WI Deer harvest the lowest in 30+ years (maybe)

[shawnv]

It was big news last year that we had the lowest total in 30 years, well we will beat that if you look at the latest harvest summary.

Thinking about the future, I left my farm as a sanctuary this past week since I think our local deer population is still 40% lower than it could be. Cell cam pics indicate that a number of deer survived so maybe next year we'll be able to shoot a doe on the farm.

 

[bueller]

I just hope the CDAC's continue to restrict the amount of antlerless tags issued. We are headed in the right direction, especially with December rolling in and "winter" really hasn't taken hold yet.

 

[BJE80]

Well 52 hours on stand and 1 deer spotted for us. Deer drivers in the area seemed to do well. The deer were just not moving.

 

[dipper]

Shooting as way down, that's for sure.
Opening day I was at about 28 different deer by noon, and I had to pull the plug, to deal with a buck kill. Opening Sunday I shot the 26th different deer I saw at 1pm.
We ended up with 5 bucks, 2-5 years old on my property.
Deer sightings have tanked near my borders, where neighboring pressure is obvious. Our last buck was shot Saturday, and he came into a doe bleat. Very little pressure on that part of the farm, and a 4 year old buck is responding to calls at the end of gun season. Mean while stands that were hot early, a deer can't be seen. I just hope big boy is upright...
life is good!

 

[NWWI]

But the DNR forecast was good?!

 

[shawnv]

I knew going in it would not be good numbers wise. It was post-rut, we had a moon phase that would lean to more nocturnal movement and a deer population that is having a hard time recovering. The DNR sees stats where they conclude there should be more deer overall and "good" hunting weather so the kill should be higher. It's an obvious disconnect to what is really happening.

 

[ruskbucks]

Wow, 40 year low! I think the shooting was up by us quite a bit from last year. The release of 1500 doe tags helped that out. This year was the slowest opening weekend as far as deer sightings we ever had, but Monday we saw 15 different deer so its hard to figure.

 

[dipper]

I just read a js article, kill was up. Exact numbers will be out today or tomorrow?

 

[BJE80]

I just read a js article, kill was up. Exact numbers will be out today or tomorrow?

How could it not be. I expect like a 5-10% increase. But if its down 40% the year before going up 5-10% is still crap.

 

[shawnv]

I believe that JS article was based on opening weekend.

 

[shawnv]

199,583 last year and not including yesterday it was 192,327 for gun season. If you figure where bow season is at it will for sure be lower overall.

 

[shawnv]

Thanks, I stand corrected as I took a buddies line in the post. It may be the lowest in 31 years.

 

[kabic]

So this is a case of trust but verify...

 

[Peeps]

It will be interesting to see what the "official" numbers are later today. It should be a slight increase over last year but still dismal compared to historic modern numbers. I hope the dnr doesn't use the slight increase to declare the herd as recovered.

 

[shawnv]

I'd feel better in a general sense if we were around 2012 numbers and had a stable herd size to support that. Granted that hunting can be good from one property to the next.

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/documents/deerhistory.pdf

 

[sandbur]

This sounds like a Minnesota repeat to me.

Batman is getting some time in Field and Stream (Sports Afield?)

In my view the days of passing a young buck and shooting a doe instead are over with for many of us. We need to preserve the does, to get enough fawns. I listened to the idea of shooting a doe instead for too many years. When your herd gets low enough, even one doe being passed is important.

 

[shawnv]

This sounds like a Minnesota repeat to me.

Batman is getting some time in Field and Stream (Sports Afield?)

In my view the days of passing a young buck and shooting a doe instead are over with for many of us. We need to preserve the does, to get enough fawns. I listened to the idea of shooting a doe instead for too many years. When your herd gets low enough, even one doe being passed is important.

Except we are not increasing tags right now and hopefully won't in my zone next year.

 

[bueller]

This sounds like a Minnesota repeat to me.

Batman is getting some time in Field and Stream (Sports Afield?)

In my view the days of passing a young buck and shooting a doe instead are over with for many of us. We need to preserve the does, to get enough fawns. I listened to the idea of shooting a doe instead for too many years. When your herd gets low enough, even one doe being passed is important.

I agree. Taking yearlings bucks may not be the "cool" thing to do but it sure feels like its better for the herd vs taking a doe in my area.

 

[sandbur]

I talked to a guy that works in the hardware store. They have a camp in northern Mn. and have not killed a deer in 3 years. It is a sad situation. A group hunts the weekend and nobody sees a deer, not to mention a buck and they are in a bucks only area.

I northern Sconny that bad?

 

[browndog]

Just saw on the news harvest was up this year from last year.

2015: 204,725
2014: 199,583