who can outspend you on a dirt track racer, a home spun 1/4 mile dragster. Or complaining about someone who can hit the best ski resorts, or owns a better light plane, or can outspend you on restoring old tractors if those who things are your hobby. There will always be someone who can outspend you. Another thing is not everyone is into QDM. I hunt in an area where we don't have the option of taking a doe (much less does). There are many areas of MN where it's bucks only and no doe tags are given out even by lottery. So it's hard to expext people to pass on the one small buck they see all season. Consider yourself lucky that you can take a doe - or does - to fill the freezer while you hold out for a monster. It's just one of those things. For every guy who's luckier than you there's 2 who are less fortunate. A lot of people, especially on a hunting forum, lose track of the idea that not everyone shares their passion for big antlers. Many people are just happy to have a chance to pull the trigger once a year. You can't fault them for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted August 27, 2016 Report Share Posted August 27, 2016 This is an old thread but I think it doesnt hurt to give it a bump. I don't think it does much good to hold resentment towards others who can outspend you on things. It's just like hating on a guy who can outspend you on a dirt track racer, a home spun 1/4 mile dragster. Or complaining about someone who can hit the best ski resorts, or owns a better light plane, or can outspend you on restoring old tractors if those who things are your hobby. There will always be someone who can outspend you. Another thing is not everyone is into QDM. I hunt in an area where we don't have the option of taking a doe (much less does). There are many areas of MN where it's bucks only and no doe tags are given out even by lottery. So it's hard to expext people to pass on the one small buck they see all season. Consider yourself lucky that you can take a doe - or does - to fill the freezer while you hold out for a monster. It's just one of those things. For every guy who's luckier than you there's 2 who are less fortunate. A lot of people, especially on a hunting forum, lose track of the idea that not everyone shares their passion for big antlers. Many people are just happy to have a chance to pull the trigger once a year. You can't fault them for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted August 27, 2016 Report Share Posted August 27, 2016 This is an old thread but I think it doesnt hurt to give it a bump. I don't think it does much good to hold resentment towards others who can outspend you on things. It's just like hating on a guy who can outspend you on a dirt track racer, a home spun 1/4 mile dragster. Or complaining about someone who can hit the best ski resorts, or owns a better light plane, or can outspend you on restoring old tractors if those who things are your hobby. There will always be someone who can outspend you. Another thing is not everyone is into QDM. I hunt in an area where we don't have the option of taking a doe (much less does). There are many areas of MN where it's bucks only and no doe tags are given out even by lottery. So it's hard to expext people to pass on the one small buck they see all season. Consider yourself lucky that you can take a doe - or does - to fill the freezer while you hold out for a monster. It's just one of those things. For every guy who's luckier than you there's 2 who are less fortunate. A lot of people, especially on a hunting forum, lose track of the idea that not everyone shares their passion for big antlers. Many people are just happy to have a chance to pull the trigger once a year. You can't fault them for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 What's irritating is the neighboring landowner who owns MORE property than I do ,not holding as high a standard on his ground...................yet he puts 3 stands basically on property line trees between him and me ..................... The guy does NO plantings.................. NO habitat improvement work................... just sits and hopes he can get a glimpse of a good deer over on my side of the line. Pure laziness............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 3 hours ago, Strut10 said: What's irritating is the neighboring landowner who owns MORE property than I do ,not holding as high a standard on his ground...................yet he puts 3 stands basically on property line trees between him and me ..................... The guy does NO plantings.................. NO habitat improvement work................... just sits and hopes he can get a glimpse of a good deer over on my side of the line. Pure laziness............ Or when some jack leg(who has done absolutely nothing, paid no property taxes, made no improvements, nothing) comes in on a neighboring property not even on the property they even have permission on and kills deer coming off your plots that you just passed up. Been there and even caught a few of them only to be unable to prosecute because they were not on my property but on our elderly neighbor where they did not have permission there either, very frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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