mr.mc54

When there isn't anything more intelligent to say, blame the hunters!

Maybe the hunters are sitting home because they just plain ole hate the DNR and feel it is useless to waste their time listening to pinocheo blow hot air up their a**. Everyone I know is attending, if for no other reason than to vent how they feel about getting hornschwaggled with the EAB and how the numbers were so far off. I know from reading web sites and talking to other hunters that most hunters dislike the DNR and don't believe a word they say.Thats ok,

IF YOU LIKE EAB NOBODY CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND, JUST DON'T BLAME THE HUNTERS WHO JUST FOLLOWED THE RULES AND WERE MISS-LED BY MISS-COUNTS AND FAULTY PREDICTIONS!

Trapper22

BowhuntingFool why would you blame the hunters in the EAB areas for not doing there job??? That's a bit idiotic at best. I don't think you read my post or don't grasp the comprehension of it. I'm not a horn hunter andI've said that. I do prefer shoot a buck because I don't see the deer numbers that are supposedly there. I'd rather let a doe go if I have the choice of shooting one or the other at the same time. I don't know of anyone that is a horn hunter on the approx 600 acres of private landI hunt on. We've all done our jobs in harvesting antlerless deer along with bucks when we get the chance.

What everyone is pissed about is the steady decline of deer sightings over the last few years while the DNR implements an EAB for the first time in 2008 in 73D. The deer numbers have been going down in my area before EAB. Why in the hell did we get put in it then? It's political and greed of the DNR to inflate numbers to try to convince people the deer herd is out of control.

It islikely that the deer numbers are above goalin one area of a DMU without a doubt. But when the DNR blankets an entire DMUbecause of one small area all it's going to do is cause an even bigger decline in sightings in other areasand will harbor resentment from the hunters. That's already happening. I don't trust a DNR employee (herd counter)any farther than I could throw one. I doubt if it would be a problem to get several thousand hunters in the state to do justthat. It could be a game just like the DNR is treating deer hunting in this state.

BowHuntingFool

Trap, maybe I was wrong on blaming "all" the hunters for not doing their jobs and not shooting enough Does. But you know and I know that there are old school guys out there that refuse to shoot does because they think it's taboo an are set in their ways and others also don't shoot em' to despite the DNR. Hence the sightings up in one area and down in another area of the same DMU. Like I said before there is a place for EAB in certain areas!


I also think "some" of the deer hunters have been spoiled in some areas of the state with the big numbers over the past few years. They want to be able to walk out into the woods and shoot a deer or two every time in the woods. Now that they may have to work a little for it they don't, they would rather look for a scape goat, they blame the DNR. There were a lot of deer killed this year so they are out there! Hell even my numbers were down a bit, I thought man the winter kill took a lot of deer this past year. Then late season bowhunting there were deer everywhere! Sure they yard up on the food sources but I was seeing big numbers on all the food sources! I counted 68 deer in one fiald while coyote hunting in late jan. Now where were these deer during the season, thats what I'd like to know!



I tell yo this, that job to count the deer is a ruthless one, I wouldn't want it, trying to please all the hunters, ain't gonna happen!

cayugad

But these people who do want to walk out and shoot a deer when theywant, are normally the people that do shoot does. So they endorse the EAB. I hunt to hunt. I like to shoot bucks. But last year, not even seeing a deer.. kind of hard to do that. And I worked at it. I changed stands, I stalked marshes, I went on drives, and no deer around my house.

What really cooked my bacon a few years backwas when I witnessed a hunting family (five hunters)with atree full of doe they were forced to shoot. I asked them how they were going to eat all of that venison, and they just laughed and said they had to shoot them in order to shoot at a buck. That to me was just wrong.

Personally I like seeing deer. The herd is gone. And so will be my hunting dollars. I just put stickers on my boat, so I guess I will fish for a while.Let the deer take a breather.

mr.mc54

Yeah - The good ole DNR is having a real tough time doing their ruthless job! My heart bleeds for them.

