Filling every tag you have

[Mickey]

I have recently read a number of threads where hunters are saying that they have filled tag x. Now need to fill tag y.

I am pretty sure I have read a couple that have filled x, y and are now onto z.

They are looking for help from the board on where to put them onto animals.

My question is, how many of you try extremely hard to fill every tag.

I know that if I have a draw then that takes priority. I would rather fill a draw than take my general whitetail.

It is interesting to see how many guys are working extremely hard to fill multiple tags, and make them trophy caliber, but then complain that there are low numbers of wildlife and they can't fill the last one.

When is it enough and can we manage wildlife a little on our own as a culture (hunters) because we know the government surely cannot.

[flyguyd]

All depends on the year and what i have for draws. This yr i have a couple doe draws and a general WT only ,so ya i want to fill all my tags. Pretty much all my family eats is wildgame

[petew]

I always have more tags than I intend to even attempt to fill. Reason being is I want to opportunity to hunt more places for more game with diferent weapons.
The hunt is far more important than the kill.

[trigger7mm]

I don't try to fill every tag I have. As a matter of fact, for the first time in 40 years of hunting whitetails, I'm not going to try for one first year due to the alarming low whitetail numbers in my home zone of 232. I certainly don't need to kill everything I can. If I want to go out and shoot something, it will be coyotes I'm after. I believe that part of the problem with our deer numbers is the stupid amount of tags that were available the last several years. I would like nothing better than to se whitetails go on a draw, the same as mule deer, in the zones that are having trouble.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I have never filled every tag I purchased....not that I couldn't have but I don't take more than we need, I don't donate my harvest although I do share with friends and family.

I was fortunate to get an elk and be in on a moose and also get an antelope this year....I also have a mule doe draw, but not likely to fill it for a couple reasons. #1 freezer is full, #2 deer numbers in the area are down so much soaring one deer is a much better choice.

My goal is to find a P&Y whitetail so that's what I'll do the rest of this season.

LC

[blgoodbrand1]

Originally Posted by petew

I always have more tags than I intend to even attempt to fill. Reason being is I want to opportunity to hunt more places for more game with diferent weapons.

The hunt is far more important than the kill.

Couldn't have said it better.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Mickey

I have recently read a number of threads where hunters are saying that they have filled tag x. Now need to fill tag y.

I am pretty sure I have read a couple that have filled x, y and are now onto z.

They are looking for help from the board on where to put them onto animals.

My question is, how many of you try extremely hard to fill every tag.

I know that if I have a draw then that takes priority. I would rather fill a draw than take my general whitetail.

It is interesting to see how many guys are working extremely hard to fill multiple tags, and make them trophy caliber, but then complain that there are low numbers of wildlife and they can't fill the last one.

When is it enough and can we manage wildlife a little on our own as a culture (hunters) because we know the government surely cannot.

I thought we could all agree that we don't necessarily hunt to kill, we kill to hunt. Maybe some of these hunters (AKA me, thanks for passing judgment though) just move on to another tag to keep hunting, not to keep killing, though the killing may or may not happen because it is part of the hunt.

The second point that I would like to make is that some of the "higher ground" opinions being thrown around are laughable after the posts made in the "Best Season Ever" thread... For instance Lefty here has an elk, antelope, and presumably a cut of the moose in his freezer. In light of this he will "ethically" decline taking a muley doe while he chases a trophy whitetail buck. Not that I have a problem with his actions but they are in direct contrast to what he is promoting to other hunters.

[Lefty-Canuck]

You lost me...what am I promoting to other hunters?

I still have for tags that I purchased :

Wt tag
3 Strathcona tags
Md tag
Md antlerless draw
Moose tag

I passed on a 40 inch bull moose last week in the bow zone and as I mentioned not likely to fill my mule doe draw, based on the poor numbers I am seeing this year....if the numbers were better I might decide to take one.

So I am now a bad guy because I am looking for a mature wt with my bow? You get upset someone passed judgement on you (not I, I might add) yet you pass judgement on me?

My comment in the other thread was tongue and cheek, hence the ....if you bought only two tags and filled one, by all means fill the other one! It's a free country and I know one deer around here doesn't last long.

....or did I misunderstand you?

LC

[airbornedeerhunter]

A few years ago, between my wife and I, we punched 5 whitetail tags inside of two weeks. By the following season I think we maybe had a couple packs of sausage and two or three roasts left. We ate venison in some form almost daily,

If the population can sustain it, by all means fill the tags. If its down in your area maybe be a bit more selective. All depends I guess.

