interesting read. I've heard from a dnr member that they're thinking about expanding to 16 days, but the public really resists the idea of changing the current gun season format. And the bowhunters definitely would not like the new proposals either, so I'm not sure who would be happy with the proposals.

Personally I hunt in Buffalo county, where they've had EAB for the past years but there isn't one this year. I'm confused because EAB does get hunters to shoot does, so if they're worried about the population being too high why change out of a EAB unit? Also, from my experiences dealing with local hunters changing to a 16 day gun season starting the second saturday before thanksgiving wouldn't seem to increase the buck harvest (or total harvest for that matter) very much. You're taking away a week of the best bowhunting, where a majority of bucks are taken during the 2 week period leading up to gun season. Gun hunters would definitely more than make up for those deer during the first week of the extended season, but then would be left without buck tags for the rest of the gun season. To me that would decrease the amount of time spent in the woods by these hunters who have already taken their buck. Less people would participate in deer drives, and hunting hours would go down by people who have filled all of their tags or only were looking to fill their buck tag. In my group even if you fill your buck tag, we do drives for the remainder of the week even if personally you might not shoot a buck those days, almost out of respect to the group. (i may have shot my buck, but i am dedicated to helping you fill yours as well) Also I think that with the longer season, people would be less likely to group hunt in thinking that they have a better chance that likely to fill their own buck tag, and it might finish the season unused instead of allowing a fellow party member to group hunt with the tag in the latter parts of the traditional 9 day season.

I apologize for the long post, but this is just my own personal opinion about something that I am obviously passionate about. If you think differently than I do I don't mean to offend anyone it is just my personal opinion.