Compiled deer havest data 2014 and 2015 YTD

[reo]

Season doesn't need to end earlier. Needs to start later, or at least make it later for doe. Fawn survival rate when it's mom is killed in the first month of the season is probably pretty low. You kill a doe that is still producing milk then your part of the problem.

Have there been studies on this?

 

[hickslawns]

Deer hunting is the economic driver of the outdoor industry and deer hunters make up the vast majority of all hunters in America. Yet deer hunter organizations (QDMA, WU, MDF) have the lowest participation rate among all of the species specific conservation groups when it comes to overall members. If deer hunters simply matched the same organizational participation rate that waterfowl hunters generate (DU, Delta), the change in deer hunting would be astonishing. But as CritterGitterToo noted, "No group has been able to unite deer hunters." I don't know why that is, but it probably has something to do with hunters generally just wanting to be left alone to do their thing. It takes resources to make a difference. You can't go too many places and not find a DU fundraiser. On the flip side, deer hunters pour out money at events like Deerassic Classic that do nothing POSITIVEfor deer hunting.

I added one word for you Sean.

An organization united sounds great. Just not sure what it would take to make it go. Apparently nobody else does either. lol

 

[Jackalope]

Deer hunting is the economic driver of the outdoor industry and deer hunters make up the vast majority of all hunters in America. Yet deer hunter organizations (QDMA, WU, MDF) have the lowest participation rate among all of the species specific conservation groups when it comes to overall members. If deer hunters simply matched the same organizational participation rate that waterfowl hunters generate (DU, Delta), the change in deer hunting would be astonishing. But as CritterGitterToo noted, "No group has been able to unite deer hunters." I don't know why that is, but it probably has something to do with hunters generally just wanting to be left alone to do their thing. It takes resources to make a difference. You can't go too many places and not find a DU fundraiser. On the flip side, deer hunters pour out money at events like Deerassic Classic that do nothing for deer hunting.

One could also say deer hunters aren't willing to give money to a group they don't see leading the charge. It doesn't cost a dime to issue statement of rebuke towards a DNR who doesn't have an organizations members at heart. Not a single added operational cost to publish a statement of "we don't agree with the DNR, we think it's wrong what they've done, and we want to change it". Before every great battle is a battle cry, no matter how small the army. Maybe then they would get the support and following needed. Until then all hunters see is yet another organization wanting members while a DNR is allowed to operate with not so much as a stern word being said to them.

 

[giles]

Another reason for the decline in gun numbers, number of gun hunters and people pushing less is because of access.

I remember as a kid everyone would push everything. But now with the big buck/big dick mentality access has been limited.

Exactly! The "my deer" bullshit...

 

[Bigslam51]

Exactly! The "my deer" bullshit...

I absolutely cannot stand when someone refers to a deer, that is still alive and roaming freely, as "my deer" or "my buck". It ain't yours til you put your tag on it. The last time someone called a buck theirs, I killed it. Which was on opening day of this year[emoji38]

 

[Clay Showalter]

Wait you mean those deer I have been feeding all season on my property aren't mine? Damn!

 

[CritterGitterToo]

Leasing is not new, it just a new name and form of compensation for private land access that has been going on for as long I have hunted Ohio.

Free unfettered access to private land to hunt has never existed, you had to gain access in some manner. Today that is sometimes cash consideration versus what ever was required to gain access over all of the years and is still the predominate method today. A very small percentage of private property is leased for hunting the vast majority is still very much the owner providing or not providing access based upon what ever his criteria happens to be.

Access to private property is solely dependent of the landowner, no land owner is required to grant access or to lease.

I am a proponent of requiring a license and regulation for any hunting land leasing company

Oh, I know leasing isn't new. Though, today's lease values probably don't match those of 20 years ago, eh?

Also, I do not infer that I am interested in the least in having free, unmitigated access to private land. I don't want that at all and never have. I just want to be able to see deer on public land when I go hunting. This was never a problem from 1994 - 2003/04. Then, things started going downhill.