New NCWRC (possible) Rule Changes

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Darkthirty is partially correct IMO.
The only effect on the buck harvest will be those that are not killed because they cannot be taken to the local store for a picture to put on the "board". And these same bucks cannot be posted on social media by those same hunters.
I know of many poachers who have been caught due to Facebook posts since the 2-buck rule started in part of the state and several from posts here.
These changes will add names to that list if they are enacted.
 
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Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
You would be surprised on the fertilizing. But the price of fertilizer is what drove them to do that. You will see them with an ATV and a GPS out taking soil samples now. They will map fields and apply according to what the results of those samples coming back say as opposed to just random broadcasting, or most of the bigger farms around here do now. You wouldn't have seen that even 10 years ago, they would have just set the spreader and let R rip.

That's good to hear! I bet their yields haven't gone down a bit, either.
 
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2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
That's good to hear! I bet their yields haven't gone down a bit, either.

Agree with nccatfisher's post: For the farmers that have implemented the mapping program, yields often increase while fertilization costs decrease. This assumes that they move from fertilizing for the "average" of the field to precise/targeted fertilization.

Third party services are available for the mapping and application.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
Agree with nccatfisher's post: For the farmers that have implemented the mapping program, yields often increase while fertilization costs decrease. This assumes that they move from fertilizing for the "average" of the field to precise/targeted fertilization.

Third party services are available for the mapping and application.

I guess them "college boys" knew something after all, lol.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
Here in the east with a longer season(firearm) and a 4 buck limit a higher percentage of older bucks and lower percentage younger bucks are being harvested than in the rest of the state, according to the NCWRC data. The deer herd expanded fine with "buck only" harvest, well a little too good. Doe days were to help curve this problem, they didn't. We finally wound up with a lot of places having very liberal doe season and couldn't curve the population enough. Coyotes helped turn that page, now I think we do need to be more conscience about our doe harvest and whether we need to harvest any or not. It depends on the areas and this is even more of a micro-management deal. I lease or am in on leases of over 10,000 acres a year. Two leases, I am the sole hunter on. I am particular in what I shoot most of the time whether I'm hunting with the hounds or without them. I rarely take more than one buck off a lease a year. In matter of a fact I only took one buck off all my leases and one off public land, this year. Even though I usually don't take my 4 bucks, I like the idea that I can. My leases are in 4 areas with considerable distances between them and don't see a harvest at one of them adversely effecting the other. I am one that supports more liberal seasons and let the people that hunt the properties manage and kill the deer they like, with minimum regulation from the NCWRC. Don't like liberal regulations, lease more land and set your own rules but don't force your preference on those that don't feel as you do. I do not support state sponsored trophy management and I see this as another attempt at such. There is no other reason to reduce the buck harvest, if your worried about the deer herd and the decline, 6 doe a tags would be my concern. However, I do know places exist that still have a growing herd and additional doe tags may be required to keep the population in check. I would rather then have the tags to legally harvest, than to deny them due to those in areas of decline wanting to cut the doe tags.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
many western states manage their game management units for two different goals,,,,,,,,,,,some are managed for QUALITY and some are managed for OPPORTUNITY,,,,,,,

I like the fact that NC is managed for OPPORTUNITY,,,,as do many folks,,,,

it's never been a barn burner for high quality whitetails,,,,and never will,,,,,,,

I don't know what the rules may change too,,,,and I'm not that vested in it to care,,,what they were when I came here were different than I was used to,,,,and the changes may be different (if they happen at all) but I'll adjust,,,,,,,I may like them, or I may not,,,,,,,

but the bottom line is I will hunt,,,,and if I want to hunt more I'll travel,,,,if I want to hunt in an area that's managed for QUALITY I'll travel,,,,,if the changes give me less OPPORTUNITY, I'll travel,,,,,

bottom line is I doubt any changes made will affect us that badly,,,,,,but we will see
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I'm kinda late to the game and maybe I missed it, but y'all are leaving out the major factor to consider with all these rule changes and proposals.
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THE LAWS!!! I don't give a dam what kind of changes are made but if you don't have the manpower available to enforce those laws, it's absolutely useless. Now, how are all those added positions going to be paid for by a already strapped agency?? Raise hunting license prices? Taxes? If/when it happens, people are going to bitch and complain.

Hunting license fees were increased in 2014 for the 1st time since 1987.

So the NCWRC does indeed have more revenue and money.
 

nchunter

Twelve Pointer
But back to the topic at hand.... regardless of how the regs change it seems that there are changes coming, and bonus tag loss plus a reduction to 2 bucks, (for me) is far preferable from the other changes mentioned.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, I'm all for 2 bucks and bonus tags aren't a big concern for me, but I do hope gun season isn't reduced.
 

