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Post by greghopper on Sept 9, 2019 21:44:27 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2019 6:46:36 GMT -5
Took a quick look yesterday. A lot of data per each county.
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Post by greghopper on Sept 10, 2019 7:04:52 GMT -5
The complete 2018 report is coming out soon from what I understand.
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Post by Woody Williams on Sept 10, 2019 8:17:00 GMT -5
Hey, Just FYI. The Deer Report is taking longer than usual because it is so large this year. We are catching up the Deer Management Survey reports so that they are current the year of the report. So this year’s report will contain the 2017 Deer Management Survey as well as the 2018 Deer Management Survey. We are hoping it will be up soon. From here on out, we hope to keep getting the most recent survey in the latest report. We did go ahead and publish the County Data sheets for 2018. They are located here. www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/9812.htm They are down toward the bottom of the page and is titled “2018 Harvest Data by County” Feel free to let others know that we are trying to get the rest of the 2018 Deer Report out ASAP. Cheers, joe Joe N. Caudell, Ph.D., CWB State Deer Biologist Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife Bloomington Field Office 5596 East State Road 46 Bloomington, IN 47401 JCaudell@dnr.IN.gov Office: (812) 822-3300 dnr.IN.gov Next Level Survey Link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FLNDLW8)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2019 9:48:23 GMT -5
One big item that has not changed over the few years is deer car collisions. I sampled 12 counties North to South and deer numbers 25-50% less, but deer car incidents has not seen this same drop. It seems deer car incidents are all over the place from year to year. Basically no change. I skimmed the rest and saw the same chart from county to county.
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Post by bigbuckd on Sept 10, 2019 10:05:12 GMT -5
Really interesting data points to digest here. It seems that Hunter recruitment should become a larger part of the DNR strategy to control deer populations. Deer hunter #'s are down in every county along with harvest numbers. The perception of buck quality is interesting as well.
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Post by jjas on Sept 10, 2019 10:47:23 GMT -5
Really interesting data points to digest here. It seems that Hunter recruitment should become a larger part of the DNR strategy to control deer populations. Deer hunter #'s are down in every county along with harvest numbers. The perception of buck quality is interesting as well. I kind of checked around the data and did notice hunter numbers down as well. I understand what you're saying about hunter recruitment, but with the way many people are willing to pay to play, I don't know how easy it would be to find places to hunt. If you have deep pockets, it may be doable, but I just don't know if there is a lot of private land available with a hand shake and chores in exchange for hunting like it used to be. I know guys who lease/buy as much ground as they can to help guard "their" deer from area hunters. Back in the day, it was pretty common for a hunter to fill their tag on the first buck or doe that walked past. I know guys who won't kill does as many of them don't want to "mess up" their trophy buck hunting. That and the fact that many guys I know won't pull the trigger on anything but a certain class of buck means a lot of tags go unfilled.
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 10, 2019 15:06:53 GMT -5
Recruitment is an issue and then beneath that are many issues like jjas listed.
The issue however for me in recruitment is everyone jumps to deer hunting. Recruitment IMO needs done even before big game hunting is an option. Get them out in the squirrel woods or busting rabbits when being silent or holding still is less of a variable to success. If it weren't for squirrel hunting I know for a fact I wouldn't be a deer hunter. Turkey hunting is also another great way to get youth fired up.
Fact of the matter is when my son (7 days old) is introduced to actual hunting it ain't gonna be deer, it undoubtedly will be squirrels. Will hunt my woods, public woods and any woods which will let that guy shake a squirrel call and blast some tree rats (or try to).
