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Post by badgerfowl on May 11, 2023 8:33:05 GMT -6
Crossbows aren't the boogeyman people make them out to be. And this is coming from someone who doesn't use one and doesn't plan to for a long time. There are still good and shitty hunter's out there. Weapon choice makes little difference.
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Post by Reagan on May 11, 2023 11:05:16 GMT -6
Crossbows aren't the boogeyman people make them out to be. And this is coming from someone who doesn't use one and doesn't plan to for a long time. There are still good and shitty hunter's out there. Weapon choice makes little difference. I agree. I used to hate them. I now occasionally use one. I’d say rifles in the rut could kill more quality bucks than a crossbow during archery. Ohio runs at nearly even split between bow kills and guns kills. It recently flipped to more bow. It took 30 + years for that to happen. Our gun season is after thanksgiving and no high powered rifles. If gun was rifles in the rut, I’d say it would still dominate the kill numbers.
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Post by Sandbur on May 11, 2023 11:27:23 GMT -6
In the long run, I don’t think crossbows will make a significant difference except for archery dealers and manufacturers. Yup, a boost in sales.
I fear some excess harvest of does in areas with low deer numbers if the state doesn’t adjust the archery season. I am worried about northern areas. I hope the DNR watches the archery for kill very closely in those locations.
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 17, 2023 12:15:48 GMT -6
Good to see some folks involved in MN issues here. I moved back to MN around Xmas 2018 and hadn't much paid attention to deer management until the last couple years.
MDHA seems like an odd group, a deer "conservation" organization that seems to only want to make it as easy as possible to kill all the deer. They seem opposed to many measures that would improve the quality of deer hunting. I heard some things about their vote on "Crossbow for All" possibly not trying to get the real desire of their membership or get accurate feedback from all of the chapters. Does anyone have insight on that?
I'd like to get more involved with things in my home state. I've been active in following and advocating on western hunting issues for a while now, there doesn't seem to be nearly the networks to track things in MN nor does there appear to be any kind of organization that supports my desires for hunting here.
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Post by daydreamer on May 17, 2023 12:37:23 GMT -6
Good to see some folks involved in MN issues here. I moved back to MN around Xmas 2018 and hadn't much paid attention to deer management until the last couple years. MDHA seems like an odd group, a deer "conservation" organization that seems to only want to make it as easy as possible to kill all the deer. They seem opposed to many measures that would improve the quality of deer hunting. I heard some things about their vote on "Crossbow for All" possibly not trying to get the real desire of their membership or get accurate feedback from all of the chapters. Does anyone have insight on that? I'd like to get more involved with things in my home state. I've been active in following and advocating on western hunting issues for a while now, there doesn't seem to be nearly the networks to track things in MN nor does there appear to be any kind of organization that supports my desires for hunting here. Old forum member named Batman tried hard through a number of different orgs and probably made more progress than most BUT still nothing changed. At least it educated some people along the way…me included.
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Post by biglakebass on May 17, 2023 13:00:56 GMT -6
Batman doesnt live far from you Brody. He is on the river in Monti.
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on May 17, 2023 13:44:40 GMT -6
I have spoken with Brooks over the past month or so. I had him do a skeleton plan for me last year and the recognized the name when I was sleuthing the internet for history on MN deer issues over the past 15 years and saw his name in some articles so I gave him a call. Seems that MBI just ran out of support and ambition to keep the fight up and is basically defunct.
With MBI being non-active, NDA chapter activity seeming dead, there just doesn't seem to be a voice for any kind of quality deer hunting goals in the state. It's surprising compared to what Ive seen in state issues relating to elk and mule deer out west or how folks in IA fight to keep their quality deer hunting amidst the challenges originating from commercial interest leeches. Seems to be almost universally a defeated vibe in the air in MN to where there isn't much fight put up even.
I'd sure like to do more to contribute even if it ends up being in vain. Just waffling a little bit about how much time I can commit as my hunting, habitat, and other hobbies + being on the road 50% of the year puts too much strain on my young family as it is.
It seems like involvement in MDHA might be a tough place to start with how their org stands on issues right now.. Could enough new involvement turn the tide or does that effort need to happen without that affiliation?
