ODNR field survey

[whack]

Conversely you should see the number of Ohio tags in wv during gun season since you can play with high powered rifles in our state and we have over 3.5 times the amount of NR hunters in wv versus Ohio. 1 of 3 hunters in wv is a NR.

 

[whack]

I am gonna sit this out seriously. Like I said wont be well received. I typically just end up donating money to your dnr since I'm holding out for higher quality deer in Ohio and the NR's I know are the same as me. Like I said they wanna screw with the NR stuff I'll quit donating my $151 every year.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Like I said they wanna screw with the NR stuff I'll quit donating my $151 every year.

And you'll be one of the few who stops doing so...

I don't have a problem with people coming from out state and IMO, neither should you. I open my farm up to a WV hunter and says he would be more than willing to pay whatever it takes to get away from the "brown and down, kill anything with antlers" mentality that is so prevalent in WV. The issue lies in how our DNR's manage our deer herds. In WV, you can play with rifles and kill a truckload of deer, so that makes it an appetizing trip for NR hunters looking for something different to fill their freezers. Here in Ohio, we are the "mecca" of big deer and that brings more and more people in each year. Difference is, our resources are severely undervalued here. Compare our NR fees to similar trophy states and it is obvious that we are the biggest value in the country when it comes to trophy hunting. All I have ever asked is for our DNR to value our resources appropriately and they have yet to do that. So when they finally do, I say "good riddance" to those that think they are getting screwed because in reality, it is still a bargain to come here and hunt even if we double NR fees...

 

[whack]

I don't have a problem with people coming from out state and IMO, neither should you.

So when they finally do, I say "good riddance" to those that think they are getting screwed because in reality, it is still a bargain to come here and hunt even if we double NR fees...

I have zero issues with people coming to wv to hunt and I am we'll aware of what the attraction is. As far as I'm concerned they have as much right to hunt here as I do. I just find the issue of how many nr hunters are in Ohio amusing since in reality there aren't many over there.

Well you just may get to say good riddance to me if you get your wish. As far as I'm concerned the other states are out of line Ohio has it right but there is always Missouri and Kentucky.

 

[Jackalope]

33% of the harvest statewide comes from Public land.

Of that 33% killed on public land.
36% was by landowners
14% by Non residents.
50% by residents who don't own land.


Percent of county harvest killed on public land.

Monroe 37%
Washington 39%
Meigs 45%
Gallia 37%
Scioto 36%


As you can see the public land is getting pounded. But. Only 5% of each county harvest is killed by a NR.. Lawrence county NR harvest is 16%, Athens, 15% and PIke, Morgan, Adams at 14%

In 2011-12, landowners accounted for nearly half of the reported harvest from Meigs County. Washington, Monroe, Gallia, and Scioto counties rounded out the top five and ranged from 39% to 36% of the total reported harvest.


So Jesse seeing all of those trucks then looking at the numbers can only mean one thing.. Take away their rifle and give them a bow People from WV suck at hunting Ohio Deer. lmao just kidding.. Odds are they have a smaller harvest footprint but a higher buck kill as they're holding out. Either way it should be raised. $151 a year to hunt ohio is crazy. In other comparable states you can't even buy a tag for that. It is true that some NR will stop coming to ohio. However If you double the fee you would have to loose 50% of them before you see a financial loss. I don't think that's likely.

 

[whack]

Good info jackalope. I guess where I am going to have a varying idea from everyone else here is the value of the deer. Basically I am paying $151 for 1 deer for a few dollars more you can kill multiple deer in wv and 3 of em can be bucks even for nr. Hell I think our nr and in state tags are too high. Wv went through this a few years ago and raised nr fees and didn't see the raise in income they wanted so guess who got it next. Residents. I now pay nearly double to kill the same amount of deer yes again I realize wv and oh aren't offering the same hunting they are opposites quantity vs quality. Do I think $151 is cheap yes would I pay $300 no. My top dollar will be about $225 -250 and at that cost I won't hunt wv anymore and just kill more does in Ohio for freezer meat. Everything is typically about the money with state programs so where will the biggest lift come if they want more money? Residents at nearly a quarter of a million resident hunters they will get more income by raising resident fees by $25 than doubling the nr fees. You also gotta look at what a lot of nr are bringing to the state revenue for hotels, diners, and grocery stores. And they provide over $5million dollars to the state of Ohio on nr fees all while only taking a fraction of the resources(deer). Basically we are donating to your dnr for the opportunity at a nice buck. This is my last post on this. Promise.

