Originally Posted by
Camosteel
I voted yes due to my experience in 5A public land. Hunted hard first week with 3 does sited between two guys. Are they around? Yep. Are they plentiful? Heck no. Talked to alot of hunters in the area that just are not seeing the deer either. Something has to be done to separate private land tags from public land tags. The farm I hunt in 5A is infested with deer.
I'll back up that, as I also hunt 5A...private land with limited hunting pressure can be VERY good. Michaux state forest is very low and pockets of deer are few and far between, even though this forest was touted duting the nineties and early 200's as being very healty in comparison to the northern forests. Blanket herdreduction...even where it was unwarranted. Only public land spot in 5A with decent numbers I know of is...well, I'll PM it if you ask me. Surprised how low the kill was up there, given the numbers I saw in archery. They get pushed very quickly into the thick stuff, and no one seemed to concerned about pushing them out. It's getting to be the only spot I still feel good about taking a doe. I think next year's 4D and even my 5B tag will be deer protection permits for me. And I'll be watching that spot in 5A closely in early fall before I decide whether to drop one. All our neighbors now in 4D, have united to ban doe hunting on their lands for 5 years. We'll see what happens, and if we can knock the 'yotes down a couple notches in the meantime. WE'll also be putting up some new sign all around our bordering properties...encompassing several hunderd acres combined...
