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Post by mark on Nov 25, 2007 19:32:55 GMT -5
same here make shoter 1 week would be cool with me. guys are killing biger buck with bow i like it .
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Post by jkd on Nov 25, 2007 21:10:08 GMT -5
I've always argued the bad weather/all-eggs-in-one-basket scenario if you shorten to one week/two weekends, and the possibility of a very low harvest as a result, and all that this would imply for IDNR and population management.
The other downside of a short season is hunter selectivity goes out the window... you think a lot of young deer are getting taken under the current season model... go right ahead and shorten it a week or more and you put hunters, particularly those working folks as per mrfixit's sitrep, in a situation where it's shoot-at-first-sight instead of shoot-or-don't-shoot... you put meat hunters in a scenario where they've only got a couple of days to get their bag limit, and YOU WILL HAVE A WAR ZONE, with guys pushing deer and shooting everything in sight...
I've not taken any deer yet this season, as have yet to see any mature bucks (passed on a fork and a 3x1) and am not ready to shoot does quite yet... more days means more opportunities to be selective about the deer I take... and as Woody points out, the VAST majority of total harvest is taken in the opening weekend and trails off radically after that...
I understand Woody's comment about the whole bow vs. gun thing, but I do think that given the length of bow season, adding a week to gun or mixed gun/muzzy wouldn't be an outragous concept, would open up more hunting opportunities and would not negatively impact the herd... (I hunt all weapons except x-bow, don't have one of those)...
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Post by mrfixit on Nov 26, 2007 6:15:06 GMT -5
I guess I'm just gettin' old or something. I'm getting tired of this huge 3 week rush rush push push etc. around a major holiday every year. I'm ready for a more laid back approach to deer hunting. A man shouldn't have to choose between his family and deer hunting. Just ask my EX-wife and she will tell you the same LOL. I guess now that I'm older I kinda understand what she was saying and if I put myself in her shoes becoming a widow for 2.5 months outa the year had to have sucked big time! Deer hunting to me is becoming more of a time to be away rather than a time for a slaughter. One positive thing about the OBR is that it has forced me to be way more selective and I've quit killing does as I figure the rest of you probably make up for the one or two I used to kill. When I go to GA hunting the deer aren't shook up or wired in the least even though gun season usually has been in a month and I truly believe it's because the season is so much longer there is less overall stress put on the herd. It's just a different experience and a lot more laid back and relaxing for both the hunters and the deer.
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Post by cambygsp on Nov 26, 2007 6:29:42 GMT -5
I like the 6 weeks of firearms, 3 general and 3 muzzleloader, I don't think we should change anything with that. I do however feel that an early muzzleloader season, say 5 days in mid October would be great. I would also like to see crossbows as regular archery. The first month or so folks can be out there with crossbows, as long as they CLAIM they are hunting turkeys they are legal!
Have you ever seen a crossbow hit deer and the wound it leaves?.....I dare you to compare it to a compound bow hit deer and see if you can tell the difference.
If you don't think this is happening, your not living in the real world!
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Post by bschwein on Nov 26, 2007 9:18:53 GMT -5
... you put meat hunters in a scenario where they've only got a couple of days to get their bag limit, and YOU WILL HAVE A WAR ZONE, with guys pushing deer and shooting everything in sight... quote] Uh, you mean to tell me its not a war zone already. Its dang near unsafe now! About the poll. I'd say shorter if possible. Hey you can always have a extended anterless shotgun season if there worried about the numbers. But if there really worried about the antlerless numbers then they should consider doing something about the price of tags for people who have to buy them every year. Thats would do them more good than the lenght its open.
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Post by stevein on Nov 26, 2007 10:19:45 GMT -5
I vote to leave it as is. I do like Horn Harvester's suggestion to have a primitive ML season, but I am prejudiced. I would like to see a buck tag good for all seasons. With OBR it would be a good deal. Anterless would be the same as it is now. You would purchase a buck tag and hunt with the weapon the season allowed. In non-bonus counties you could take 2 deer in archery and 1 in Ml.
