Changes ahead

[Jackalope]

But you can't sit there and act like they've done nothing at all. Doing away with $15 tags does away with some incentive to kill does. You can type out all the numbers you want... The fact remains, less incentive to kill does WILL result in more does that live to see another day. If that's not good enough, well, I don't know. I for one do not want to see us go to a 1 deer limit or a reduction in my opportunity to hunt. In my bubble, I'm pretty content with the deer hunting in Ohio. I killed 2 deer on private land and had multiple opportunities at public land deer in both NW and SE Ohio this season. It just amazes me. Guys here wanted to see something done to help the deer population rebound, and now, after viewing a proposal that came WAY out of left field, to your benefit mind you, and still all I read is rampant complaining. Even complaint about the youth season for crying out loud. Kids aren't (or shouldn't) be out there buck hunting. Youth season should be about the experience, an enjoyable experience, regardless of whether they kill a deer or not. Look at the weather the past two years... There's no questions sitting outside during youth season was less enjoyable than it would've been in October.

Blow it out your butt buddy. You know as well as I do that reducing tags at this stage doesn't mean a damn thing. You can stop banging the DNR drum because a guy name Mike Tonkovich told exactly that to my face. Even told me most hunters weren't smart enough to figured that out. Even told me a story about how he had to go calm down some big corporation farmers who were pissed he reduced tags and explain it was just a farce.. That came from the horses mouth and I don't remember you sitting at that table.

 

[Milo]

I bet they have some super awesome hunter surveys that said they needed to move the youth season. Tonk knows dam well he needed to get Punkin balls in the woods and he just did a swap with the kids so people who complained would look like they are anti children in hunting

 

[Milo]

Excuse me I meant to say farmer surveys, as they dont survey hunters. My apologies

 

[brock ratcliff]

Blow it out your butt buddy. You know as well as I do that reducing tags at this stage doesn't mean a damn thing. You can stop banging rhe DNR drum. A guy name Mike Tonkovich told me that to my face. Even told me most hunters weren't smart enough to figured that out. That came from the horses mouth and I don't remember you sitting at that table.

True, true, true. I was at that table...true. He went on to say he had just explained this to a bunch of angry farmers, that he had to tell them tag reductions made no difference, it was all about opportunity. Opening days are what kills deer, yada, yada....all true. He's a great public speaker. That was the first time in the conversation he knew he had given the wrong speech to the wrong crowd. He musta thought he was talking to the farmers again for just a minute. Funny how quick a facial expression changes when you prove your opponent's point of view...

 

[Boarhead]

Yep if they were really serious about pulling back they would not add the 2 day bonus gun,really hate to see it.
Should have left youth season alone also my thinking is since the foilage will be thick and crops still standing their wont be many bucks shot but alot of does will be.

 

[jagermeister]

Blow it out your butt buddy. You know as well as I do that reducing tags at this stage doesn't mean a damn thing. You can stop banging the DNR drum because a guy name Mike Tonkovich told exactly that to my face. Even told me most hunters weren't smart enough to figured that out. Even told me a story about how he had to go calm down some big corporation farmers who were pissed he reduced tags and explain it was just a farce.. That came from the horses mouth and I don't remember you sitting at that table.

Now you're making a dig at me just because I wasn't at your gathering? Hmmm... Whatever. I'll keep banging my drum you keep banging yours. I like to think I enjoy the outdoors a little more to the beat of my drum. Your drum is just plain depressing.

 

[Jackalope]

Now you're making a dig at me just because I wasn't at your gathering? Hmmm... Whatever. I'll keep banging my drum you keep banging yours. I like to think I enjoy the outdoors a little more to the beat of my drum. Your drum is just plain depressing.

No dig at you for not attending bud. Everyone's always welcome. But don't think you're going to argue your opinion while telling me I'm wrong when I have it straight from the deer program manager himself. You have an opinion on what the DNR is doing. I was told personally the facts of it.

As for our enjoyment of the outdoors, I have a wonderful time. Know who else would've had a wonderful time this year? All those kids and new hunters that got skunked or didn't shoot one because our DNR has decided corporate profits are more important than the heritage and future of hunting. Know who else would've had a good time this year? All those hunters that might Tonkovich himself told me would quit hunting because of the deer reductions.

It matters not to me your opinion buddy. Keep banging that drum and wearing rose colored glasses. The fact is our DNR has done more damage to deer hunting in 5 years than PITA and the HSUS combined has ever done in their entire existence.

 

[jagermeister]

One last thing and I'll let this go. There's plenty to enjoy out there while deer hunting. People (kids included) don't have to shoot a deer for them to enjoy deer hunting. If that's what the enjoyment of hunting is based upon then I think we are heading in the wrong direction. It's not about the kill, it's about the experience. People got accustomed to seeing a crap load of deer and now that's why they think it's no fun when they don't kill one. That's my opinion. I don't kill a pheasant every time I walk through a field, yet I still have a great time out there with the dog. People are so spoiled now.

Oh and by the way, I look damn sexy in my rose colored glasses.

 

[Milo]

Now you're making a dig at me just because I wasn't at your gathering? Hmmm... Whatever. I'll keep banging my drum you keep banging yours. I like to think I enjoy the outdoors a little more to the beat of my drum. Your drum is just plain depressing.

