2025 EHD?

[hickslawns]

For clarification: I'm not diminishing the suckiness if the situation. I feel for you. Deer densities in Hocking/Vinton 10-15yrs ago may not align with where they were a year ago. It was simply something like I'd never seen before. If we have 60/sq mile I would be shocked. I would say 20-30 might even be high. That said, when they yard up it is impressive. I hunt a couple properties where gun season pushes all the deer into properties I hunt. It's cool to witness. The guy tossing 120/sq mile on a guess just threw me. Then said he would take all his resources to other properties to hunt. That isn't your average deer hunter. He clearly has resources and opportunities which don't translate to many of the guys in TOO who have a property or two or only public land available. He isn't relatable for most.

 

[Mickey Merrie]

Him hawking him's services to the folks in Hocking county is what him is doing!

 

[bowhunter1023]

Total season harvest #s as of Tuesday:

Athens = 573 - 74% from 2024
Meigs = 702 - 69% from 2024
Washington = 435 - 83% from 2024

Note: 2024 #s did not include gun season #s. For 2025, Washington County only tagged in 62 deer on opening day of gun. Last year, we tagged 448 deer, being 13 more in one day than we've killed so far this entire season. IMO, Washington County hunters are demonstrating incredible restraint and a forward-thinking approach to their season, which is one reason why the #s are what they are.

You can access the msot recent harvest summary here: December 3, 2025 Deer Harvest Summary.

 

[5Cent]

I think this maybe the first time in history thay Erie county beat Athens, Meigs and Washington county for the opener.

 

[giles]

Total season harvest #s as of Tuesday:

Athens = 573 - 74% from 2024
Meigs = 702 - 69% from 2024
Washington = 435 - 83% from 2024

Note: 2024 #s did not include gun season #s. For 2025, Washington County only tagged in 62 deer on opening day of gun. Last year, we tagged 448 deer, being 13 more in one day than we've killed so far this entire season. IMO, Washington County hunters are demonstrating incredible restraint and a forward-thinking approach to their season, which is one reason why the #s are what they are.

You can access the msot recent harvest summary here: December 3, 2025 Deer Harvest Summary.

This sucks. AGAIN!!! So effin happy we spend all the money on CWD....

 

[Bighoun52]

So my neighbor and I have a drone guy doing a deer survey on our properties. They did his place today. He has a very large piece. Over 800 acres. I didn’t expect them to find more than maybe 20-25 alive deer. He just called me and they found 85 deer, 17 of which were bucks. Completely blew me away. Our place has been hit hard two years in a row. They are flying my place tomorrow. I’m excited now to see the results

 

[at1010]

So my neighbor and I have a drone guy doing a deer survey on our properties. They did his place today. He has a very large piece. Over 800 acres. I didn’t expect them to find more than maybe 20-25 alive deer. He just called me and they found 85 deer, 17 of which were bucks. Completely blew me away. Our place has been hit hard two years in a row. They are flying my place tomorrow. I’m excited now to see the results

That is insane! That comes out to 68 dpsm, with 80% antlerless. Assuming 25% of the anterless is BB, that puts you at 40.8 does and doe fawns psm.

I am guessing they wont be harvesting large numbers of does this late in the season (although that might be a bad assumption). They likely would need to harvest 8-12 adult does to keep herd growth even under standard recruitment assumptions. Now, this is later in the year, so they may have pulled some in from neighbors, but it is still fascinating. I can't imagine what it was like before EHD.

Every time I dig into these drone numbers, habitat, and some recruitment formulas, I am more blown away by the resilience of the amazing whitetail deer.

PS - this is in no way trying to dilute the significance that EHD had for many. I wanted to review the numbers that BIghoun52 shared for that specific farm, as we know EHD can be extremely localized.

 

[finelyshedded]

So my neighbor and I have a drone guy doing a deer survey on our properties. They did his place today. He has a very large piece. Over 800 acres. I didn’t expect them to find more than maybe 20-25 alive deer. He just called me and they found 85 deer, 17 of which were bucks. Completely blew me away. Our place has been hit hard two years in a row. They are flying my place tomorrow. I’m excited now to see the results

With all of this snow and frigid temperatures I’m sure many areas have deer yarded up together especially areas with plenty of food with little to no hunting pressure.

It’s great for you to have a neighbor with that much land and is also on the same page for quality deer management.

 

[Bighoun52]

So he finished our place today. Found 68 does and 21 bucks. I would have never believed it. I wasn’t planning on shooting anything and now I’m behind on doe harvest. Going to have to get after it. This is the information landowners need!! Cameras are a great tool but they lie. You think your getting a good portion of your herd, but there are always more that you don’t get on camera

 

[giles]

We have flown the 500'ish acres we mainly hunt and we have 7 deer. 5 bucks and 2 fawns.

We pulled the plug for this year. No hunting

 

[Bighoun52]

We have flown the 500'ish acres we mainly hunt and we have 7 deer. 5 bucks and 2 fawns.

We pulled the plug for this year. No hunting

That’s what I expected to see

 

[giles]

That’s what I expected to see

Be very happy it isnt. Im still dumb enough to think deer are going to move in.

 

[finelyshedded]

So he finished our place today. Found 68 does and 21 bucks. I would have never believed it. I wasn’t planning on shooting anything and now I’m behind on doe harvest. Going to have to get after it. This is the information landowners need!! Cameras are a great tool but they lie. You think your getting a good portion of your herd, but there are always more that you don’t get on camera

That’s great to hear and know but hoping that a bunch didn’t just cross over from your neighbors during the night. Wow!!! 21 bucks, that’s plenty of breeders for all of those does. Was drone able to give you an assessment on how many quality bucks you have or was it not that specific?
Congrats on the great news.