Gun week total is down 8%

[Ohiosam]

That would sure be easy if every property across Ohio was in a QDMA cooperative.. Alas it isn't. And the people that have gotten together for the past 30 years for "holy week" will still kill almost every animal they get a chance to... There are far far more of them that could give two shits, than there are of us who have quit killing does.. A simple "self regulate" is not the answer.. The DNR was created to regulate the game after hunters decimated the populations.. We have never been good at self regulation.. If we were capable of "self regulating" we would have never needed a dnr, or nfws.. It is NOT the hunters role to "preserve" the game.. It is our role to kill them.. It is the DNR responsibility to ensure our killing doesn't get out of hand. This is why we have bag limits.. It is their job to set said limits so we as killers don't over hunt the deer population to a point where it suffers heavy losses.. It is of my opinion they are failing at their job by allowing us to be too good at ours.

Awww Jack! What am I going to do with you??? I don't even know where to start.

Weren't you the one that used to post about ethics, saying you can't depend on just the game laws as a basis for your ethics? How can you say it isn't our roll to preserve the game? That we need the government to tell us what to do? I always knew you were a closet liberal

 

[Jackalope]

Awww Jack! What am I going to do with you??? I don't even know where to start.

Weren't you the one that used to post about ethics, saying you can't depend on just the game laws as a basis for your ethics? How can you say it isn't our roll to preserve the game? That we need the government to tell us what to do? I always knew you were a closet liberal

As a whole.. lol

 

["J"]

As a whole.. lol

Whore?????? lol.... just sayin... Dang....

 

[Jackalope]

Whore?????? lol.... just sayin... Dang....

I don't mind whores. Just sayin.

 

[mrex]

I feel that no matter what the deer levels do in the future, there will always be a huntable population of them......the good hunters will still get their deer no matter what. It's the rookies and weekend warriors that might have trouble filling their tags.
I'm not going to worry any more about what the DNR is going to do with the herd as I have no control over it and feel confident enough to be able to kill a deer under any circumstance.......I hope most of you guys feel the same way.

I do.

 

[Gern186]

Right on! I don't need to see 10 or 20 deer every time out in the stand.....or even see a deer every time I go hunting. Part of the reason I hunt is for the challenge of it, not just to see deer. Right now in the state of Ohio is the best deer hunting there has ever been IMO. Some guys are passing up 120 class bucks now, 5 years ago a 120-130 class buck was a big buck around home......now it takes something 140 or much bigger to raise the eyebrows of most serious hunters.

I started out hunting in the late 80's and really got hunting hard in the early 90's. The deer population in my corner of the state was a hell of a lot lower then than it is now, and even after the changing of deer zone from A to B there will still be more deer to be had than the mid 90's. As long as the state maintains it's 1 buck limit, there will always be a few bucks around each year worth hunting, and it will be the hunter's choice as to whether he decides to kill a doe or not. If you are worried about your local deer population, I suggest not to shoot any does, or better yet go hunt another part of the state for a year or 2.

Don't take this the wrong way guys, but I feel a lot of the guys that have started hunting in the last 5-10 years are somewhat spoiled by the sheer numbers of deer available statewide and the number of trophy bucks that are being shot statewide. This is the glory days of hunting RIGHT NOW. If the deer numbers go back to levels they were in the early to mid 90's, the sun will still come up, and the guys that know what they are doing will still fill their tags.

 

[Jackalope]

Right on! I don't need to see 10 or 20 deer every time out in the stand.....or even see a deer every time I go hunting. Part of the reason I hunt is for the challenge of it, not just to see deer. Right now in the state of Ohio is the best deer hunting there has ever been IMO. Some guys are passing up 120 class bucks now, 5 years ago a 120-130 class buck was a big buck around home......now it takes something 140 or much bigger to raise the eyebrows of most serious hunters.

I started out hunting in the late 80's and really got hunting hard in the early 90's. The deer population in my corner of the state was a hell of a lot lower then than it is now, and even after the changing of deer zone from A to B there will still be more deer to be had than the mid 90's. As long as the state maintains it's 1 buck limit, there will always be a few bucks around each year worth hunting, and it will be the hunter's choice as to whether he decides to kill a doe or not. If you are worried about your local deer population, I suggest not to shoot any does, or better yet go hunt another part of the state for a year or 2.