[roger]

not a big fan of wild game or at least a 10 times a week anyways..
filling the tag isnt near as important as the trying to fill the tag.
i go an average of 5 years between whitetails, my unused tag collection could cover a christmas tree if i could bring myself to killing a tree for such a pointless event.
i try to focus on special draws but even then im not 'internally commanded' to have a bloody truck box.
my obersvation on the four stages of the hunt...
first blood, borrowed gun and full of youth!=success
fill your tags, maxxed out bag limits and bigger volume=success,
trophy and quality,basic weapons, primitive tools, calling=success
comradery, event and kinship=success.
notice that success is the outcome for all !!!

[philintheblank]

I fill all my tags if I can. but I also don't buy tags for animals I don't plan on hunting except for upland and waterfowl. I always buy those because they are more likely shot out of opportunity than a dedicated hunt.

this is the first year in about 3 I have bought supp doe tags. hunted an area that has lots of deer this year, so no big deal. most years I hunt 248 or 250, so one deer is fine with me. didn't shoot a whitetail last year because I had a bull moose draw.

but I don't forsake people that fill multiple tags, that is their business. the only time I get mad at people when I hear about how they use deer meat for dog food, that gets me fuming

[Dan4570]

Ive purchased these tags this year. And filled 1 whitetail tag. Spent a total of 40 days hunting so far. It dosent bother me if i dont harvest anything else. An Elk would be nice tho.

General Mule
Special Antlerless Mule
General Whitetail
Whitetail Supplementals
Antlered Elk
Black Bear

Everyone hunts for different reasons. And everyone likes to come up with their own defense on why they choose to hunt the way they do. All are valid if done within the confines of the law.
I know of wmus teaming with whitetail does. And some that ive barely seen a deer. And after the coyotes ive seen this year. I think i will focus on taking out predators.

[fog]

I was granted GHL status by the local Hunters & Trapers Assocation. I was supplying a couple of Church ladies and 4 Nurse gals in the Health Center with table ready Arctic Char & Caribou.
$10.70 Bought me my Netting liscence and I was allowed to harvest 15 Caribou.
Also unlimited sea mammals, so i could supply seals & etc. to the local ladies for fur processing and the meat went table fair & to the dog team guys.
The good old 06 got a real work out in those days.
Note to you tack drivers out there --- here's your target a Ring Seal -- head up bobbing in the waves while you are in a boat also moveing with the waves & currents. Mr. Seal's head presents a six inch target.
Range varies from 20 feet to 100 yards.
A good story teller would try to make you believe that my kill rate was 100%.
So I'll fess up --- I'm not that good a story teller --- lol.

[NSDucknut]

I only buy tags that I intend to fill. Why spend cash on something you won't bother to go after. If a person plans to eat everything they shoot, then have at it.

[Junglefisher]

I'd happily fill my tags this season. All I need is a Bull elk, WT buck and a black bear

[bchap22]

I dont disagree filling every tag you have if you buy a couple of deer tags and so on. But the guy that needs to shoot a 4 does, a whitetail general, a mule deer buck, an elk, a moose, a sheep etc. I definitely do not agree with this mindset that just because you can buy the tag that you need to go kill it. I was fortunate enough to be in on a moose kill will my buddy and took an elk of my own. I will now be trying to find a nice buck for the wall and unless i find one worthy of going on the wall my tags will be hung on the Christmas tree. Gotta leave some for seed for the future generations in my opinion or between the harsh winters and everyone shooting all their deer there wont be any deer to hunt.

[dinohunter]

i filled 3 wt tags this year,we like game meat,i dont care about trophy.i like outdoors,hunting,wild meat.

[Dick284]

I've got 3 wt tags in my pocket right now.
I've been out every day since the first.
Could have filled them all by day 2, but if it doesn't feel right, it's something about the whole scene setting its self.

I'm off till the 26th anyways..... I'll just wait till it feels right, or maybe if he's big enough.
I know I won't fill all 3 too.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

You lost me...what am I promoting to other hunters?

I still have for tags that I purchased :

Wt tag
3 Strathcona tags
Md tag
Md antlerless draw
Moose tag

I passed on a 40 inch bull moose last week in the bow zone and as I mentioned not likely to fill my mule doe draw, based on the poor numbers I am seeing this year....if the numbers were better I might decide to take one.

So I am now a bad guy because I am looking for a mature wt with my bow? You get upset someone passed judgement on you (not I, I might add) yet you pass judgement on me?

My comment in the other thread was tongue and cheek, hence the ....if you bought only two tags and filled one, by all means fill the other one! It's a free country and I know one deer around here doesn't last long.

....or did I misunderstand you?

