Are the glory days of deer hunting coming to a close?

[Wind Gypsy]

By the way buddy. Me and 2 friends want to do an elk hunt in 2024. Can you help me with that?

I'll PM ya. If you don't have points in any states the options might be more limited without bustin out the wallet.

 

[omicron1792]

I have a plant in Eutaw. The prior GM spent half the morning talking turkey with me when he found I turkey hunted. It was much better than talking shop, but didn't help us prepare for the OSHA visit the next day haha

My farm not far from there. You hunt down here my man?

 

[matinc]

I am still curious why the southern boys luv turkey hunting. It's just crazy to me. I have walked up on these birds in the middle of an open field and their to stupid to even run when I could spit on them.

 

[omicron1792]

Here they are way way harder. You have to be very good caller to get a tom in shotgun or bow range. Their eyesight is fantastic.

Lots of predators for young too. Coyote and raccoons. Something like 1 in 10 make adults.

And. I agree with you. I don’t like warm weather hunting with bugs. I’ve seen many snakes in March and April turkey hunting.

 

[SwampCat]

I am still curious why the southern boys luv turkey hunting. It's just crazy to me. I have walked up on these birds in the middle of an open field and their to stupid to even run when I could spit on them.

Because southern hunters been hunting them seriously a lot longer - both legally and not. It is like a lot of the hunting shows I see up north - guy up in a tree stand, all leaves off the trees, and a big buck comes sauntering through like he is in a game park. That doesnt happen much in the south.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

It is like a lot of the hunting shows I see up north - guy up in a tree stand, all leaves off the trees, and a big buck comes sauntering through like he is in a game park. That doesnt happen much in the south

Doesn't happen much up here either, SwampCat!! If that happens up here, all the stars lined up, and the wind was perfect!!!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I wouldn’t say hunter numbers are down, I’d say they are up, they just bought crossbows and hunt archery.

True to some degree. Not as much "banging" in the rifle season. I notice camp numbers are down, though. When I was young, most boys hunted, or were about to turn legal age and couldn't wait to hunt. Many of our sons' friends didn't / don't hunt - and never took the hunters' safety course to even be able to buy a license. Big change from years ago.

But you're right on the archery numbers. I'd rather archery hunt too, and have been for over 45 years. More challenge / more relaxing to me.

 

[sandbur]

Because southern hunters been hunting them seriously a lot longer - both legally and not. It is like a lot of the hunting shows I see up north - guy up in a tree stand, all leaves off the trees, and a big buck comes sauntering through like he is in a game park. That doesnt happen much in the south.

 

[sandbur]

Because southern hunters been hunting them seriously a lot longer - both legally and not. It is like a lot of the hunting shows I see up north - guy up in a tree stand, all leaves off the trees, and a big buck comes sauntering through like he is in a game park. That doesnt happen much in the south.

It’s not like that up here and just a bit further north, hunters struggle to see a deer.

But Iowa is south for us,

:)

 

[SwampCat]

It’s not like that up here and just a bit further north, hunters struggle to see a deer.

But Iowa is south for us,

:)

We see lots of deer. But we see very few walking through wide open mature hardwoods

 

[BenAllgood]

I love KDFWR's ease of public access to data. Their real-time data from Telecheck results are great. I just pulled and subtotaled some of it. Interesting. Crossbows only account for 7% of the antlered buck harvest. Other states could be different.

2023 Season stats to date for deer kills by method:



2023 Season stats to date for antlered deer kills by method:

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I love KDFWR's ease of public access to data. Their real-time data from Telecheck results are great. I just pulled and subtotaled some of it. Interesting. Crossbows only account for 7% of the antlered buck harvest. Other states could be different.

2023 Season stats to date for deer kills by method:

View attachment 60423

2023 Season stats to date for antlered deer kills by method:

View attachment 60424

Rifles…wow

 

[BenAllgood]

Rifles…wow

Another interesting tidbit from the deer biologist from Kentucky:
Before the one buck limit, 70-80% of the the bucks harvested were 1.5yo. Now, it's down to 15-20%

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Another interesting tidbit from the deer biologist from Kentucky:
Before the one buck limit, 70-80% of the the bucks harvested were 1.5yo. Now, it's down to 15-20%

Amazing.

 

[fishin coyote]

Crossbow are approaching 50% of your archery totals there. Won’t be long until they do

 

[BenAllgood]

Crossbow are approaching 50% of your archery totals there. Won’t be long until they do

But, combined with archery, both only account for 18% of the total harvest and 15% of the antlered harvest.

 

[fishin coyote]

Rifles will always be the leader. That’s why in most states they have the shortest season and are the go to management weapon.

 

[Foggy47]

It’s not like that up here and just a bit further north, hunters struggle to see a deer.

But Iowa is south for us,

:)

Iowa is south for SOME of us. (Fixed it for you Art)

 

[bwoods11]

Because southern hunters been hunting them seriously a lot longer - both legally and not. It is like a lot of the hunting shows I see up north - guy up in a tree stand, all leaves off the trees, and a big buck comes sauntering through like he is in a game park. That doesnt happen much in the south.

I hunt in Iowa in a very good area (Loess Hills) in Western Iowa. They don’t saunter by me like he’s in a game park! However, they move more during the day because they do not have a gun season in November.

It’s that simple. My Minnesota farms are mostly nocturnal movement. So it’s vastly different.

Iowa just has a great set up, but even then I’m about to eat an Iowa buck tag! Hunting is never a sure thing—the big bucks have all been 50 yds and out and I can’t shoot a bow like Lee Lakosky!

We still had a lot of fun, and I will try it again around New Years !

 

[Foggy47]

Big headlines the last few days on my news sites about "Zombie Deer Disease". Seems the media is trying a new scare tactic on CWD?? Never heard anyone use Zombie disease with CWD. Geese!

What is the ‘Zombie’ disease impacting the US deer population

Scientists warn that deadly disease devastating deer populations in the US could pose risk to humans

news.yahoo.com