Final deer season harvest numbers

[Boarhead]

Ohio’s Final 2023-24 Deer Harvest Report - Peak of Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s hunters checked 213,928 white-tailed deer during the 2023-24 deer hunting season that concluded on Sunday, Feb. 4, according to the Ohio […]

www.peakofohio.com

 

[Jackalope]

Creeping back up despite their embrace of bonus gun and straight walled rifles. I like it.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

How does the kill correlate with the amount of tags sold? I don't buy for a second that there are less deer hunters. They are on every 3 acre backyard with a ground blind and a corn pile now. This wasnt nearly as common even 10 years ago. It's inevitable for the kill to increase to a certain point as the amount of hunters increase.

 

[Tipmoose]

How does the kill correlate with the amount of tags sold? I don't buy for a second that there are less deer hunters. They are on every 3 acre backyard with a ground blind and a corn pile now. This wasnt nearly as common even 10 years ago. It's inevitable for the kill to increase to a certain point as the amount of hunters increase.

This data seems to indicate just the opposite. From 2011-2020 all hunting license sales decreased from 424K to 348K. That's a decline of 18% I believe.

https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/historic-licenses/Pub+5063.pdf

 

[finelyshedded]

This data seems to indicate just the opposite. From 2011-2020 all hunting license sales decreased from 424K to 348K. That's a decline of 18% I believe.

https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/historic-licenses/Pub+5063.pdf

Lots of land owner tags I bet are being used and fudging up the data. I doubt all these places I see with 2-5 acres and a feeder/pile and a blind are buying anything and just using LO tag.

 

[Jackalope]

How does the kill correlate with the amount of tags sold? I don't buy for a second that there are less deer hunters. They are on every 3 acre backyard with a ground blind and a corn pile now. This wasnt nearly as common even 10 years ago. It's inevitable for the kill to increase to a certain point as the amount of hunters increase.

This is the most disturbing trend for me.

 

[Gern186]

Would be nice to know how many youth landowner tags were used in that data as well.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

This data seems to indicate just the opposite. From 2011-2020 all hunting license sales decreased from 424K to 348K. That's a decline of 18% I believe.

https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/historic-licenses/Pub+5063.pdf

That data gos to 2020. Stuff changed after the pandemic. I could look up the 2021-2023 licenses sold just don't care enough to do so I guess.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Lots of land owner tags I bet are being used and fudging up the data. I doubt all these places I see with 2-5 acres and a feeder/pile and a blind are buying anything and just using LO tag.

Bingo. Its the localvore and live off the land mentality that seemed to be triggered by so many post covid. During that same time there was a huge push for folks to flee to the country to buy their own peice of the pie. Still happening right now.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

This is the most disturbing trend for me.

View attachment 191442

What do you think is going on there? I'd like to see the last 3 years data added to that and see the most recent trend. Also, I guess we have no option then to take this data as gospel truth which is hard to do at times as well.

 

[Hedgelj]

This is the most disturbing trend for me.

View attachment 191442

You mean the 49% increase in youth hunters buying multiple tags? or am i not following

 

[giles]

I would imagine that landowner tags fall under the free deer category. That number dropping is wild.

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

Would be nice to know how many youth landowner tags were used in that data as well.

I know both of my nephews girls used land owner tags harvesting two does

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

I would imagine that landowner tags fall under the free deer category. That number dropping is wild.

Wonder what's going on there

 

[at1010]

This is the most disturbing trend for me.

View attachment 191442

I’m not sure I am following?

we know access is an issue. Wouldn’t it be fair to assume that even with reduced youth tags sold, that the youth who do have a spot to hunt (likely target rich private) are buying more tags? Also the kids who are not hunting any longer, likely were ones hunting highly pressured public/or poor dpsm areas of private where they were likely only buying a singular tag a year regardless?

especially with these new crossbows making it easier for kids - I suspect that we’ll continue to see a larger variance in that category. We made it easier for kids to kill multiple deer a year, especially when compared to 10 years ago.

or am I missing your assumption of the data?

 

[Buckmaster]

PlayStation deer hunting. Nice, warm, and cozy.

 

[ThatBuckeyeGuy]

Everyone's saying the positives of the youth details so I'll throw in what alot are thinking. How many parents are buying tags and tagging THEIR deer under their kids names or grandkids. Hey early chance to tag the local bigguns before the adults get a swing. I really hope at least 90 percent are the young ones killing them but with today's society its hard to be hopeful and blindfolded.

 

[Gern186]

I know both of my nephews girls used land owner tags harvesting two does

Same with each of my kids. 2 does taken and no tags purchased.

 

[giles]

I know both of my nephews girls used land owner tags harvesting two does

Right, that is alarming. Is this exactly what people have been saying about deer not getting tagged? I'm not a believer in the deer numbers, but that is a huge drop in numbers.

 

[Jackalope]

You mean the 49% increase in youth hunters buying multiple tags? or am i not following

I’m not sure I am following?

we know access is an issue. Wouldn’t it be fair to assume that even with reduced youth tags sold, that the youth who do have a spot to hunt (likely target rich private) are buying more tags? Also the kids who are not hunting any longer, likely were ones hunting highly pressured public/or poor dpsm areas of private where they were likely only buying a singular tag a year regardless?

especially with these new crossbows making it easier for kids - I suspect that we’ll continue to see a larger variance in that category. We made it easier for kids to kill multiple deer a year, especially when compared to 10 years ago.

or am I missing your assumption of the data?

I'm specifically looking at recruitment. A 41% drop in youth licenses sold with a fairly consistent decline curve over the last decade. While harvest per youth hunter is up, the overall harvest trend is down.

Compare this with the consistent rise in reduced cost permits and licenses and it points to an aging population of hunters that aren't being replaced by a new generation. If youth are the future of our sport then these are very disturbing trends that don't bode well for the future of hunting.