The Future of Hunting in Ohio

[giles]

I am not trying to talk down to anyone but it seems many people don't understand "proxy hunting or fishing". I found 2 examples from other states.

 

[giles]

Proxy hunters help harvest moose for those who can’t

Alaska Department of Fish & Game sometimes allows people to hunt on behalf of those who may not be physically capable. Listen now

alaskapublic.org

Many of us donate a deer to property owners. As they often love the harvest off their land and just can't do it or done know how. I feel like it would happen even more if it didn't cost the owner a tag.

How many of us give our elder parents/grandparents wild game or fish?

Like all things, it could get abused if you don't regulate the trophy side of it. So something needs regulated with the use of something like this.

 

[giles]

11!!! Wanton waste law!!! I am tired of finding deer with backstraps cut out of them and a missing head.

 

[bowhunter1023]

So i take offense to the ban crossbows portion.

I take offense to the cameras and food plots

Since I'm an offender, here's what I will say in response. Having less hunters in the woods in October and November is a way to help deer #s and buck quality. I think we'd all agree on that. So how do we do that? Limit opportunity and one way to limit opportunity is to change weapon regulations.

When I read your take, I'm empathic because you're my friend and I respect you, your perspectives, and experiences. I see your thoughts and how it affects you, and I say "Dang, I hate to infringe on my buddy Doug." But without that friendship, you become an unfortunate (for you) member of a displaced demographic, which was the goal.

At the end of the day, we can't increase quantity and quality of a baseline without eliminating "waste" and when humans and human experiences are the waste, people are going to be offended. Maintaining the status quo is also offensive.

 

[giles]

You made some suggestions I'd not ever contemplated

I had a minute to go back and really read what all had been said earlier. This struck me as odd. I am curious as to what things I said that I hadn't said before. I know I am of the minority around here of being a meat hunter first. So maybe my thoughts are different. I may have killed more deer the last 10 years than anyone else here. Therfore, my view and list is about quanity over quality. I believe if you want good bucks, grow them. Don't force it on everyone. FFS my dream buck is a 6 point!

 

[Sgt Fury]

Proxy hunters help harvest moose for those who can’t

Alaska Department of Fish & Game sometimes allows people to hunt on behalf of those who may not be physically capable. Listen now

alaskapublic.org

Many of us donate a deer to property owners. As they often love the harvest off their land and just can't do it or done know how. I feel like it would happen even more if it didn't cost the owner a tag.

How many of us give our elder parents/grandparents wild game or fish?

Like all things, it could get abused if you don't regulate the trophy side of it. So something needs regulated with the use of something like this.

I want @Boarhead as my proxy. I’ll mail him my hunting license and when he posts a pic of a buck that is not up to his standards, but is a great deer for me, I’ll text him “send it”. Then when he poses next to the kill for a picture, I can photoshop my face on there.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I had a minute to go back and really read what all had been said earlier. This struck me as odd. I am curious as to what things I said that I hadn't said before. I know I am of the minority around here of being a meat hunter first. So maybe my thoughts are different. I may have killed more deer the last 10 years than anyone else here. Therfore, my view and list is about quanity over quality. I believe if you want good bucks, grow them. Don't force it on everyone. FFS my dream buck is a 6 point!

Primarily the concept of proxy hunter.

 

[reffitt20]

One section of the program I found very interesting was about the actual deer numbers.
-In Ohio do we have a real issue? My take was the two podcasters wanted stuff to change so the age structure improves on their properties.
-I hunt Norwest Ohio and Southeast and this year I have seen more deer than I have for awhile. Seems like the populations doing good in my bubbles.

 

[Hedgelj]

I take offense to the cameras and food plots

Since I'm an offender, here's what I will say in response. Having less hunters in the woods in October and November is a way to help deer #s and buck quality. I think we'd all agree on that. So how do we do that? Limit opportunity and one way to limit opportunity is to change weapon regulations.

When I read your take, I'm empathic because you're my friend and I respect you, your perspectives, and experiences. I see your thoughts and how it affects you, and I say "Dang, I hate to infringe on my buddy Doug." But without that friendship, you become an unfortunate (for you) member of a displaced demographic, which was the goal.

At the end of the day, we can't increase quantity and quality of a baseline without eliminating "waste" and when humans and human experiences are the waste, people are going to be offended. Maintaining the status quo is also offensive.

I don't think my whole complaint came through.

1) Yes I would be affected and i don't like that

2) I think many "hunters" would convert to vertical bows but would lack the ability to effectively harvest animals as they already show lack of ability with a (easier to be proficient) platform. So you'd have even more wounded and unrecovered animals.

A better suggestion is to decrease the length of bow season, they already kill more animals each year so limit the time you can be in the woods hunting = less animals harvested

 

[Hedgelj]

Or.... aren't there states that it counts as a harvest as long as blood is drawn? irregardless of recovery? I think I've seen that on a meateater or similar show.

 

[giles]

Primarily the concept of proxy hunter.

