How is your state doing ?

[chipper]

How do you think your state (or province) is doing when it comes to managing the deer herds ?

[Hobie]

Need a raspberry smilie.

[BenT]

Wisconsin DNR went nuts when Chronic Wasting Disease was found in deer a decade ago and tried to contain it by desimating the herd. We have a new Govenor that says he is going to change the way the DNR counts deer. I've gone to DNR listening sessions and to her from people in far northern WI that don't see any deer during season but see plenty of wolf tracks. So there is plenty of issues with lack of deer. This years harvest was just over 200,000. But I only seen one deer in the woods and I shot it. I went out everyday hunting.

[cshold]

In PA.
Managing the deer herd: TERABLE
Mismanaging the deer herd: PERFECT

[RIHMFIRE]

managing what?
in florida most of the deer herds on public land are out of balance
and the bucks no matter how old....have small racks....
Most are wacked in the first year or two....spikes or spindly racks
Most of the public land is, or use to to be a tree farm...
managed for trees and not game...
We have one WMA ....when the state purchaced the land...
they logged the entire 11000 acres ...(except for the cypress domes)...
to pay off the land...and now the land is thick with volunteer growth which
is almost impossible to hunt...
But I must say in the last few years they have done some thinning
so there is more browes....instead of the darn palmetto flats...

on private land its a different story..

[Sixgun]

In PA.
Managing the deer herd: TERABLE
Mismanaging the deer herd: PERFECT

Casastahle said it right. Here in Pa., the insurance companies and the parasites run the state. The hunting license money goes in a general fund and lots of the parasites elected "officials" all have their hand in the cookie jar. -------------Sixgun

[damienph]

i don't know what the Whitetail (mostly eastern KS) or the Mulie (western KS) herd numbers are but from 1971 until 1999, I had never even come close to hitting a deer on the road. Since then I have hit four. Last year there were over 10,000 reported vehicle/deer collisions in Kansas.

[Old No7]

Maine Report

Here in Maine, and especially in the northern parts of the State, it's pretty dismal...

Poor wintering areas, too many coyotes (and not enough coyote control), several back-to-back tough winters and not listening to the State's experienced and expert -- but now retired -- deer biologist has brought us to the worst deer herd conditions for the last 100 years. Reports I've read say it will take monumental efforts by landowners, sportsmen and biologists to help bring the herd back to "what it once was" -- but that could take 20 to 30 years or so!!!

I don't remember all of the details, but the Sportsmans Alliance of Maine published a report saying that back in the 50's, a party of 6 hunters entering the North Maine Woods would leave after a week with numerous deer sightings by each member and probably 2 to 4 deer.

Last year, a similar party of 6 would be lucky to see just one track after a full week of hard hunting.

As you can guess....... Most of 'em aren't coming back...

......Heavy sigh......

Maine used to be the place to go in New England to bag a big buck...

Now we're lucky to even see a track....................

Old No7

[TedH]

I think Missouri is doing a pretty good job. We have excellent numbers, though this years harvest during the firearms portion of the season was down a little from last year. That followed several years of record harvests though. They started an antler point restriction a few years ago with the goal of letting young bucks grow to maturity and at the same time increase the number of does harvested. I believe the point restriction is in effect in most of the countys now.

There is certainly no shortage of deer in my area. There seem to be plenty of adult does with young 'uns, and bucks of all ages. I only got to hunt one day during the firearms season and saw upwards of 25 deer, 10 of which were bucks. This all from a stand in the timber where you can't see 100 yards. Not that that is a typical day, it was exceptional. They are taking advantage of a heavy crop of acorns this year and staying in the woods more, rather than venturing out to the corn stubble and wheat fields.

[timkelley]

I am no expert but I think the first thing Idaho needs to manage is the wolves.

[Jason_W]

I just moved to a place with more deer than I've ever seen in my life. rack bucks galore.




Unfortunately, they're all off limits I live on an Island that prohibits deer hunting, and it's leading to a lot of traffic accidents. I talked with a NPS biologist on the topic today as part of my research on an article on the topic. Interesting stuff.

[2571]

According to Michigan DNR they are doing such a superior job at herd management that Santa now has 118 deer in his sleigh team.

