I mean, blaming it on the weather is just as lame as us complaining every year 
Deer gun harvest numbers
- Thread starter Boarhead
- Start date
If they didn’t blame the weather… Let’s say they didn’t blame anything at all… I honestly believe there would still be some sort of complaint or conspiracy about the fact that no excuse was given. It would always be something.I mean, blaming it on the weather is just as lame as us complaining every year
Deer gonna do deer shit. Humans follow suit. Welcome to the world we live in. Try to enjoy your time afield, even if you're after a big one. The end game is icing.
Yes. You make a valid point. The problem stems from complete lack of trust in the system.
I simply didn't think the weather made any difference. It's a simple: I don't see that as an excuse (in my area.)
ThatBuckeyeGuy
Active Member
I always seen it as season is dwindling by that time and we're on an internet forum hence we have nothing better to do but bitchh about things such as the ODNR . Oh and it makes us feel better TOO !
Wiley E Coyote
Active Member
I hope I can add to those numbers this weekend 
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I mean, blaming it on the weather is just as lame as us complaining every year
And if you don't officially blame the down years on something then the only conclusion people would draw is less deer.
At least he didn't try to blame it on an over abundant mast crop which means deer didn't move as much, as proof of such he pointed to less roadkill squirrels. Remember that bullshit.
. Then there was the year with less acorns and he blamed the lower harvest on hunter's failure to adapt to a change in food sources. Weather has always been the defacto classic fallback excuse though.A 15 years ago Joe with more time on his hands would do an open records request for daily check numbers per county during deer gun season for the past 15 years. Then cross reference it to daily precipitation, temperature, and wind to see if his "weather" excuse holds water.
If weather is such a huge problem, i'm surprised there are more than two deer shot in the whole state in muzzleloader season.
It never fails that some of the crappiest, bitter cold, sleeting sideways, snow drifting crap deer season weather falls during muzzleloader season.
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Yet most everyone here that hunts deer has put a tag on at least 1 or 2 deer this year or had opportunities to. I see no reason to blame or bitch about our deer herd.
Again, that is completely situational. Have to look at the amount of effort needed per deer as well. I've been with clients on farms this fall where I've seen 50 deer in a 40 acre woods. I've also been on plenty where we found 5 or 6 deer on hundreds of acres of good habitat. Many of these properties are not at all far from each other. The experience people have hunting is so variable based on a number of reasons. We really can't make a blanket statement that there are too many, not enough or just the right amount because of this, and it is completely irresponsible that our state is managing this way. It definitely is the easy route.
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You're not wrong. But. Its also like buying a car and they only have 3-4 cars total on the whole lot, vs a nice large inventory to choose from. Sure they still have the ability to buy one, and probably will. That doesnt mean they cant bitch about the lack of inventory though.
I'll also add this. Most of the places where I have been finding huge numbers of deers are on large farms locked up by leases where they don't shoot does and very few bucks either, which is certainly their right. If i had their money then id probably do the same.The heavily hunted areas don't have a deer overpopulation issue. This leads back to the damage leases have caused.
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Did anyone mention the lack of firearms hunters? Gun season is in no way comparable to what it was a decade or more ago. I don’t know if that is good or bad, but it is. I like having the woods all to myself during firearms season. Conversely, I am not a fan of archery season being the crowded affair it now is.
Biggest reason I picked up archery 20 years ago. I wanted more time and space to hunt them. Almost seems like the two traded places.
At my place, I would not know the difference I didn't have a calendar. I have gone on hunting with my bow during gun season as if it were not gun season a couple times. I am admittedly fortunate that none of my neighbors do much gun hunting at all and the big outfitter that is just 400 yards away across my neighbor's property (we are hunting the same deer) must not do any gun hunting at all with clients, at least I have never heard a single shot come from there in 5 years.
at1010
*Supporting Member*
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Spot on! I love not feeling like a slug is running past my head. However, with how popular bow season is - i wouldn’t be upset if we ended the season after muzzy. Less shed bucks shot and just give the deer a break!
Maybe I am getting softer as I get older lol!
I’ll say it… I wish gun season was extended an additional week. 
With the decrease in gun pressure, why not? Give me two weeks back to back. I would love that. And it might actually bring back some deer camps too!
With the decrease in gun pressure, why not? Give me two weeks back to back. I would love that. And it might actually bring back some deer camps too!
Wiley E Coyote
Active Member
Plus the late season does we are killing two to four deer when we harvest one
at1010
*Supporting Member*
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Yea but if we kill them early, they can’t get bred so it’s somewhat of a wash.
there is some benefit to late season doe harvest - like measuring the fetus to reverse engineer the breeding time and peak breading in an area. Based on the fetus size, development and does being bred or not can be used as a measurement of herd health. @jagermeister might be able to add more on this as I cannot remember the specifics as to how it all correlates
I also believe it’s the kidneys that can be pulled and then measure the kidney fat (year over year) -
Which can be an indication of herd health.
not saying everyone will do it, but if we want to just have the discussion on the devils advocate side of the coin - there is that benefit from a mgt level and data collection level.
I wish muzzy season was a week long too.I’ll say it… I wish gun season was extended an additional week.
With the decrease in gun pressure, why not? Give me two weeks back to back. I would love that. And it might actually bring back some deer camps too!
It’s bullshit it’s so short.