Final deer numbers are in for Ohio

[oakswamper]

Lucas county is down and they opened up some really nice areas for a draw hunt.

I've tried to find how many they killed in these parks but can't find it

 

[CritterGitterToo]

The only reason bag limits will be lowered is to maintain the low population. The DNR will not lower a bag limit if they think it will result in a population growth. Don't be fooled by lower limits thinking it's a good thing. The lower the population the lower the tags need to be to keep it low. You could have 10 deer in the whole county, issue only 2-3 tags for the whole county and that would keep the population low.

I betcha we don't see them reduce opportunity any time soon, eh?

 

[hickslawns]

Reduced tags does little for most guys. The family who stuffed 10 deer in their freezer will still do so. Grandma and FeeFee the Poodle might have to tag one next year though. How many guys on here truly struggled to fill a tag or even SEE a deer on stand? Quite a few guys on TOO who I feel are very good hunters struggled to put meat in the freezer. My point? Bone Collector wannabes will give up and as mentioned our elders aren't hunting as much. Kids aren't being recruited. Less deer available. Even with reduced tags available, I see this making little difference.

Less hunters and less deer available to hunt are going to be THE reason for a continued decline.

 

[Longdraw]

Kids aren't being recruited. Less deer available. Even with reduced tags available, I see this making little difference.

Less hunters and less deer available to hunt are going to be THE reason for a continued decline.

\the reason kids don't hunt is they don't have anywhere to hunt unless you go public,,,there's no more 5 minute away from home hunting spots they are all leased up,,or people don't want you small game hunting like kids use too because you will interfear with deer hunting,,and really getting a kid into deer hunting when they first start is not the right thing,they need some time in the woods/fields chasing rabbits and squirrels

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

\the reason kids don't hunt is they don't have anywhere to hunt unless you go public,,,there's no more 5 minute away from home hunting spots they are all leased up,,or people don't want you small game hunting like kids use too because you will interfear with deer hunting,,and really getting a kid into deer hunting when they first start is not the right thing,they need some time in the woods/fields chasing rabbits and squirrels

Wholeheartedly agree with this

 

[bthompson1004]

Lucas county is down and they opened up some really nice areas for a draw hunt.

I've tried to find how many they killed in these parks but can't find it

on their "deer management" page there should be a phone number for the chief of operations...i called him over the summer to ask some questions about the draw hunts and he gave me the harvest results from the first year for the lottery...

Wierd thing is he gave them too me with no problem but they don't publish the information, at least not last year and not anywhere that I could see. Wierd because one of their objectives is to see how effective bowhunting is as a deer management tool. First year they had 96 hunters and 22 deer harvested.

I couldn't beleive that wood county was way up from last year...harvested over 1,000 deer...they have been a 2 deer county for at least the last 3 years that i can remember.

 

[Mike]

on their "deer management" page there should be a phone number for the chief of operations...i called him over the summer to ask some questions about the draw hunts and he gave me the harvest results from the first year for the lottery...

Wierd thing is he gave them too me with no problem but they don't publish the information, at least not last year and not anywhere that I could see. Wierd because one of their objectives is to see how effective bowhunting is as a deer management tool. First year they had 96 hunters and 22 deer harvested.

I couldn't beleive that wood county was way up from last year...harvested over 1,000 deer...they have been a 2 deer county for at least the last 3 years that i can remember.

Wood went from 2 to 3 deer which probably help the numbers jump. I didn't kill one in Wood the last two seasons.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Wood went from 2 to 3 deer which probably help the numbers jump. I didn't kill one in Wood the last two seasons.

I've hunted Southern Wood County my whole life. Grew up there. Its been 10-12 years since Ive seen the hunting so tough down there with the low population numbers, and yet they raise the limit up. Wood is a glaring example of a tale of 2 counties. The very northern edge along the Maumee river is stuffed with deer. You drive 3-4 miles south and it should absolutely be a 1 deer county. What is funny is most farmers in the area will give anyone permission to hunt. So the last 3 years there has been an influx of people from surrounding counties hunting the shit out of everything. I kid you not, most 15 acre woods there will have atleast 2-3 guys bowhunting them every night. And they have no courtesy of stand proximity to others. They are resilient though. As many times as my nephews remove, disassemble, and leave notes explain this, they put'em right back up.

 

[bthompson1004]

Wood went from 2 to 3 deer which probably help the numbers jump. I didn't kill one in Wood the last two seasons.

I should have checked that before i typed...good catch Mike!

 

[MK111]

I'm not going along with this entirely. Most kids are just too busy with sports and what ever.
My 2 grandsons only have to walk (or ride the golf cart) 500 yds. out back and have some of the best deer hunting in the County.
But with football 6 days a week and working it's just too easy to not go hunting when they get a spare moment.
They hunted all the time when younger but sports and working now is their spare time activity.

Both grandson shot their 1st deer at 9 and 11. And turkey the same ages.

\the reason kids don't hunt is they don't have anywhere to hunt unless you go public,,,there's no more 5 minute away from home hunting spots they are all leased up,,or people don't want you small game hunting like kids use too because you will interfear with deer hunting,,and really getting a kid into deer hunting when they first start is not the right thing,they need some time in the woods/fields chasing rabbits and squirrels

 

[Bigcountry40]

I think we will have a slight decrease next season (170,000). I think we will have less hunters in the woods as the years go by. And as the hunters age they will not see the need to shoot as many deer to stroke their ego. Also I believe as the older hunters pass away or are limited in the ability to hunt they will not be replaced by new younger hunters. Most kids today would rather play games or text on the smart phones.

Don't worry guys from North Carolina will lease out that land. Assholes, so glad I am back living in Ohio.

 

[Bigcountry40]

\the reason kids don't hunt is they don't have anywhere to hunt unless you go public,,,there's no more 5 minute away from home hunting spots they are all leased up,,or people don't want you small game hunting like kids use too because you will interfear with deer hunting,,and really getting a kid into deer hunting when they first start is not the right thing,they need some time in the woods/fields chasing rabbits and squirrels

Completely accurate, kids aren't allowed to play pick up baseball games on baseball fields unless they have a official game. People are completely land greedy nowadays and farmers cut down every single tree line and head row for 5 more kernels of corn.

 

[Urbanhunter]

I betcha we don't see them reduce opportunity any time soon, eh?

When I spoke to a GW at the summit he had a feeling that this year limit's would be lower than this past years limit's.. Time will tell.