DNR is doing so efficient newly elected governor announced today is going to break it up in January the same day he is sworn in.

Fearing cervine TB, we have had special doe seasons every year to reduce deer population because someone in Lansing thought they heard a deer cough once in 1992.

AAA, Allstate & State Farm each have representatives on the 4 member board of the DNR.

Other than that, everything's fine here.

[jeepnik]

managing what?
in florida most of the deer herds on public land are out of balance
and the bucks no matter how old....have small racks....
Most are wacked in the first year or two....spikes or spindly racks
Most of the public land is, or use to to be a tree farm...
managed for trees and not game...
We have one WMA ....when the state purchaced the land...
they logged the entire 11000 acres ...(except for the cypress domes)...
to pay off the land...and now the land is thick with volunteer growth which
is almost impossible to hunt...
But I must say in the last few years they have done some thinning
so there is more browes....instead of the darn palmetto flats...

on private land its a different story..

So basically, things haven't changed in thirty five years. The best hunting when I was there was on Eglin AFB. At that time, hunting was open to military only, so it was, in a sense, "private land".

[AJMD429]

Lots of deer, and so far, the DNR seems more motivated by maintaining a large and quality herd, than by appeasing insurance companies, soccer-moms, or feed-lot hunters.

[earlmck]

Here in Oregon...

Well, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (locally known as Odeeef&W) never did manage deer. They count 'em and lower the tag numbers yearly.

But deer numbers are pretty much habitat determined and our habitat took a big whammy from the enviros when they managed to virtually eliminate timber harvest from any federal lands (Oregon is high % federal land). A second significant whammy hit when cougar hunting was virtually eliminated by a different bunch of wackos. And now we are starting to get wolves. So don't move to Oregon for the deer hunting. Looks like Indiana or Missouri so far, from the comments....

But believe it or not, I think I am kinda' favorably impressed by some of the young wildlife biologists coming along. At least they seem to have learned that wildlife has to eat and escape being eaten. The old biologists thought they only needed to hide.

[Old Time Hunter]

Wisconsin DNR went nuts when Chronic Wasting Disease was found in deer a decade ago and tried to contain it by desimating the herd. We have a new Govenor that says he is going to change the way the DNR counts deer. I've gone to DNR listening sessions and to her from people in far northern WI that don't see any deer during season but see plenty of wolf tracks. So there is plenty of issues with lack of deer. This years harvest was just over 200,000. But I only seen one deer in the woods and I shot it. I went out everyday hunting.

Me thinks that Wisconsin counts their hooves, not their heads. Ten years ago we had a 70% success rate, this year something along the lines of 10% is more like it. Only saw one buck in nine days and maybe five or six doe, the buck is at the butcher. No doe permits this year. Out of a total hunting party of 14 for the whole season, we had a total of 20 deer sightings and I was the only one that saw a buck.

[Thunder50]

Here in Colorado, they manage the Deer just fine, as long as you are an out-of-state hunter and will pay the high license fees. If you live here, your hosed.

[Mac in Mo]

I agree with Ted. The Missouri deer herd is managed very well by our conservation Department. I am concerned about the presence of CWD though. In a recent article by Kathy Etling, a local hunting journalist, she brought up some scary stuff concerning CWD presence in some high fence operations. The Agriculture department is allowing some cwd infected deer to remain alive in at least one of these places, while the owners resist efforts to control the disease, for whatever reason. Anyway, I would have to find the article to get all the facts straight. She did say that this place had a single fence, which does allow contact between the captive and wild deer. Unfortunately,we have one of these places as a neighbor at our property. I don't deny folks the opportunity to make a living, just hope that they realize the danger they pose by not being aggressive with the CWD. I want my sons and friends sons to have a long hunting career as I have enjoyed.

Kevin

[El Chivo]

pretty poor I'd say, since nowhere in the state can you take any does, except in a couple short muzzleloader or youth hunts. So the buck/doe ratio is out of whack.

The deer seem to have left my area, I'm seeing very few tracks and droppings. In 2006 I saw tons of both, and I got a buck that year. But, hunters in other areas are getting their deer. The state is so diverse that I'm sure there's good hunting somewhere (except that wherever I show up, it's closed due to fire).