RJ1

Ten Pointer
You would be surprised on the fertilizing. But the price of fertilizer is what drove them to do that. You will see them with an ATV and a GPS out taking soil samples now. They will map fields and apply according to what the results of those samples coming back say as opposed to just random broadcasting, or most of the bigger farms around here do now. You wouldn't have seen that even 10 years ago, they would have just set the spreader and let R rip.

I agree,farming has changed,my dad didn't farm like his dad and I don't farm like my dad did.It would be foolish not to use everything you can to maximize your profit.Most farmers know this hell we even use computers,we will plant in neighborhood 4000 acres of beans this year and based on data from past years I can tell you the potential yield per acre in seconds of course you can never figure what the weather will do.When I returned to the farm years ago after working in industry I considered my a farmer now I consider myself a businessman first farmer second.Most of us have college degrees or are smart enough to consult someone who does the days of the uneducated farmer that does it the way grandad or dad did are numbered.As far as deer are concerned after going to other states and seeing how farmers manage the deer herd I figured out I don't have to eradicate them completely on our farm to make a profit control yes so I again say changing farmers attitudes toward how they look at deer would help the herd more than changing the bag limits.
 
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Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
I agree,farming has changed,my dad didn't farm like his dad and I don't farm like my dad did.It would be foolish not to use everything you can to maximize your profit.Most farmers know this hell we even use computers,we will plant in neighborhood 4000 acres of beans this year and based on data from past years I can tell you the potential yield per acre in seconds of course you can never figure what the weather will do.When I returned to the farm years ago after working in industry I considered my a farmer now I consider myself a businessman first farmer second.Most of us have college degrees or are smart enough to consult someone who does the days of the uneducated farmer that does it the way grandad or dad did are numbered.As far as deer are concerned after going to other states and seeing how farmers manage the deer herd I figured out I don't have to eradicate them completely on our farm to make a profit control yes so I again say changing farmers attitudes toward how they look at deer would help the herd more than changing the bag limits.

There are times I like being wrong....
 

RJ1

Ten Pointer
There are times I like being wrong....

I don't think you are wrong I think as with alot of things some people just take longer to see the writing on the wall,I should have also put in there that changing farmers attitudes towards allowing hunting on there land would also go a long way to helping the herd.As with farmers I think hunters have also changed over the years I think most now a days are more respectful of the farmers wishes as to when and how to hunt on their land,but some cannot get over what has happened in the past.I will also tell you a farmer is not always going to tell someone who is not a farmer what he is doing to control the deer or bear on his farm.I have bear hunted some places down east were if you talk to a farmers neighbors or the hunting clubs around his farm they say he is not shooting deer in his crops however it only takes a walk inside the woods around his fields to see what is really going on.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Very well said woodmoose. Very. I too like the herd managed for opportunity. I don't care one bit about TDM.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
many western states manage their game management units for two different goals,,,,,,,,,,,some are managed for QUALITY and some are managed for OPPORTUNITY,,,,,,,

I like the fact that NC is managed for OPPORTUNITY,,,,as do many folks,,,,

it's never been a barn burner for high quality whitetails,,,,and never will,,,,,,,

I don't know what the rules may change too,,,,and I'm not that vested in it to care,,,what they were when I came here were different than I was used to,,,,and the changes may be different (if they happen at all) but I'll adjust,,,,,,,I may like them, or I may not,,,,,,,

but the bottom line is I will hunt,,,,and if I want to hunt more I'll travel,,,,if I want to hunt in an area that's managed for QUALITY I'll travel,,,,,if the changes give me less OPPORTUNITY, I'll travel,,,,,

bottom line is I doubt any changes made will affect us that badly,,,,,,but we will see
That is pretty much my take on it also. I burnt the road up for years, do to age and other things I don't travel as much as I once did but I still travel quite allot for a small game hunter. One thing you can count on. You won't see me continually piss and moan about wanting the whole state to be managed for specifically what I like. I am not ignorant or greedy enough to think that will happen. Some seem to think this is how it should be though.

I am a firm believer in if you can't find what makes you happy where you are go somewhere else to do your thing. I still do it pretty often.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Very well said woodmoose. Very. I too like the herd managed for opportunity. I don't care one bit about TDM.

Except that might change. Biology and not politics *might* finally control NC's deer hunting regulations.

And that might mean less opportunity for hunters and farmers. Who knows.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Except that might change. Biology and not politics *might* finally control NC's deer hunting regulations.

And that might mean less opportunity for hunters and farmers. Who knows.

Another downside is that it will give you even more links to post.
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
When it comes to real world scenarios and deer seasons the WRC can set the opening and closing days and most will abide by that. But what, or what not, the general hunting public decides to shoot, tag, and report on private property is out of their control. With one or two game wardens working daily in any given county the chances of getting caught if you have any common sense at all is very, very low. Usually you get caught because somebody snitches on you. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. :)
 
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