Overview:
Massachusetts has managed deer by creating zones and controlling the harvest of antlerless deer zone by zone. The state's management program has resulted in a total deer harvest of over 12,000 most years since 2000, and the percentage of mature bucks in the harvest is usually over 25%, which is the goal of Quality Deer Management actions in other states with antler restrictions. The other two major deer health indexes, fawn weights and antler beam diameter in yearling males, are both well above the average for northeastern states. The writer of the article shares his experience of hunting a small deer close to the truck and the work that followed.
Most people would look at the title of this column and visualize a big rack buck. Many hunters put effort into trying to locate big mature whitetail bucks. The pursuit of rack bucks is a part of the equation in deer hunting, to a degree that some states have put management requirements on whitetails that include antler restrictions that typically require a deer to have a number of points on at least one antler to be a legal buck.
The idea of “quality deer management” drives those restrictions that have as a goal a number – usually 25% – of the deer harvested being mature bucks at least two and a half years old. Vermont has the common definition of a buck as a deer having one three-inch antler in some management zones, but about half the Green Mountain State’s zones require at least two points one inch or longer, which restricts buck harvest to deer that would likely be two and a half years old.
In my 35-year tenure as a member of the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, I took note of those management philosophies in other states, while Massachusetts managed deer by creating zones and controlling the harvest of antlerless deer zone by zone. Deer with no visible antlers are almost always females or fawns (young deer born the previous spring and male fawns usually have a small antler protrusion commonly called a button). Massachusetts regulations define a legal buck as a deer having at least one three-inch antler.
The Massachusetts management program, which began with antlerless permits being required in 1967, has clearly had impact, as the total deer harvest statewide in the 1960s was less than 2,000 deer and has increased to over 12,000 most years since 2000.
Even more interesting, the percentage of mature bucks in the Massachusetts harvest is usually over 25% – the goal of Quality Deer Management actions in other states with antler restrictions – for a couple of decades. In addition, the other two major deer health indexes, fawn weights (70 pounds is average) and antler beam diameter in yearling males are both well above the average for northeastern states. With all that said, both locally and statewide a lot of big bucks are out there and hunters are taking their share.
This writer has often said that his deer hunting goal is taking a small deer close to the truck. Saturday, after a lunch break that featured great venison stew made from a deer harvested by fellow hunter Stacy Clark that she brought for the group to enjoy, some of us took waiting positions while a pair of very experienced deer hunters worked towards us. As one of those waiting, commonly called standing or posting, I spent a couple minutes locating the perfect tree to sit against with my T-seat and the wait began.
About 15 minutes later, movement to my left went from being legs to running deer and they turned and headed directly towards my position. With a Zone 5 Antlerless Deer Permit in my wallet, all four were legal game, and it was obvious they were not going to stop. There were mere seconds to process everything and first the safety was clicked off and my mind instructed me to pick one deer, focus on a spot, then squeeze the trigger.
After they came into view broadside, the lead deer tumbled at the shot and did not move. As the others made their way past me, the memorable quote “Once you pull the trigger the fun ends and the work begins” came to mind. The deer never moved and after putting my seat in the back of my vest it was time to see what we had. The deer turned into a buck, as it had a pair of one-inch spikes that barely protruded from the hair. It was actually a little bigger than most first-year deer and had not stood out as being much smaller than the older does it was running with.
Small deer: Check! My position was maybe a quarter mile from my truck so, short drag: Check. Next came the work. Field dressing is the task of removing entrails before dragging the deer out. That is always special for me because although I have acquired many knives in my lifetime, the one carried on my belt is the one my father gave me when I was 12 for my first hunting season. It still holds an edge, and the four-inch blade is the perfect length. The drag rope on my belt is also one given to me that first year and soon we were headed down the woods road.
The short drag gave me a chance to think, and the new 20-gauge Winchester SuperX4 Cantilever Buck performed perfectly. The weatherproof composite stock and black matte finish are great and it is much lighter than a 12-gauge. At my age that is good! As anyone knows who has looked around, there are not a lot of places where you can have your deer butchered and my go-to guy is recovering from some surgery, but it will get done and there will be venison for the Christmas Eve meat pies. Life is good!
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.