Early Muzzy season...could it be.....

[Darron]

Yes it could....just spoke with Mike T deer manager for the state of Ohio and he is thinking about allowing an early muzzy season (anterless only) for zone c only in October.

Many of us on here believe the deer #'s are not what they were and our deer sightings have dropped, including mine.

I urge you to contact Mike T at Mike.Tonkovich@dnr.state.oh.us and voice your concern. I am totally against this!

Here's my response to him:


Mike,

I have a problem with zone c being the experimental area for the state. I am a property owner in zone C and do most of my deer hunting on my own personal farm. I can tell you without a doubt the deer population is not what is use to be. Deer sightings have gone down drastically since the late 90's/early 2000. I think this is due to the increase amount of anterless tags the state is issuing. I can only imagine adding an early ML season for just zone C. I think the effects will be detrimenal in that area of the state, especially on heavily hunted private lands and state lands. I for one think it is ridiculous the state allows people to harvest 6 deer in zone c. You guys act like there is a deer behind every tree and that is not so.

I support the state of Ohio in their deer management efforts. I understand there must be a balance. However, as a deer hunter I want to see deer when I go hunting. I believe if the state keeps taking steps in this direction that is not going to be the case. Deer hunters bring in a lot of money to Ohio from both residents and non-residents. If I was sitting in your place, I would want to make sure the deer hunters in this state are successful and seeing deer on most trips to keep them coming back and spending money. Just a thought...........

 

[hickslawns]

I agree with you Darron. Well said. Too bad he will not be listening to what you typed.

 

[Darron]

I agree with you Darron. Well said. Too bad he will not be listening to what you typed.

He said he will be sending out a survey to 50,000 hunters about this issue. The early muzzy season will be based off those results.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I plan to write him as well. He may not listen, but I'll get his attention...

 

[Hoytmania]

I think this would be an absolute horrid thing to have happen in our state. The numbers were where they were because of such short gun hunting and limited tag numbers. I say we could go to three deer tag limit in zone C, 2 either sex and 1 antlerless.

 

[Fluteman]

That is retarded. Who in their right mind would push an early season muzzleloader hunt for does when numbers are clearly going down. I will be writing s letter as well I guess...

 

[Darron]

Here is Mike's initial response to me when I asked if this was being considered...

Darron – We are. But “thinking” is key. Nearly 50,000 hunters will have the opportunity to let us know if they are even interested in discussing the issue this year. I will be contacting them as part of my annual deer hunter effort and harvest survey. IF it happens, it will be sometime during the current early muzzleloader season, most likely the weekend preceding it or the closing weekend. IF it happens, it will be antlerless only and IF it happens, it will most likely be limited to Zone C initially!

 

[Curran]

Beyond contacting the ODNR with letters & emails, the hunters of the state might also need to consider a instituting a voluntary restraint practice for the seasons to come. I know that sounds tough because there's a big portion of the hunting population that are "brown it's down" but if we aren't careful we're gonna continue to see less and less deer each time we hit the woods. Most guys that I talk to are seeing less deer this season. The numbers, if they continue to trend the way that have been going, will be down again from last year. Which was down from the record breaking deer kill year of the season before. Last year the excuse was "too many acorns made hunting conditions difficult." This year's excuse will be, "we had a large percentage of standing corn still in the fields which made hunting conditions difficult." What's it gonna be next year?

Point is, if hunters want to see more deer, then we need to quit trying to fill every tag that we're allowed to fill. Voluntary restraint, and quit drinking the ONDR kool-aid. If they start seeing the amount of tag sales drop, which will obviously translate to a drop in revenue, then maybe that will get their attention.

 

[JD Boyd]

You might as well just cuss and punch your computer screen cause that's about the only one thats gonna listen. All the farmers are raising cane about the crop damage and he's gotta do something to please them.

 

[Mike]

You might as well just cuss and punch your computer screen cause that's about the only one thats gonna listen. All the farmers are raising cane about the crop damage and he's gotta do something to please them.

Is there legitimate crop damage from deer or is it from coons. Just asking.

 

[RedCloud]

You might as well just cuss and punch your computer screen cause that's about the only one thats gonna listen. All the farmers are raising cane about the crop damage and he's gotta do something to please them.

Very true but said farmers need to also make the ODNR aware of how much MORE damage the damn coon are doing and take them off the furbearers list for a couple years and have open season for a couple years. Coon do way MORE damage then deer. Not to mention I see way more coon then deer these days while deer hunting.

Sick of the deer getting the raw end of the deal while the coon and groundhogs are responsable for far more damage. Don't get me wrong here, I know deer do damage crops but they aren't alone in the fact but seems the deer take the brunt of it all.

 

[Jackalope]

I had a big long post typed up but deleted it.. I think ill sum up my opinion in a shorter manner..


Idiot! Asking 50,000 hunters if they want more gun days is like asking an employee if they want another weeks vacation. WTF do you think they'll say? I bet it won't be the answer thats best for the company... Is this guy a biologist or a politician.. Way to find something to hide behind and point at instead of taking responsibility and doing your job. You know damn well you've fucked the antlerless deer population in vast areas of Ohio. On that topic.. Who gives a shit IF its antlerless only.. I would think a states head biologist doesn't need told buck deer come from an antlerless deers cooter! Maybe he's starting to believe the crap they've been telling tourist hunters. Bucks DON'T grow on trees in Ohio..

