Deer Management Stakeholder Organization.

[BCamp]

I would definitely support the managing public lands differently than public. For the rest, some good some bad but would like to see a stated population goal in the different management units so there's no way to hide what the division wants to accomplish.

 

[finelyshedded]

Here we go! Just back from our last session, I'm going to put a little background into where we are at.
First we have 5 fundamental objectives. While they are numbered 1-5 they are each equally important.
1. Minimize landowner dissatisfaction
2. Maximize hunter satisfaction
3. Maintain a healthy deer herd
4. Improve communication (develop relationships)
5. Preserve traditions

With these objectives in mind Thursday was our day to listen and comment on various proposals from the Division Staff on various tools that can help them manage our deer herd. Basically we were considering what would help them build a better tool box of options.
Here are the options we considered, once again in no particular order.

1. Deer Management Units (DMU)
Pretty much a no brainer, it will allow the biologists to group like areas (habitat and deer densities) together. These units would be divided by physical barriers like roads and rivers and will do away with the county boundaries. This idea was shot down for political reason about three years ago, looks like it will not have any opposition this time. Expected to divide the state into 20+ DMU's.

2. Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP)
This program would be geared towards landowners who do have problems with deer damage or at least high populations of deer. This could be an area within a DMU, the DMU may limit harvest to one deer, but this may be a property with a lot of deer on it. After consultations and visits with a deer biologist/private lands biologists, the state could issue additional tags to the landowner with some restrictions. Antlerless tags only. Tags would only be good in season, and landowner could allocate tags to whomever he wants, but must keep records on the tags.

3. Antlerless permit allocations
This would go hand in hand with the DMU's. This would allow the division to issue a set number of antlerless permits for each DMU. The example we received here was Holmes County, Aerial surveys showed an extremely low deer population in eastern Holmes County, <5 deer/sq mile. western Holmes had some surveys over 25 deer/Sq mile.
A few points to remember: Everyone will still have one either sex permit that can be used anywhere. There will be some areas where the antlerless allocations may be oversubscribed, meaning you won't get any extra tags. Couple questions we had, Should people within those areas have first chance at those permits? Area of concern with understanding the areas and needing two or three or even more tags if you hunt several different areas.

4. Landowner Permits
Two major concerns with the current system. Number of landowner harvest vs actual landowners in the counties really doesn't match up. And there is no way of knowing just how many landowner hunters we actually have. They can take the overall percent success ratio and work that backwards, but it's still at best a calculated guess. If they want the Antlerless permits to work this would be a big help in determining numbers.

5. Separate Regulations for public land
Recent surveys have not been clear on this one. One question was do you want it managed differently that public, about 65% said yes, when asked about the changes less than 50% wanted any changes. Even with that in mind there will be changes coming. Several options to consider: 1) Limit either sex days 2) reduce bag limits 3) Limited or no antlerless permits 4) Season restricions.
Additionally there will be differences between public lands, 350 acre Public Hunting area versus larger areas, state forests and the Wayne national forest.
And something that was pretty much agreed upon was habitat improvement plans on a lot of the areas.

6. Outfitter Licensing
Yes something will be coming on this.

7. Other states strategies
Earn a Buck
Conditional Seasons
Season specific bag limits/licenses
Permit Bundles

Each of these were considered, but at best got lukewarm responses. No one seemed to excited about earn a buck, conditional seasons means if we don't kill "X" number of deer, they will extend the season.
Season specific would mean you would have to buy separate licenses for each season you participate in....Bow, Gun, Muzzleloader.
Permit bundles would allow you to buy all the licenses at once.

That pretty much finished up the Thursday session, or at least the formal session. We continued talking about these topics after dinner until about 8-9 o'clock. When I say "we" I mean everyone. The division staff stays with us and offers to answer any questions that we have.


Enough for now! Fire away, I'll wait and post Fridays Topics in a few days, it was on a different direction than Thursdays.

I’m sorry but that idea is total BS!!! The ODNR got us into this mess with liberal bag limits and are now looking to bend us over to make up for the lost revenue due to any lost hunter participation it sounds like to me!

 

[NWOHhunter]

Hey stopping fighting and I️ want you guys to take a look and be thankful you aren’t hunting in my county!!!! The grundel of Ohio when is comes to deer hunting!!! [emoji19]

 

[Hortontoter]

I think Joe is seeing the forest through the trees. Sounds like the idea is to decimate the herd in the few areas deer are still alive in decent numbers.

