> I don't really understand this since you already need a permit/tag/whatever to hunt in the first place, so it's not like you'll get too many deer. This is n

> I don't really understand this since you already need a permit/tag/whatever to hunt in the first place, so it's not like you'll get too many deer. This is not how hunting tag systems work or are designed. Not all tags are filled or should be filled. These systems have to balance many many different competing requirements and interests. 1) You might want to write the rules so the maximum number of people are able to participate in hunting and have an opportunity to connect with nature and their place in the circle of life. 2) You might want to write the rules to make sure you have maximum control over the population of a specific animal. (Ether to protect a native species or control an invasive species) 3) You might want to write the rules to protect commercial interests such as agriculture and livestock production 4) You might want to write the rules to protect human life (we don't think of it as hunting per say be we have declared our intention to wipe aedes aegypti off the face of the earth) 5) Maybe you want to maximize the safety of the hunters and the surrounding communities 6) Maybe you want to write the rules so you don't make people you are not fans of hunting don't have to witness the act. (restricting hunting in some parks or areas of parks/forests) 7) Maybe you just don't like hunting and you want to ban it all together When you buy a hunting tag you are not buying a permit to KILL an animal you are buying a permit to HUNT the animal within the rules we as a society have decided to use to balance many competing interests. So for invasive animals or animals with overpopulation issues we might have open year round hunting with very little restrictions on weapon type or hunting techniques and you might not even have to buy a permit/tag (think wild boar in texas/clown fish in florida/asian carp in mississippi). For other animals such as elk, moose, mule deer the amount of people who would like to hunt each season out strips the number of animals that can be taken sustainability. So we add restrictions like season dates to make sure the maximum number of young can make it to adulthood. Restrictions on weapons such as a 4 month archery season and only a 1 week rifle season (You might be able to shoot a rifle 300 yards where as a bow you have to be within around 25-40 yards) allowing far more hunters an opportunity to hunt each animal before it is harvested.