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Post by bigballer on Aug 2, 2010 5:56:52 GMT -5
I know this hunter very well. I know he hunts an area with not much corn or beans in the area (mostly stripper hills). Would say he's creditable. Know he does some spotlighting before season. The land he hunts is small 15-20 acres and most the deer are just passing through his woods. And have to say I don't know if it has anything to do with the one buck rule or what not but I've just seen less deer in this area over the last 4-6 years. The thing about it that is messed up is where I hunt it's by state land and on this state land you can't shoot a doe with gun. So the doe's should be thick..... But it's just not so. BB
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Post by jkratz on Aug 2, 2010 9:53:31 GMT -5
The dude interviewed in this article doesn't seem all that credible. Not that I personally hunt his land but I haven't heard a single hunter in my area say that they are seeing less deer since the OBR was instituted. I shouldn't have said deer in general, I should have said bucks. Of the properties that I hunt right now I woudl say that the buck to doe ratio is nearly 1:1 (where it should be). That being said I have captured 17 different bucks on trailcam this year so far. I didn't see nearly that many bucks just a few years ago when I first gained access to the land. The tract is only 120 acres, so I would say the buck poplulation is way up. I know I will get hit with the arguement that the doe population is way down, I think the doe population has probably dropped off a bit but I would argue that the doe population is pretty healthy in most areas. I will take a 1:1 buck to doe ratio here in IN compared to the 25:1 doe to buck ratio I use to hunt in IA anyday. Kratz
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Post by bigballer on Aug 2, 2010 11:51:44 GMT -5
The problem with a 1:1 ratio is this. If it is a 1:1 ratio then you are in for a suprise... Cause what happens when the neighbor to the north of you shoots 3 does and one buck? And then the neighbor to the south of you shoots 4 does and 2 bucks. Then the neighbor to the west of you shoots 7 does and 2 bucks. Then the other neighbor shoots 5 does and 1 buck. You have now had 19 does have been shot and 6 bucks.... Now you have more bucks then does in your neighborhood.... Which is what happend to us a few years ago. Three years ago there were 9 bucks killed in my area. I saw 5 opening day of gun and didn't see another buck the rest of the year. And only saw a total of 9 does but I was guessing three of them were bb. We had more bucks in the area then does. And all the bucks but two were shot with a bow. Before the rut. Then when the rut came in no bucks because there were no does... So it's not always a good thing to have a 1:1.... I would rather see 10 does while hunting then just one buck because if there are 10 does in my area there's a good chance that during the rut I'm going to see a few bucks chasing said 10 does.. Just a thought BB
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Post by jkratz on Aug 2, 2010 12:13:35 GMT -5
BB
You make a good point on the theoretical harvest and I agree that things can get out of hand, that is where I think the IDNR is lacking a bit, at some point they need to say the herd is in check and then the number of tags (especially antlerless) will need to be reduced. If you already have a 1:1 buck to doe ratio chances are you do not have an overpopulation problem and you will know how many bucks and does you need to crack each year. I have to admit that while seeing the 10:1 doe to buck ratio keeps you interested, I would much prefer not to hunt it if I am chasing a trophy as it just doesn't pan out to often, a big deer doesn't like to move and only does so for survival and breeding purposes. If he only has to move 50 yds to find the next doe chances are you aren't going to see him during hte rut.
Kratz
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Post by bigballer on Aug 3, 2010 5:59:30 GMT -5
True that he doesn't have to move. But it has been my luck that the more does the more the bigger ones move. I think it's more the Tiger effect though... The more he gets the more he wants and the braver he gets..... When there's not many then he roams but the roaming has no consistant trail and your at pot luck if he walks close enough to you. But when there's more does then he has more of a chance of beeing on one of those trails that the doe's use. Just my experience though. Biggest three shot by my brothers and I were in lean years and the buck came through the woods in place we weren't really expecting. Two others were shot with a bow and they actually came in good years(more deer) and they were both following a doe. On a well used trail. Just my experience though. BB
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