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And the survey says??????

dbltree

dbltree

Super Moderator
I know we have a long wait before all the surveys are in concerning our deer population. Which also means we have a while before we find out if we're able to drop extra seasons, try and continue them or try other new ideas.
Just wondering what everybody is seeing for themselves? Now that season is over are you seeing less, the same or more deer then last year at this time?
In my home area I would say it's about the same as last year. No more or no less, which means there is still a very high deer population.
All of my nieghbors killed about the same number of deer as they always do. No one that I know personally, hunted during the last week when they could use rifles. Some people did hunt the first weekend of the late season and took a couple does.
There are no outfitters or leased land in my immediate area mostly farmers who hunt their own ground with family and friends. I have noticed that several people have just quit hunting altogether for whatever reasons.
What any of us see or don't see, won't be apart of any "formal" surveys that the DNR uses to determine the herd population...so this is just a curiosity thing.
What does your deer "survey" say???
 
I personally think A LOT of deer were harvested this year. I think we will break the old record by 15 to 20 thousand deer!
 
I think bow and muzzleloader harvest will be up, but overall the deer harvest for the year will be dissapointing because of the brutal weather during first shotgun.
 
I talked to a DNR employee two days ago concerning our decrease in population. I have been seeing less and less deer each year. Well the DNR confirmed my observations. Our county deer numbers (DNR aerial surveys) are down 40% from 2001 to 2005. He also said the same was true for our surrounding counties (down 30-40%). We still have a few safe zones (private land and refuges) with too many deer. DNR is talking about letting bowhunters in a couple of the refuges next year. Other than in a few the safe zones we need to slow down the doe harvest in my area (NW Iowa).
 
Numbers seem to down quite a bit around my farm.I know there were LOTS of deer harvested in the area and it shows.
Shotgunners took a tremendous toll on the herd.If this keeps up....things will be slim for at least a few years.
 
I didn't hunt shotgun this year but, the group I normally hunt with did horrible second season. All of the other groups in Jones Co that I know didn't do so well either first or second season.
 
I am with you Captain. Numbers are down in NE Iowa Significantly. There have been some groups go through the area where my family hunts that have been ruthless. If it is brown its down. I think that the land owners should be a little more selective about who they let hunt...it is their land however. For what it is worth the DNR could be a little more selective about their quotas.
 
For the last couple of years, the shotgun groups hunting around our land have killed a huge amount of deer. One group killed over 30 last year alone. This year close to the same. Brown was most definately down!
I disagree with the amount of deer being killed in "some" areas, such as our area in Delaware county. Just my opinion.....but I like seeing deer everytime I hunt. When I grew up in the 70's, that was a rare thing for sure.
 
I have also noticed that the deer population has been down on the property I hunt, which is 1200 acres. About three years ago it was not uncommon for me to see 15-20 deer in one setting, however, this year the most deer I saw in one hunt was 10 deer. That was the MOST! I think the the overpopulation "theory" has been blown way out of proportion. Just my opinion.....
 
Some areas they seem down, others they don't.
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We had a fresh snow in SE Iowa just prior to 1st gun season.

The deer got hammered! One group in my area killed 111.

The only time I have ever witnessed an overpopulation problem in this state was when a buddy of mine took me on a little drive through a state park!
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Amen, Amen, the deer numbers are down, except for certain problem areas. If we don't start sqwaking now to the legislature, the great Iowa deer hunting we know of will be done and gone. Write these comments your posting to your legislators.

Tracy
 
Here's a link to how the IDNR does surveys to determine our deer population.
http://www.iowadnr.com/wildlife/files/drmany.html
I wonder if the insurance lobby agrees with either the DNR or hunters...or if they will EVER be satisfied?
All the more reason to let our thoughts be known to our legislators, otherwise it will be assumed that "the only good deer is a dead one".
 
Ghost, that's where I see it also. Even the deer that are within city limits get smart enough to go deeper into properties where they can't get any pressure on them. Do you think it would be that hard for the people selling the ELSI tickets to record what people have harvested while they wait for more tickets to print out? Add another dollar to the tags for recording fee's or something.....
 
I have said for several years the deer in my area are way down. I had bow, both muzzle loader, 2nd shotgun and late season tags and personally managed to kill 3 of the 6 total deer that I saw. I know that may seem a little far fetched to some but that is all that I saw while hunting. On a good note there were 3 in the apple trees this morning at dawn.
 
I agree, populations seem to be down in some of the areas that I hunt. On the other hand, it is much more difficult to measure things with these warm temps. There are usually large herds of deer yarded up and out feeding during daylight at this time in January. With the warm temps, deer don't seem to be concentrated and don't seem to be as visible feeding during daylight.
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This was one of the worst years I've had...Deer numbers seem down in my area too. Plus I used to enjoy hunting the late season BTW (used to be a very solitude hunt) Everytime I went out someone was in the same general area, deer were very spooky and I did not see one mature buck.
I personally am tired of the late season rush on does! I wish we could kill them earlier in the regular seasons.

Sorry about the rant

Pupster
 
In my area,SE, Wapello County, I hunted 14 days, morn and eve, during prime rut, Nov time and saw 4 does, 6 bucks, 2 close to mature. Definately not alot of does, and not overpopoulated with deer in my estimation. I have made my observations know to several in Legislature. I did receive two answers in letter form, thanking me for my input.
 
I would say it is about the same around me, I drive home every night and see 100+ deer in 8 miles and on two of the farms I hunt I didn't see as many deer this year, but I think they weren't moving as well also due to the warm daytime temps, I think the deer were very nocturnal during the rut. However, my trailcam and the herd of 25 I saw last week while setting it up tells me that the deer are still there. However, I dont' really think the farms I hunt are overpopulated, just populated. If it were up to me I wouldn't change a thing, however in the areas where I am seeing 100+, well they just need to let me in there for a few years

KRatz
 
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