Deer harvest trend continues down

[finelyshedded]

A lot of good points and posts so far but I also feel that the DOW is MOST interested in doing investigative work on the poaching front only when high restitution amount deer are killed illegally. If you kill a buck that's in the 200" range or more you better be on the up and up and ready to prove how,when and where.

Most big poaching rings are done solely for racks of big mature bucks whether its for greed or ego based. I don't ever recall a sting operation that was successful and published even reporting that a doe or fawn was killed. I seriously doubt the DOW cares much if you wack a doe or two for meat with the rifle on your back 20 these days.

This and other discussions we've had on this site pertaining to this same subject all come down to the "almighty dollar"! Those with the power and most of the almighty dollar usually get their way........everytime!

 

[Bigslam51]

You are correct. I have never shot more then one deer per season and it would be closer to 23 years or so since I started deer hunting. I have purchased extra tags but they end up unfilled and I just see that as my donation to the DNR. Glad you found something you like and put down the bottle. I have no hard feelings. I don't care what you shoot or don't shoot. I was simply showing that we as hunters and caretakers of our resources need to think about what we are doing before it is too late. Sorry if you felt I was calling you out and singling you out. I did not intend it to come across in that way.

Its all good, it just sucks because I missed out on the best hunting in years past and now the herd is going downhill.

 

[finelyshedded]

Congrats on being 2 years sober Chad!!! That is awesome!

 

[RedCloud]

Its all good, it just sucks because I missed out on the best hunting in years past and now the herd is going downhill.

To be honest with you, I hunted the good years and in my county I did not see a difference or a very slight one compared to now here in my part of the county. It has always sucked but over the last several years it is getting worse. When you live in a county that has harvested less then 1k deer thus far this season you know it is bad and to be put into a 4 deer county is a slap in the face and shows little support from the DNR. They do not want deer here and they don't care. They think as long as a single deer is killed everything is good because it was still killed so it shows a positive number. Doesn't matter to them that 12k hunters are out there to kill that 1 deer or how many hours it took to get it on the ground lol.

It doesn't just stop at deer for my part of the county either. Want to hunt turkey? Good luck. Want to hunt rabbit? good luck. pheasant? quail? Good luck. The good ol days of hunting any of them are gone around here some before it ever actually got good. Only got good for rabbits but that was years ago.

 

[Bigslam51]

Where are you from Redcloud?

 

[Milo]

Where are you from Redcloud?

Crawford

 

[RedCloud]

Crawford

Yup.

Southern portion of the county sucks. I have hunted from east to west in the southern part of this county since I started hunting way back when lol.

 

[Bigslam51]

Congrats on being 2 years sober Chad!!! That is awesome!

Thanks Ric, I liked me some busch light lol. Now I'm on the Monster energy drinks. I'm just glad to be able to spend what free time I have either in the woods or with my family, way better than a bar!

 

[jagermeister]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad? Can you not go out and harvest your 1 or 2 deer during the 4 months of season? Can you not lay your eyes on a 120-140 class buck at least once during the season? Of the adjacent surrounding states, would rather go hunt one of them instead of Ohio?

You can't go to lake Erie and catch a walleye every time you go. The hatch has been terrible each year following 2003 yet nobody says lake Erie walleye fishing sucks. Why do we have to see deer every time we go into the woods for it to be enjoyable? I'm not being critical here... I'm truly curious as to why deer hunting is different from anything else. Is there no enjoyment in having to work for something? We spend money on fuel and bait to chase Wiley walleye... Run all over the ridges chasing gobblers that sometimes aren't even there... Spend countless hours in the marsh staring at vacant blue skies completely void of waterfowl... All because when it does finally happen and we're successful we know it was worth it. Why doesn't that same principle carry over into deer hunting? Why is it that if you dont see a deer for a few days something must be wrong?

 

[MK111]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad? Can you not go out and harvest your 1 or 2 deer during the 4 months of season? Can you not lay your eyes on a 120-140 class buck at least once during the season? Of the adjacent surrounding states, would rather go hunt one of them instead of Ohio?

You can't go to lake Erie and catch a walleye every time you go. The hatch has been terrible each year following 2003 yet nobody says lake Erie walleye fishing sucks. Why do we have to see deer every time we go into the woods for it to be enjoyable? I'm not being critical here... I'm truly curious as to why deer hunting is different from anything else. Is there no enjoyment in having to work for something? We spend money on fuel and bait to chase Wiley walleye... Run all over the ridges chasing gobblers that sometimes aren't even there... Spend countless hours in the marsh staring at vacant blue skies completely void of waterfowl... All because when it does finally happen and we're successful we know it was worth it. Why doesn't that same principle carry over into deer hunting? Why is it that if you dont see a deer for a few days something must be wrong?