LC

I guess I missed the , or maybe just misunderstood it because a lot of guys seem to think they can say any old thing if they follow it with a "lol" or a

I've shot a moose and a whitetail this year, when I made a post about possibly finishing off my season looking for a mule deer you chided me on it.. with a . I cant see how chasing a mule deer with a white tail and a moose in the freezer is any worse than chasing a whitetail with an elk and an antelope in the freezer.

Personally, I only buy the tags that I intend to fill. And I only intend to fill the tags which I can use the meat from. I'll admit that at this point I have as much meat as I can use, but with three weeks left I'd like to put in more field time even though it would take a pretty spectacular mule deer, which I greatly doubt I will find, to get me to pull the trigger again.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Dick284

I've got 3 wt tags in my pocket right now.
I've been out every day since the first.
Could have filled them all by day 2, but if it doesn't feel right, it's something about the whole scene setting its self.

I'm off till the 26th anyways..... I'll just wait till it feels right, or maybe if he's big enough.
I know I won't fill all 3 too.

I think I know the feeling, by this point in my journey as a hunter I either make a kill to take an animal I'm proud of or I kill a lesser animal to consummate a hunt I am proud of or season that I am happy with. If none of these scenarios is true and I still make a kill I will regret it. The WT buck I shot this year felt a bit like that for some reason, if the buck was a little bigger, the hunt a little harder, or the season a few weeks older I would have been happy. None of these criteria were greatly compromised but all together it felt a little lacking.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

I guess I missed the , or maybe just misunderstood it because a lot of guys seem to think they can say any old thing if they follow it with a "lol" or a

I've shot a moose and a whitetail this year, when I made a post about possibly finishing off my season looking for a mule deer you chided me on it.. with a . I cant see how chasing a mule deer with a white tail and a moose in the freezer is any worse than chasing a whitetail with an elk and an antelope in the freezer.

Personally, I only buy the tags that I intend to fill. And I only intend to fill the tags which I can use the meat from. I'll admit that at this point I have as much meat as I can use, but with three weeks left I'd like to put in more field time even though it would take a pretty spectacular mule deer, which I greatly doubt I will find, to get me to pull the trigger again.

We are on the same page, good luck in your search for a mule deer!

LC

[Dan4570]

Actually come to think of it one could argue why you would fill any tag at all when you live in cattle country will ample supply of beef which costs less per pound than most of us spend on hunting deer or moose.
Just a scenario .

[Mountain Guy]

Originally Posted by bchap22

I dont disagree filling every tag you have if you buy a couple of deer tags and so on. But the guy that needs to shoot a 4 does, a whitetail general, a mule deer buck, an elk, a moose, a sheep etc. I definitely do not agree with this mindset that just because you can buy the tag that you need to go kill it. I was fortunate enough to be in on a moose kill will my buddy and took an elk of my own. I will now be trying to find a nice buck for the wall and unless i find one worthy of going on the wall my tags will be hung on the Christmas tree. Gotta leave some for seed for the future generations in my opinion or between the harsh winters and everyone shooting all their deer there wont be any deer to hunt.

And then assist 10 other guys to fill their tags and then brag about how good they are..
Those are the guys that get me going...

[Grizzly Adams]

I always buy a selection of tags. Not that I intend to fill them all, but it covers what I might see.

Grizz

[Freddy]

Did that one year. Filled all my tags in five days of hunting. Cow moose. Wt + mulie buck. Wt + mulie doe tags + the supplamentals.
Now I do all my own butchering etc and am not fast about it. Took me two weeks working evenings to get it all done. Mom and Dad where thankfull Was looking for friends to give sausage , back strap etc to, as only have two freezers
Will not do that again.

[waterninja]

It's almost embarresing how many tags I could legally fill this year, and though I don't plan on filling a lot of them, you never know what tag you might need.
Also, I hunt for the meat and not all that concerned about trophies. I save trophy hunting for fishing.

[play.soccer]

I blame it on the government and all the east coasters that come here for work.

Have alberta address b'y? Here's your tag.

[remmy300]

If we all filled our tags and I'd say most of us could I know the following years/s would be bleak. I know there are guys that say the population in some areas can sustain does/cow hunts. I travel the province for work and I call bs. I know there are pockets of areas with deer but as a whole in a wmu numbers are way down. Kudos to those who don't just kill cus they can.

Like it said it would be easy for lots of us to fill all thier tags. Unfortunately it will result in a lot of this, which isn't conducive to putting fawns on the ground.

[Mountain Guy]

Now that's a fact

[catnthehat]

I buy lots of tags because I MAY be down in a certain area or hunt a certain
WMU but rarely use them all
However, it saves scrambling if I do get the opurtunity

Cat