New whitetail checking procedure

dongun · October 2, 2002, 08:27 PM

Hello All. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is implementing new requirements for checking deer this season. In the past, you took your deer to a check station, they wrote down a couple of details on a log book, initialed your tag, and you were done. Beginning this year, in addition to the regular stuff, the hunter is 'strongly recommended' (read 'not absolutely required') to pull a tooth, take basic measurements on the rack, check the hooves and tongue for diseases, and check a doe's utter to see if she is lactating. The teeth will be analyzed by a state university. The collected information will be used to guide management decisions, with the long range result being a larger, healthier deer herd. If the program is successful, chances are other states will begin to implement it as well.

Personally, if the process isn't too complicated (instructions are provided at the check station), I don't mind spending a few extra minutes to improve the herd. What do the rest of you think?

Nannuk · October 2, 2002, 08:33 PM

My hunting partner and I were just discussing the fact that with all the early summer rain we had in my area this year, many does actually gave birth twice. The only real problem I see with this new plan is the lactating check. In a situation like ours (we had 30+" of rain in late June, early July) too many does taken which are lactating may mean the state decides to push bach hunting seasons or change bag limits on high rain (late rain) years. Dunno if thats what the state has in mind, but just a thought.

The tooth thing is most likely to try to do DNA mapping--which would be interesting information to know (how far bucks and does migrate from the place of their birth).

Thats just my paranoid slant on it,

Nannuk
Sic Semper Tyrannis

Art Eatman · October 2, 2002, 11:23 PM

Pulling a tooth has to do with aging the deer, not particularly anything to do with DNA--although that's of course possible.

What the Wildlife folks want to know is the average age of the deer. This gives a handle on hunting patterns.

If a doe is still lactating, that late in the year, odds are that the fawns will die. The information will then allow some estimate of the total kill; said kill including dead fawns as well as shot does...

Such information allows for better herd management, as to varying seasons and bag limits in different areas of the state.

No biggie.

Art

labgrade · October 4, 2002, 04:44 AM

I dunno.

I'm initially against any of the "intrusions" of the DOW, but here in CO, we're dealing with the widespread CWD.

I really don't have any problem with their collecting decent data to further understand how that whole mess is spreading - & how we may be able to control it.

Hope they just do something with the data rather than just "make-work" in their collecting ....

Time'll tell.

October 2, 2002, 08:27 PM	#1
dongun Member Join Date: May 7, 2000 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 76	New whitetail checking procedure Hello All. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is implementing new requirements for checking deer this season. In the past, you took your deer to a check station, they wrote down a couple of details on a log book, initialed your tag, and you were done. Beginning this year, in addition to the regular stuff, the hunter is 'strongly recommended' (read 'not absolutely required') to pull a tooth, take basic measurements on the rack, check the hooves and tongue for diseases, and check a doe's utter to see if she is lactating. The teeth will be analyzed by a state university. The collected information will be used to guide management decisions, with the long range result being a larger, healthier deer herd. If the program is successful, chances are other states will begin to implement it as well. Personally, if the process isn't too complicated (instructions are provided at the check station), I don't mind spending a few extra minutes to improve the herd. What do the rest of you think? __________________ "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Verbal Kent (The Usual Suspects)

October 2, 2002, 08:33 PM	#2
Nannuk Member Join Date: September 11, 2002 Location: Hill Country TX Posts: 97	My hunting partner and I were just discussing the fact that with all the early summer rain we had in my area this year, many does actually gave birth twice. The only real problem I see with this new plan is the lactating check. In a situation like ours (we had 30+" of rain in late June, early July) too many does taken which are lactating may mean the state decides to push bach hunting seasons or change bag limits on high rain (late rain) years. Dunno if thats what the state has in mind, but just a thought. The tooth thing is most likely to try to do DNA mapping--which would be interesting information to know (how far bucks and does migrate from the place of their birth). Thats just my paranoid slant on it, Nannuk Sic Semper Tyrannis

October 2, 2002, 11:23 PM	#3
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Pulling a tooth has to do with aging the deer, not particularly anything to do with DNA--although that's of course possible. What the Wildlife folks want to know is the average age of the deer. This gives a handle on hunting patterns. If a doe is still lactating, that late in the year, odds are that the fawns will die. The information will then allow some estimate of the total kill; said kill including dead fawns as well as shot does... Such information allows for better herd management, as to varying seasons and bag limits in different areas of the state. No biggie. Art

October 4, 2002, 04:44 AM	#4
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	I dunno. I'm initially against any of the "intrusions" of the DOW, but here in CO, we're dealing with the widespread CWD. I really don't have any problem with their collecting decent data to further understand how that whole mess is spreading - & how we may be able to control it. Hope they just do something with the data rather than just "make-work" in their collecting .... Time'll tell.