REPLAY TO SPOTFEAST

Liveliner · Sep 18, 2007

Very well stated Mrwhiskers.

Buoy-Master · Sep 18, 2007

I know a few of us went off course a bit but Whiskers said exactly what I wanted to say. I knew you'd post something on this and its SO true Michael...WELL SAID

Guest · Sep 18, 2007

I'm gonna eat my share of the spots for 3 reasons; A. because they are good and 2. because I need the protein.emoBigsmile

MadBomber · Sep 18, 2007

OK Cheez, What's the 3rd reason?

Buoy-Master · Sep 18, 2007

3. Because he gets hungry? 

I need to quite eating so many Spawwwts. I got a dang basketball on me belly!

Are Spawts fattening?

Guest · Sep 19, 2007

MadBomber - 9/19/2007 6:19 AM

OK Cheez, What's the 3rd reason?

Because they are there.

drumking · Sep 19, 2007

After reading this rather long and entertaining post, I have decided that after the meetings, I need to get down to the riverpark and help those 5 or 6 guys decimate the spot population. emoBigsmile I ate spots for supper Monday night and let me tell you....emoHungry emoHungry Better tasting than Crappie. Almost as good as stripers.

If I don't forget again, I want to try to make at least one 1/2 day trip to the Riverpark per week until we get these critters under control. If the proposal on the limit increase goes through, then I definitely will go down there more often. Do I have anyone who will go with me down there? I'll take Fat Albert anytime that Jane lets him out of the house and of course MadBomber who is the spot expert. emoBigsmile emoGeezer

Guest · Sep 19, 2007

I will go brother Drumking, just give me a shout. I'm not real good at catching them, YET! I do love to go after them though.

beetlespin · Sep 19, 2007

Hey drumking, I will go spot fishing with you at the riverpark. I could probably be talked into going this evening. I think it will take more people than what we have on this board to decimate that population though.

Guest · Sep 19, 2007

OK GUYS YOU KEEP ON EATING THEM SPOTS THEN COME BACK AND TALK TO ME IN 4 OR 5 YEARS.WHEN YOUR AIN'T CATCHING NOTHING.AND LIVELINER ON THE DEER YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY UNTIL THEY WHERE STOCK WHY DO YOU THICK THEY HAD TO STOCK THEM BECAUSE THE WHITE MAN KILLED THEM ALL IN ABOUT A 100 YEARS.THE REASON YOU SEE SO MANY NOW IS BECAUSE OF BAG LIMITS.IF THEY WERE NO BAG LIMITS WHAT DO YOU THICK WOULD HAPPEN NO DEER.JUST LIKE IF AND WHEN IF (SOME people GETS THERE WAY ) THEY ARE NO CREEL LIMITS ON SPOTS THEY WILL BE GONE.LOOK WHAT SPOTS HAS DONE TO PARKSVILLE LAKE IT MADE IT INTO A GREAT FISERY.WHY DO I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT WAS TAKING 2 AND 3 LBS TO WIN A TOURNAMENT BEFORE THE SPOTS WAS THERE TO 10 TO 12 LBS NOW THE SPOTS ARE IN THE LAKE.I HAD RATHER GO AND CATCH 25 SPOTTED BASS THEN 4 OR 5 SMALLMOUTH.I HAVE WON OVER 200 HUNDERD BASS TOURNAMENTS IN MY 25 YEARS OF TOURNAMENT FISHING AND ALOT OF THEM WAS WON WITH SPOTS.SO THINK ABOUT IT GUYS ALOT OF YOU ARE TOURNAMENT FISHERMEN.WHEN NOTHING ELSE IS BITING YOU GO AND CATCH A LIMIT OF SPOTS MOST OF THE TIME.SO THINK OF THE CONSIQUINCES.

jon the fisherman · Sep 19, 2007

emoScratch

MadBomber · Sep 19, 2007

I respect your right to express your opinion.

