What About Your Dream

[G6]

Honestly what did we expect would happen by pounding does year after year after year after year? If we keep it up, it will get worse each year with lower deer number sightings, there will be a younger age group of does that most likely will only have 1 fawn and simply less bucks. I have seen it first hand in the ammuntion plant. We used to see 20 deer a sit on a late season hunt, now if you see 2-3 a sit that is a dang good night. I know the state will end up like this for the majority of it that gets good hunting pressure. I have seen a lot of folks simply give up hunting there due to the lack of deer sightings. Most people are too lazy to hunt if it is going to be tough for them to find a deer.

Exactly what happened in the Plant and I don't see it changing in there ever again. Hunting outside of there I never saw much around here either and most were the same deer day after day. I think it's time to pull in the reigns on the doe harvest even if the DNR wants to sell the licenses. :thrwrck:

 

[xsnrg]

I am glad to see so many people are starting to realize that maybe we should not kill so many does. The running doe count has always made me a little sick.

 

[jkratz5]

All the responses remind me of IL, we have seen a dramatic reduction in our deer numbers due to poor DNR management. I woudl say most of this stems from the fact that you can shoot as many deer as you please, 2 bucks for the year but you could shoot 100 does if you wanted to buy the permits. We have an over harvest on top of basically unlimited NR tags which are 90% filled by a buck harvest. The hunting is still good but is definitely different than just 5 or 10 years ago.


Kratz

 

[JakeWym]

It is just too bad that the DNR can't make their decisions without having to deal with outside interests. Are they doing what is right for the herd? Or, are they doing what they can to try and keep everyone happy? I know deer sightings where I live are way down. It makes me sick. The gun hunters that I talk to are just as fed up as I am. I know of a few groups that will not shoot any does because of the lack of sightings. Others that I have talked to are going to report their tag as being filled whether they harvest a deer or not. I just think it is crap that insurance companies and other outside groups can have such a huge influence on how the herd is managed.

 

[moosehunter]

As deerhunters we want to see alot of deer but that probably is not realistic anymore. Balancing the herd every year has to be an enormous task, especially with data that I think is suspect at times. I've seen less deer the last few years and others I've talked to in this area have seen less as well. If you assume the level a few years ago was too high then maybe right now it maybe at an exceptable level. I think that's the question now. I know that the DNR want's to get to a level to drop the rifle season, the November season and the January season. That was a stated goal when those seasons were put in place. I worry that with most Government agencies they will be slow to react an keep them in place longer than they need to be.