I think what these fellas are trying to tell you is that Tonk created and extra opening day for himself. Odnr loves to piund the chest at the opening day results and this is now a fourth opening day he will have as opposed to three. That will help negate the "weather issues" he keeps pouty lipping about for the past 3 years but in reality it's about how any deer are really out there. He is trying to re energize his pumpkin ball slaughtering base he needs to keep deer in check. The early doe rage wouldn't even be able to be used is this extra gun season so their entry into this discussion is muted in my opinion.

 

[Hortontoter]

I like some of the proposals. The bonus gun weekend is not a good idea IMO. Also why run the archery season longer. I'd like to see the archery season end around Jan. 15 myself. The youth season change has its good and bad. Early has warmer weather, but mostly does will be taken, which is not a plus in my mind. I think the reduction of tags will have little impact on the kill.

 

[Jackalope]

One last thing and I'll let this go. There's plenty to enjoy out there while deer hunting. People (kids included) don't have to shoot a deer for them to enjoy deer hunting. If that's what the enjoyment of hunting is based upon then I think we are heading in the wrong direction. It's not about the kill, it's about the experience. People got accustomed to seeing a crap load of deer and now that's why they think it's no fun when they don't kill one. That's my opinion. I don't kill a pheasant every time I walk through a field, yet I still have a great time out there with the dog. People are so spoiled now.

Oh and by the way, I look damn sexy in my rose colored glasses.

This is true to a point. But kids and new hunters don't like staring at squirrels an leaves for hunts on end either. If they're bored and miserable the odds of them continuing to hunt is drastically reduced. I would call that spoiled, just logical.

Lol. Every time I use the phrase rose colored glasses I get the mental image of ozzy with those small round colored glasses.

 

[MK111]

I object to the idea 'youth aren't (shouldn't) be out there buck hunting'. What better way to get a youth to stay into deer hunting in their latter years as at a good chance at shooting a nice buck.
In my mind the nice bucks aren't only for the older hunters.
IMHO

I don't like the new proposals and haven't said much in this area but today's deer hunting is much better than when I started hunting in Ohio in 1964. In 1961 an buck jumped across the road in front of our school bus and it was written up in the local newspaper. There was ZERO deer in our area up until the mid 1960's.

Could the deer hunting be better in some areas of Ohio, sure it can be? I for one am living in the prime time of deer hunting in my lifetime. Just go from ZERO deer to the deer hunting we have today and you may understand my reasoning.

I'm done and off my soap box.

 

[Hortontoter]

I went on my first deer hunt in 1968 in Coshocton County. I thought it was great to see some tracks in the snow. Eleven of us hunted that day and none of us saw a deer. I'll take todays hunting over 1968 anytime. But, unless we are careful we will continue to see the population dwindle.

 

[jagermeister]

This is true to a point. But kids and new hunters don't like staring at squirrels an leaves for hunts on end either. If they're bored and miserable the odds of them continuing to hunt is drastically reduced. I would call that spoiled, just logical.

Lol. Every time I use the phrase rose colored glasses I get the mental image of ozzy with those small round colored glasses.

My first thought was Elton John. Yea... Ozzy sounds much better... Let's go with Ozzy. Lol

 

[MK111]

Exactly. When I moved to SW Ohio in Butler County in 1977 there was no gun hunting here that came several years later. Bow hunting only.

I went on my first deer hunt in 1968 in Coshocton County. I thought it was great to see some tracks in the snow. Eleven of us hunted that day and none of us saw a deer. I'll take todays hunting over 1968 anytime. But, unless we are careful we will continue to see the population dwindle.

 

[Milo]

Exactly. When I moved to SW Ohio in Butler County in 1977 there was no gun hunting here that came several years later. Bow hunting only.

while I appreciate your perspective, it is and was a totally different time. There was no hunting permission and you could go wherever you wanted to hunt and never see another person. I consider that the golden age of hunting compared to today. While today and 1977 we were doing the same thing, the circumstances are completely different. Probably more than you could even imagine back in the day.

 

[giles]

A kid will not go beat the water all day to not catch fish, they have to catch something to stay at it. Same with hunting. It's up to the parent to take it from there, but the game has to be there for the kid to see.

I have 3 kids and I take them with me when the deer are moving, some times we sit in the middle of summer and watch them. Just because youth season is at a bad time, doesn't limit anything. It's up to you to get them in the woods when the deer are around, not ODNR. These kids are NOT limited to just 2 days a year. Shame on anyone that only takes a kid hunting on that weekend...

 

[MK111]

Of course it's different today as yesterday. But when there is Zero deer or damn few deer it really isn't deer hunting it's more like deer hoping. Of course you could go somewhere else to hunt deer but nothing is better than home.

while I appreciate your perspective, it is and was a totally different time. There was no hunting permission and you could go wherever you wanted to hunt and never see another person. I consider that the golden age of hunting compared to today. While today and 1977 we were doing the same thing, the circumstances are completely different. Probably more than you could even imagine back in the day.

 

[Hortontoter]

I think the outdoor interest is something you are born with to a large degree. I've tried to introduce a few kids to hunting, but the results were bleak. Their idea of hunting is the latest version of Big Game Hunter on a video game. Maybe it is where I live that makes for the bleak results I've had.

I know the outdoors has always been in my blood. I remember my mother calling me her Little Woodsman when I was five or six years old. My four other brothers hunted and fished very little during their lifetimes. We all grew up in the same house, but I'm the only one that really has or had the outdoor additiction.

 

[lung buster]

The idiotic proposal to move youth weekend makes about as much sense as adding another gun weekend! Everybody that is making these decisions deserves to be fired! What a bunch of clowns we have running the ODNR!