The Chief of the Fisheries Division of TWRA recommends harvesting a creel limit of spots as often as possible. Remember, the #1 predator of spots is another spot.

Parksville lake was barren because of all the sulfuric acid that got dumped into the Ocoee. It took years after the smelters were shut down until the lake started coming back. Parksville lake is primarily a spot lake because that's what spots do. Take over any body of water where they are not harvested. That's my opinion and I hope you respect my right to express it.

nimrod777 · Sep 19, 2007

NoT to HIjaCk thIs tHREad but DOES AnYBOdy kNOW WhERE tHey SeLL KEYboaRds For CHEEP i aSK BEcAuse MY CAps LOCk BUTTon is OUT oF CONTroL thaNks

Guest · Sep 19, 2007

nimrod777 - 9/19/2007 10:08 AM

NoT to HIjaCk thIs tHREad but DOES AnYBOdy kNOW WhERE tHey SeLL KEYboaRds For CHEEP i aSK BEcAuse MY CAps LOCk BUTTon is OUT oF CONTroL thaNks

hInt,HInT emoUpsmile emoUpsmile

drumking · Sep 19, 2007

beetlespin - 9/19/2007 8:33 AM

Hey drumking, I will go spot fishing with you at the riverpark. I could probably be talked into going this evening. I think it will take more people than what we have on this board to decimate that population though.

Lance, I am going to the mountain today to cook for about 60 people for the next 3 days. I'll be back Saturday. Let's go sometime next week if possible. emoGeezer

Cheez, if MB and FA don't go with me on Monday, then perhaps we can go.? Work schedule?

beetlespin · Sep 19, 2007

This may start a war in it own right but there was a pretty smart guy about 100 years ago named Darwin that developed a theory about natural selection. In short it said the strong would survive. Spots are doing so well in the riverine section of Nickajack because they thrive in riverine environments. Largemoth bass are lazy water fish, smallmouths prefer moving water, and spots are in between. The fact is the first 20 miles of Nickajack reservoir are actually more suitable for spots than they are for largemouth. That being said, I don't think it hurts anything to keep a limit of spots whether the limit is 5 or 15. If anything it will thin the herd a little and let the remaining spots get bigger. If you fish for them you can catch 2-3 pound spots pretty regularly on the river. spots of that size are a lot of fun and even help out if you are tournament fishing. I seriously doubt they are hurting the smallmouth fishing. Smallmouths just seem smarter than spots.

Liveliner · Sep 19, 2007

B-TRACKER - 9/19/2007 9:29 AM OK GUYS YOU KEEP ON EATING THEM SPOTS THEN COME BACK AND TALK TO ME IN 4 OR 5 YEARS.WHEN YOUR AIN'T CATCHING NOTHING.AND LIVELINER ON THE DEER YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY UNTIL THEY WHERE STOCK WHY DO YOU THICK THEY HAD TO STOCK THEM BECAUSE THE WHITE MAN KILLED THEM ALL IN ABOUT A 100 YEARS.THE REASON YOU SEE SO MANY NOW IS BECAUSE OF BAG LIMITS.IF THEY WERE NO BAG LIMITS WHAT DO YOU THICK WOULD HAPPEN NO DEER.JUST LIKE IF AND WHEN IF (SOME people GETS THERE WAY ) THEY ARE NO CREEL LIMITS ON SPOTS THEY WILL BE GONE.LOOK WHAT SPOTS HAS DONE TO PARKSVILLE LAKE IT MADE IT INTO A GREAT FISERY.WHY DO I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT WAS TAKING 2 AND 3 LBS TO WIN A TOURNAMENT BEFORE THE SPOTS WAS THERE TO 10 TO 12 LBS NOW THE SPOTS ARE IN THE LAKE.I HAD RATHER GO AND CATCH 25 SPOTTED BASS THEN 4 OR 5 SMALLMOUTH.I HAVE WON OVER 200 HUNDERD BASS TOURNAMENTS IN MY 25 YEARS OF TOURNAMENT FISHING AND ALOT OF THEM WAS WON WITH SPOTS.SO THINK ABOUT IT GUYS ALOT OF YOU ARE TOURNAMENT FISHERMEN.WHEN NOTHING ELSE IS BITING YOU GO AND CATCH A LIMIT OF SPOTS MOST OF THE TIME.SO THINK OF THE CONSIQUINCES.