Don't take this the wrong way guys, but I feel a lot of the guys that have started hunting in the last 5-10 years are somewhat spoiled by the sheer numbers of deer available statewide and the number of trophy bucks that are being shot statewide. This is the glory days of hunting RIGHT NOW. If the deer numbers go back to levels they were in the early to mid 90's, the sun will still come up, and the guys that know what they are doing will still fill their tags.

If you honestly believe this, you are welcome at a certain cabin in Vinton County any week.. After sitting on a stand for 3 days and seeing 1 deer we will revisit this opinion.. The problem may not have reached the same level where you hunt. But i also remember many people 2 years ago holding the same opinion you state today.. However it makes me chuckle to see some of those very individuals raising hell this year.

 

[Gern186]

If you honestly believe this, you are welcome at a certain cabin in Vinton County any week.. After sitting on a stand for 3 days and seeing 1 deer we will revisit this opinion.. The problem may not have reached the same level where you hunt. But i also remember many people 2 years ago holding the same opinion you state today.. However it makes me chuckle to see some of those very individuals raising hell this year.

I don't doubt you when you speak of seeing no deer at your Vinton county cabin.....remind me once again how many guys are hunting on that spot? What I am saying is that you or anybody else that isn't seeing deer needs to do is go somewhere else and hunt for a while. To be successful in the world of hunting whitetails, you HAVE to be mobile, period.

There are plenty of places where I hunt that I don't expect to see much activity, but it's the potential that these spots have that makes me hang a stand and put my time in. If I were you I would get out of that lease or get away from the big groups of guys that hunt your property......That might mean only moving a mile or 2 or it could mean trying somewhere in the next county. I want to see everybody on here succeed.

 

[hickslawns]

That might mean only moving a mile or 2 or it could mean trying somewhere in the next county. I want to see everybody on here succeed.

Ironic. You described last year vs this year for me. If memory serves me correct, you responded to a PM (or maybe a post) and basically said get out of there. Too much human traffic. The location I hunted last year was littered with people. I hunted a couple properties this year a couple miles in either direction from where I hunted last year and saw GOOD deer. Another irony. I ended up killing my buck this year at the place I had been hunting last year mainly. Maybe "I" was my own worst enemy there last year. I dunno. However, I will continue to listen to what you say and I will continue to thank you for your input Gern!

Jack- From what Chad says, there is a first hand witness to it. Sometimes a change of pace is what we all need. Don't take it from me though. You have probably killed 100x the amount of crap that i have. lol

 

[Dannmann801]

This is a good thread

 

[Tree Monkey]

I am not complaining one bit but I have set a personal record number of times I sat consecutive with out seeing a deer this year! I finally saw a deer within bow range on my 10th trip to the stand. I had tried 4 different stands so far and three different properties before I was even close to sniff action. I too live in the northwest and Deer numbers are good but they aren't what other counties have. Chad brings up a good point, my biggest buck that I shot in a different county I sat for 2 years in the same stand and only saw 3 bucks and I am pretty sure two of the where the same buck and the third one that came along was the one I was after. I didn't see any deer for days but the potential that stand had was enough to get me coming back everytime because sooner or later he was going to slip up and he did....I look at some guys stats that they are keeping as they see deer in the first month of hunting and think dang I will never see that many deer all year from my stands!! I don't know what to think when it comes to the numbers but I do know its a money game and that is what will control the number of deer taken and when the season end and weapons allowed to use,...... I think it will make us better hunters if we are challenged, you can't really expect to be a better hunter if you get use to seeing deer every time you hunt. Hunting is a challenge, if it was easy everyone would do it.

 

[Jackalope]

I don't doubt you when you speak of seeing no deer at your Vinton county cabin.....remind me once again how many guys are hunting on that spot? What I am saying is that you or anybody else that isn't seeing deer needs to do is go somewhere else and hunt for a while. To be successful in the world of hunting whitetails, you HAVE to be mobile, period.

