Tbone1187

i want to tell the dnr that they are fcking up deer hunting and the hunters will not just stand here and take it

mr.mc54

Deer numbers were down, less hunters in the woods and what do they propose? A longer season so we kill more deer. I say the only way to get their attention is for private land owners to close their land to deer hunting. After a short period of time, they (the DNR) will cry uncle and listen to the hunters.

Until hunters unite, nothing will change!!!!!!

cayugad

29% fewer hunters harvested from last year opening season. What they forget to mention is last year was a very poor harvest compared to previous years. Add those two years together and what do you have? A joke!! The days of the large Wisconsin deer herds are coming to an end.

We always hear, do you want large herds or lots of deer? Well we used to shoot some pretty impressive bucks when the herd was large. And at least we saw deer and had one for the freezer.

Maybe they can drop the hunting age to eight year olds to increase license sales because I think they are going to see a large drop in sales next year. Every one I talked to is disgusted with the Wisconsin deer herd numbers.

Like Mr. MC54 pointed out, herds are shot off, so lets increase the number of days a person can hunt. That should solve the harvest numbers.

wihunter1388

how many big bucks were shot 5 years ago even 10 im saying above a ten ptr look at this year that 30 ptr in fon du lac and that huge one in sheboygan along with all the others that you dont hear about like all the 14 ptrs. It was warm out opening weekend and deer werent moving but after thanksgiving when every one was sick of hunting people that stayed out in the stands saw nice bucks. In my area we rarely see a nice buck this year a 11 ptr got shot and 14 ptr, 16 ptr and 10ptr got hit within 1.5 miles of my house. If you were a buck would you move to find does during the rut if none was by you? i know i would. Yrs ago there were so many does why should a buck travel out of its sancutary to find them. I know its nice when your a kid or just a mental thing when you see deer but this year i have seen some of the nicest bucks im thinking because of this reason

jessejmc1979

The number of does has nothing to do with whether a buck gets big or not. I don't know where everybody gets this theory from but bucks become big by not being shot when they are small!!! That is the only way. You can push the agenda of buck to doe ratio all day but they don't get big hanging from the meat pole. And what about the person that doesn't care about shooting a trophy buck (I am one of them). Deer hunting used to be about the fun of hunting and if you shot a buck (any buck) you were proud and felt like a big shot. Now with everybody pushing the agenda of huge trophy bucks only down your throat you get looked down on for shooting a small buck. The dnr has wiped out our herd and defending them by saying it has caused the number of trophy bucks shot in Wisconsin is ridiculous.

Redclub

The DNR has heard us no longer season,reason? some legislators are calling for removal of deer management team. This is the first season in 56 years that I did not get a shot at a buck in Gun season? Herd in Northern Wi. (in some area's) are too low to comeback, predators and winters will keep them low,just not enough to regrow the herd
Redclub

bowbuc

Very well put. I have only lived in WI for 18 years but long enough to see deer hunting change. Even 18 years ago and until now, Wi is regularly rank in top 10-5 best places to hunt for a trophy whitetail in the US. When I knew I moving here, saying I was excited would be an understatement.

Not being a trophy hunter managing a deer heard for monster bucks means nothing to me but I always knew when I was in the WI woods, the chance was there. Yes, if you force hunters to shoot does and create regs that makes hunters pass on bucks you will no doubt see larger bucks. The problem seems to me though, this would be short term. kill a doe and you remove 2-3 deer for the following season. Force a hunter to Earn-A-Buck and many buck fawns get killed. Do this for ten years (since CWD) and your herd gets reduced big time.

Like some one else said, we had large racked bucks when the herd was big too. You just had to HUNT for them.

bigtim6656

We have a similer issue here. We lost alot of camp grounds a few years ago. They said they did not have the money to change them over from portajons to sewer systems. The same year the govener bought a new jet airplane. This year 20% of the FWA i hunt was lost. It is old mine land on loan from the mine up till last year they where getting it for a lease at 1.00 a year. This year they came up with the money to buy it but could not buy the mining rights. The private companys would not give out money without the mining rights. Now there paying 175k a year and lossing it acre by acre. I would told to expect it to either be bought out right or be gone in 5 years.

ManySpurs

I wish you guys luck. From what I've been reading the last week, it looks like your lawmakers are stepping up to the plate for you guys.

We are going through the same thing here in Pa. Our herd has been demolished, and the Pa Game Commission just stays the course. It's truly sad what the eco freaks have done here in Pa.

Good luck to you folks.

Cornelius08

Been hearing a bit about you guys and the deer management. Sounds eerily familiar to what we've been going through here in Pa. Unfortunately for us, our harvests have fallen off even farther than yours has and we have a couple hundred thousand more hunters!

Our Game commission sold us down the river. We have environmentalists (from audubon and various conservancy goups)running the show here and its atrocious management. Kill the deer for the sake of the trillium, hobblebush and extreme biodiversity. We been fighting these "deer wars" for several years and its a losing battle. Our buck harvest in recent years has been 109-120k and that is not the number actually reported but total AFTER a 60% reporting noncompliance guestimate percentage is added by PGC! And the herd level continues the declining trend according the pgcs data, and even worse via hunter accounts which dont come sugar coated.. Our deer management leader had to wear bullet proof vests in public, the agency is being sued by sportsmen group, being denied a license fee increase by some pro-hunting legislators, and an audit has been forced. ... Still staying the course.

Lotsa ugly politics involved.

All I can say is good luck fellas. If our experience here is any indicator, You're gonna need it.