# Thoughts on the extra gun days?



## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

What are your feelings on the extra gun days this year? I have mixed feelings on its impact on the deer herd numbers and I know it will add pressure for the muzzleloader season. Lets hear your thoughts.

lg_mouth


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

It won't hardly have any impact at all. It's barely worth discussing, actually.



> I know it will add pressure for the muzzleloader season


How's that? 
They did this because people wanted weekend days to hunt. Now they got it, and others want to complain it's too much.  They just can't win.


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## flypilot33 (Feb 9, 2006)

I am not a big fan of gun hunting, but I don't care. Most places around me and where I hunt are pretty much ruined after gun season anyhow (until the next season) so an extra weekend won't realy change it. On a bright note maybe a bunch more does will get harvested bringing the ratio closer.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

Deer will have less time to "calm down" before mloader season. 

I brought this up purely for conversation. I couldn't care much either way. I was just curious how OGF felt about it.

lg_mouth


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

Public land up here in the Northwest corner of ohio are hit pretty hard and i have to agree it's not really gonna make a diffrence, maybe a few more will be taken but by that time thier gonna be ran out of the public land up here. 

I might go anyway just to get out. hopefully i'll have already taken my one deer for this year by Bow before the madness starts, I'd rather hunt with a bow anyway and normally wait until after the first of the year to get back out after gun & musseloading season.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I think it's great we get an extra weekend to hunt. I haven't talked to anyone who is complaing about the extra days. My goal is too take a deer with a pistol so I may need the other weekend.
Bob


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't think it will have much impact either. It may yield a few more deer but of those few more how many are from hunters who may have still gotten their deer later in the muzzleloader season or even late archery? Personally, if I am still looking to fill any tags at that point I will like it as I won't get to hunt much during the week. Also, my boy may still be looking to fill a tag and I will be able to tak him out again. So I think it can be a great thing for a few folks and pretty much irrelevant for the rest.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

I think it was a great idea. Now instead of wasting vacation time for gun week all I have to do is take 2 fridays off and get to hunt 6 days. After the first 2 days of gun week the deer are running anyway.


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## V-Man (Oct 16, 2006)

Not all of us could save or use up their vacation time for Gun Season. I'm glad the extra days are there!


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

Not sure I will hunt that weekend (I only hunt blackpowder usually), but IMO it is a good thing. It simply opens up a second weekend opportunity for people to get out (especially working folks). I think more young hunters may have the chance to get out and enjoy the sport. 

I don't buy the theory of it hurting the population - the deer are thibk in Ohio and I seem to see more and more each 5 year period or so. In fact, I have a hard time believing the population numbers are down form last year - I am seeing deer all over the place (I drive a lot for work). IMO - plenty of deer in Ohio at the current time.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

I believe the move for the second weekend is the begining of a move to open the gun season to 14 days as most of the states have around us. It will be easy to fill in the week in the coming years, the move will improve the economics of the hunt, more hotels/food/licenses for gosh sake. So how about a bonus tag somehow. I will take my nephews out I guess. The 2nd gun season will be extra does being harvested also.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

> I believe the move for the second weekend is the begining of a move to open the gun season to 14 days as most of the states have around us.


 That makes no sense. It's been tried, and it failed. There's no reason for them to do it again. Why can't some of you accept that they did it because it's what people wanted. There doesn't have to be a conspiracy behind every change.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Mr.Magis, 
The people want a 2 week season and that is what is going to happen. It will take a few years, nothing happens by coincident, there is always a conspiracy. Heck I like a two week season. And what has been tried and failed I am not sure on what you are referring to.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Wow...Can't believe I'm the only one who is opposed to the extra gun weekend. I would rather seen em make ML a week long so that it always includes some weekend time. Oh well.
....There was a 2 week gun season about 11 yrs ago...it only lasted one yr.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Mike is right. They lengthened the season several years ago to two weeks and many made projections that there would be record numbers taken. If memory serves me correctly the number for that year was right about where the prior year was. It spread the hunters a little throughout the 2 weeks as opposed to all in one but the numbers stayed the same. The fact of the matter is anyone who is killing deer to fill their freezer will be able to fill as many tags as they wish in most cases regardless of the 1 week or 2 weeks. I don't think the largest majority of the hunters finish the season wishing they had filled another tag as far as for the purpose of filling the freezer. Regretting missing an opportunity to bag a big buck is a whole different story.

From what I have heard the reason for the state's reluctance to lengthen the season any more than it is relates to the costs they incur in policing the gun season. During that week they put a lot more guys in the field and spend a lot more dollars to police things. Adding another week of the same type of support makes little economic sense when the result is simply to spread the harvest totals out over two weeks rather than one.


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

What's not to like about it? 2 extra days for those that can't take vacation during the first week. If anything this will take some of the pressure off the first week. I think it's a good idea for the season. We'll see how they feel next year. 
Buy the way Muzzle season this year does include a weekend.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Weekender, I'm guessing your somewhat new to hunting Ohio. The two week season was tried 11 years ago, and it didn't work. The kill numbers went down and it wasn't worth it. I don't know who is wanting a two week season, but I'm guess those folks aren't attending the public meetings. Despite what some of you think, the changes are made directly from the public's desires, but only those who are willing to attend the meetings. It's not a conspiracy.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Yes I am somewhat new to hunting in Ohio I have only deer hunted for around 10 or so years. My son got me into it and I kind of like it. If they would give me another tag I could fill it. I have promised to take both nephews hunting for deer in the second gun season. There has been a lot of talk already that many will go out the second season with their spouse or a current passive sportsman. The impact will be larger than just numbers. 
Yes they could probably close the season for Wed & Thur and still get the same harvest numbers.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

If anything the added days might improve the tags sold to deer harvested ratio which makes happy hunters as well as incouraging people to buy more tags which makes the state happy. Sounds like a win win for all involved. As for my part of the state just north of dayton (miami cty) they could add a month to the season and the numbers wouldn't go up much. Just isn't that much available land to hunt... plenty of deer though.


