On one of the other forum pages, this reply was sent to me:



I just sent the DNR a question asking them why the deer population in the state is being lowered? I also told them that my hunting partners and I havent filled our gun tags in several years and next year we are going to save our money and only buy 1 gun tag each. I also said that we are considering going to other states to hunt deer. Here is the response I got from Tom Micetich Deer Project Manager


Your email was forwarded to me for reply. You asked why deer numbers were being lowered in Illinois.

The General Assembly, responding to citizen complaints of "too many" deer and negative deer-human interactions -- deer-vehicle accidents, human deaths, crop and other property damage -- established the Legislative Deer Population Control Task Force in 2007. That body gave us goals for deer-vehicle accident (DVA) rates for each county and statewide in their 2008 report to our agency. Their recommendation was to lower statewide DVA rates by 14% from the 2003 level, or about 11% from that of 2007. Herd reduction was necessary where DVA rates needed to be lowered. That is what we have done. As counties reach their goal rates, they are removed from the late antlerless seasons. There have been about a dozen, or so, that have been removed in the past two years. Pending 2013 data analysis, there are a number of others which will come out next year.

There are counties which remain well above their goal accident rates which do not have adequate doe harvest. In those counties, increased doe harvest is necessary if we are to curb herd growth, and/or reduce deer numbers. Keep in mind that even in counties with relatively high deer numbers there are places with "not enough" deer; and, conversely, counties with relatively low numbers that have "hot spots" of too many deer.

If deer numbers where you are hunting have declined to less than desirable levels, then you should back off your doe harvest. Just because a season is offered (ie., late-winter antlerless only) does not mean you must hunt it. You may want to talk with those hunting surrounding property to share your concerns. Problems exist when neighbors have differing ideas for managing the same deer. While you may want more, a neighbor who has lost acres of crops to deer may have other ideas, for example.

I hope this answers your question. If you should have any other deer-related questions, comments or concerns, feel free to drop me an email at any time.

Tom


Tom Micetich
Deer Project Manager
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
700 S. 10th Street
Havana, IL 62644
ofc - 309/543-3316 ext 231
fax - 309/543-6914


To me, this is the one of the most incriminating and infuriating responses I could imagine from the DNR. To me "citizen complaints" = "insurance company pressure".