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Deer Points?

When doing my bear and turkey apps I noticed that they show me with 0 deer points. Is this a sign that the DNR is thinking of doing something with deer points in the future?

I hope so. With technology, predation, and especially crossbows and inlines now pressuring the resource from the traditional past , it is time for a drawing in some areas. They do it out west, works good.

Passed on over 10 bucks during the early bow season. Passed on 5 bucks during the gun season. Took a doe for some meat. Wisconsin's deer season is great just the way it is. No reason for one buck.

Its always fun to talk about what-ifs

But if it aint broken, dont fix it.

I hope so? Ohh god lets watch this. Grabbing the popcorn now! Lol

Points for non resIdents would be great.

I agree, nonresidents should not have an open book, all the while residents ask for APR's and no doe shooting to improve the herd. Non-residents at least should be limited before residents lose opportunity, which they may just like with bear, bobcat , otter and fisher. Doe tags for many years were on a drawing, not sure what is wrong going back to that.

Advancing technology and weapons should make the conservationist look for ways to give the animals a break. Herd management today has to take into account increased predation, loss of winter feeding in the north, In lines, 95% let off compounds, night vision, crossbows, cameras, increased native opportunity etc etc. I would suggest limiting nonresidents just like many other states do. Doe tags can go back to a drawing in certain northern areas,......... that worked for many years. Lots of possibilities to enhance the resource.

Don't talk about one deer till you straighten out GROUP BAGGING during the gun season.... Heres a idea......landowners in Wisconsin ......one buck bow and one buck gun. All other hunters go into a drawing for a buck tag and are allowed one buck per season.

I still really like what MI does. You get one buck tag and it is good in any season with any legal weapon for that season. Or, you can buy a combo tag which allows you 2 bucks, same weapons/seasons rule but one buck has to have at least 3 points on one side and the other has to have at least 4 points on one side.

buckmaster69 " Heres a idea......landowners in Wisconsin ......one buck bow and one buck gun. All other hunters go into a drawing for a buck tag and are allowed one buck per season."

I take it your a land owner? So your saying if I'm not a land owner but a resident of Wisconsin I would have to be put in a drawing for a buck tag? That's about the most selfish thing I've ever heard. It's really a shame that deer hunting brings out the worst of people, even more so than Black Friday shoppers.

As I said before don't talk about one buck seasons till you straighten group bagging during the gun season. Konk1 Yes I am a landowner. So you think Im selfish. Whats selfish are hunters who only bow hunt or only gun hunt and complain about hunters who do both seasons. Its funny most of the guys complaining are none residents or hunters who don't own land. Wisconsin's deer seasons are great just the way they are. I suggest you take your recurve and practice and scout more.

"As I said before don't talk about one buck seasons till you straighten group bagging during the gun season"

Spot on.

Agree...no group bagging...one buck per year any weapon per person. All is good,

The state sells a separate license for gun and archery (crossbow too?), a one buck limit would mess up their fee structure. If there's no money to be made it won't happen.

It is easy to blame it on the Dept and their need for money. However, there is no biological reason for one tag only. If there were, I am sure they would do it. It would be pretty simple to double the cost of a single tag and not lose a penny's worth of license revenue. That said, there is no reason to allow group bagging.

CaptMike, I don't necessarily disagree with that. Harvest of more or less bucks wouldn't change the long term deer population. i didn't mean my statement to be negative towards the DNR, I don't think any entity supports itself by making changes that will generate less revenue. I get what you are saying about increasing the license cost, but the question then becomes whether or not that would drive some away. We agree a one buck limit would not affect deer population numbers. The only reason for a one buck / year limit would be to have more mature bucks on the landscape. That may generate renewed interest in license sales, but I'm not sure the state will see it that way.

Do away with group bagging and keep the liberal antlerless seasons where needed. Bring back smaller DMU's and let the hunters to what they do best. Hunt.

As far as jackwagons, poachers and people who seem to be above the law. Just go away....

