Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

In the WMU's that I'm somewhat familiar with (46, 49, 62) there seems to be an abundance of antlerless deer tags this year. Last year as I recall you couldn't buy a tag to save your soul and everyone was complaining about the lack of tags. This year, almost, to a person everyone I talk to got a tag. Is anyone else finding this to be so or is it just me? If so what's the reason? I'm sure that even though the winter was good and the herd is healthy and growing it couldn't have improved that much in one year. Any thoughts?

One person I talked to suggested that possibly the ministry was reacting to the number of deer/vehicle collisions and complaints of gardens being eaten etc. My reaction to that was; unlikely, when was the last time the Ministry responded to concerns like that? Ohhhh yea, I forgot.... I guess it was 1999 in response to the concerns of the animal rights groups, spearheaded by the Shad Foundation wanting the spring bear hunt cancelled. gg.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

Less people could be applying. It ups your odds for a tag. My chances were almost 100% in 84.

Dan O.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

We drew 2 doe tags for 4 hunters in WMU49. Last year we drew 1 tag for 5 hunters. Getting better but still not exactly what I would call good.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

I haven't drawn a doe tag in 4 years, 1st choice 62, 2nd choice 76B.

So far we have 2 tags out of 6 guys that I've heard back from, hopefully we get a few more out of the guys I haven't spoken to yet.

Where abouts do you hunt in 62? We're off the California Rd, not far in from the Mountain Rd (east of Tamworth).

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

There are ridiculous amounts of doe tags available in some WMUs this year. Personally, I have a buck or doe tag for 75 and a doe only tag for 88. I figured 2 deer was sufficient food for myself for a year, but I had the option of buying up to 6 tags.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

I can walk into the MNR tomorrow and buy up to 6 tags (two in each of my three closest WMUs). The MNR is making a feeble attempt to control the recent expansion of the deer population. Unfortunately they decided to charge full price for each tag. Should be $10 for each additional tag if they seriously want to put a dent in the deer population. Our moose population is suffering as the deer push them out. I suspect you could set the bag limit at 5 per day and still have a healthy deer herd. In fact you would probably have larger stronger deer instead of the herds of scrawny 90 pounders like they get in the southern states.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

borealboy; the small deer in the southern states isn't normally related to poor nutrition. Northern deer genetically are larger because they need a larger boiler system to keep them warm through the winter. The southern deer may be smaller in size but they still produce excellent racks. They couldn't do that if they were lacking in their diets.

Dan O.

RE: Abundance of Antlerless Deer Tags ???
 

Dan O
I guess our American friends will have to settle for their Dolly Parton deer (large racks, scrawny bodies)! I still think the MNR should open up the bag limit for deer further and reduce the tag fee. I can't believe that hunting pressure will ever cause serious harm to the current deer population. For you guys it would mean less crop damage and vehicle collisions, for us it would mean more moose. Its all good.