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Post by boonechaser on Jan 8, 2018 18:57:13 GMT -5
Your last paragraph jjas I agree with 100%. boonechaser I don't have any objection if county antlerless quotas all dropped below 4 (say 3 or less). Shoot the number of hunters this would impact is so incredibly miniscule that is isn't worth having IMO as I can still hunt does late season with my bow if I still have solid numbers and could justify going after one without the late season firearms season on antlerless. Statistic that I saw when you break them down are. 23,000 antlerless were killed by hunters that harvested 3 deer or more in 2016. Certainly some might simply buy other licences but many might not.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 8, 2018 20:17:46 GMT -5
113,429 Now...
In 2016, 119,477 white-tailed deer were harvested in Indiana, including 51,783 antlered deer and 67,694 antlerless deer.
113,521 now... Folks sure take their time calling them in..
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 8, 2018 20:46:00 GMT -5
113,429 Now...
In 2016, 119,477 white-tailed deer were harvested in Indiana, including 51,783 antlered deer and 67,694 antlerless deer.
113,521 now... Folks sure take their time calling them in.. Still some Urban reduction zones open until Feb. Isn't there?
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 8, 2018 21:04:33 GMT -5
113,521 now... Folks sure take their time calling them in.. Still some Urban reduction zones open until Feb. Isn't there? Could be... but if they are killing that many we might get to that 119,000. 😉
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 8, 2018 22:48:44 GMT -5
I have no idea how many areas are open or how many guys hunt them??? Just that there are areas open.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 9, 2018 7:17:55 GMT -5
Current reported deer harvest: 113,558 From Sept 15, 2017 to Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at 6:15 AM CST That is 237 deer registered since yesterday. Left overs from the "Special Antlerless Season" and/or some "Deer Reduction Zone" kills? Who knows? Deer harvest numbers are updated as deer are checked in via CheckIN Game. All numbers are raw data that have not been verified by the Indiana DNR. www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/8367.htm
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 9, 2018 7:21:05 GMT -5
As of today we are 4.9% less than the total 2016 kill...
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 8:22:36 GMT -5
I don't believe the opener weather would explain all of it...or atleast I cannot say for sure...but I'd bet my life savings it explains about half of that 4.9% deficit without a doubt.
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Post by jjas on Jan 9, 2018 8:58:00 GMT -5
I don't believe the opener weather would explain all of it...or atleast I cannot say for sure...but I'd bet my life savings it explains about half of that 4.9% deficit without a doubt. So if it wasn't the weather, then what do you think it was?
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Post by freedomhunter on Jan 9, 2018 9:12:14 GMT -5
I don't believe the opener weather would explain all of it...or atleast I cannot say for sure...but I'd bet my life savings it explains about half of that 4.9% deficit without a doubt. So if it wasn't the weather, then what do you think it was? Maybe it has something to do with 32 days of firearms pressure during the rut, nah couldn't be that. Carry on.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 9:14:24 GMT -5
I don't believe the opener weather would explain all of it...or atleast I cannot say for sure...but I'd bet my life savings it explains about half of that 4.9% deficit without a doubt. So if it wasn't the weather, then what do you think it was? I'm merely staying away from definitive statements I cannot point to actual proof outside of speculation. Personally....if we could hit replay button and have good weather on the opener I believe we break 120K honestly. However...that cannot be proven obviously.
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Post by jjas on Jan 9, 2018 9:35:40 GMT -5
So if it wasn't the weather, then what do you think it was? I'm merely staying away from definitive statements I cannot point to actual proof outside of speculation. Personally....if we could hit replay button and have good weather on the opener I believe we break 120K honestly. However...that cannot be proven obviously. I went back and looked @ the numbers for every opening day of firearms for the last 8 seasons. The average harvest on opening day was 24,750 deer. The worst opener in that period was 2013 and it was still almost 21,000 deer. This year, the opener (using rough data) was roughly 6,000 deer. Other than the weather, I don't know what else explains it.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 10:26:26 GMT -5
Like I said I personally feel with a good day we'd have been easily over 120K...but I cannot prove it. I'm sure some of the fellas and gals that couldn't go that day simply went the next day...but still...
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 9, 2018 11:24:18 GMT -5
There is no doubt that weather hurt the harvest on opening weekend. BUT I believe the harvest data suggest that those harvest were made back up over the remainder of firearm's season and some even during the muzzy season and late antlerless. (I have never bought the theory that guy's go out and purchase license's just to hunt opening day thingy.) Really doesn't matter end of day as the final tally is what it is, which is going to be down slightly. Leaves room for the guys saying herd is way down to argue and leaves room for the guys saying herd is fine to argue. LOL What do I expect DNR will respond with??? (NOTHING.) I See no major changes coming in herd management. I do expect to see bonus antlerless tags to continue to be reduced in some counties, which has been trend last couple year's.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 11:31:35 GMT -5
Agree to a point ^^^ I do know quite a few that rarely hunt after the opener though personally...some do it merely for the family tradition aspect more than anything. It is your factor of some, many or all went back out later that makes me not state it definitively that with better weather we beat last year...
I will still always believe that hunter education in two avenues would make the biggest impact to localized deer herd health for those the most unhappy: teach conservation minded approach to hunting and the crucial aspect of habitat and its role & impact. Wanna make a difference truly in areas...if it doesn't involve those two things I truly believe true success will never be met.
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Post by jjas on Jan 9, 2018 12:46:04 GMT -5
In the end, I think what we'll find about this year's harvest numbers (when compared to last season) will be...
Youth will likely remain steady to up a bit...
Archery will be up.
Muzzleloader will be up.
Late antlerless will be up a bit.
Firearms will be down, but when the numbers are looked at it will only be the opener (IMO due to the statewide weather event that day) that will be down. Days 2-15 will be up significantly, but not enough to offset being down 19,000 deer on the opener.
So the final total will end up around 114,000 which will equate to about a 5% decline for this season as compared to 2016's numbers.
What about next year? Barring a major shift in season dates and length, a huge Winter kill or major EHD outbreak, I think 2018 ends up between 120,000-125,000 deer.
Anyone else want to offer a prediction?
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Post by medic22 on Jan 9, 2018 13:14:39 GMT -5
I think next year we will be up. Firearms comes in late again so Archery will likely be up again.
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 9, 2018 13:16:49 GMT -5
I would expect similar harvest number's as last 2 years 114,000-119,000 range. Lot's of things come into play. Ex. Severity of winter, early spring or late spring, predator's up or down, mast production, weather, bonus antlerless limits, etc. Last year we had a mild winter, early green up and wet spring which should've produced a bumper crop of fawns as doe's came out of winter in good health and had good nutrition early. In addition the wet spring in most areas meant a late first cutting hay harvest providing ideal fawning areas in the critical first 2 weeks of fawns life where most susceptible to predator's. Right now my home area looks very good. Trail cams are showing good number's of antlerless and a good variety of a age classes in antlered.
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Post by wesb81219 on Jan 9, 2018 13:17:22 GMT -5
I don't know the numbers or the facts but I do know variables change from season to season and from hunt to hunt for that matter. I would believe that a single digit percentage change from year to year is the norm and to be expected.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 13:27:29 GMT -5
I will go on record today saying that if the opener of firearms is not like this year and we return to a normal 20K or better opener we will break 120K no doubt in my mind. Not even a little doubt.
Only thing that could make me hesitate is large outbreaks of EHD.
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