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Post by Sandbur on May 17, 2023 18:16:29 GMT -6
I have spoken with Brooks over the past month or so. I had him do a skeleton plan for me last year and the recognized the name when I was sleuthing the internet for history on MN deer issues over the past 15 years and saw his name in some articles so I gave him a call. Seems that MBI just ran out of support and ambition to keep the fight up and is basically defunct. With MBI being non-active, NDA chapter activity seeming dead, there just doesn't seem to be a voice for any kind of quality deer hunting goals in the state. It's surprising compared to what Ive seen in state issues relating to elk and mule deer out west or how folks in IA fight to keep their quality deer hunting amidst the challenges originating from commercial interest leeches. Seems to be almost universally a defeated vibe in the air in MN to where there isn't much fight put up even. I'd sure like to do more to contribute even if it ends up being in vain. Just waffling a little bit about how much time I can commit as my hunting, habitat, and other hobbies + being on the road 50% of the year puts too much strain on my young family as it is. It seems like involvement in MDHA might be a tough place to start with how their org stands on issues right now.. Could enough new involvement turn the tide or does that effort need to happen without that affiliation? MDHA has a number of resolutions /amendments that were voted on through the years and the way I understand it, they stand in place until votes are made to change it. Each chapter gets so many votes at the state MDHA meeting based on membership. Chapters/ officers/ leadership offer the changes and votes are made about 3 months later. Anyone present that is a member can vote on the issues presented at our chapter meeting when the resolutions are read. Our chapter was unanimous in it’s votes except for one vote(me) on one issue. We voted unanimously against expanded crossbow use and I was surprised it passed at the state meeting. I imagine somebody had a big turn out at one of the large chapters. I like the idea of the antlerless season not being with the youth season. However I voted against that resolution as it specified a 9 day hunt after mzzle season. I just don’t think we need that long of a season and so late in the year with firearms. Evidently there was a bit of a struggle over gun control and MDHA took a stand against more gun control. Good move in my view and MDHA would not do that in the past. There have been some changes in leadership. Most of us here have known each other personally or via the net for years. We don’t need to rehash how I feel at present, but since you are new here, I thoroughly enjoy the rifle rut hunt. At present, I am also not in favor of APR’s or other regulations to limit buck kill. Education and personal choice is fine. I am in the minority on my views.
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Post by Reagan on May 17, 2023 18:16:33 GMT -6
Touch base with Foggy. He has ties to the Pequot lakes chapter of QDMA.
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Post by benmnwi on May 22, 2023 12:27:19 GMT -6
I have spoken with Brooks over the past month or so. I had him do a skeleton plan for me last year and the recognized the name when I was sleuthing the internet for history on MN deer issues over the past 15 years and saw his name in some articles so I gave him a call. Seems that MBI just ran out of support and ambition to keep the fight up and is basically defunct. With MBI being non-active, NDA chapter activity seeming dead, there just doesn't seem to be a voice for any kind of quality deer hunting goals in the state. It's surprising compared to what Ive seen in state issues relating to elk and mule deer out west or how folks in IA fight to keep their quality deer hunting amidst the challenges originating from commercial interest leeches. Seems to be almost universally a defeated vibe in the air in MN to where there isn't much fight put up even. I'd sure like to do more to contribute even if it ends up being in vain. Just waffling a little bit about how much time I can commit as my hunting, habitat, and other hobbies + being on the road 50% of the year puts too much strain on my young family as it is. It seems like involvement in MDHA might be a tough place to start with how their org stands on issues right now.. Could enough new involvement turn the tide or does that effort need to happen without that affiliation? Quite a few people on this forum are Minnesota hunters who met online while trying to improve deer hunting in Minnesota. Plenty of us have differing ideas on to best improve the hunting, but most felt there was plenty of room for improvement. The years with lower deer numbers in many parts of the state (and WI) got many of us to push both the DNR and the multiple deer organizitions for change. Most of us ended up getting pissed at the DNR, pissed at many of the deer groups and frustrated with lack of change/improvements. I don't think I'd say we've all given up, but now spend more time and efforts on improving our specific properties that we have control over. Since then, the deer herds have bounced back from previous lows but the spread of CWD is likely to stop any significant changes that will increase deer populations or % of mature bucks.
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Post by Sandbur on May 22, 2023 13:09:25 GMT -6
I have spoken with Brooks over the past month or so. I had him do a skeleton plan for me last year and the recognized the name when I was sleuthing the internet for history on MN deer issues over the past 15 years and saw his name in some articles so I gave him a call. Seems that MBI just ran out of support and ambition to keep the fight up and is basically defunct. With MBI being non-active, NDA chapter activity seeming dead, there just doesn't seem to be a voice for any kind of quality deer hunting goals in the state. It's surprising compared to what Ive seen in state issues relating to elk and mule deer out west or how folks in IA fight to keep their quality deer hunting amidst the challenges originating from commercial interest leeches. Seems to be almost universally a defeated vibe in the air in MN to where there isn't much fight put up even. I'd sure like to do more to contribute even if it ends up being in vain. Just waffling a little bit about how much time I can commit as my hunting, habitat, and other hobbies + being on the road 50% of the year puts too much strain on my young family as it is. It seems like involvement in MDHA might be a tough place to start with how their org stands on issues right now.. Could enough new involvement turn the tide or does that effort need to happen without that affiliation? Quite a few people on this forum are Minnesota hunters who met online while trying to improve deer hunting in Minnesota. Plenty of us have differing ideas on to best improve the hunting, but most felt there was plenty of room for improvement. The years with lower deer numbers in many parts of the state (and WI) got many of us to push both the DNR and the multiple deer organizitions for change. Most of us ended up getting pissed at the DNR, pissed at many of the deer groups and frustrated with lack of change/improvements. I don't think I'd say we've all given up, but now spend more time and efforts on improving our specific properties that we have control over. Since then, the deer herds have bounced back from previous lows but the spread of CWD is likely to stop any significant changes that will increase deer populations or % of mature bucks. I feel the state does not want too many mature deer of either sex due to cwd. All we can do is on our own property. I have reached the point of just enjoying what I have got.
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