Yep I lived through the lean years. Not a single deer or turkey. In 1961 a buck jumped across the road in front of our school bus In Putnum County. It was put in the local paper "deer crosses road in front of school bus". In 1976 when I moved to Butler County there was no deer gun season. How times have changed.
Sure I also want to see alot of deer every time I go out. We have gone from none to many and now we're on the lesser side time but it still bypasses the none times. Just saying.

 

[jagermeister]

Boy this sure was timely... An excerpt from D and D H Editor Dan Schmidt's December 2013 article:

"All kidding aside, that's the thing about deer hunting that I find the most invigorating: the work. This is a foreign concept to a lot of our youngest hunters, probably because we've conditioned them to expect instant - and relatively easy - results. It's human nature to strive for efficiency, and that's what we've done with deer hunting. No crime in that, but at the same time, we've removed a lot of the "hunt" from the equation."

 

[Ohiosam]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad ?

Yes and no, and it also about perspective. There are parts of the state that have been hammered, but there also places that still have good numbers. Add the access issue to that, where if you hunt a place that's down it's harder to get permission in a better area.

The perspective part has to do with age and the part of the state you are in. Many here are from the parts of the state that historically have had the biggest deer numbers and are of an age where they started hunting when the herd was big. They've never known anything but abundant deer and rightfully are nervous about the changes.

I think what really has made the situation worse was poor communication by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. They kept increasing the kill while saying the herd size wasn't changing. While it was obvious on many levels that the herd size was declining. That setup a level of distrust about anything the DoW said.

 

[Bigslam51]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad? Can you not go out and harvest your 1 or 2 deer during the 4 months of season? Can you not lay your eyes on a 120-140 class buck at least once during the season? Of the adjacent surrounding states, would rather go hunt one of them instead of Ohio?

You can't go to lake Erie and catch a walleye every time you go. The hatch has been terrible each year following 2003 yet nobody says lake Erie walleye fishing sucks. Why do we have to see deer every time we go into the woods for it to be enjoyable? I'm not being critical here... I'm truly curious as to why deer hunting is different from anything else. Is there no enjoyment in having to work for something? We spend money on fuel and bait to chase Wiley walleye... Run all over the ridges chasing gobblers that sometimes aren't even there... Spend countless hours in the marsh staring at vacant blue skies completely void of waterfowl... All because when it does finally happen and we're successful we know it was worth it. Why doesn't that same principle carry over into deer hunting? Why is it that if you dont see a deer for a few days something must be wrong?

I don't think people don't want to work for it. I as well as most take pride in working to put meat in the freezer, for some its a big buck on the wall. Its what TONK is blatantly doing TOO our deer heard that is pissing us off. I have seen little difference in my area as far as herd reduction though but I fear that the worst is yet to come. This asshole needs fired and we need someone who actually gives a shit about the hunter and isn't giving slow jacks and ball rubs to the insurance companies.

 

[Milo]

I don't think people don't want to work for it. I as well as most take pride in working to put meat in the freezer, for some its a big buck on the wall. Its what TONK is blatantly doing TOO our deer heard that is pissing us off. I have seen little difference in my area as far as herd reduction though but I fear that the worst is yet to come. This asshole needs fired and we need someone who actually gives a shit about the hunter and isn't giving slow jacks and ball rubs to the insurance companies.

Dang. My perception is we are being lied to about this whole thing and that to me is troubling. That can be debated till the cows come home but PERCEPTION is reality...however right or wrong it is.

 

[Jackalope]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad? Can you not go out and harvest your 1 or 2 deer during the 4 months of season? Can you not lay your eyes on a 120-140 class buck at least once during the season? Of the adjacent surrounding states, would rather go hunt one of them instead of Ohio?

You can't go to lake Erie and catch a walleye every time you go. The hatch has been terrible each year following 2003 yet nobody says lake Erie walleye fishing sucks. Why do we have to see deer every time we go into the woods for it to be enjoyable? I'm not being critical here... I'm truly curious as to why deer hunting is different from anything else. Is there no enjoyment in having to work for something? We spend money on fuel and bait to chase Wiley walleye... Run all over the ridges chasing gobblers that sometimes aren't even there... Spend countless hours in the marsh staring at vacant blue skies completely void of waterfowl... All because when it does finally happen and we're successful we know it was worth it. Why doesn't that same principle carry over into deer hunting? Why is it that if you dont see a deer for a few days something must be wrong?

