Tag: qdma

QDMA Helps Establish Three Wildlife Management Cooperatives

The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) recently helped establish three wildlife management cooperatives that unite public and private hunting lands for better deer habitat and hunting thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The three cooperatives – two in Oklahoma and one in Michigan – are built on and around National Wildlife Refuges and encompass nearly 65,000 acres of public and private hunting land.

 

Wildlife management cooperatives (WMC) are groups of neighboring landowners or property lessees working together to improve wildlife and/or habitat management programs. The grant to establish the three new WMCs was announced last September, and as of late March, all three Cooperatives have now been launched:

 

·  The Shiawassee Flats QDM Cooperative, which surrounds the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Michigan, was formed on March 12 and includes 25 individual landowners and 12,039 acres.

·  The Washita River Deer Management Association, which surrounds Washita River NWR in Oklahoma, was formed on March 26 and includes 12 individual landowners and 40,311 acres.

·  The Deep Fork Deer Management Association, which surrounds Deep Fork NWR in Oklahoma, was formed on March 28 and includes 15 individual landowners and 12,484 acres. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife ,

Ten Young Hunters Selected for QDMA National Youth Hunt

All 10 spots have been filled for the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) National Youth Hunt, QDMA’s signature youth event that will be held on a 35,000-acre farm in southern Georgia on Oct. 25-28.

Each youth was selected from a pool of nominees with the intention of introducing new hunters to the world of white-tailed deer hunting. Youth who will participate in the 2012 Youth Hunt will represent Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Read more

Hunting ,

Meeting on Proposed Antler Point Restrictions May 17th

The Northwest Michigan Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association, in partnership with Leelanau Whitetails, has proposed new antler point restrictions (APR) for the following 12 counties: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Missaukee, Mason, Osceola and Wexford.

The Northwest Michigan Chapter of the QDMA will host meetings in each county to answer questions and provide explanation. The next meeting is scheduled for May 17 at 7 p.m. in Kalkaska at the Kaliseum, located at 1900 Fairground Road. Read more

Hunting , , , , , ,

On Antler Restrictions in Northern Michigan

The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) proposes to require that all antlered deer harvested in a 12-county northwest area must have at least three antler points on one side. Current regulations allow hunters to take bucks that have at least one antler that is 3 inches long or longer. The proposal would continue the current statewide requirement that hunters taking two bucks must ensure at least one of those bucks has four or more antler points on one side.

Certainly, some hunters are going to kick and scream, because of their shortsightedness; however, they’ll be singing another tune in a few years.  That’s what happens when the young bucks are permitted to grow to maturity.  More here…

Hunting, Wildlife , , , , ,

Captive Deer Breeding

From Kip Adams – Kip’s Corner

During the past few legislative sessions one or two states each year initiated captive deer breeding legislation. QDMA opposed each on a case-by-case basis and urged our members to do the same. The 2011-12 legislative session was far different however, as 10 states ultimately debated captive deer breeding bills. QDMA opposed each and issued a national press release (http://www.qdma.com/news/qdma-urges-hunters-in-seven-states-to-oppose-deer-breeding-legislation) urging all hunters to do the same. This national release gained much attention across the hunting and deer breeding communities, and caused a flurry of letters, questions, and mis-guided comments. QDMA then issued a FAQ sheet on our stance on captive deer breeding to provide additional information on the risks of this issue and to elaborate on some points in our initial press release. The following information was included in that FAQ sheet. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife , , , , , ,

QDMA Urges Hunters in Seven States to Oppose Deer-Breeding Legislation

BOGART, Ga. – The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is urging hunters in seven states to oppose the expansion of the deer-breeding industry, which QDMA perceives as a growing threat to wild deer and the deer-hunting heritage. Legislation designed to loosen or dismantle regulatory barriers to white-tailed deer breeding and farming is being considered in Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Michigan Deer Management Needs to be Changed

By Glen Wunderlich

An interesting analysis of this past deer hunting season has been released by the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA). Contained in it are comparisons from 36 states in our eastern half of the country. It’s time to assess how Michigan’s deer management stacks up with our neighbors.

QDMA’s 2012 Whitetail Report shows that the majority of hunters had a better season than last year relative to antlered buck harvest (bucks 1 ½ years or older.) In fact, 54 percent of the states saw more bucks taken. When it comes to sheer numbers, Michigan ranks Read more

Hunting , , , , , ,

QDMA’s National Youth Hunt

Ten young hunters from around the nation with limited hunting opportunities recently enjoyed a dream deer hunt at QDMA’s 2011 National Youth Hunt, sponsored by Plum Creek Timber Co.

Held in Georgia on a private host property from October 26-30, the National Youth Hunt was
attended by hunters age 9 to 15 from the states of Michigan, South Carolina, Minnesota, Kentucky, Illinois and Oklahoma. The hunters are nominated Read more

Hunting , , ,