Why is it difficult to estimate number of landowners that used landowner permits. We all still have a customer number with the ODNR. Seems simple to me to know who owns land and who doesn't.

 

[Bigslam51]

I think Joe is seeing the forest through the trees. Sounds like the idea is to decimate the herd in the few areas deer are still alive in decent numbers.

Why is it difficult to estimate number of landowners that used landowner permits. We all still have a customer number with the ODNR. Seems simple to me to know who owns land and who doesn't.

One would think, since you have the option to check your deer in under landowner.

 

[finelyshedded]

i Think they’re finally realizing how abused Telechek is.

 

[Bigslam51]

i Think they’re finally realizing how abused Telechek is.

Need to go back to the check in stations.

 

[Quantum673]

Need to go back to the check in stations.

x2 not to mention this would bring back a great tradition.

 

[Hortontoter]

i Think they’re finally realizing how abused Telechek is.

I can't imagine one would abuse such a well thought out system. I do admit it is handy to use, maybe just a bit to handy for some.

 

[Bigslam51]

x2 not to mention this would bring back a great tradition.

That would be nice, I didn't get to experience it but a couple times.

 

[hickslawns]

That would be nice, I didn't get to experience it but a couple times.

And my son has no clue what it is.

 

[Bigslam51]

And my son has no clue what it is.

A lot of campfire talk and story telling that's being missed out on. Stuff you can't experience on Facebook or even TOO.

 

[hickslawns]

A lot of campfire talk and story telling that's being missed out on. Stuff you can't experience on Facebook or even TOO.

Precisely. This comraderie (sp???) is lost. My son will have no clue what it is like. Do you think maybe this is part of the recruitment issue? Kids don't get this experience anymore. All they get is virtual high fives. Don't get me wrong, the virtual high fives are appreciated. The call in option is convenient as heck. The tradition is gone though.

 

[Bigslam51]

Precisely. This comraderie (sp???) is lost. My son will have no clue what it is like. Do you think maybe this is part of the recruitment issue? Kids don't get this experience anymore. All they get is virtual high fives. Don't get me wrong, the virtual high fives are appreciated. The call in option is convenient as heck. The tradition is gone though.

Probably a big part of it. Hell I never got to experience a deer camp when I was younger, that would of been fun. Social media is definitely taking its toll on hunting and it sucks. It seems like there is a lot of peer pressure placed on the younger generation now, like if you don't shoot a big buck you ain't good enough.

 

[hickslawns]

Probably a big part of it. Hell I never got to experience a deer camp when I was younger, that would of been fun. Social media is definitely taking its toll on hunting and it sucks. It seems like there is a lot of peer pressure placed on the younger generation now, like if you don't shoot a big buck you ain't good enough.

Precisely the reason I didn't post Garrett's deer on ODP. 6yr old kids shooting big bucks with shotguns? Hmm. . .every "hunter" needs a tracking dog to find their deer? Everyday people pimping products they receive no compensation for? Guys getting bashed for small bucks or questioned when they shoot big bucks? I don't need to answer why I let my kid shoot a small button buck. They don't know him or me. I don't need their online drama. Did I share on TOO? Of course. It is like family. But in general the social media as a whole is NOT good for the future of hunting and traditions.

 

[MK111]

I still think that everyone is too busy doing nothing to put the time into hunting. We do it and enjoy it but others would rather not put the effert in to it. Their lose not ours.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I watched a guy very obviously walk his wife through checking in a deer under landowner last weekend. It was very clear she didn't kill the deer. That happened with metal tags too, difference being telecheck makes it even easier to do within the comfort of your home. Just another example of how screwed up the entire system is.

 

[MK111]

But some people will always be liers and thieves and good people will always do what's right and correct. So no system is perfect. I do like the new on line checking system and I'm sure it's here to stay.

 

[Iowa_Buckeye]

My kids don't know what a rotary dial phone is either....
I personally hated the check stations. Had to drive almost half way across the county, find a time when they were open, etc. Iowa has online check too. Half the time I have my confirmation number before I am out of the tree.

 

[bawana]

I think Joe is seeing the forest through the trees. Sounds like the idea is to decimate the herd in the few areas deer are still alive in decent numbers.

Why is it difficult to estimate number of landowners that used landowner permits. We all still have a customer number with the ODNR. Seems simple to me to know who owns land and who doesn't.

They know how many landowners are successful by the customer number. They don't know how many are actually hunting, basing it off success rates is a guess, are landowners more successful than the general public? I expect they are, but by what percent?