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Post by bigbuckd on Sept 10, 2019 15:25:28 GMT -5
Great points by jjas and tynimiller. I wasn't raised in a hunting family, started around 30 years old. I took the initiative and fumbled around to learn. Got really lucky with a piece a ground in southern IN and some awesome guys who taught me a lot at deer camp each year. I think the DNR has greatly improved education opportunities and as hunters we have to support that through volunteer efforts and recruiting young hunters into squirrel hunting or wing shooting or rabbits. I get that land is an issue. I pay up for a lease and hate it. Indiana does have a lot of state land and the HNF as properties to hunt. I used to drive an hour plus each way to hunt. Now I drive 3 plus hours and have to stay multiple nights camped out to make it worth my time, energy, and money. The past is gone and the only way to have hope for a future for hunters is to participate in conservation programs like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and QDMA projects to ensure protected and open hunting lands for all hunters.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2019 19:56:21 GMT -5
Some great posts. Got me thinking! That's scary. I started hunting with a crossman 25 pump bb gun. Shot squirrels and rabbits for my neighbor. She would pay 25 cents for a squirrel and 50 cents to 75 cents for a rabbit. Started around the age of 8 or 9. Went out every day after school. Back in 1970 that's good money. Maybe we need to do the same as my neighbor. She paid a dollar for a nice snapping turtle. Lot better than a 2 cent coke bottle back then. No licenses. Us kids learning a lifetime of lessons and memories. Thanks for the thread. Just regained some of my memories that I lost back on 7/11/03.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2019 20:18:09 GMT -5
Now I remember. Mrs. Morgan. She was a widow. Husband was killed in ww2. Never remarried, but loved when we brought wild game. I guess Mr. Morgan was a hunter.
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Post by jjas on Sept 10, 2019 21:51:15 GMT -5
Great points by jjas and tynimiller. I wasn't raised in a hunting family, started around 30 years old. I took the initiative and fumbled around to learn. Got really lucky with a piece a ground in southern IN and some awesome guys who taught me a lot at deer camp each year. I think the DNR has greatly improved education opportunities and as hunters we have to support that through volunteer efforts and recruiting young hunters into squirrel hunting or wing shooting or rabbits. I get that land is an issue. I pay up for a lease and hate it. Indiana does have a lot of state land and the HNF as properties to hunt. I used to drive an hour plus each way to hunt. Now I drive 3 plus hours and have to stay multiple nights camped out to make it worth my time, energy, and money. The past is gone and the only way to have hope for a future for hunters is to participate in conservation programs like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and QDMA projects to ensure protected and open hunting lands for all hunters. When I was a kid (from a non-hunting family who lived in the suburbs) there were still woods around to take our bb guns in and have fun. As I got older, there was hunting land nearby for the asking because deer hunting was just another season and people weren't carried away with it the way they are now. I taught myself how to squirrel hunt and rabbit hunt. Deer weren't even on my radar. But, those days are gone. Even small 5 acre parcels are being leased up for deer hunting. Realistically, how many kids are going to take part in hunting of any type if overcrowded public ground or expensive leasing are their options? Who replaces hunters as they age out and/or pass on? Frankly, as hunter numbers continue to drop, the less influence we have on politicians and policy. Maybe what bigbuckd is saying about hunting groups stepping up to ensure protected and open hunting lands will help. Sadly, it looks a bit bleak IMO.
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Post by boonechaser on Sept 11, 2019 9:55:03 GMT -5
Pretty extensive report by county
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Post by jbird on Sept 11, 2019 12:16:00 GMT -5
How does the DNR know how many hunters there are?
Between the lifetime license holders and the land owner exemptions....if those folks don't report the harvest a deer the DNR has no idea those hunters are out there?
My county harvest moving 5 year average is 765.2 & moving 10 year average is 752.9 (732 in 2018) so we seem pretty steady from that perspective.....below the averages....but not alarmingly so.
I see the same sort of stability in the DVC's as well. 5 year moving average is 89.2, 10 year is 86 (82 in 2018).
I also find it interesting that my county recorded ZERO deer taken by depredation permits....seems odd for as much ag as we have here.....
