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LIVE! From the Stand 2022-2023 Edition

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
All I can say is, I'm real glad I went hunting this evening.

Cell service is crappie in this area right now so I'm gonna make this short & sweet...

I saw the biggest buck of my life while hunting this evening, perhaps two!

He was with six other shooters, maybe more, and I got it on 🎥 🎞 📷 film, about 15 minutes worth.

Details will come later on along with a video drop of all those unbelievable bucks tonight.

Pulled the tree-stand too and now getting ready to head down the road for home.

Later on 'TOO'ville!


20230205_175554.jpg

Bucks @theotherfarm during the last day of the 2022/23 Whitetail Deer Archery Hunting Season [2/5/2023]

I'm currently in the process of downloading all the data from my cellphone of this evening's hunt, and I attached a gif file for now. I have a good amount of data that I'll be sorting through in order to put a decent video together for tomorrow..

The photograph above has those bucks in it. All the rest will following in a video format that will be placed within my journal sometime tomorrow.

Meanwhile, go ahead and try to figure out just how many bucks there are within the not so great photograph. They should all be in there, just not the best snapshot, that I know now.

I'm doing my best to extract the best images from the only singular raw video that I have of them, and make those images available by tomorrow sometime for you all as well. I believe there should be a treasure trove of excellent opportunities to grab some real unbelievable images of that tremendous buck, and all the others too.

I already can't wait for next season because of today's hunt. Its got me all fired up on all cylinders too, thinking about how I'm gonna get on that deer next year already.. Amazing how all of a sudden a deer like that can amp you up so much, you're ready to go hunting after them again tomorrow :ROFLMAO:

Good night y'all, c-ya back here again tomorrow!

20230205_185412.jpg

Full moon @theotherfarm already just as I was about to leave the property from this evening deer archery hunt..
 

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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio

Looks like we broke 210k for the season.

Wow! I just pulled up the story and now reading, but I must say, I really find that number hard to believe, seriously. I hunted in 2010, and I saw way more deer back then than I did this year by far, and I hunted the same county too, which is one of the more heavier producers. Anyway, I may be back after finishing reading this story, thanks!

I still find this number difficult to believe and must have tied EHD in with it or somethin... Anyway. whomever wrote these stated official numbers must not get out much.
 
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hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,770
248
Ohio

Looks like we broke 210k for the season.
That's not good. New record combined with widespread EHD? We know the state figures herd numbers based upon tags filled. They will increase bag limits based on hitting the higher harvest total.

Sad thing is: did we harvest more because we were shooting smaller/younger deer in order to fill the freezer? That would be my guess. Our EHD year and the following year I saw a lot of tiny bodied deer. Dumber than a bag of hammers because they didn't have Momma to show them the way. Easy pickings if you like 75# deer.
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Wow! I just pulled up the story and now reading, but I must say, I really find that number hard to believe, seriously. I hunted in 2010, and I saw way more deer back then than I did this year by far, and I hunted the same county too, which is one of the more heavier producers. Anyway, I may be back after finishing reading this story, thanks!

I still find this number difficult to believe and must have tied EHD in with it or somethin... Anyway. whomever wrote these stated official numbers must not get out much.

The other items I have to add as to why I say I find the number hard to believe is the fact that the rifle seasons of today within all the areas I've hunted this year, which are of the same as a decade ago plus beyond, in comparison of the two different years/seasons, they are so completely the opposite from each other, from my recollection, it's not even funny. For instance, 10 years ago, while driving to any of my hunting locations, I would see hunters and hunter vehicles all along the roads and farms pretty much all over the place during the gun week, and in comparison to this past year, and the year before as well, from what I observed during gun week, I heard hardly any shots happening anywhere, including here at home, which is a real big comparison difference between the two. A decade ago, nearly the whole entire week during primetimes, it always sounded like a war zone was in the area. Today, I hardly see and/or hear hunters anywhere verses a decade ago, seriously. Back then, I would bump into a hunter almost anywhere, including the woods during those past hunting seasons.

So, I don't know how the heck they are coming up with that number, I've been paying attention to this kind of stuff for a long time too. They got me stumped. IDK, they lost me.

Also, please accept my apology if this post comes across as a rant possibly, because it's not. I'm simply confused as to how the heck they reached that number, and I would really like to get a hold of, or see a more detailed breakdown of it all, with all the specifics if at all possible, or whatever it is they do to come up that number, but I'm sure that will never happen.