It is a fact that there are more deer now that there ever were in the days prior to the white man. The white man saw a need and developed a stocking plan to establish a good deer herd in areas where they never had been. The problem that the white man caused is that he took wolves and big cats out of the picture. With no natural predators to keep the herd in check, the populations Exploded. Deer got way too thick in a few areas. There were signs of inbreeding defects. Mother nature got involved and started allowing over populations of deer to die off a miserable slow death. Thousands of deer die from disease every year directly related to the white mans plan to put more here. White man created this problem therefore it is his responsibility to develop a plan to keep the herds spread out and in a proper balance. The way the white man has done this is to put together a plan to have deer hunting. The white man is smart enough to spend years in the field to study deer herd populations and what amount is needed to be harvested. When you hear someone mention "a limit", that is not just a number pulled out of a hat. That is a number based on a constant on-going study to help the deer herd stay balanced and healthy.

This thread does have two main topics, Spotted Bass and White-tail Deer. I am using the deer to show similarities to the taking of spot Bass. If you have been paying attention, Gator(AKA - B-tracker) had started the comparison to show how the white man had killed off all the deer that were here with the Redman before whitey came. If in fact it was true that there were more deer then than now, then that explained why the Indians moved around so much...The deer were so thick,,The deer eat the Indian’s crops faster than they could grow. That many deer would have made the Indians move or starve to death.

Deer herds are still growing faster than the harvest rates can control. There is proof of that everywhere. I notice that you go by "Gator" if that related to Florida then you should check recent history. About twenty years ago Florida had one of the worst deer herd die offs in recorded history. The cause of the great die off was directly related to mass over population. If more people could have been encouraged to kill a large percentage of the deer, then that would have never happened. We put them here so we had better keep them thinned out or Mother Nature will do it her cruel way.

Like deer the Spotted Bass populations have exploded and they are in fact way too many of them in certain areas. They are very aggressive eating machines and are out of control. If left alone as you so adamantly suggest, then in a short period of time there will be no other type fish in the area, the spots will eat themselves, they will all be stunned and small from starving . In time there will be no fish at all.

So the bottom line is.... If you want to have a good population of all our fishes then - "EAT MORE SPOTS"

Liveliner · Sep 19, 2007

BTW - I have a limit that equals Ten big Spot fillets that I plan to try with Cheez's blackening reciept today.

MadBomber · Sep 19, 2007

nimrod777 - 9/19/2007 10:08 AM NoT to HIjaCk thIs tHREad but DOES AnYBOdy kNOW WhERE tHey SeLL KEYboaRds For CHEEP i aSK BEcAuse MY CAps LOCk BUTTon is OUT oF CONTroL thaNks

I just hate to be yelled at, don't you?

As Forrest said, "And that's all I have to say about that".

SpurHunter · Sep 19, 2007

<h1 id="pageName">Who would have believed 20 years ago, if you kill more deer, you will have more and better deer??</h1>

<h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center">

</h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Wildlife and the Outdoors</h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Doe Management Equals Deer Management</h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </h4>

<h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">By Kevin Holsonback, Wildlife Biologist, Black Warrior WMA</h4><h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </h4>What does “doe management” mean? Among most wildlife professionals, doe management is synonymous with antlerless deer harvest. Antlerless harvest should be one of the most important components of a deer management plan. While most hunters and clubs realize the importance of managing bucks on their property, many fail to realize the importance of managing antlerless deer as well. Many things can be accomplished with an adequate antlerless harvest, all of which ultimately affect the buck population. A balanced sex ratio, shorter and earlier breeding season, increased reproduction and recruitment, and improved herd health are a few of the objectives that can be met with proper antlerless harvest.



