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Post by windingwinds on Dec 16, 2014 21:31:20 GMT -5
What would lowering county quota's to 3 or 4 do? Hasn't it been established that most hunters kill one or maybe two deer? Again I've read several posts on here about guys complaining about lack of deer but still say they killed one or two doe off their property. Stop killing the doe if you aren't seeing many deer. Yes even one. Woody seriously are you even going to go there with two bucks. Next you'll want the second to be crossbow only. Well lowering to a 3 (like Miami County) removes the second gun season. So that will see my husband going to Kosciusko County instead of home for a doe in the super late season. Now we only average 1-2 total deer harvested here, but that's not because we don't try. (I just hate cold weather) Removing the second gun season also helps bucks whom have dropped antlers. Now some would still shoot a buck with no antlers with archery, but being closer range you are more likely to identify a buck (and make that choice). As to the whole overharvesting issue, at my home it's overcrowding issue. Most of us are on smaller acreages. Genetics, herd management, and other QDMA terms do not apply here. We just work hard at being deer friendly. And are happy when we harvest one, doe or buck. I still prefer it to public hunting, but with the Nickel Plate Trail it's a similar experience. Least so far no one is using my tree stand. I feel the DNR is handling my county adequately.
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Post by voodoofire1 on Dec 16, 2014 21:32:06 GMT -5
I live in southern Wells county, all the proof I need is based on what I've seen and heard in hunting this area for the past 18 years, use to be nothing to see 10-15 each day, this year I've seen 3 deer all year, not just during hunting season mind you, but all year long, last year I saw only 2 all year, 2012 I saw but 1 doe and a fawn......the really bad part of this is that I live in the woods, 2 ponds and a creek that butts up to the Salamonie river, I bought this place 9 years ago not only for a beautiful, peaceful place to live, but for the hunting opportunities it afforded my family in the 9 years before we moved here.....I am out in these woods each and every day, and what I've seen with my own eyes cannot be disputed by someone in a fancy office or written down by someone who has never been here or seen the decline.....I could be wrong though, maybe Aliens came down and sucked up the deer.....but it seems the fellas in our local archery league who bragged about shooting 7-8 deer a year and giving them away, don't have much to brag about anymore, because they too are now lucky to just see a deer let alone shoot one......And few public hunting lands??...Seriously?? What about Mississinewa, Salamonie, and Roush? Is there any chance at all once you moved there and as you state "you're in the woods nearly every day" had any adverse affects on sightings as well? Has the woods changed from thick understory to mature forest canopy and choked out cover? I believe everything you're saying and the answers the questions above may confirm it, but if not then perhaps not everything is because of others over harvesting...land characteristics change, land use changes, neighboring use and pressure changes can have big impacts. I like you thought do as I've shared feel some people desperately needs to rethink the amount of does they take. When we first moved in here, they had just stopped letting quads in the woods the year before, there were many mature trees then but a storm the second years broke and toppled a few of them opening up the canopy, now there is pretty thick understory where there was just bare ground, so the deer have more cover than they did then, my biggest pond is in the upper middle of the wooded area here, and it has a nice wide trail around it that is groomed, wide enough to drive a golf cart comfortably, I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent sitting and watching the critters in the woods from the edge of the trail, I also have a trad archery 3-d course through the woods which I leave natural as possible and use it once or twice a week, if you could see this place you would understand much better than I can explain it, I've been a lifelong hunter and try and keep this place as critter friendly and natural as possible.......I do not allow anyone to hunt these woods although I have been known to remove a few of the many squirrels here.....deer are welcome here and not harassed,chased or threatened in any way, but I would not rule out harvesting 1 or 2 if there were enough to support it, but there just aren't any here anymore........
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Post by parrothead on Dec 17, 2014 6:48:19 GMT -5
I deer hunt everyday and have missed one day in 15 years and spend around 600 hours in the woods a year deer hunting. 5 years ago it was the norm for me to see 300 plus deer in Switzerland/Jefferson Co. hunting weekends and holidays. I will be luck to see 100 this year. Opening morning of gun would normally be over 300 shots between 7-11 this year 160. Less deer on cameras and less deer seen.
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Post by familytradition on Dec 17, 2014 10:54:54 GMT -5
I propose a two doe limit, state wide, per hunter...not per county. If you hunt a property that needs more does removed, bring in another hunter, or two, or three. How's that grab ya? I love this. I know I would be more prone to bring friends if I had way too many deer instead of far too few.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 17, 2014 11:07:46 GMT -5
I propose a two doe limit, state wide, per hunter...not per county. If you hunt a property that needs more does removed, bring in another hunter, or two, or three. How's that grab ya? I love this. I know I would be more prone to bring friends if I had way too many deer instead of far too few. I would be all for this...as most people/hunters/landowners have smaller sections of ground anyways. I would allow landowners of more than 100acres or so have chance to request for more tags. Otherwise I'm a fan and would be fine with it.
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Post by jjas on Dec 17, 2014 11:26:57 GMT -5
metamorhunter
While I don't necessarily disagree with what you are saying, let me make three points......
1. The state wants the herd reduced.
2. The vast majority of hunters kill 0-2 deer now.
3. The late antler less season is the DNR's way to be able to add/subtract "gun days" without public input and all the drama that goes along with it and I don't seem them ever doing away with that.
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Post by jjas on Dec 17, 2014 11:27:10 GMT -5
I deleted a double post.
