My home state of VA has instituted Earn-A-Buck for 2008 in certain counties where there are too many does, and I am happy and proud to report that the game department and biologist Matt Knox got it right!
EAB is now mandatory on private lands during all archery, muzzleloading and firearms seasons in Bedford, Fairfax, Fauquier, Franklin, Loudoun, Patrick, Prince William and Roanoke counties (mostly suburban to urban counties). The first deer you shoot can be a buck or a doe. After the first buck you will be required to shoot at least one antlerless deer (if you mess up and shoot a button that is legal, but try not to) before you can kill your second buck. On EAB lands east of the Blue Ridge Mountains where the season is longer (too long IMO but another story) and more tags are available, you will be required to kill a second doe before you could kill a third buck. If you meet all those requirements you might want to stop hunting, you’ve killed enough deer for the year, man.
This progressive system is simple and reasonable. Nobody can bitch about not being able to kill a buck right out of the gate. Whether you choose to bust a 4-pointer or wait for a mature 8 is up to you. Then you have to drop a doe or 2 before you can shoot another buck or another one. Furthermore, I understand you can shoot a doe first and be “pre-qualified” to then shoot 2 bucks. All of it makes perfect sense to me, what about you?
Hey, just hit me that with yesterday's post and now this one, we're having "doe week" here on the BIG DEER blog. That's cool, like your granddaddy said, "Better eating."
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