Originally Posted by
I AM THE WOODS
Yea it's a good area...although the number of mature bucks harvested has declined quite a bit over the past 10 years...guys are goin in there droppin 2 yr old 7s n 8s nowadays, I been told by several guys that have hunted it for years that it used to be mostly all mature big racked bucks hArvested, now it seems on an average year pry only about a third of em taken are mature bucks...to be honest I think in about 5 years with these antler regs ya will see good mature deer taken outta GS that would compare to bucks in GSW on a purty regular basis...this past season shows the amount of good deer in GS harvest# was almost the same as last year without the regs...
I think if they really want to start harvesting more mature bucks in somewhere like green GS they need to do several things. First is to make it more accessible to hunters as far as being able to hunt more of the area. Another thing is to relieve some of the pressure that's put on the place even if they have to restrict the numbers of people hunting it. I don't necessarily think GSW has more deer I just think your odds are better because the constant pressure isn't there. I think they also need to be more mindful of a better doe harvest. Most of the deer taken out of GS that were mature deer were still only averaging about 135#. A mature deer in that place a few years ago would weigh 150# with some even higher. I think they need to ditch the hog dog season in there because it only adds to the pressure. I also considered trying to start a sign up to send to FWC for people interested in a late muzzleloader or bow season in there that would be after gen gun is over. It would be another opportunity to hunt the rut and allow people the chance at a mature buck.