my group of 15 hunted zone 8. we took 21 bucks last week.
the smallest was a spike, the best was a 10.

WE ALL AGREE THAT "NJFG" HAS GONE TO FAR WITH THE ANTLERESS, UNLIMITED, AND THE EXTENDED SEASONS, WE ALSO AGREE WE ALL NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS. BUT I BET THAT 95% OF ALL NJ HUNTERS WOULD TAKE ANY DEER THAT WALKS PAST THEM NO MATTER WHAT SEX OR AGE THE DEER IS. FIRST STEP IN DOING SOMETHING IS LETTING CERTAIN DEER WALK. IF YOU KNEW A BIG BUCK WAS IN YOUR AREA WOULD YOU GO AND HARVEST A LITTLE BUCK, OR A ANTLERLESS? I BLAME THE "NJFG", BUT ALSO I BLAME THE HUNTERS, CAUSE "NJFG" IS GREEDY WITH "$$$$$$", WE AS HUNTERS GET GREEDY WITH WANTING TO TAKE ANY DEER, TAKING THE FIRST DEER, OR WHO CAN TAKE THE MOST. IF YOUR FALL UNDER THESE GREEDY CIRCUMSTANCES THEN YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO BE IN THE WOODS, AND YOU CANT BE THAT MUCH IN NEED OF MEAT, BUT IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE IN NEED THEN YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. FOR MYSELF I STATED IN A POST AWHILE BACK THAT I WOULD DO MY PART, SO FAR IAM. DURING MUZZLELOADER I HAD A DOE WALK 20 YDS FROM ME, I ENJOYED WATCHING HER LET HER WALK. GRANTED I KNOW OF ONE REALLY NICE 8 POINTER, AND DECENT 6 POINTER IN THE AREA I SAW BOTH DUING SHOTGUN (NO SHOT)THAT WAS REASON #2 NOT TO SHOOT, AND TOMORROW IS THE ONLY DEER PERMIT SEASON FOR THIS ZONE, AGAIN I WOULD RATHER GO HOME EMPTY HANDED THEN TO TAKE A DOE. IF THE HERD WAS WERE IT WAS 4 YRS AGO, BY ALL MEANS I WOULD TAKE A DOE ON SHOTGUN PERMIT. GUYS, STOP, LOOK AND SEE WHATS IN THE WOODS, VERY FEW DEER, LET THEM WALK, NEXT YEAR YOU MAY HAVE A NICE RACK WALKING BY YOU.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU

In our case it's not a matter of take the most deer. all the farms we hunt are loaded with deer. We have grown up with the landowers. If we don't control the deer #'s, they will rent to gun clubs. Our hunting is more for control. We don't take more than 1 doe each. As far as the meat we use it all none is wasted. Landowers' all take a share.

Now is the time to act NJBowman. When the Federation loses its insurance carrier in Jan, membership will be down. Do they really have that much power in Trenton?

hey bowhuntercop, what zone do you hunt in? it sounds like to me you are describing zone 3 to me. just wondering what zone.

Hey njplotts, if you guys need any more help with keeping those landowners happy, just let me know. I haven't seen 21 bucks in the last two years combined. Last year I went out 18 times before seeing my first deer. I did see 3 does and 4 fawns during 6 day firearm, so I did better than some guys I guess.

Good luck getting the regs changed. It aint gonna happen. The Federation has 6 seats on the council (corret me if I'm wrong NJBOWMAN) and they like the long gun seasons and liberal limits. In fact, the primary goal of the Federation is to protect the activities of the big clubs that the rest of us despise.

The clubs in my area were down from their average. I only checked a few, but they were the big ones that usually do the best. Two clubs that usually take between 35 and 40 bucks each during the week had 20 and 21 deer. But they will go out in January again and kill 100 antlerless deer with plenty of buttons mixed in there. And then of course say that permit bow season is reducing the number of bucks in the woods. Go figure.

I enjoy both Gun and Bow seasons in NJ and would be interested in participating/improving in the process and regulations.

Can someone provide me with contact information on who to contact to get involved?

Thanks,

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Here in Hunterdon County, I see deer all day long My guess ( I never counted) is about 20 to 23 a day. that between Holland Twp. and Flemington. The Bucks are dead on the side of the road. Man, the Insurance Companies must be paying out a lot of $$$$$$$$ this year.

Vic

EMS Motto: Your misery is our Pleasure

Driving by Mercer County Park a few days ago, I noticed a few deer back in the woods, so I decided to take a slow drive through the park. At 3:30 pm, I counted almost 110 deer. All but one were Doe. I saw one lonely buck walking down a power line all by his lonesome.

There were so many deer, I really had to stop counting. But then, no hunting is allowed in the park. The park is not that big, and the deer count was impressive. I guess next year I could probably go back and count 300. Maybe some special permit herd thinning would be appropriate during bow season next year....

kjclark7 , i also hunt zone 3 and i have only hit that zone twice this year but, in zone 4 some of the guys took some nice deer this year. that zone has lots of deer. last year in zone 3 they took some nice deer out plus this year i saw some nice pictures in franks takle and in monksville but i haven't seen anything in person. i love zone 3 but it doesn't have as many deer as 4 and it is more of a challenge ( which i love ) even though i didn't get anything this year. a friend of mine keeps me posted and he missed 1 maybe an eight with a real wide rack and said he new where 2 more were hanging around but didn't get either 1 of them .anyway, in three i agree with you but i have seen a lot of deer in 4 this year. Good luck hunting buddy.