Anyway, I agree with Phil @hickslawns , this is not good news for the state in my opinion. If fact, I call BS on it and ask kindly to prove it please.
 
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Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,178
178
Mohicanish
That's not good. New record combined with widespread EHD? We know the state figures herd numbers based upon tags filled. They will increase bag limits based on hitting the higher harvest total.

Sad thing is: did we harvest more because we were shooting smaller/younger deer in order to fill the freezer? That would be my guess. Our EHD year and the following year I saw a lot of tiny bodied deer. Dumber than a bag of hammers because they didn't have Momma to show them the way. Easy pickings if you like 75# deer.
I know around the farm we didn't hear much shooting, but i know the trend is towards bowhunting more and more but still....

My brother and i did notice that the deer shot were smaller overall. A few years ago we were shooting big momma does, this year the does weren't much bigger than the buttons.
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
The other items I have to add as to why I say I find the number hard to believe is the fact that the rifle seasons of today within all the areas I've hunted this year, which are of the same as a decade ago plus beyond, in comparison of the two different years/seasons, they are so completely the opposite from each other, from my recollection, it's not even funny. For instance, 10 years ago, while driving to any of my hunting locations, I would see hunters and hunter vehicles all along the roads and farms pretty much all over the place during the gun week, and in comparison to this past year, and the year before as well, from what I observed during gun week, I heard hardly any shots happening anywhere, including here at home, which is a real big comparison difference between the two. A decade ago, nearly the whole entire week during primetimes, it always sounded like a war zone was in the area. Today, I hardly see and/or hear hunters anywhere verses a decade ago, seriously. Back then, I would bump into a hunter almost anywhere, including the woods during those past hunting seasons.

So, I don't know how the heck they are coming up with that number, I've been paying attention to this kind of stuff for a long time too. They got me stumped. IDK, they lost me.

Also, please accept my apology if this post comes across as a rant possibly, because it's not. I'm simply confused as to how the heck they reached that number, and I would really like to get a hold of, or see a more detailed breakdown of it all, with all the specifics if at all possible, or whatever it is they do to come up that number, but I'm sure that will never happen.

Anyway, I agree with Phil @hickslawns , this is not good news for the state in my opinion. If fact, I call BS on it and ask kindly to prove it please.

From my experience being back into hunting heavily since 2017, I have not seen an up tic in archery hunters in the surrounding, or even on the same properties I hunt. In fact, that number has also gone down, slightly.

I am being dead serious about the state prove their case because I'm just not seeing it the way they are presenting it. It just isn't. I welcome to be proven wrong about it as well.

Just wanted to throw that out there, thanks!
 
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Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,078
118
As Denny said.... Bullshit... Hunting is big business... Deer kill numbers are fudged... EHD numbers high... Less hunters... Little shooting heard... Hunters seeing less deer...
If you believe the deer kill is up.... Then I got a bridge to sell you.... In the end it's all about the $$$$$$$$....
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,840
247
I believe the harvest number completely.

Denny, you saw less deer and still managed to kill what? 3? I’m what I consider the best years for seeing deer (mid1990s), we were only allowed two tags. Muzzleloaders did not fire half the time nor were they accurate at 200 yards. Crossbows were utilized but certainly not like they are today. You could probably count the number of people hunting over bait and not get to 100 statewide. Sunday hunting was illegal- effectively cutting days afield in half for a lot of sportsmen. Youth season did not exist. Gun season was six days long and a shotgun capable of accuracy beyond 100 yards was fairly rare.

Things are way different today. We kill a higher percentage of deer now than ever, I’m certain. If we once harvested 20% with the equipment and opportunity provided, what percentage of the total population do you think is now harvested? It’s got to be higher… no reason to believe the ODOW is fudging any harvest numbers.
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
I believe the harvest number completely.

Denny, you saw less deer and still managed to kill what? 3? I’m what I consider the best years for seeing deer (mid1990s), we were only allowed two tags. Muzzleloaders did not fire half the time nor were they accurate at 200 yards. Crossbows were utilized but certainly not like they are today. You could probably count the number of people hunting over bait and not get to 100 statewide. Sunday hunting was illegal- effectively cutting days afield in half for a lot of sportsmen. Youth season did not exist. Gun season was six days long and a shotgun capable of accuracy beyond 100 yards was fairly rare.