I think that the recent drought is causing it, so it might come back to some degree. However the buck/doe ratio will always be a problem here (for those of us who WANT to take does).

[conger]

Here in Washington state the deer are 3 point or better and the elk are spike only unless you can get a special permit. I have been putting in for branched antler elk for 12 years with no luck. Very short seasons, too. Give them a D.

[Marlin32]

There is no management. When corn prices go up, then farmer complaints go up, they want depradation permits so they can be above the law and do what they want. Never mind that these same farmers do not allow hunting on their properties.

When complaints get to Legislature etc, then we have a mass deer killing which we are having this fall, then herd is reduced for a year or two, then cycle repeats itself.

[chipper]

I live and hunt in an area of NY State that still has allot of dairy farms and lots of good deer food most of the year.We get heavy hunting pressure and around 85% of all our bucks get taken at 1 1/2 years of age in my area.Up in the Adirondacks it's a different story.The mature forests are not good deer habitat but it's a vast area with light pressure and the bucks can live long enough to mature and they do.My chances for taking a mature buck are better in the Adirondacks than they are in my area,which has better food and higher deer densities.

DEC has put antler restrictions in place in some units and I hope they do it in my area as well.85% of all our bucks killed before they have a chance to reach their potential is insane in my opinion.

[stretch]

Old No. 7 is right - things are not good here in central Maine.

We had a local poaching group that was busted about three
years back. (Subhuman , egg-suckin slime if ya ask me... and
even if ya don't!)

Aaaaanyway, we've had two hard winters since, and the combination
has decimated the herd. Add an increase in the coyote poulation the
last few years, and things are tough for deer around here - even though the
habitat locally is really first-rate for 'em.

I don't agree with the numbe of any-deer permits issued this year. I'd
think they'd want the herd to rebound a bit before we allow much
doe hunting.

I've been hunting some this year - but I have yet to see one.

The year before the poaching ring was busted I saw 35.

-Stretch

[firefuzz]

I think Oklahoma's doing ok. When my Dad was a kid he never saw deer in our area, now they're everywhere. More deer here than ever before, expanded hunting seasons for all methods and good healthy deer being taken. I think the state wildlife department does a good job now, but most of the the thanks should go to the former head of the McAlister game refuge...he populated, not re-populated, the state with deer from his herd.

Rob

[Cimarron]

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Management does a very good job. Initial reports indicate 2010 will be better than 2009 which was a record year for the deer harvest in Oklahoma. The Wildlife Department receives no general state tax appropriations and is supported by hunting and fishing license fees and federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment. They have a weekly 30 minute television show "Outdoor Oklahoma" on OETA and actively promote hunting and fishing in the state.

[Mokwaw]

Don't know what level their shooting for but, I have seen alot fewer deer this year than I have in the last 20 years, and Indiana is talking about shortening the various deer seasons.

[JNG]

In the part of Ohio that I hunt there seems to be a slew of deer. Three of us used trail cameras for the first time, we sure have some nice Bucks (-1) that I saw hanging around. The most interesting photos we saw were the vistors to my gut pile. Red and grey foxes, coons, yotes, many deer and of course a couple dogs. ODNR stated that Monday, 1st day of deer gun broke the record. I sure wish they would look at indiana's use of rifles with pistol rounds for hunting.
The park district in the Dayton area has opened area's in the local parks for bow hunting.

Good hunting

[brno602]

I think things are going good for the Deer at least, the Ranch I hunt on is over run with Big Mule'y bucks and the WT are back, now that they have gotten rid of the extra licence you could buy for like $13.00 and easly get two WT one is enough for this area.
But the Elk& Moose seem way down at least in the Zones I hunt in.

[Old Ironsights]

No clue. Was barely able to get in as a Resident this year, and didn't have a Wyoming grade rifle set up.

I guess I could have used the flinter in the ML only area, but just didn't have the time or lawyer to decipher the regs this year...