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Post by trapperdave on Nov 26, 2007 10:25:35 GMT -5
shorten it and take it out of the rut
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Post by dbd870 on Nov 26, 2007 10:31:32 GMT -5
Agreed, I much rather see them simplify the license structure.
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Post by jkd on Nov 26, 2007 12:24:22 GMT -5
gas can - no, it's already combat central in many areas... I'm saying shortening the season is going to make that situation even worse, as hunters have less time to hunt and take a deer...
Same number of hunters+fewer days= higher hunter density in the field every day
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Post by steiny on Nov 26, 2007 22:18:29 GMT -5
Heck No !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by ceannfiagaí on Nov 26, 2007 23:42:34 GMT -5
Wow, a lot of input! Good subject and great input from everyone! I personally think the DNR is doing a great job! Look at the threads. The Bucks are getting bigger and better. If anything move gun season back a little, but maybe that is the bowhunter in me coming out. But.....if it comes right down to it.....DO NOT LENGHTHEN IT BUy ANY MEANS. It should be difficult to hunt...otherwise they would just call it deer "killing" season. I agree with "dbd" simplify the liscence. I am originally from VA. You had big game and small game season/archery.
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Post by greg on Nov 27, 2007 11:35:10 GMT -5
I'm with the 10 to 1 majority that say shorten or leave as-is. Good lord if a guy can't see fit to give himself adequate time to hunt, then he needs to ask himself where are his priorities. The firearms seasons are scheduled YEARS in advance. There's no secret about when the season will be next year and the year after that. If hunting is important to you, then you'll schedule for it. Don't wait to the last minute, and then say, whoops can't hunt, got some chores to do. Sorry to be blunt, but to me it's EXTREMELY SIMPLE!!!
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Post by Bowbo on Nov 27, 2007 12:32:58 GMT -5
NO! And move it beyond the rut!
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Post by tenring on Nov 27, 2007 14:10:45 GMT -5
NO! And move it beyond the rut! Trouble is, no one ever decided when the rut is, except that most of it is before the gun season comes in [archery].
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Nov 27, 2007 14:16:48 GMT -5
Heck yeah! Start it a week earlier.
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Post by woodmaster on Nov 27, 2007 14:38:23 GMT -5
If it was up to me, make it the last weekend in December.....but thats just me.
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Post by woodmaster on Nov 27, 2007 14:46:49 GMT -5
NO! And move it beyond the rut! Trouble is, no one ever decided when the rut is, except that most of it is before the gun season comes in [archery]. I think the rut would last longer if we didnt have a gun season. I saw a true 170" eight pointer the last 5 days of bow season. He was in the same CRP with a doe. I was watching him the opening day of gun season and when the guns started going off he ducked down and left the does and went to a thicket. Haven't seen him since. Don't get me wrong...I gun hunt but the sounds of guns and people in the woods DO have an effect on deer behavior.
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Post by deerman on Nov 27, 2007 15:19:01 GMT -5
If it was up to me, make it the last weekend in December.....but thats just me. Im usually not in the woods that time of year . With the rut being long gone though , I would think your chances of seeing a mature buck would be less? Its really cold that time of year and if you didnt have a good all year around food source on your property you might not see any deer at all.
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Post by savagehead on Nov 27, 2007 19:17:06 GMT -5
NO! Leave it alone!It is to long allready!Results from our neighbors to the west speaks volumes for a shorter season.(Illinois)
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Troop
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by Troop on Nov 27, 2007 20:00:55 GMT -5
With the one buck limit, by lengthing it, you aren't going to have many more bucks taken. I would think that more people would be likely to wait for a mature older buck to come along if they had an extra weekend, but maybe I am wrong. I hate going to the check-in station and see someone taking a small 4 pointer, just to get their buck. I had to go out 7 times to get my buck, I passed on several 6 pt and 8 pt before taking a nice big 10 pt. But with family and work, it was crunch time. I might be able to get out for one day of muzzelloader but who knows. So my vote is lengthen it one week.
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