anybody else noticing a major decrease in their deer numbers
12-17-2009, 09:52 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fulton county IL USA
Posts: 4,271
Our gun kill total were the lowest in a DECADE!!! Do you suppose your "big cat" is eating all of our deer ?!? LOL! You're not serious are you?
I think the latest corn harvest in nearly 100 years and some crazy weather had a LOT more to do with the low deer sightings than ANY other factor.
It certainly isn't some mass over-kill or anything like that.
I think the latest corn harvest in nearly 100 years and some crazy weather had a LOT more to do with the low deer sightings than ANY other factor.
It certainly isn't some mass over-kill or anything like that.
12-17-2009, 12:30 PM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Warren County NJ USA
Posts: 3,899
way, way down here in New Jersey. Reasons are, that for the last 12 plus years the state allowed in most of the state hunters to take unlimited antleless deer with the bow, muzzleloader and shotgun (they added crossbows this year) and the hunts start as early as 2nd or 3rd Saturday in September and ends in mid Febuary, they also allow hunting over bait. The hunters with 15 years and less here in NJ feel the state is doing a hell of a job, little do they know that the herd was in great numbers with some big bucks, the bucks are bigger these days. I don't blame these hunters I blame the state, cause they aren't looking at the herd for there well being or for the hunters hunt, they are looking at making money. Of course the bears and coyotes are out of hand and they are killing the deer herd off
12-17-2009, 02:26 PM
#17
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: S.Illinois
Posts: 333
I saw twelve deer in the first four weeks of bow season, and only one buck a small spike,in years past I saw that many in a day! We have had CWD reported in our area and the DNR has been taking so called test subjects all year long,between that and the urban sprawl intruding on there habitat our numbers are way down! Our rifle season numbers were half what they were last year,sure hope next season is better,I will be looking for a lease on 50-100 acres somewhere out of the CWD containment area to bowhunt next year!
12-18-2009, 11:13 AM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 1,559
I find this subject kind of funny. Hunting Jefferson Co the last two years, my numbers have been higher than ever before. Both for sheer number of deer and quality of bucks. However, my buddy who is hunting a lease I was on for a few years in Calhoun Co has claimed terrible numbers the last two years.
I checked the DNR page and yes the numbers are down, but I would not say they are super low.
during the first and second Firearm season this year, 99,419 deer were harvested. This is down from the 2008 Firearm season, which produced 105,595. However, the Muzzleloader season seen the number bounce back and were almost identical to 2008's numbers, which were 4,310 in 2008 and 4,697 in 2009.
The last two years the crops have been in the fields later than normal. I think this has people more messed up than a big cat or any other factor. There are almost no crops around me in Jefferson Co and I think this is why I have not seen the decline or been effected as much as others have been.
Just my $.02
I checked the DNR page and yes the numbers are down, but I would not say they are super low.
during the first and second Firearm season this year, 99,419 deer were harvested. This is down from the 2008 Firearm season, which produced 105,595. However, the Muzzleloader season seen the number bounce back and were almost identical to 2008's numbers, which were 4,310 in 2008 and 4,697 in 2009.
The last two years the crops have been in the fields later than normal. I think this has people more messed up than a big cat or any other factor. There are almost no crops around me in Jefferson Co and I think this is why I have not seen the decline or been effected as much as others have been.
Just my $.02
