My dad and his buddies enjoy the outdoors legally every gun season down in Logan/Athens area somewhere...sometimes he'd send pics of the buck he shot or all the deer they shot that week...usually it was 10-15 deer total for the week and once it was 17...then there was the bonus weekend in which most times another 6-8 would be killed...And if that wasn't enough they would go out for black powder and kill a few more over the 4 days...this went on for a few years that I can remember.
The last few years my dad has gone down there, he has come back empty handed...with statements like we only saw a couple and they were out of range, or I didn't see a single deer all week...basically he was left scratching his head..."What happened to all the deer we used to see?" We stayed within the bag limits and did everything legally!??"
"Really dad? You don't know why you didn't see any deer?"
Hope you enjoyed the glory years and it was worth it, cause here comes the consequences of those actions!
A great example of what I was leading too! Thanks for sharing that!
Adam, I wasn't throwing rocks buddy. You're right, the guys stayed within the law when it comes to bag limits but sooner or later Alberts area could end up like the area I hunt here in Warren county if more hunters don't start being conversationalists. I don't think it's fair or right for some hunters to limit out while the rest eat tags so there'll be something to hunt the following season.
Just because the DOW set bag limits doesn't mean they were the
correct bag limits. Some areas they did a good job in bringing down the deer numbers but in many they all but eradicated them. I'm hoping they realize that and make the necessary adjustments so they bounce back.
Example, if you are allowed 30 frog limit per night and you gig all 30 frogs living in one pond, is that sound conservation? The sad thing is with the competition we have today there will be several coming through later to gig what might have moved in later or any small ones you left behind. I mean you stayed within the law but you have to do more than that if you want our kids and their kids to enjoy what we have now.
Like Brian said earlier, I really hate seeing fellow members and hunters arguing and getting into heated discussions over this topic. We need to all stand together and unite to the betterment of our hunting legacy. Those that have plenty of deer and think those of us are a bunch of whiney asses enjoy your situation while you got it!