 

[hoot gibson]

im all for it , hopefully they will add tags instead of making me use one of my 6 . and im all for earn a buck also . you have to tag a doe befor you shoot your buck

 

[Darron]

im all for it , hopefully they will add tags instead of making me use one of my 6 . and im all for earn a buck also . you have to tag a doe befor you shoot your buck

You do understand the anterless population is decreasing every year in this state. Why anyone would be for this is beyond me. If you can't kill a doe (s) during all of bow season, all of gun season and muzzy season then you aren't much of a hunter in my book.

There is no need for an extra 2 day gun season in this state.

If they pass this I will go out of my way (more than I do now) to attract as many deer as I can to my property a week or two before that season and then stay out.

 

[Beentown]

You do understand the anterless population is decreasing every year in this state. Why anyone would be for this is beyond me. If you can't kill a doe (s) during all of bow season, all of gun season and muzzy season then you aren't much of a hunter in my book.

There is no need for an extra 2 day gun season in this state.

If they pass this I will go out of my way (more than I do now) to attract as many deer as I can to my property a week or two before that season and then stay out.

Must not be much of a hunter then. Thanks.

 

[Darron]

Must not be much of a hunter then. Thanks.

The bow season is over 4 months long. The shotgun season covers 9 days. The late muzzy season covers 4 days. That is plenty of time to take an anterless deer IMO. If you can't, you either don't know what you are doing or simply don't get out in the woods enough. If you can't kill a doe in that time, what makes you think you are going to kill one during the new proposed early muzzy season:smiley_confused_vra

Personally, I could have killed at least 6 doe so far this year but I chose not to harvest them. That's the key is self-restraint. Just because the state allows you to kill 6, 8, 10, etc doesn't mean you have to. Unfortunately there are people out there who just like to kill and will try and kill as many as the law allows. It's a shame......

 

[hoot gibson]

You do understand the anterless population is decreasing every year in this state. Why anyone would be for this is beyond me. If you can't kill a doe (s) during all of bow season, all of gun season and muzzy season then you aren't much of a hunter in my book.

There is no need for an extra 2 day gun season in this state.

If they pass this I will go out of my way (more than I do now) to attract as many deer as I can to my property a week or two before that season and then stay out.

darron , i was just trying to argue a lil . i really dont care what every body does or kills . do what you feel you need to do . lock all the deer up on your place and save the world . as far as not much of a hunter . i have been doing this for more than 35. for 15 of those years i was a bow hunter . i used nothing but my stick and string for killing . rabbits , skurrls , i never killed with a gun . then i got lazy . or older and smarter . now i dont hunt near as much as i could or used to . but what i shoot i eat. last year my family ate 7 deer . i guess shame on me for not buying my meat at krogers . i see no shortage of deer . i remember when killing a deer was a big deal. now there are so many deer any body can kill one . the more deer you have the better the chance . i just wonder how many guys would be hunitng deer if it was like it was 30 years ago , when you really had to hunt for a deer . i have killed my limit in deer for the past 30 some years . fell short a couple years , but not many . i have killed more deer than most people will in the rest of there life. i have seen some slim years my friend when killing one deer was a chore. as far as being not much of a hunter , some people dont just have the time to set in the woods all year . they have other things that need to be done . i knew at one time . but check and see how many people actualy killed there limit in deer last year . i dont think to many guys shot all 6 deer in zone c. they shoot what they can use . and im sure there are people who just shoot to be killin . but those are few and far between . the two day gun season would help people who kill one or two deer a year for there family . and save there holiday time ( gun season ) for the family . and they probably wouldnt kill so many anterless deer if there buddies wasnt shaiming them for killing a small racked buck .

 

[Beentown]

The bow season is over 4 months long. The shotgun season covers 9 days. The late muzzy season covers 4 days. That is plenty of time to take an anterless deer IMO. If you can't, you either don't know what you are doing or simply don't get out in the woods enough. If you can't kill a doe in that time, what makes you think you are going to kill one during the new proposed early muzzy season:smiley_confused_vra

Personally, I could have killed at least 6 doe so far this year but I chose not to harvest them. That's the key is self-restraint. Just because the state allows you to kill 6, 8, 10, etc doesn't mean you have to. Unfortunately there are people out there who just like to kill and will try and kill as many as the law allows. It's a shame......

I am in zone C with excess land available to me. I have seen one doe on stand on a total of 9 all day sits. And at least 10 morning/evening. I live in flat land and you can see for a real long way.

Darron your point is with few flaws but you reaction to it was unfounded. You went a bit over the top saying that you basically suck if can't harvest a doe in season.

Not only that but you got in a tizzy when ole hoot is usually pulling legs.

 

[hoot gibson]

been , very seldom do i get serious on a hunting forum . or any other on topics like this . but i can understand that some people are to buisy to hunt all gun week do to family , eather working or helping with chores or what ever . just because you give a man two more days to hunt dont mean he is going to kill extra deer . and the hunting at my place sucks this year also . i killed the one doe i have had close enough to shoot this year . now there probably wont be any next year ..lol
darron , im just saying . most people wont kill any more with two extra days than they would with only the regular season . guess im going to have to plant some food plots , and pile up some corn .

 

[Beentown]

I wonder what the impact of fewer tags available but an extra week of early Muzzleloader would have? Lets say two does, one buck for zone C. One week of early muzzleloader.

The above is a good exercise in thought but it would never happen that way. The idea is do take the herd down to 500,000. He (Tonk) has said this on many occasions. Gotta make the Insurance and Farm Bureau happy...

A heard of 500,000 is huntable but not as enjoyable. How do yotes taste?