There are plenty of places where I hunt that I don't expect to see much activity, but it's the potential that these spots have that makes me hang a stand and put my time in. If I were you I would get out of that lease or get away from the big groups of guys that hunt your property......That might mean only moving a mile or 2 or it could mean trying somewhere in the next county. I want to see everybody on here succeed.

Want to go to Brocks Place 2 counties over in Highland or Fayette County? How about Sean's Place 15 miles north of me by tar Hollow. Or how about Darrons place 20 miles east? All the same problem.... Or to any of the other people i have talked to at gas stations and check stations down there... Ask anyone that knows me.. I know NoDakRat has seen me do it countless times.. We will see someone in Camo at a gas station, or someone checking in a deer.. I walk right up and introduce myself and the very first question I ask is.. "In the past 4 years have you seen less or more deer while hunting" the answer 99% of the time is.. "Oh I would say wayyyyyyyy Less" One more question.. "If you had to put a percentage on it how many less today than 4 years ago what would it be?".... "Ohhh i don't know, maybe 40-50% less."

We stopped by the Double D hunting ranch to drop off a deer to get butchered for a buddy.. I asked the owner.. "In the past 4 years have you seen a decline in the deer being brought in for butchering" " Oh hell yes, it's way down and drops every year" "If you had to put a percentage on it, what percent would you say it's down from 4 seasons ago?" Ohhh I would say 40-50%...

I stop by the check stations and ask the same questions.. If i see a yellow sign in the window of a place that says "Deer check station" It's harder to pass than a titty bar for me.. I stop in and ask the same questions.. Always the same answer..

I don't talk out of my ass buddy.. Or just what i have seen personally on my little piece of ground... I have asked this question hundreds of times over the past three years.. I have asked it all over Ohio... Every person i meet that hunts gets asked these two questions... I have only once.. Just once.. had a guy say he is seeing more deer. And that was in Clark county where he has a PRIMO 800 acres that borders on 3 sides by subdivision..

I ask... If all these guys are mobile.. Just how long will your deer last? As I said man.. You may not see it yet.. But you will.. I saw many saying similar to you a couple years ago.. When Brock and i first brought it up on OS way back then we were almost laughed out of town... Funny to see so many singing another tune today.. Just saying man, be careful what you wish for with mobile hunters, they may be in the tree beside you before long.. Many Many hunters are striking out for new lands as their old ones have dried up..

The problem on our lease is not the number of guys, or the acreage.. They all have been hunting that same area for 30 years.. and shooting deer for 30 years.. Only about 6 of us bowhunt and kill about 10 deer a year there. The rest gun hunt and always kill less than that. Yet now, all of a sudden, it's a problem.. There are only about maybe 15 deer a year killed on the entire 980 acres of hardwoods and growing clear cut.. It is surrounded by over 6,000 acres that was hardly ever hunted and maybe 1 or 2 deer a year was killed on it.. For a couple miles in either direction i would say 80% of the property isn't hunted. The problem is this.. EHD knocked our dick in the dirt.. FAR worse than the DNR either knows or is willing to admit. The very next year tags in VC were raised to 6.. Subsequently the yearly harvest total in VC is 50% of what it was 4 years ago.. It is dropping 10-15% per year, every year, for the past 4 years.. We're not killing too many deer.. We're actually killing 50% less. VC sustained High harvest numbers for decades. yet now can not recover.. The DNR says the EHD epidemic was "localized" and in small pockets.. And insignificant.. BS.. Either they can't find their ass with both hands when it comes to population numbers.. Or they are lying through their teeth..

 

[Tree Monkey]

I hate to say it but ....my county only killed 221 deer so I mean come on

lol

 

[Jackalope]

I hate to say it but ....my county only killed 221 deer so I mean come on

lol

Wait until that's 122

 

[Gern186]

Yeah, I got what you're saying man......that EHD is something I wasn't taking into account. We haven't had any of that up here that I'm aware of. I got a good buddy that lives and hunts Fayette county and he says there are lots of deer where he's at...(he always claims to see lots of deer no matter where he's at though)

As far as being mobile goes, there still has to be pockets of good deer populations scattered about your area, you will have to search harder for them.