2 years ago I got very sick, it'll change the way a man thinks. To this day I have to be careful about when and where I kill deer. To think I have another 20 years of doing this in me is laughable. I can promise you I will still love venison and walleye long after I can't chase them. So that getting thrown in was a very selfish consideration. I know for a fact that many of you would've gladly taken my tag/tags and fed my family when I couldn't. That was a very depressing battle I had. I am sure we can all think of a time where health has really changed a season or life. I know this probably isn't something a trophy hunter thinks about, but I'm sure they can sympathize with it. Most of us started hunting for the meat. I'm not sharing this for the thought of pulling on feelings around a campfire, this is truth and things we need to consider. Even if you didn't know me, I think we can understand the battle of a retired hunter.

But now that you made me think more about it, mrex also brought up the average age of hunters. That should scare the crap out of many of us. We need to get the ball rolling if we want to continue to eat fish and game. I can't stomach the thought of getting it from the grocery store.

Now I've overthought this for now. Edited my post multiple times and I am speaking from emotions. I need to sleep on it before saying anymore.

 

[StealthHunter32]

2) I think many "hunters" would convert to vertical bows but would lack the ability to effectively harvest animals as they already show lack of ability with a (easier to be proficient) platform. So you'd have even more wounded and unrecovered animals.

A better suggestion is to decrease the length of bow season, they already kill more animals each year so limit the time you can be in the woods hunting = less animals harvested

I’m with you. As it stands now I’d argue that half of the vertical bow hunters that hit the woods even now lack the proficiency needed harvest efficiently.

 

[Jackalope]

I agree that changing ourselves won’t have much affect on the big picture, but what I mean is that we need to adapt to keep enjoying deer hunting or figure out ways to get what we need from our deer hunting under whatever circumstances we face.

I hear you. I quit chasing horns and running 15+ cams for bucks years ago after I realized it sucked the fun out of hunting. In my last few years in Ohio I went in blind and found that I greatly enjoyed hunting again. I've shot a few nice ones in my cam-crazy days, it's just not worth the hassle, stress, and effort. This year I shot a 20-inch public land buck with a crossbow and was tickled pink. I no longer measure my success in inches, but rather my ability to step in unknown timber and still drag out the meat.

 

[StealthHunter32]

One section of the program I found very interesting was about the actual deer numbers.
-In Ohio do we have a real issue? My take was the two podcasters wanted stuff to change so the age structure improves on their properties.
-I hunt Norwest Ohio and Southeast and this year I have seen more deer than I have for awhile. Seems like the populations doing good in my bubbles.

My hunting experiences in west central Ohio are three times better now than they were when I started hunting in 1996. Some of that can be attributed to my knowledge and skill, however, I have no doubt that the numbers are higher now than they were back then.

 

[giles]

My hunting experiences in west central Ohio are three times better now than they were when I started hunting in 1996. Some of that can be attributed to my knowledge and skill, however, I have no doubt that the numbers are higher now than they were back then.

I also started hunting in the 90s of the days of chasing 5 deer around the entire week of gun season. That flatland tundra sure has changed as far as deer. You guys are currently in your good days.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I don't think my whole complaint came through.

1) Yes I would be affected and i don't like that

2) I think many "hunters" would convert to vertical bows but would lack the ability to effectively harvest animals as they already show lack of ability with a (easier to be proficient) platform. So you'd have even more wounded and unrecovered animals.

A better suggestion is to decrease the length of bow season, they already kill more animals each year so limit the time you can be in the woods hunting = less animals harvested

I definitely understood, which is why I said it would be a net increase in deer. Again, it's merely conjecture, but I think more people would stop bowhunting if they couldn't use a crossbow than would contribute to wounded deer. Overall, it's my opinion that the # of people who exit the woods would exceed the # of newly wounded deer, thereby resulting in a net increase in deer.

 

[Hedgelj]

I definitely understood, which is why I said it would be a net increase in deer. Again, it's merely conjecture, but I think more people would stop bowhunting if they couldn't use a crossbow than would contribute to wounded deer. Overall, it's my opinion that the # of people who exit the woods would exceed the # of newly wounded deer, thereby resulting in a net increase in deer.

agree to disagree

i have no faith that people would drop out, they'd just go into the woods with as little effort as they do now

 

[giles]

My argument for crossbows would be that if any restriction was added, it should be that a crossbow needs be traditional. No wheels. It has far more history in bow hunting than any wheeled vertical bow. So let's go traditional with it and no magnifying optics. That's my give being a crossbow hunter. I agree that it has gone too far. I am not in agreement that it needs to go away.

 

["J"]

Technology has made it easier to kill a deer, bottom line. Weather it’s a wheeled vertical bow with cams, or a wheeled horizontal bow with a trigger and optics.
This debate will never end, and always seems to get heated somewhere along the line. The state wants deer dead, licenenses sold and people involved in the process. Whatever nets that will be ok with the state. The only thing that’ll change that is any negatives to stimey that effort.
I don’t see that changing anytime soon in any dramatic scenario….

 

[at1010]

I’m still not sure I follow what the majority is concerned about
1. Deer numbers?
2. Buck quality?
3. In general - access to land both private and/or more public?

maybe another poll for another day but I think it’s extremely hard to come up with regulations around an well specified and defined issue in which we are trying to fix.