National Deer Association. Formerly known as QDMA as I understand it.
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National Deer Association says states gotta kill more does
- Thread starter Doskil
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National Deer Association. Formerly known as QDMA as I understand it.
Biggun4214
Well-Known Member
As far as depredation permits go, I think I only issued permits to 2 farmers in my county in 35 years. One farmer killed 2-3 deer and didn't ask for anymore permits. The other farmer had permits for 4-5 years and I don't think he ever killed a deer.
BSK
Well-Known Member
The QDMA joined with a smaller group that I believe already called themselves the National Deer Association (NDA), or something very similar. A large number of the QDMA staff and Board of Directors kept those positions in the new NDA. The original NDA was focused more on northern deer management, while the QDMA were more Southeast focused.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
Why? It is their land and their crops and their financial well being that the deer are causing harm to. Actually I don't even think they should have to get a depredation permit anymore. Especially since the TWRA is trying the best it can to kill all the deer anyways. And the long time the TWRA can take to respond to a request is not good either. A farmer could lose thousands of dollars waiting for the TWRA to do something.
I know of some that have had problems with hunters and they do not want another hunter on their property but they want the deer gone and I support them. Hunters need to get off the "high horse" and realize deer are not the king of animals, actually no animal is, and if a farmers ability to just break even is affected much less make some kind of a profit, then kill the deer (or most any animal) and kill them as fast and safely as possible.
The TWRA is the last agency who should have a say in what farmers do anymore. For the most part the TWRA has handcuffed the game wardens (in reference to the recent issue with private land, which I agree with, any law officer should have to have a warrant for the most part to be on private land) but the TWRA needs to take care of public land FIRST before they even think about worrying about private land. It is sad to see what it happening to the public lands and how the TWRA basically does NOTHING! It is getting worse every year!
And I for sure hate it when farmers kill piles of deer, they for sure do it in KY, but why should they have to prove they have tried every legal means? Possibly go bankrupt in the process of trying to allow legal hunting to control the population. I can tell you if I owned a farm the deer affected my ability to make a living and provide for my family, the TWRA could come and trap their deer and take them away or I would take care of the problem. I know of one friend, he passed away, but the freaking otters decimated the small lakes he had built and stocked and were awesome lakes to fish. The game warden told him he wasn't allowed to kill the otters, he told the game warden to come and watch. He finally killed them all. He died several years ago, but he told me he was finally getting the lakes back to being good to fish. I am glad to see that when taken to court the TWRA is learning that they are not judge and jury and they should not be.
If the deer are truly causing the farmer financial harm, then they should be able to reduce the population or kill all the deer as fast as possible and by the most effective way they safely can.
The TWRA has lost credibility with a huge percentage of hunters and fishermen and the public and I am not sure how they get it back. Most every hunter and fisherman I know has lost respect for the TWRA.
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backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
In some areas, too many were killed for too long, and probably in places where they should not have been. Deer densities are not the same for the entirety of all the counties of the liberal unit either. Ehd dieoffs have had an impact as well, and some in areas where numbers have taken a hit some just continue on killing what they can. Does get a pass on our place, at least from me. Kids are allowed to shoot what they want though.
BSK
Well-Known Member
If a family member wants a doe for meat, fine. Have at it. But we will not specifically target does until I see a need to, and right now, we have no need to.
tellico4x4
Well-Known Member
We've been doing that since 2006 & it definitely works. Plus have the option to require members to kill additional does based on survey & previous season observation log. If a member doesn't kill their allotment before season ends, then the shortfall rolls to the next year and MUST be caught up before they can kill a buck. We call it being in the " doe hole"
tellico4x4
Well-Known Member
Blessed that between us & neighbor to our west, we control over 10k acres. That club was started by an ex member of ours and basically copied our rules. We are on same page for management to produce 4+ yr old bucks. We have very little turnover so when needed I assist them filling spots from our waiting list. It definitely benefits both clubs to have like minded members.
That is a dream scenario on multiple levels.
mike243
Well-Known Member
Well I didn't see the survey about TWRA, they are operating under a lot of pressure from all sides while trying to keep folks hunting and fishing, the old saying is you can't please all the people all of the time comes to mind, the commission and the way the folks that are put in as commissioners is a lot of the problem, it's easy to say stuff but kind of hard to back up without a state wide survey. I think they have done what they thought was the right thing to do as far as the commission allows. Sure there have been changes made but looking at it from a point of view of IDGAF most have been good, the local duck hunters have had a monopoly on the draws forever and a day, the blind buying and selling probably got slowed down some due to nobody standing there bidding against others, CWD well it's a no win situation that they could just ignore and hope it goes away and leaves a few deer, I would hazard a guess that we would and still might see historic low numbers, and it's not TWRA not doing their job it's asshats out there doing stuff they shouldn't be. Don't throw rocks when you live in a glass house, I support TWRA until something better comes along, I see no reason to fire the agency, somebody will always be the bad guy but until we change some type of law and regulations will need to be enforced. I reckon it's similar to other groups like wanting to defund the police because they don't like living within the law. This might be a very unpopular view but it is mine and I stand by it.
I saw a post not long ago that Ky works with hunters for the hungry . They have freezer trucks standing by and try to avoid wasting so much meat. I've been asking why Tn doesn't do this for a long time. Morally and ethically wrong to let the meat go to waste. If Ky can do it Tn. can,
mike243
Well-Known Member
So who wants to pay for the truck and men so farmers can shoot the deer? none of that is free and getting folks to work for free aint easy, I know of nobody who has received free deer meat, not saying it doesn't happen just that I have not seen any bulletins or notices about the free deer meat to folks who need help. Maybe in some of the local church's? Might be different west of here where there are a lot more deer. We try to get funding for trucks and drivers and processors somebody will want to take over the twra to get $$ to spend as they wish. Morally and ethically should fall on the folks pulling the trigger imo.
I kill my share. Doe tastes better than buck IMHO and I hunt for meat. You can eat antlers but they are tough to chew. My dogs enjoy them, I don't.
It may not mean they are overpopulated here, but it sure seems that way from talking to the landowners complaining about their crops being eaten. Either way the gentleman that owns the land and lets me hunt for FREE has asked that I take at least one doe every season, because he believes that they are overpopulated. We are also in an area with incredible growth and new houses so the deer are being pushed into the remaining woods and farmland.
The processor I use is part of hunters for he hungry. The grind donated deer and give them to the local soup kitchen and homeless shelter.