IF THE DNR TOLD THE TRUETH AND ADMITTED THEY SCREWED UP WITH THEIR DEER NUMBERS THEIR JOB WOULD BE A LITTLE EASIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![8D]

As for the hunters looking for a (SCAPE GOAT) to pin the lack of deer on, the DNR is totally at fault for screwing up the deer numbers. Why not admit it????????????[:@][:@]

Go back in your posts BHF - seems to me you stated that you saw all kinds of deer, "bruisers" as you called them. That is why you like EAB, thats what you said then. Now you say, "hell even my numbers were down a bit". [:-]

Sounds tome likeyou would fit right in with the DNR!!!!!!!!!!!

BowHuntingFool

Compared to the year before and the RECORD numbers I seen, yes my sightings were down a bit, but I knew that was going to be the case this season, I changed my style of hunting this year and went to a Longbow, successfully I might add as well. I set up completely different and in NEW areas. I'm not complaining one bit on the numbers I seen this year, just making a statement so don't go trying to put your own little twist on what I said to suit your needs, nice try! Yes, I seen all kinds of deer this year, plenty of big bucks, 2 or 3 at a time, couldn't shoot them, no buck tag, but that seems to bother you more than me! I'm happy with my season, not one complaint. I still have a Buck tag in my pocket and can't wait to spend my time in the woods again this year! Have fun in your box blind waiting.....[8D]

Oh yeah the DNR did admit it, did you find "your" scapegoat yet??

TJD

EAB is at least better than the goofy t-zone hunts that relatively few participate in anyway.

But the problem as I see it is the DNR's overall approach to the issue. It seems once again to be one of "Buy your tags! Give us your money, now go to h***!" We keep hearing the DNR say how hunters are "the primary deer management tool available". So even a bunch of governmental employees should be able to figure out that if they keep alienating hunters, they won't have that "deer management tool" available to them, at least not in near the capacity they are looking for.

And how have they gone about this? Let's take the example of unit 61, where I hunt. Back in 1993, when I first hunted there, the overwinter target was 25 deer per square mile (DSM). But antlerless tags were only available to those who filled out an application, and even then the chances of getting one were about 50%. In 1996, the DNR suddenly decided that the population in unit 61 was "too high". In addition, the overwinter goal was reduced, making it appear that the unit was even more overpopulated, and the first t-zones popped up. Then in 2001, we were told the population was WAY TOO HIGH, and the overwinter goal wasfurther reduced. Meanwhile, the amount of deer range remained roughly the same over this period. Due to an outcry from Buffalo County residents and outfitters, the DNR did slightly relent on the overwinter goals, raising them back up to levels set in the 1990's. Still, EAB and t-zone hunts remained, alienating residents and others who were being told not to believe their eyes...the DNR said there were more deer out there!

Then in 2005, we were told that EAB could go away if hunters harvested does vs. bucks at a ratio of 2:1 or better in 2006 and 2007. What happened? the 2:1 ratio was exceeded in each year, but EAB stayed in place. Why? Well, the DNR said that the 2:1 ratio had to apply to the whole region, not simply to each DMU. So, in other words, EAB was kept around in places like Dodge and Galesville because people near Neillsville ( about 100 miles away) did not shoot enough does.Apparently the DNR thinks that deer need to be managed like a migratory game bird, where what is harvested hundreds of miles away effects local units. Funny, I must have missed the memo stating that deer were now migrating hundreds of miles...

Now we look at 2009. EAB is still in place in unit 61, despite 2:1 doe to buck harvests continuing, and despite a roughly 20% drop in harvest in 2008 vs. 2007.

And some wonder why the DNR is not trusted?

mr.mc54

TJD-
I'm afraid we are in for more of the same this year. They are proposing larger DMU's. Now they will be screwing up their counts and predictions on a larger scale. I think they do their surveys at the wrong time of the year and this is why the present way of predicting the deer population is flawed. Correct me if i'm wrong on this, but they do the counts when alot of deer are still yarded up. Deer move a long way in the northern part of the state, and this could be part of the problem. I'm just throwing this out there, so somebody let me know if this theory is far fetched or could be a factor. I think it is a certain fact that in the past $$$$$$$$$$$ was their (DNR) reason for giving out so many tags.

Lets hear what others think!!!!!!