 

[jagermeister]

Just for contrast, I just paid $185 to hunt waterfowl and small game in North Dakota. In my opinion, North Dakota is to waterfowl as Ohio is to whitetails... And we're still much cheaper than $185. NR's should have to pay close to $200 to hunt deer in Ohio....

 

[bowhunter1023]

We could argue the "value" until we are both blue in the face and neither one of us will be converts at the end of the day. I spend most of my week in WV and have for 6+ years, not to mention I live 5 minutes from the river. I'm not your average Ohio Huckleberry when it comes to sizing up the two perceived values. I'll maintain that one great buck here out-values 3 "WV average" bucks any day of the week. Unless you go the mountains or bow hunting only counties, the river bottoms of Jackson County, or you have a honey hole somewhere, the quality is just not there. And with quality, comes value. And with quality and value, comes a raise in cost.

So if we raise fees and you go to KY and MO out of spite, what becomes of the additional cost in fuel and such? If we double ours, you'll spend more on gas JUST getting to MO than what it would cost to still drive across the river and hunt. Same for KY unless you live in a few select counties, which I gather you do not.

You place a certain value on the chance to hunt Ohio. Other WV hunters I know, would pay what it takes to come here. I have a value in my mind that differs from yours and that of the DNR as it stands. It is cliche, but fitting: It is what it is!

 

[Beentown]

My take is this...if you are not willing to pay more than $150 to hunt Ohio deer (our bucks) then you aren't spending that much in the State anyway. Raise the fees closer with Iowa and Illinois. We need to value our resource the same as everyone else.

 

[whack]

Address a couple things pointed at me. Cost to go to ky or mo gas wise is $0 for me. Lodging in ky is free due to friends that live there. I actually spend more driving to Ohio since I use my expedition instead of my company vehicle. I can virtually see Ohio from my house so no I don't spend that much in the state. It's a great value for me since I live so close and get to hunt it a lot. I would spend the lodging money in mo just to get the true Midwest experience. Se Ohio is not quite the same as out there. As far as what I would pay I said 250 that's what I pay now between wv & oh and take 6 deer a yr I would just not hunt wv anymore and take my 6 from Ohio since I am legally allowed to do so. I would finally get my money's worth in Ohio.

My position is this I think the nominal value on deer is too high everywhere for the majority. I think Ohio has it right. If we are just charging a nominal value wv should raise its fees due to ease of taking game; more deer, long gun seasons, liberal limits and use of high powered rifles. There is a way to justify and excuse everything doesn't make it right.

IMO Ohio should be applauded for being reasonable for nr hunters an example of high quality deer that's not price gouging hunters. Lottery system and raising fees won't grow the herd. Lowering bag limits will and as the reports show the nr isn't the ones taking advantage of the higher bag limits anyway. Simply raising rates to be like Iowa or Illinois is not a good enough reason in my book.

Sorry couldn't help myself

 

[bowhunter1023]

Oh don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with herd management for me. I'm fully aware the overall NR impact on the numbers is minimal. It is purely about the value of the resource. What happens to the extra money is of no real concern as long as it is used in a prudent manner. Raising the fees will have little impact on numbers and I realize that...

 

[Lundy]

Whack, with all respect hunters are not looking at the financial gain to the ODNR from non resident hunters.

They are looking at the all of the non resident license plates on trucks parked where they would like to hunt.

They believe that one of the reasons the public lands are so crowded is due to the low cost for a non resident to hunt deer in Ohio.

