Ark hunting season.
 

I was just wondering what your hunting season has been like. For some reason no one that I know has seen deer this year like in previous years. I have even heard that the kills are down 40 to 60 percent across the state. I know that an extended gun season was proposed due to the low kill. But the game and fish swears that the deer are still here. What have all of you heard?

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

the season was poor. we did good the first two days and then it went kinda dead. we saw some good bucks but could not get shots because they stayed in stuff so thick only a deer could get through it . we are now seeing lots of deer. alot of people are blaming it on killing does,well i seem to get into arguements with these boneheads. our bucks dont have to roam to find a lover . there are so many does they can stay in the thickets. have you ever seen some the thickets that are products of our fine forestery practices. alot of people like cutovers but in a few years they are to thick to hunt. these are woodgoat havens. our local wardens were saying they were going to extend the gun season, but the suburbia board members said no. thats ok when they tear up there suv's hitting deer they will wish they did. i personnally dont have any respect for the agfc i believe they are a bunch of idiots. my son took hunter ed last summer and ,at eleven , he said it was a waste of time. they had a meeting between the agfc and people that wanted to attend . in our local paper they quoted a biologist as saying that a bucks antlers size depends on food he gets during the hunting season, as if they were still growing. these are the ones that determine our seasons. oh well maybe next year will be better. i am still bow hunting but i would rather go boom!!

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

People all over the state are seeing fewer #'s but better quality bucks. I think it is due to three things,

1) We had a major ice storm here last winter. I feel it took it's toll on the smaller, weaker deer.

2) Black tongue disease. It has shown up in Arkansas recently and is really hard on does and fawns

3) The best reason I can think of is our 3-point rule which was implemented a few years ago. The past few years, doe harvest has been high and legal bucks have been lower. This trend finally caught up with us and the ratio is almost in order. I think people are seeing fewer but better quality, which is a good thing.

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RE: Ark hunting season.
 

Ar will continue to see fewer deer as long as they allow a four doe
bag limit. the agfc is just tryin to sell liscense! in my opinion
they need to lower the doe limit to no more than 2 per person.
as far as the three point rule, i can't tell it's done a dang
thing! i saw one 8 point, and a couple of spikes this year. if
that's what the three point rule is gone do, they can take that back
to for all i care!

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

bogobble, i must disagree with you on the doe issue . there are alot of does and we must control them . i believe the buck issue and the doe issue go hand in hand . the three point rule has allowed bucks to mature and with maturity comes wisdom deer style. these bucks know not to travel in the daylight when our noise is in the woods. they dont have to go far to breed . i have seen very good bucks and i mean good . but at night . my buddy saw one around 10 am crossing from one thicket to another across a road. it was huge. trees are being rubbed that are much bigger than years ago. i do believe that the buck to doe ratio has got to be closer than it is. this will cause these mature bucks to roam to breed . they can stay in stuff that we cant really hunt and be safe . i used to work at goodwin field in the afternoon we saw just hordes of does . the guys i know that hunt in the area dont kill good bucks but know they are there. today me and one of my members were out on four wheelers just riding . we saw 10 deer in three hours from 4 wheelers. i mean riding up on them and they just stand there and look at us. in nov that didnt happen. they had plenty to eat and didnt have to move around. the gun season or muzzle loader season i think needs to be extended into jan. not everyone hunts with a bow or wants to . i think you will see alot of deer in the coming months , if im wrong remind me.

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

I saw a lot of deer right at the begining of season then the weather turned hot and the deer quit moving durring the daylight hours.
Mr-Pirk

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

The season was bad. Some good bucks taken, but not nearly as many deer. I hunt northern Arkansas, and I think the biggest problem is allowing 3 does to be takenby each hunter. Simple guys, you kill too many does and you aint going to have many deer.

I say suspend all doe killing in those parts of the state that have really low harvest stats next year. Warm weather or not, deer hunters kill a LOT of deer, and for Arkansas hunters to take 40-60% less - that says the deer aint there, for whatever reason.

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

i just got in from making a round with a friend who doesnt have to worry about looking at deer at night . ill just leave it at that. anyway if we saw 1 we saw 75 plus deer everywhere on the roads. we checked my pastures and it looked like a christmas tree of eyes. those suckers are slick , im getting my crossbow and bow ready. like i said in my other post they are moving in the day now . i still say we had an unusual year and who knows how explain it. it may be different in other parts of the state but around here i have heard the same arguement that i have heard here. but what i have seen in the last few days makes me believe the sayings are wrong . on one hand maybe others will be so discouraged they will drop some of there leases around me . i have many who are ready to help pay those leases .just thought i would share that.

Edited by - soarkrebel on 01/22/2002 00:19:48

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

The outbreak of blue tongue should prove to anyone who doubts it that the herd is too large. It's the classic scenario that the biologists warn about: let your herd get out of control and a pandemic will break out. It's mother nature's way of putting the herd back in carrying capacity when man can't or won't. It proves the need to shoot more deer and control the herd. Here in mississippi we're going to be in for the same thing pretty soon if we don't get off of our a$$es and shoot more does. We do our part at my camp but most around us don't.

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

i second boltman!

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

I'm a doe killin foo! The buck/doe ratio out at my house is way outta wack! Probably, about 1 buck to 8 does. We're trying to even it on out. I think the ice storm last year did take its toll on the deer. But I also think that the pretty mild winter this year made the deer stay nocturnal after the beginning of the season because it's cooler at night. I've seen more deer this year then I ever have before. Maybe because I went out more or something. And no, I'm not tellin you my spot!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

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RE: Ark hunting season.
 

rattling did work this . my buddy killed a big doe that came to see what was going on. three came running in .first time any of us have had luck with rattling.

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

Awww, come on Fro, where's your spot?<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
all i can say is, I'm real disappointed in what I've seen as far as bucks
since the 3 point rule.
Hey Fro, did you ever get that doe with your bow?

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

My season was alright. a 7-pt, and 2 does, but I'm not quite finished plan on some late bowhunting. We killed about 35 deer between 30 people on my lease (about 4500 acres in SW AR, Little River County) I believe it was something like 20 bucks and 15 does.

RE: Ark hunting season.
 

all the deer are dead. hah! me and my son were out today doing a little improving on some of our stands . we saw 19 in one group. rode the four wheeler to another area saw 6 more with a fine buck in it. they all just stood and looked , didnt run until we started moving again. came back to where had seen the ones before and 15 were out. they seem to have survived again.