I know it won't happen, but I can dream.

Points? Thats funny. Most guys i know kill a buck every 3 years by choice anyway. Points will happen when party hunting stops and the Brewers are relevant.

happygolucky +1

November +1.....

Raise non resident fee to $300 and must have 3+ preference pts to shoot a buck. Protect the resource for residents and you will see interest rise.

"Whats selfish are hunters who only bow hunt or only gun hunt and complain about hunters who do both seasons." I bowhunt only, I have never complained about those that choose to do both. As a matter of fact my son does both.

"Its funny most of the guys complaining are none residents or hunters who don't own land. " I'm not complaining, I just want you to clarify why you as a land owner think you are entitled to shoot a buck and the rest of us that don't own land but still shell out the same $$ for the same license as you have to be put in a drawing?

" I suggest you take your recurve and practice and scout more." Don't need too, my buck is in the freezer already and the antlers and cape at the taxidermist.

Points for non-residents, jack up non-res fees to get more in line with Kansas, Iowa, etc... Wouldn't need to be a 4 point guarantee like Iowa I don't think, but I think every other or every 3rd year would be reasonable. I know this isn't the popular opinion on here but group bagging really doesn't bother me that bad, I don't participate and I'm guessing it's not as big of a problem in my part of the state, but understand how some people use it, I just can't imagine the total deer harvest to group bagging is much higher than a few percentage points (again just IMO, I completely understand why many would be against it, I just don't have a strong opinion either way on the subject so don't jump on my back).

STP, while I am all in favor of allowing the herd to mature a bit, I think it would be a hard sell for the firearm hunters of this state. The hoarding and game hogging mentality that seems to be so prevalent in WI would be a huge barrier to overcome.

Konk1....congratulations on your buck. I like catching big musky in the fall. Thats why I usually wait. I will try to shoot my buck late season. Konk1 the seasons are fine just the way they are. Some hunters who don't own land or only bow or gun hunt are always pushing for one buck seasons. Are you one of them? Thats why I made that remark. You called me selfish......Last year I shot a big 8 pointer opening day of archery and a doe gun hunting. This year between gun and deer I passed over 15 bucks. Took a big doe gun hunting. I let other hunters hunt my land. I let neighbors retrieve their deer on my land. Yeaaaaa Im pretty selfish. Some of you guys could have a one buck season and then when you can't get a deer you will want drawing for buck tags, give it a rest !!

"Raise non resident fee to $300 and must have 3+ preference pts to shoot a buck. Protect the resource for residents and you will see interest rise." We've discussed this issue before and the guys that are against it always are railing against it-guess I understand the feelings. However if you look at the 500 (or so) bucks to hunt Illinois and Iowa it seems that we're the Walmart (or nearly so) of the nonresident tags. I made a trip through Wisconsin a short time ago and coming back I got to watch the seemingly endless stream of large newer 4x4 trucks that had a new 4 wheeler or two either in the back or on a trailer. I believe that these guys wouldn't think twice about another hundo or 2 for a tag. Sure , we might (MIGHT) lose a few guys from Illinois or Iowa but the increased fees should easily offset the loss. I've hunted in Newfoundland, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta, Wyoming, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and quite a few other places. The cost of a tag was not considered for the selection of where to go. I'm all for a reciprocal fee system. Anyone else remember when non residents could not hunt Kansas?? Some states started the quid pro quo thing and that changed. Seems that it couldn't hurt to look at the issue.

"Some hunters who don't own land or only bow or gun hunt are always pushing for one buck seasons. Are you one of them?" No, I am not. We all have the power to make it a one buck season.....regardless of how many buck tags you have, just shoot 1 buck if that's how you feel.

We have a reciprocity policy with Michigan and Minnesota (at least we used to), what we pay in their state they pay in our state. Why not do the same thing for other out of state hunters? Say Iowa charges us $400, we charge them $400. Big kicker with this is a lot of states you have to draw before hunt them but not in Wisconsin and I don't see that changing.