Things are way different today. We kill a higher percentage of deer now than ever, I’m certain. If we once harvested 20% with the equipment and opportunity provided, what percentage of the total population do you think is now harvested? It’s got to be higher… no reason to believe the ODOW is fudging any harvest numbers.

Two [2] - a doe and a buck, which would equate to the second least amount of deer I've harvested throughout all the years I hunted in Ohio, and I purposely bought three [Either Sex] tags prior, before the season began, and did not fill the third. I did not put forth nearly the same level of effort to fill it either, but that's beside the point.

I am so glad that you joined in on the conversation, thank you! Because of who you are, and with your knowledge, experience and all the other wonderful things about you that I highly respect and appreciate. The pleasure of meeting you face to face was all mine too!

Honesty, with today's technology, I have to believe that those in the 'know' . . . 'know' all too well, exactly all the details, or have the book report of it somewhere with all the 'who', 'what' 'where', and the 'how's, etc, etc, etc . . . , and based on this news story shared, it is of my opinion that they must not be afield much of anywhere in my neck of the woods because I'm just not seeing it here or throughout my travels, and casually interacting with other hunters, or folks involved within the industry, so I am equating more than just what I've actually seen when I made my statement.

Also, for those that do not know me, and honestly, you can take it or leave it, but I am being as forthright and honest about what I have observed during my time hunting this past few years/seasons, which in a way, I kind of do see myself as an outsider trying to peek in all the time because this topic does interests me quite a bit, especially since I have been back into hunting regularly.

So, thank you very much, Brock, for taking the time to respond! I very much appreciate it and hope that others will also join in and perhaps tell us what they experienced, or think/believe also.
 
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Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
Nearly every hunter i know kills 2 deer a year and a big number of those are xbows. Alot of folks are done before the shooting starts. I think hunter participation is down around here somewhat but the kill numbers arent with more tags available with less competion vs years ago. I might live in a bubble but we are approaching glory day deer herd numbers. I thought the same thing 3 or 4 years ago of baby deer making baby deer but its turned the corner. I see summer time farmers hunting again if we dont step it up next year.
 
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LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,505
127
The woods
Someone do the leg work, but I believe the # of deer tags sold are going up. Deer hunting, particularly bow hunting popularity is surging. Its now a cool thing to do. I see a ton of hunters, more then ever in my area. Everyone with 1/2 acre has a ground blind and corn pile set behind their house. Their cell camera tells them exactly when to hunt. I bought a cell cam for the first time ever last year and know how effective they are at putting you on a deer. believe the kill numbers are up, but it certainly isn't because there are any more deer. There are more people trying to kill them and they are a hell of a lot more effective. I also believe that the kill could go up every year while still being less deer every year. The missing metric is the effort each hunter had to invest in amount of hours in stand to kill said deer. The reasonable solution would be to shorten seasons and reduce bag limits to adjust for these things. Or better yet outlaw baiting. But none of that will happen. They will use dead deer as the reason to make even more dead deer.
 
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ThatBuckeyeGuy

Active Member
986
46
Ohio
I can easily say it's bs for my area when solely thinking of just the area I hunt . However it is just that , the area. I see way fewer hunters and way less deer. However one thing I pay attention to is how no deer or turkey can be seen on one set of property for years even well managed and then see an insane amount annually on a heavily hunted area 5 miles down the road. I truly believe it's area specific , that goes for the amount of game and the amount of hunters . One town everyone and their brother hunts, two towns over they may know of a guy that they heard possibly hunts. Farm land and woods don't stretch for miles like the used to. It's very broken up compared to the 90s. Part of the reason I seldom rabbit hunt anymore. Alot of fence rows and brush fields are long gone and replaced with houses through out the state. One woodlot no longer houses deer because of the impacted surroundings while others are packed due to no better options of travel for the local herd. Just my two pennies
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
As Denny said.... Bullshit... Hunting is big business... Deer kill numbers are fudged... EHD numbers high... Less hunters... Little shooting heard... Hunters seeing less deer...
If you believe the deer kill is up.... Then I got a bridge to sell you.... In the end it's all about the $$$$$$$$....
Are you hunting ohio now? Or is this just based on what you read here?