Archery harvest in Illinois down significantly!
#1
Archery harvest in Illinois down significantly!
EHD did a number on the state last year, and numbers are proving it.
Here's the link to see the deer totals for archery kills as of Oct 14. Numbers are way down to last year at this time.
http://heartland.ehclients.com/image...to_Oct._14.pdf
Here's the link to see the deer totals for archery kills as of Oct 14. Numbers are way down to last year at this time.
http://heartland.ehclients.com/image...to_Oct._14.pdf
#2
Youth firearm season totals are also in.. They too are down from last year!
http://heartland.ehclients.com/image...2013_Youth.pdf
http://heartland.ehclients.com/image...2013_Youth.pdf
#3
Spike
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 16
Ehd
The kill being down this year would mean that ehd is having an effect this year as well. Found three dead bucks on the farm I hunt. From what I can tell most deer that die from EHD die prior to bow season. Anyone else seen this?
#4
We were finding deer into October last year. We need a good rainfall or hard frost to kill these midges! From what I have been seeing, it has not been as bad as last year. I personally found only one small buck dead as opposed to 11 last year, 10 bucks and 1 doe.
#6
I hunt in Clark Co. eastside of state on the border of Indiana and Illinois. Numbers are way down, but EHD effected us last year like never before. It would be nothing to see 10 deer a set, be it morning or evening. During the 2012 firearm and muzzle loading season combined that's 11 full days of hunting (all day) I seen a total of 13 deer!
#7
I'm not going to blame EHD quite yet. When those numbers came out we only had one weekend in the season compared to the two weekends in the same period in 2012. Plus the youth season was very warm and humid. Sunday wasn't too bad but it was still warm. In early season most people hunt solely on weekends and cutting that time in half will greatly effect that. I also remember opening day in 2012 was quite cool compared to very warm this year. I bet you the numbers from 2012 and 2013 will be quite similar for October.
#8
You had 2 weekends just as last year.. The 4,5,12 and 13th.. Time will tell, but I'm betting that this years numbers will be down! In 2012, you had the 6,7,13, and the 14th. The numbers may be down due to non-resident permits being down, that may be due to the knowledge of EHD problem, but last year Illinois was ranked 5th in Boone and Crockett entries. Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky were ahead of Illinois.
Last edited by whitetailcrazy; 10-19-2013 at 05:24 PM.
#9
I too will withhold judgment for a while. I'm sure EHD has taken some deer, but there are so many variables that it makes comparisons based on such short time periods (i.e. limited data) dubious. The weather hasn't been conducive, the corn harvest is behind, etc. Not saying EHD isn't a problem, just saying that it's awful hard to tell how big of an effec at this point. Speaking of variables, on that Booner list, I bet there's better access to public land and outfitters are cheaper (i.e., more hunter opportunity and effort) in all those states than Illinois. Illinois has always been behind Wisconsin in numbers, but outperforming Wisconsin at the top end. To me, that indicates access issues.
#10
Spike
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 16
b&c
Didn't see anything mentioned about Wisconsin. Iowa is much harder to get a tag for nonresidents especially archery, Illinois is under subscribed. Kentucy and ohio are both one buck states. I have hunted Illinois for many years as a non-resident, I think its a great state to hunt but not near as good as a few years ago.