 Wildlife biologists often encounter concerns about antlerless harvest recommendations when assisting private landowners and hunting clubs with developing deer management plans. Hunters and landowners are often reluctant to harvest does because they are afraid they do not have enough deer. This misconception can often be dissuaded with sound information concerning general deer biology and the affects of antlerless harvest.



 One population characteristic that is greatly affected by antlerless harvest is the adult sex ratio. Why is a balanced sex ratio important? If there are a disproportionate number of does in a deer herd, it is reasonable to assume all will not be bred in a timely manner. Many does will not breed and conceive on their first estrous cycle because there are not enough adult bucks in the population. These does may not be bred until their second, third or later estrus. The result is a long<s> </s>protracted breeding season. Also, these does will give birth later in the year than does that conceived during their first estrous cycle. These late summer, early fall born fawns typically encounter vegetation that is generally poorer in quality and quantity as it “hardens off” for winter. This causes most late born fawns to come out of their first winter in poorer condition than early born fawns. In addition, many late born bucks will have poorer antler development as 1½ year olds than fawns born earlier in the year. With an extremely unbalanced sex ratio, some does may not breed at all.

 

 Too many does also means the bucks will have to do very little searching for breeding opportunities, reducing a hunter’s chance of seeing a buck. When the number of does greatly exceeds the number of bucks, the bucks do not have to compete for the right to breed. This reduces the number of rubs and scrapes observed during the hunting season. Prolonged breeding seasons wear bucks down more than a shorter, more intense rut. Bucks in this situation enter late winter and early spring in much poorer physical condition. These bucks face a much tougher recovery period in the spring and summer, which can affect antler development and body weights the following year.



 A given habitat can only support a certain number of deer in healthy condition. If the number of deer exceeds this level, habitat degradation and poorer herd health result. About one-third of a deer herd should be removed each year to maintain the population at a stable level. If the sex ratio is balanced, doe harvest should make up between 40 and 60 percent of the overall harvest to maintain this healthy balance. After only a few years of aggressive antlerless harvest, doe sightings may decline. Many hunters fear the decreased sightings are a result of drastically reduced deer numbers, when in fact; they have only educated the surviving does with the increased hunting pressure.



 Fawn production and recruitment typically increase as a result of doe management. Does usually begin breeding at 1½ years of age, and if healthy, will reproduce each year until they die. Fifty does in good condition produce more fawns than 100 unhealthy does. Additionally, fawns produced by healthy does tend to have higher survival rates than fawns born to does in poor condition.



 When deciding to harvest does, hunters must be careful to avoid harvesting buck fawns or “button” bucks. This can easily be accomplished with just a little practice at identification. Hunters can learn to tell the difference between adult does and fawns by observing body shape and size. By waiting until several deer are present, a size comparison of the deer can be made. Additionally, adult does typically have longer and larger faces than fawns. The shape of the head on most buck fawns is flatter than a doe’s head and the developing pedicels or “buttons” are often visible upon close observation. Behavioral cues may help distinguish age classes of antlerless deer; fawns are usually more playful than adults and are generally not as cautious. Plus, fawns are often the first deer to arrive at a feeding area.



 Managing antlerless deer harvest is just as important as managing buck harvest. As a matter of fact, a good deer management plan will always place equal importance on managing bucks and does. Often, in their attempt to meet harvest goals, hunters may forget that hunting does that have been pressured can be just as difficult as trying to harvest a mature buck. Don’t overlook this opportunity to enjoy a challenging and exciting hunt when trying to improve your deer herd.I think I will change my signature to:EAT MORE SPOTTED DEER!

REPLAY TO SPOTFEAST

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