Considering the quality of the deer hunting in Ohio, the limited public hunting lands and the number of hunters trying to utilize these lands I agree with most hunters that our fees are way too low.

These hunters, for the most part, I think would like to see the fees (commensurate with the quality) raised to a point to where many non residents, that do not value the quality, would decide to hunt in KY or TN or anywhere but Ohio.

The ODNR might miss the money but resident hunters that hunt public lands or hunters that loose private land to a non resident lease view if differently I believe.

 

[Buckslayer]

I have been on two SLC leases, and on both the majority of the hunters are non residents. I see much more non resident activity in my area than resident. Both on private and public land.

Jackalope, do you have the public land harvest percentage for jackson county?

 

[whack]

I've hunted public land in the last 2 years in Ohio and the only nr tags I have seen there is mine. During the bow season when I was there mine were the only tags there period. Now I do spend more of my time on private but the two spots I randomly chose had zero pressure until the late muzzleloader season then the only other folks there were locals.

Not saying anyone is lying just sharing my experience and I was fully anticipating it be over ran from all I had heard.

 

[Jackalope]

.


It baffles me how Ohio values one of it's bucks at $24 to a non resident.

But turns right around and values that same deer at $30,000 to a poacher based on the trophy scale fine.


I'm in no way comparing NR hunters poachers.. I'm just making a "value" observation. The DNR says that deer are a natural resource and belong to residents of Ohio. If a poacher takes the buck from us the trophy cost of that resource is 30,000. If a non resident takes that same deer from us the cost is only $24. That makes no sense.







I also don't by in to the "Non residents spend money in Ohio"

Really? I bought my truck, bow, broadheads, camo, grunt call, ice chest, bow rope, stand, tires, and virtually everything else i use for hunting right here in Ohio.. A NR brought all that with him on a trailer. 28 guys from this site drove to Strouds Run two weeks ago and stayed three days. The food was purchased in Ohio, not brought in a ice chest. We paid Cabin and campground fees just like a NR would. We got cookies and dip at local gas stations just like NR would. Resident hunters spend probably 20x what a NR does. So I don't think it's too much to ask when we say "Do you want a chance at a trophy ohio deer? Well that buck tag costs $200" Not a bad deal IMO

 

[whack]

On top of the $125 I'm already paying? No thanks. It's not worth the 20-30" of extra horn I might get in Ohio vs wv. I will however pay my 125 + $15 a doe tag fill my freezer and let them go on my farm in wv. The additional 155 - 185 on killing up to 5 more does is worth it plus doubling my stand time since we can't hunt Sundays here.

 

[Jackalope]

On top of the $125 I'm already paying? No thanks. It's not worth the 20-30" of extra horn I might get in Ohio vs wv. I will however pay my 125 + $15 a doe tag fill my freezer and let them go on my farm in wv. The additional 155 - 185 on killing up to 5 more does is worth it plus doubling my stand time since we can't hunt Sundays here.

Lol. So you think deer in Ohio are on average only 20-30 inches bigger than WV? I think the record books disagree.

 

[Milo]

On top of the $125 I'm already paying? No thanks. It's not worth the 20-30" of extra horn I might get in Ohio vs wv. I will however pay my 125 + $15 a doe tag fill my freezer and let them go on my farm in wv. The additional 155 - 185 on killing up to 5 more does is worth it plus doubling my stand time since we can't hunt Sundays here.

when the hell is west virgina gonna get rid of that law?

 

[whack]

Lol. So you think deer in Ohio are on average only 20-30 inches bigger than WV? I think the record books disagree.

10 years ago no now yes we have much better bucks on our wv farm chasing a 140+ in wv we only 1 on cam that size in Ohio the nice bucks on our farm are running 100-120" on average and 120-150 in Ohio. The record books aren't even close I will agree but the part of Ohio we hunt is by no means the big buck capital of Ohio.

I'm only comparing the land I hunt in each state.

 

[whack]

when the hell is west virgina gonna get rid of that law?

Beats me wish they would hurry the hell up