Only 4 individual hunters maxed out their bonus antlerless deer quota in 2018 in my county.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 12:36:12 GMT -5
How does the DNR know how many hunters there are? Between the lifetime license holders and the land owner exemptions....if those folks don't report the harvest a deer the DNR has no idea those hunters are out there? My county harvest moving 5 year average is 765.2 & moving 10 year average is 752.9 (732 in 2018) so we seem pretty steady from that perspective.....below the averages....but not alarmingly so. I see the same sort of stability in the DVC's as well. 5 year moving average is 89.2, 10 year is 86 (82 in 2018). I also find it interesting that my county recorded ZERO deer taken by depredation permits....seems odd for as much ag as we have here..... Only 4 individual hunters maxed out their bonus antlerless deer quota in 2018 in my county. We are tracked 365 days of the year. They know how many days you hunted, if you own a lifetime or an owner, or licensed legally, or illegally. Big brother knows best! LOL
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Post by jbird on Sept 11, 2019 13:06:11 GMT -5
How does the DNR know how many hunters there are? Between the lifetime license holders and the land owner exemptions....if those folks don't report the harvest a deer the DNR has no idea those hunters are out there? My county harvest moving 5 year average is 765.2 & moving 10 year average is 752.9 (732 in 2018) so we seem pretty steady from that perspective.....below the averages....but not alarmingly so. I see the same sort of stability in the DVC's as well. 5 year moving average is 89.2, 10 year is 86 (82 in 2018). I also find it interesting that my county recorded ZERO deer taken by depredation permits....seems odd for as much ag as we have here..... Only 4 individual hunters maxed out their bonus antlerless deer quota in 2018 in my county. We are tracked 365 days of the year. They know how many days you hunted, if you own a lifetime or an owner, or licensed legally, or illegally. Big brother knows best! LOL I am sure if your on some sort of "watch list" that is true to some extent. If the DNR had that sort of power or ability they would nab every poacher in the state....but they don't. Come October they have no idea what I am hunting out there...or if I'm hunting at all. What happens in the woods...stays in the woods! If I wanted the DNR to know for sure....I'd tell Alexa! "Alexa, I'm going deer hunting, make sure you let the DNR know!"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 13:15:44 GMT -5
We are tracked 365 days of the year. They know how many days you hunted, if you own a lifetime or an owner, or licensed legally, or illegally. Big brother knows best! LOL I am sure if your on some sort of "watch list" that is true to some extent. If the DNR had that sort of power or ability they would nab every poacher in the state....but they don't. Come October they have no idea what I am hunting out there...or if I'm hunting at all. What happens in the woods...stays in the woods! If I wanted the DNR to know for sure....I'd tell Alexa! "Alexa, I'm going deer hunting, make sure you let the DNR know!" DNR doesn't have the money to buy the data. They only get to see it Now if the hunter has one of those Alexa's then they do have you tracked and patterned! Won't find Alexa in my house!
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Post by jbird on Sept 11, 2019 15:15:11 GMT -5
I am sure if your on some sort of "watch list" that is true to some extent. If the DNR had that sort of power or ability they would nab every poacher in the state....but they don't. Come October they have no idea what I am hunting out there...or if I'm hunting at all. What happens in the woods...stays in the woods! If I wanted the DNR to know for sure....I'd tell Alexa! "Alexa, I'm going deer hunting, make sure you let the DNR know!" DNR doesn't have the money to buy the data. They only get to see it Now if the hunter has one of those Alexa's then they do have you tracked and patterned! Won't find Alexa in my house! I figure Alexa is just the governments deluxe spying model....the cell phone....that is where they got you. You carry it around everywhere, so they can track your very location and they just listen in whenever they want. Besides....they screen for key words all the time..... Watch..... Bomb, ISIS, .....oh hell, here they come....gotta go!
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Post by greghopper on Sept 11, 2019 16:17:38 GMT -5
Pretty extensive report by county Over kill IMO.... most will never read or digest all that's written and in all reality they really don't need to just to be a average deer hunter! Personally I use my eyesight to understand the deer herd where I hunt.
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Post by beermaker on Sept 11, 2019 19:59:09 GMT -5
Recruitment is an issue and then beneath that are many issues like jjas listed. The issue however for me in recruitment is everyone jumps to deer hunting. Recruitment IMO needs done even before big game hunting is an option. Get them out in the squirrel woods or busting rabbits when being silent or holding still is less of a variable to success. If it weren't for squirrel hunting I know for a fact I wouldn't be a deer hunter. Turkey hunting is also another great way to get youth fired up. Fact of the matter is when my son (7 days old) is introduced to actual hunting it ain't gonna be deer, it undoubtedly will be squirrels. Will hunt my woods, public woods and any woods which will let that guy shake a squirrel call and blast some tree rats (or try to). Coming from a non-hunting family, I was taught how to deer hunt by a friend's family and I am forever grateful. I was very successful at harvesting deer starting at age 16. No "big" bucks, but consistent meat in the freezer, which is what my parents were all about. They grew up around hunting, but never got involved with it. To have me bring home deer like their uncles did was more than enough to make them happy and proud. I didn't really learn how to hunt squirrels until my late 20's. I think that's when I started squirrel hunting instead of carrying a .410 in the woods while deer scouting. Make sense? Anyway, just my story about learning to hunt. For what it's worth, I wouldn't walk across the street for a guaranteed turkey kill if the weather was even half-way favorable to go fishing. Just not an interest of mine.
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