[turnkey]

I hunted more this year than I have in about a decade. I saw deer almost every day, but except for one 6-inch spike, no bucks. Pretty much the same story for everybody else I've talked to around here. Fifteen years ago the hunting was great. Now, well, the only two guys I know that took nice bucks got them in Ontario and Nebraska.Wolves, coyotes,Indian tags
[five per tribal member],and hard winters have taken their toll. Some hunters have seen more wolves than deer.
The solution? Who knows, but maybe if Michigan [at least the U.P.] went back to one buck a year, it might get better. As for me, I'm getting an electronic predator call and getting busy. I don't know if I'm going to bother getting a deer tag next year or not. I don't really like funding a DNR that cares more about license revenues than satisfying the sportsmen and women that fund them.

[Blaine]

This year must have been an off year.....I actually saw more elk sign than blacktail sign...Never saw anything, let alone a shootable buck. But, to be honest, I can't get out and walk like I used to...It's strictly stumping until I get my back fixed.

[Charles]

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has done a splendid job for many, many years.

[Don McDowell]

They're doing alright I guess, considering all the things they have to contend with, from drought to developement to energy production and the ever present predator problems, as well as the wolves and grizzlies...
Biggest problem is keeping things focused on the actual carrying capacity of the range rather than the number of "concerned sportmen" they can sell licenses to.
Basically the deer hunting is probably better now than it has been in a long time, altho they have got the seasons moved up way to early for most of the state, so that nonresidents can combine an antelope hunt with a deer hunt

[mklwhite]

Not too bad really here in the Arkansas Ozarks. There are a lot more deer here than there were 30 years ago. Opening weekend most folks around here at least see deer. Might not see any legals, but at least you see some deer. I would say more than not get a chance to bring home meat if they do their part. Around here years ago there was a lot more poaching and a small deer population too. Things have changed a bit for the better. There are still poachers, but not as many and most seem too dang lazy to put forth any real effort so if the deer isn't in a field the poachers can easily get to (drive through) or along the road then the deer are pretty safe. The biggest problem here is too many 1 weekend a year "hunters" who open up like its a war whenever they see something.

[Bluehawk]

PA its HORRIBLE management is not even close to the word Everything centers around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh where the complaints of deer damage to suburban and urban shrubbery is the main concern of the Game COmmission
Where I hunt in UPPER pa , after hunting 14 FULL days in archery this year ( out at least 9 hours each day ) I saw 29 deer total O N E DOE confirmed one POSSIBLE doe thats two out of 29 WHat will propagate that herd? about half of the remaining deer I saw were NOT legal to shoot nbucks ANd one up close was at LEAST 3 years old by many signs and he was NOT legal to shoot
I have hunted this area for many years and the herd is declining fast Game commission did reduce the number of antler-less tags in my area this year by 10,000 tags but it seems to be a little too late

[DerekR]

Tennessee Wildlife Resources does a great job, in my opinion. The biggest problem we have is killing enough deer in the Middle Tennessee area. We can kill three doe per day, but many people don't kill enough doe. We like to fill our freezer, so we do our part! We can check the deer in via the internet now.....they have tried to make it as easy as possible. We have a farm we hunt that we have killed 7 doe and 2 bucks off of so far this year. We have seen more bucks than does, but we try to hold off killing anything but a decent or better buck. The later part of the season we usually try to take mostly does.

They have also taken the wild turkey population from barely there to nuisance birds in the past 30 years.

[stew71]

California sucks. It's that simple when it comes to wildlife management in this state. Part of the reason is a lack of funding. The criminals under the capitol dome keep raiding DFG budgets to plug holes in the general fund. That means few wardens, biologists, etc around to do the work.

I've pretty much given up deer hunting in this state. Sticking to hogs for now. But I'm sure they'll mis-manage them into extinction as well given enough time.

Fishing has gone downhill as well.

[tman]

In PA.
Managing the deer herd: TERABLE
Mismanaging the deer herd: PERFECT

Casastahle said it right. Here in Pa., the insurance companies and the parasites run the state. The hunting license money goes in a general fund and lots of the parasites elected "officials" all have their hand in the cookie jar. -------------Sixgun

+2. The insurance companies brought in coyotes a few years ago. They do an excellent job of managining {wiping out the once plentiful deer herd.] All the game commission has left to do is find more ways to sell deer tags for the vanishing herd. They do the same with turkey. They keep shortening the fall season, But SELL extra tags for the fall. I'm certainly not a biologist. All the hunters agree there is a LACK of game.