Post by jkd on Mar 8, 2008 1:56:17 GMT -5
Perhaps Mr. Mulligan should have talked to Dave Risley instead of Mr. Tonkovich.... seems to be a difference of opinion as to whether Ohio's deer population is under control...
Maybe those short seasons don't work so well after all... imagine that...
Ohio's swelling herd
Wildlife officials aim to thin deer
Rules would let hunters shoot multiple does
Thursday, February 7, 2008 3:36 AM
By Dave Golowenski
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Ohio's deer herd swelled to an estimated 675,000 last summer, and state officials say that's enough.
"No later than two years from now, we plan on effectively stopping the growth of the deer population," said Dave Risley, executive administrator of wildlife management and research for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
In fact, the goal is to reduce the herd considerably.
"We're going to come up with a new (population) target level," Risley said. "It probably isn't going to be 250,000. That's not realistic. But it definitely won't be 700,000."
The Ohio Farm Bureau, citing increasing crop damage, publicly called in late 2006 for a herd of about 250,000, a number reached about two decades ago. The population has numbered more than 600,000 for at least several years, prompting the state's orchardists also to press for a reduction.
Last night, the division, in what will be construed by some as its response to the farm community, offered regulations for the 2008-09 season that appear to increase efforts to control herd size by hunting. If the eight-member Ohio Wildlife Council approves, hunters in deer-heavy counties for the first time will be able to use special antlerless permits during the week of the gun season to take multiple does.
"The key to controlling deer populations is controlling the number of does," Risley said.
During the recently completed deer season, the use of special antlerless permits, previously known as urban zone permits, was extended to the entire state during the first part of the archery season. They allowed bow hunters to take one, two or three extra does, depending on the zone in which they hunt.
The permits encouraging the killing of does are sold for $15; regular permits go for $24. If the division's latest proposal is approved, the use of the antlerless permits will be restricted to Zone C during gun season, scheduled for Dec. 1-7.
What it means is that in Zone C, which covers much of southern, eastern and central Ohio, including Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Pickaway and Licking counties, hunters with regular permits would be able to bag three deer, only one of them a buck. Bow hunters and gun hunters with special antlerless permits could take as many as three additional deer.
The archery antlerless permit system appears to have worked well enough to extend to gun hunters in counties where deer are thick, Risley said.
"We don't have all the numbers yet," he said, "but it appears the buck harvest was down quite a bit. However, the doe harvest was up."
Hunters must buy at least one regular permit to use the discounted antlerless permits. The only extra catch for gun hunters is that the antlerless permits must be purchased by Nov. 30.
"The rationale is that we want hunters to commit early to killing a doe," Risley said.
Hunters killed a record 237,000 deer during the 2006-07 season but didn't halt the growth of the herd. Despite the further liberalization of regulations to increase the harvest during the 2007-08 hunt, this year's count will come to about 230,000.
The special antlerless permits also can be used to take multiple does during the entire archery season in designated urban deer zones. Franklin County and southern Delaware County make up such a zone.
After collecting public comment during March, the Wildlife Council is scheduled to vote in early April on the 2008-09 hunting regulations.
www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/02/07/2008-09_deer_regs.ART_ART_02-07-08_B1_GT99IS2.html?sid=101
Maybe those short seasons don't work so well after all... imagine that...
Ohio's swelling herd
Wildlife officials aim to thin deer
Rules would let hunters shoot multiple does
Thursday, February 7, 2008 3:36 AM
By Dave Golowenski
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Ohio's deer herd swelled to an estimated 675,000 last summer, and state officials say that's enough.
"No later than two years from now, we plan on effectively stopping the growth of the deer population," said Dave Risley, executive administrator of wildlife management and research for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
In fact, the goal is to reduce the herd considerably.
"We're going to come up with a new (population) target level," Risley said. "It probably isn't going to be 250,000. That's not realistic. But it definitely won't be 700,000."
The Ohio Farm Bureau, citing increasing crop damage, publicly called in late 2006 for a herd of about 250,000, a number reached about two decades ago. The population has numbered more than 600,000 for at least several years, prompting the state's orchardists also to press for a reduction.
Last night, the division, in what will be construed by some as its response to the farm community, offered regulations for the 2008-09 season that appear to increase efforts to control herd size by hunting. If the eight-member Ohio Wildlife Council approves, hunters in deer-heavy counties for the first time will be able to use special antlerless permits during the week of the gun season to take multiple does.
"The key to controlling deer populations is controlling the number of does," Risley said.
During the recently completed deer season, the use of special antlerless permits, previously known as urban zone permits, was extended to the entire state during the first part of the archery season. They allowed bow hunters to take one, two or three extra does, depending on the zone in which they hunt.
The permits encouraging the killing of does are sold for $15; regular permits go for $24. If the division's latest proposal is approved, the use of the antlerless permits will be restricted to Zone C during gun season, scheduled for Dec. 1-7.
What it means is that in Zone C, which covers much of southern, eastern and central Ohio, including Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Pickaway and Licking counties, hunters with regular permits would be able to bag three deer, only one of them a buck. Bow hunters and gun hunters with special antlerless permits could take as many as three additional deer.
The archery antlerless permit system appears to have worked well enough to extend to gun hunters in counties where deer are thick, Risley said.
"We don't have all the numbers yet," he said, "but it appears the buck harvest was down quite a bit. However, the doe harvest was up."
Hunters must buy at least one regular permit to use the discounted antlerless permits. The only extra catch for gun hunters is that the antlerless permits must be purchased by Nov. 30.
"The rationale is that we want hunters to commit early to killing a doe," Risley said.
Hunters killed a record 237,000 deer during the 2006-07 season but didn't halt the growth of the herd. Despite the further liberalization of regulations to increase the harvest during the 2007-08 hunt, this year's count will come to about 230,000.
The special antlerless permits also can be used to take multiple does during the entire archery season in designated urban deer zones. Franklin County and southern Delaware County make up such a zone.
After collecting public comment during March, the Wildlife Council is scheduled to vote in early April on the 2008-09 hunting regulations.
www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/02/07/2008-09_deer_regs.ART_ART_02-07-08_B1_GT99IS2.html?sid=101
;D 