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Post by chubwub on Dec 17, 2014 13:36:51 GMT -5
I propose a two doe limit, state wide, per hunter...not per county. If you hunt a property that needs more does removed, bring in another hunter, or two, or three. How's that grab ya? That would actually require people to be generous with their resources, cooperate with each other, develop the spirit of hunting camaraderie with their peers and make deer hunting a social, family and community thing once again. We absolutely cannot stand for that kind of nonsense!!!
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Post by parrothead on Dec 17, 2014 13:39:08 GMT -5
Could just go back to the day when what was it you had to own 15 acres to get a doe tag. Anyone else remember that. Must of been in the 90s
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Post by 10point on Dec 17, 2014 13:48:25 GMT -5
Could just go back to the day when what was it you had to own 15 acres to get a doe tag. Anyone else remember that. Must of been in the 90s I don't ever remember that. Had to be before the 90's. I do remember you used to have to apply for a doe permit and so many were given out per county.
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Post by parrothead on Dec 17, 2014 13:59:44 GMT -5
I got out of college in 94. It could of been going on before 94 but I remember it after 94. I didn't get to hunt in college because of basketball.
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Post by beermaker on Dec 17, 2014 14:18:10 GMT -5
When I started hunting in 1989, a person had to enter a drawing for an antlerless tag by county.
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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 17, 2014 16:56:39 GMT -5
When I started hunting in 1989, a person had to enter a drawing for an antlerless tag by county. That is probably correct. I believe it was in the mind 90s when the DBR wanted to get the herd down and sold them over the counter by so many per county. Some counties got more than others. BUT - one could buy as many as they wanted.. I recall driving by the Boonville Walmart very early opening morning and there was a big line waiting to get in to buy doe tags. Not sure when the state started the buy as many as you want and can fill them in any and all counties..
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Post by M4Madness on Dec 17, 2014 17:18:05 GMT -5
I started hunting in 1995, and we had to stand in a long line at Spring Mill State park to get a slip of paper that was to be presented to a retailer in order to purchase a doe tag. Without that paper, no doe tag. You were allowed to go back once day to get another slip until supplies ran out. One year, I got 10 of them -- and, no, I didn't buy that many doe tags. LOL!
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Post by subzero350 on Dec 17, 2014 18:00:03 GMT -5
That would actually require people to be generous with their resources... Let me know when you find such people. We've got people up here in our neck of the woods who own 100+ acre plots and won't let anyone besides themselves hunt it (not even their own family members!).
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Post by span870 on Dec 17, 2014 18:03:05 GMT -5
I propose a two doe limit, state wide, per hunter...not per county. If you hunt a property that needs more does removed, bring in another hunter, or two, or three. How's that grab ya? That would actually require people to be generous with their resources, cooperate with each other, develop the spirit of hunting camaraderie with their peers and make deer hunting a social, family and community thing once again. We absolutely cannot stand for that kind of nonsense!!! Its an Indiana thing. I know so many guys in Pennsylvania that own land that if you were to knock on their doors be polite and presentable would let you hunt. Heck I know several that have other hunters hunting their land and they don't even hunt it. They prefer to hunt up in the mountains at camp. Its the mentality here. In the Midwest people seem to view it as more than just a deer. But its that way with everything it seems. Ive taken many guys to the farm i hunt for deer. My only rule is, you take me to your spots ill never go without you, i expect the same of you in my spots. I've all but begged for someone to the take me out duck and goose hunting using my decoys and blinds. Not one. I gave up. I wasn't raised that way. Whether it was deer. Birds, rabbits, whatever. You wanna hunt. Come on. Its a shame.
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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 17, 2014 18:19:01 GMT -5
That would actually require people to be generous with their resources, cooperate with each other, develop the spirit of hunting camaraderie with their peers and make deer hunting a social, family and community thing once again. We absolutely cannot stand for that kind of nonsense!!! Its an Indiana thing. I know so many guys in Pennsylvania that own land that if you were to knock on their doors be polite and presentable would let you hunt. Heck I know several that have other hunters hunting their land and they don't even hunt it. They prefer to hunt up in the mountains at camp. Its the mentality here. In the Midwest people seem to view it as more than just a deer. But its that way with everything it seems. Ive taken many guys to the farm i hunt for deer. My only rule is, you take me to your spots ill never go without you, i expect the same of you in my spots. I've all but begged for someone to the take me out duck and goose hunting using my decoys and blinds. Not one. I gave up. I wasn't raised that way. Whether it was deer. Birds, rabbits, whatever. You wanna hunt. Come on. Its a shame. You learned that from a great, giving man. He taught you well.... I can see him in some of your posts...
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Post by throbak on Dec 17, 2014 18:20:10 GMT -5
The big diff in Pennsylvania is 4,000,000 Land
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Post by span870 on Dec 17, 2014 18:40:30 GMT -5
The big diff in Pennsylvania is 4,000,000 Land Don't see what that has to do with anything. Apples to oranges, they have 3x's the hunters. Hunting is steeped more into their heritage. The aspect of its just a deer. You do realize just in hnf land in Indiana you have over 200,000 acres. Its the mindset of they are my deer. If you take the number of deer hunters compared to land we have I'd venture to say we have more average per hunter. This isn't counting f&w areas either.
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Post by span870 on Dec 17, 2014 19:02:25 GMT -5
That he definitely was Woody. He showed me the love of watching someone kill something. Taking someone out and letting them take the animal. The last hint we went on was our Wyoming hunt. He bedded the deer down. Didn't shoot. Went and got me. Put me in a spot and him and two of the outfitters pushed that buck to me. He ended up scoring just shy of 170. How many guys you know that would do that, non the less on a $4000 hunt? He went home empty handed. That stuck with me and I try to repay every chance I get.
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