Konk1.....Thats what we do.

The shape of the herd is way more than the NR hunters taking a few deer. What they take is a pimple in a elephants butt in comparison to what the residents take.

Saying that I would be in favor of a fee increase for NR hunters. It's way over due and needs to be in line with other Midwest states.

I have doe dying of old age around here because we can't shoot them. Why we agreed to take the opportunity to shoot a doe away from the bow hunters I'll never know.

Why add more restrictions? So they end up laying on the side of the road a mangled pile of flesh?

Drop Tine +1.

In my neck of the woods, there are MANY landowners of hunting land in Wisconsin, who only hunt Wisconsin, but actually live in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) vicinity due to employment opportunities.

I would not want to see their license fees (and or points) increased.

I believe there should be an exemption for land owners who live out of state. They are already contributing thousands of tax dollars every year.

But if the average Weekend Warrior "If Its Brown its Down" with Minnesota plates has to pay a higher license fee for coming over and littering up the public lands, I'm all for it.

As far as increasing license fees, I don't think anyone here would propose a couple k in fee increases. Another hundo or two would still be cheaper than Iowa and Illinois. If you are running the budget that close perhaps stick to something else. As one that lives about 20 miles east of River Falls I see the competition of the cities people and their influences (from people that have lived most of their lives in a city). Sure glad we bought land in '92 when you could sometimes buy for 500 bucks an acre.

"They are already contributing thousands of tax dollars every year."

That is their choice, no one forced them to buy land here.

My son, daughter, and grandchildren all live in suburbs of the cities. They work hard and don't make a lot of money. I want them to be able to come and hunt with Grandpa and Grandma on the family land we also worked hard and continue to work hard to own and improve. 400.00 license they can;t do. Barley do it now. We talk of fewer hunters in the state and hunter recruitment. We do not want less hunters, but animal rights groups do. As far as the group harvesting do you really think that making it legal changed what had taken place forever in Wisconsin anyway. I have been deer hunting with my family since I was 8 on drives sitting etc. In school all my friends and hunters new everyone was group bagging. Did not and will not change a thing.

"The only folks that don't like the group bagging law are land owners with no friends, that sit on there bait plots ." Normally I would not point this out but "third grade baiter" chose to let Buck know on another thread that he had misspelled a word. So, in an effort to enrich Masterbait's limited education I'll point out the correct spelling of "their" in this usage. And, no spaces between the last letter of a word in a sentence and the period. Better step up your game, mouth-breather. You make this too easy!

Maybe if the cost of a license goes up there will be less of a demand for hunting land from out of state people so more actual Wisconsinites can purchase land in their state.

Lived my life in WI until job pulled me to western MN. No deer here just pheasant country. So I drive 5 hours each way to the home farm, did this fall 9 times last fall, and I purchased my gas in WI. Did this so my daughter and I can hunt and be with family. We put in food plots, plant trees, etc. every year. We spend $1000s each year to deer hunt in WI. Someday this farm will become mine so I will need to pay the taxes. They are twice what my taxes are on my home in MN. So I think if you want to talk about non-resident issues you have a point about IOWA's prices and system but overall I personally think you are out of line about nonresident fees and limit with points on people who do a lot for the wildlife in WI. If my family could live in WI and have my job I would but that is not an option.

I know this sucks guys, but again it's choices. No one is going to feel sorry for you for being an out of state land owner. Nor should you feel sorry for yourself. Instead count your blessings.

Tweed, there is I shortage of land for sale in the north. Just about everything is for sale up here. There's darn near more for sale signs than there are trees.

My brother owns land here and he has to buy a NR license so I asked him what he thought. He said the benefits of his move to another state far outweighed the relatively cheap cost of a NR license.

Geez! Calm down its just computer processing programming that had to fill in the columns. Good that your paying attention anyways. will get a draw for buck tags in Wi the same year they let ya shoot sea gulls legally.

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