New deer regs in MO

[Mobuck]

I guess some of my(and many other landowners) comments have finally received some attention with MDC. New regs for 2023 will allow landowners (with minimum acre requirements) to have input on quality and/or population control by utilizing the so called "Deer Management Assistance Program". A new feature of the program is allowing multiple landowners to cooperate in order to meet the 500 acre minimum. I'm about two football fields short of this minimum on my home place but with this cooperative agreement clause, myself AND 5 other neighboring properties of 20-350 acres can now join the program.
Individual landowners can choose how their and is managed. Myself and the next larger farm are looking for population control (to reduce crop damage)by way of increased antlerless tags. The smaller acreage owners are mostly looking at some sort of antler quality improvement and reducing the pressure on their food plots.
I got motivated and within 24 hours have at least initial cooperation from 4 of the 5 possible participants whose land contributes most to our immediate area over population. I'm waiting on a phone number for #5.
There's always some sticky details but I'm hoping this works out. Best I could determine from the press release, the additional tags are 'assignable' so in theory (and with some consideration) the non-resident, buck hunters can assign their antlerless tags and even more venison goes to 'share the harvest program'.
I'm going to start making the MDC contacts as soon as I get time. There may be some lag due to limited time for either a biologist or bunny cop to look at the land. I hope they show up some evening when there's 30-40 deer munching on the rye cover crop here.

 

[contender]

Good luck with all that!!!!!!!

 

[Mobuck]

My older Son attended the local CWD public meeting a few days back. He had more info about some changes in progress that may allow landowners to manage resident deer populations better.
It's about time. Just a rough estimate that annual crop damage on this farm alone is $5000+(that's right out of our pockets) and we've had over $10K in vehicle damage in the past 18 months.

 

[akbluz]

I pray that this goes your way. You farmers are awesome game managers.

 

[Mobuck]

Thanks for that. I don't claim to be knowledgeable about long term deer management but I DO know what I see. I complained to everyone I met about MDC making decisions that affected the livelihood of those who support the state's game populations w/o bothering to ask us what we think. I'm not alone in this and the comments must have reached a level that demanded action. There was mention that some of our worries were being overridden by a large turnout of sentiment by the 'tree hugger' faction.
We had another increase of CWD reports following the 2022 season which may have some effect on our north farm. If those CWD control rules are emplaced, that's basically wholesale slaughter. I hope it doesn't come to that. It would be so much better to allow more select (liberal) harvest parameters for licensed hunters IMHO.
MDC has never (to my knowledge) paid damage reimbursements or transferable herd reduction permits such as many western states do. MDC answer to crop damage complaints was to offer permits to kill does/fawns during summer leaving the carcasses to rot. Twenty(ish) years ago, I did some crop damage removal on a fee basis but soon got disenchanted with the results. There was no follow up, just put a bullet in them and let them run off to die or suffer--not the way I work.
I'd much rather harvest the meat for those who need food and ensure the animals weren't wasted.

 

[clintsfolly78]

Mobuck I have a? Do you let people you know and that ask for permission hunt you place?
the reason I asked was few years bask was setting in local restaurant having breakfast and the table next to us was the local farmers weekly coffee get together. I knew several of them them. The subject came at their table of crop damage by deer. All complained of all the damage. After a few minutes I was leaving and stop at their table. Shook hand with one that I know well in high school and said I overheard your complaints of deer damage Then offered to come out and remove a few that fall With my muzzleloader I said that I would come out mid summer to see where they wanted me to park and anything to avoid!
1 out of 6 said come see me this summer. The rest “ No way just my family hunt. We have about 3 months of some sort of deer season And I was asking just 2 weeks. So shook hands with my high school friend and said see later this summer and then said to the other have a great day and I hope the deer eat most of your crops! When I stopped at his place he told me that I had caused quite a ruckus at the table and a lot of talk was had about giving permission or not!
shoot 2-3 deer a year to eat and several more for his family.

 

[Mobuck]

We don't allow non-family to hunt on either of our farms. The question becomes: why should it make any diff if I (or my kids/grandkids) shoot 18 deer or 6 non-family hunters shoot 3 each?
Another issue is HOW others hunt. I have the equipment to remove several deer per outing w/o scaring the others totally out of the area.
I was asked by MDC if I was willing to allow other hunters to harvest deer and I refused. Don't think this went well but I don't NEED strangers blasting away scattering deer that won't return to feed again until after dark, I NEED tags to 'legally remove deer' cleanly and effectively.