I saw the deer population up here go to almost extinct in around 1995 when the DNR allowed 2 deer to be taken with firearms.....now we are allowed to kill 4 deer per person. I know it will only be a matter of time before the herd will take a huge hit, but I also know I will still punch my tags and so will all the other dedicated hunters out there.

If you want to come up here and try some hunting you just let me know, I will set you up and show you around......The county I live in is 95% open ground and 5% wooded.......just warning you ahead of time.

 

[Tree Monkey]

lol,....oh and the wind really really blows hard

 

[Tree Monkey]

Jack I had to add my county and four surrrounding counties just to get close to your county numbers... I do agree that each county should be it's own zone...that would make alot more sense than the current zones

 

[Beentown]

I have ALOT of hunting property in Morrow County (6k acres) quite a bit in Delaware County and 550 acres in Warsaw. ALL of them have deer numbers that are way down compared to 3 years ago. It is an absolute travesty that Morrow County is in Zone C! We only harvested 2300 deer and most of them come from our border with Richland and Knox counties. All I can give is my observatons and our population is way down.

I think it is cool that some of you guys are stoked about the opportunity to hunt a low number herd. Just doesn't cut it for me. Sitting on stand hours on end and not see anything, I'll pass. It sounds good saying it is about the challenge until you actually sit through it. A day or two of it...ok. A week....frustrating. Two seasons with greatly reduced numbers....BS. I kill deer every year. I am a better hunter than I was three years ago. Yet I see half the amount that I used to and the habitat is better than ever.

Ohio is a good whitetail state. I know in my heart of hearts that our herd is down...way down. I feel a rant coming on so I am going to go have a drink. Anyone wanna join me for a good bourbon?

Beentown

 

[jagermeister]

Seeing no deer for a few days or more on stand is pretty much the norm for hunting NW Ohio... always has been since I was a kid. I guess that's why I don't see anything wrong with where I'm hunting right now. Seeing deer once every other sit or so is pretty damn good in my book, compared to the places I used to hunt at least. It's all relative.

The biggest problem I see are the guys hunting on the borders of the different bag limit zones. Say a guy kills a bunch of deer in zone B, in a county that's right on the line of zone C... all he has to do is check them in as zone C deer and boom, extra tags for the guy. I know for a fact the same thing happens where I'm from in Sandusky County. It's a zone A county, but guys check deer in as Seneca county deer, which is zone B. Now how are you supposed to effectively manage a herd when that kind of shit is going on? I'm guessing that's a big reason why this past year a lot of the "marginal" counties were bumped up into the zone B bracket.

 

[Jackalope]

Seeing no deer for a few days or more on stand is pretty much the norm for hunting NW Ohio... always has been since I was a kid. I guess that's why I don't see anything wrong with where I'm hunting right now. Seeing deer once every other sit or so is pretty damn good in my book, compared to the places I used to hunt at least. It's all relative.

The biggest problem I see are the guys hunting on the borders of the different bag limit zones. Say a guy kills a bunch of deer in zone B, in a county that's right on the line of zone C... all he has to do is check them in as zone C deer and boom, extra tags for the guy. I know for a fact the same thing happens where I'm from in Sandusky County. It's a zone A county, but guys check deer in as Seneca county deer, which is zone B. Now how are you supposed to effectively manage a herd when that kind of shit is going on? I'm guessing that's a big reason why this past year a lot of the "marginal" counties were bumped up into the zone B bracket.

We'll that's was never the norm for southern Ohio.. 4 years ago i would see 5-15 per sit.. Now you can go 2-3 days without seeing one.....

If it would help lets put that into perspective.. You say "Seeing no deer for a few days or more on stand is pretty much the norm hunting NW Ohio" ok.. Lets say 3 days is the norm... Since our time on stand of rolling zeros has tripled in Southern Ohio imagine if your statement said this... "Seeing no deer for nine days or more on stand is pretty much the norm hunting NW Ohio..." Now you have something to base it on that is comparable to what has happened in many places in Southern Ohio... I think you would be bitching too if that were the case.. lol