2016 MZ season kill
- Thread starter Lundy
- Start date
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Last year 2014/2015 season was 175,801 total
This year we are at 180,917 as of this morning.
The total gun harvest for this year, gun week, gun 2 day, youth, MZ totals 102,574, that puts archery to date at 78,343. Last year archery was 81,650 total.
Last year the total gun kill, gun week, early MZ, youth, MZ was 92,277
This year we are at 180,917 as of this morning.
The total gun harvest for this year, gun week, gun 2 day, youth, MZ totals 102,574, that puts archery to date at 78,343. Last year archery was 81,650 total.
Last year the total gun kill, gun week, early MZ, youth, MZ was 92,277
Hortontoter
Senior Member
That tells me three things. We as hunters are not even trying to curb the killing of the herd we know is dwindling. And archers aren't killing more deer than gun hunters. Those of us that are waiting for the ODNR to fix our dwindling herd are only dreaming.
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That is a lot of dead deer. It's a lot less dead deer than we once killed, but it's still a lot of dead deer.
Ditto! The number really surprised me as I figured the numbers would have been lower based on my lack of sightings while I'm on the road.
I don't believe those numbers. I don't think I heard 10 shots total, and I hunted this season hard. I also hunted from multiple locations/counties.
Even driving across the southern part of the state, mid day, on the weekend, TWICE, I only seen 3 guys out. No trucks parked along the roads...Strouds had two campers in the lot... I'm calling complete BS!
Even driving across the southern part of the state, mid day, on the weekend, TWICE, I only seen 3 guys out. No trucks parked along the roads...Strouds had two campers in the lot... I'm calling complete BS!
Hortontoter
Senior Member
You may be right giles. But, our fabulous Tele Check system has no loopholes so the numbers must be close. The more I think of deer hunting and herd issues the more disgusted I become. I feel like a loose cannon on here sometimes.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
We killed more deer this year even with a tag reduction. I know hunters rarely kill more then the 2 does we were allowed but I would have if I had a tag. We had to many does this year and needed to get our ratio of buck to doe closer.
You are a fortunate one Motorbreaker. I'm with Giles. I don't believe anything the ODNR puts out in regards to harvest numbers. I can see them inflating harvest numbers to make the insurance lobbyists happy.
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Hortontoter
Senior Member
Be careful trying to adjust your buck to doe ratio. I had about a 3:1 ratio of bucks over does a few years ago at my place. In a couple of years things changed dramatically. My neighboring property allowed hunting which hadn't been allowed for about 8 prior years. A 210 acre property behind me was leased to a group from Vermont three years ago. About 6-8 guys hunt this lease during the season. My buck to doe ratio this summer was about 1:1. I've taken two deer from my property in the last 5 years, because I'm very selective as to what I kill. By the end of November this year it seemed as though my ratio went from 1:1 to 0:0. What I'm trying to point out is that your harvest goals may not be in tune with many around you.
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The QDMA pushed this for years but has since backed off that stance. The whole 1:1 ratio thing they pushed Is the biggest farce there ever was. The only time they really recommend it now is if the carrying capacity of the land can't handle the does and starts to impact the overall nutrition of the herd. The whole buck to doe ratio thing was really meant for these big hunting preserves and operations where guys have absolute control over the population number through cull programs as well as the genetics. In wild populations it doesn't make any sense.
In the wild it's just like the lotto. The more does you have the more chance you have of a future booner being born. Say one buck breeds 10 does and they produce 15 fawns. Half will be bucks, half will be does. Disregarding fawn mortality rates you essentially have 7 new bucks. Say you cut the buck to doe ratio down to 1:4. Those does have 6 fawns 3 of which are bucks. So by killing off 6 does you reduced your fawn buck production by 58%. One of your future boners that you kill in four years could very well be one of the four that were never born. Like Hortons unfortunate eye opener above ratio management of wild populations just doesn't offer a benefit and does you more harm than good.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
I agree guys but when I see one buck and 25 does in one sit I think there are to many does. And our target bucks have not been seen much witch leads me to think they are to busy breeding all the does around. I've seen 35 does in one sit this year while the neighbors also seen that many and I'm sure they were different deer. I talk to most all the neighboring property owners who all say there are to many does. And nobody is seeing many bucks. We killed 5 does and 2 bucks on our 200 acres this year.
Ohiosam
*Supporting Member*
In my very little corner of ohio we saw a lot more deer this year and killed more. But still we killed less than we did 25 years ago so nothing to brag about. Btw I know there have been less crop damage permits used around the state the last couple year, be interested to know if that trend continues into this year.
In regards to bucks not being seen. I can have 14-19 does and yearlings at one time feeding in my food plot and see no bucks feeding. But on Nov 11 I seen 12 bucks and 11 does running around before noon during the rut. So I know the bucks are here but I'm just not seeing them.
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So you're going to kill your breeder does who produce your future bucks so you can better kill your present bucks? I get what you're thinking but that's burning your candle on both ends bud, and a sure fire way to end up with no target bucks at all. A buck is going to lock down with a doe for a couple days at a time no matter if you have 1 doe or 100. Lock down is sort of a misnomer anyway. Sure he will push her into an area and stick with her. But it's not like she lays in one spot for days at a time. He will force her get up and she will take off running with him in tow. They chase those does all over the place when they're "locked down" with them. It's happening somewhere, you just have to be where it's happening. If you're not seeing the action then move.
I heard over a dozen gunshots on the same couple tracts of public land just in two days of hunting, and saw 2-3 more drug out the next two days.
I've seen more deer this year than the past few. And most people in my area that I've talked with have said the same. I've killed 3 so far and I'd kill another couple more if I wasn't tagged out in this county.
I've seen more deer this year than the past few. And most people in my area that I've talked with have said the same. I've killed 3 so far and I'd kill another couple more if I wasn't tagged out in this county.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
That's what they thought 100 yrs ago when they shot the last 2 deer and there was none.