That's like saying "why are you pissed your 401k is down this month. Back in 2008 the market was way further down that it is today. You've grown too accustomed to a performing investment. You're spoiled. Just put more money it it and raise it yourself". Actually it's even worse than that. In that example it's a market dragging it down. In our case it's actually our investment advisor mismanaging our investment and lying about its true impact to our balance. If Our head deer biologist was a financial manager the Securities and exchange commission would throw him in prison for the blatant misleading and subversive way this reduction was managed. He basically lied about the balance being 750k while the fund lost money and then told you to put in more money (harvest) to cover that fact that the fund (population) was shrinking.

 

[Jamie]

at what point in your hunting life did you think the DOW was ever completely honest with us about deer numbers and management strategies, Milo? I can't think of any time in the last 30 years that I wasn't a little suspicious of what the ODNR published about any game management issues. I take all of it with a grain of salt. it's easy to forget about it and just hunt when you see a half dozen deer every time you step foot in the woods and can readily fill tags. easier still to get in an uproar when things aren't as grand as we'd like. when the going gets tough... well, you know. I hate cliché. I love hunting deer with a bow and arrow, but I've come to realize that, given the state of affairs in this state, putting in 400 hours of deer hunting time in a four month season may not be enough to arrow two or three deer anymore the way I choose to hunt, so I don't even try. I've decided to expand my horizons a little and take the time to hunt other critters that are more plentiful these days. As I see it, there are two options for deer hunters today. roll with it, do the best you can and enjoy your time in the field or get seriously organized(a monumental task in and of itself) and engage the ODNR in a fight we cannot ever win. I think I'll just keep hunting.

 

[Jackalope]

at what point in your hunting life did you think the DOW was ever completely honest with us about deer numbers and management strategies, Milo? I can't think of any time in the last 30 years that I wasn't a little suspicious of what the ODNR published about any game management issues. I take all of it with a grain of salt. it's easy to forget about it and just hunt when you see a half dozen deer every time you step foot in the woods and can readily fill tags. easier still to get in an uproar when things aren't as grand as we'd like. when the going gets tough... well, you know. I hate cliché. I love hunting deer with a bow and arrow, but I've come to realize that, given the state of affairs in this state, putting in 400 hours of deer hunting time in a four month season may not be enough to arrow two or three deer anymore the way I choose to hunt, so I don't even try. I've decided to expand my horizons a little and take the time to hunt other critters that are more plentiful these days. As I see it, there are two options for deer hunters today. roll with it, do the best you can and enjoy your time in the field or get seriously organized(a monumental task in and of itself) and engage the ODNR in a fight we cannot ever win. I think I'll just keep hunting.

It's an election year. Combine that with the outright law breaking and distrust of the DOW it's ripe for a Wisconsin style uprising when the deer numbers come out. Organizing will be difficult. But not as difficult as before.

 

[dante322]

Is it really that bad? Let's be honest here... Is the deer hunting in Ohio really that bad? Can you not go out and harvest your 1 or 2 deer during the 4 months of season? Can you not lay your eyes on a 120-140 class buck at least once during the season? Of the adjacent surrounding states, would rather go hunt one of them instead of Ohio?

You can't go to lake Erie and catch a walleye every time you go. The hatch has been terrible each year following 2003 yet nobody says lake Erie walleye fishing sucks. Why do we have to see deer every time we go into the woods for it to be enjoyable? I'm not being critical here... I'm truly curious as to why deer hunting is different from anything else. Is there no enjoyment in having to work for something? We spend money on fuel and bait to chase Wiley walleye... Run all over the ridges chasing gobblers that sometimes aren't even there... Spend countless hours in the marsh staring at vacant blue skies completely void of waterfowl... All because when it does finally happen and we're successful we know it was worth it. Why doesn't that same principle carry over into deer hunting? Why is it that if you dont see a deer for a few days something must be wrong?

I had a longer response in mind, but i'm not even going to bother. from the sounds of things, you live in an area where there are still a decent number of deer to hunt. Enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[Jamie]

you have a plan, Jackelope?

 

[Bigslam51]

Dang. My perception is we are being lied to about this whole thing and that to me is troubling. That can be debated till the cows come home but PERCEPTION is reality...however right or wrong it is.

I didn't say that we were not being lied to, hell its obvious that we are.