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I always thought adding extra day's was to control the population of the deer.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

I am all for the extra weekend , Im going to take the oppertunity to take the wife out and get her first deer , she doesnt like going out during reg. season , to many people she says . Plus its a chance to knock the Doe population down a few notches.


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

I can tell you from hunting in northeast Ohio, after the second day on private land you will hardly see another hunter. Public of course is another subject. I agree with having a second season. Like stated before, some people cannot get the days off from work to go. Second, the most important "the kids" I remember growing up and having to take off school to go hunting. Now the kids who we need out there, can get another opportunity to hunt. We are losing our ranks to Nintendos and other dumb stuff. The extra days are not going to hurt the population. With the 3 deer limit and all the urban tags you can buy we wont even put a dent in it. I may be full of BS but that's what I believe


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Any change in the rules that allows additional days hunting is all good in my mind. The increase, decrease or the kill staying the same doesn't really matter to me or most hunters I would think, it's all about the opportunity to just go hunting.

I hunt all 7 days of the gun season and all 4 days of the MZ season and will hunt both days of this extra weekend, but it won't effect my harvest total for the year. My groups total harvest will be the same each year whether we would hunt a few days a year or 13 days like this year. We only kill the number of deer for each family that we can eat.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2006)

> Wow...Can't believe I'm the only one who is opposed to the extra gun weekend


 Your not. I wont make this lengthy jsut to save argument from the experts on here, but I am 100% against it. Not that it really matters though. Despite what some will say, I think it really will effect the population. Around here there is mainly small scattered woodlots. People do deer drives and deer run from one woods to the next. What they dont shoot the people in the next woods will. I think its just 2 more days for the crazies to get out there and shoot whatever moves. But anyhow I bet the Dnr will love it, more pockets full of cash. This is just my opionion, ok.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I can't believe it but I agree with traphunter.lol We have the same type of woodlots in NW Ohio that he speaks of. I know the Saturday of gun season is a zoo!!! I'm really not too thrilled about giving the less than ethical hunters 2 more days to tresspass, chase deer with trucks, and generally do whatever the heck they want. I think there will be quite a few more deer taken but I could be wrong.

I am all for giving people more oppurtunities to hunt but I just have seen some pretty low-down stuff go on durning gun season. I am sure that in some parts of the state the extra time will help control the does and probably have a positive effect on the herd but I don't think its gonna be too good for this part of the state.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Perhaps the point was overlooked that the last time they gave more than a week of gun season (11 years ago) they actually gave a whole extra week. That is twice the time. And the result was that the deer kill for that year went down from the prior year. When they went back to the current format again the numbers continued to grow slightly each year. I think that speaks volumes for the minimal impact the additional two days will have on the overall harvest results. As for the crazies and what they may do in certain areas that behavior can and most likely does go on every day of the slug season. I really don't think it is going to provoke them to do snything they would not have done otherwise. And if they are doing anything illegal report them!!


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

BRING IT ON!!!!more dead deer in my freezer the better i eat..nothing better than surf & turf.,grilled venison back strap & broiled lake erie walleye.. oh yea..oh yea......

:! + :B = 

cant eat the antlers..


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2006)

Thats exactly right swantucky. I agree, some parts of the state probably do need more herd control. In that case they should maybe open a special "doe only" season in those small areas. But in most parts of the state, including mine, the herd in definatly in check, actually quite low. I know people on here will argue untill they are blue in the face about this, but untill you hunted in this area, dont act like you know they are over populated. Come hunt and drive this area for a weekend and you will see what I mean.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

It would be fine too if they made the extra weekend a does only thing , down here where I live we have tons of public land that not many people hunt anymore and the deer are gettin outta hand.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

Thanks for the responses. I assumed there would be more against it than there are. I am mainly a bowhunter and of course, most bowhunters I talk to are against it, for reasons already mentioned like crazies in the woods, trespassing, deer drives, etc. Bowhunting late season is probably my favorite time to get out and with two extra days to blast away at the deer (speaking about Meigs Co. of course) just makes them even more skiddish than they already are in late season.

lg_mouth


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Lg_mouth,

That ain't late-season. Late season doesn't hit until over a month later. 

At least around my area the deer settle back in to a pretty steady activity within a few days of the season so I don't suspect that it will hurt the activity much in my area expecially since I think those last 2 days will be less busy with hunters.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

..January as late season, but as usual, what I type out and what I really mean rarely go together!  

I know this is a little off subject, but how bad are poachers in your areas? I personally have never witnessed anybody poaching, but I do hear an awful lot about it. In early bow season last year, I found a headless deer. The body was not that big, so I couldn't imagine the rack was all that nice, but I guess it was to the poacher.  

lg_mouth


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

LG Mouth, I used to do alot of hunting in Meigs Co.. Theres some nice bucks down that way.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Now in the last 2 week season that was 11 years ago, I believe the limit per person was 1 deer per year and 2 in Southern counties so the harvest was spread out over 2 weeks rather than in one. Now the limit is 3 deer and I would guess that over 50% of the hunters do not get their 2nd or 3rd deer. Now with the extra time in conjunction with the expanded limit of animals there will be more taken, a lot more. But we will see. 
You that are against this are just selfish and want the animals to yourself but there has been a explosion in the deer population around here. I don't want to see the number drop because I am selfish also. 
Kind of like close the rivers in the spring walleye run so the boat guys can catch more in the summer on the lake.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

We have a lot of QDM going on around here and the bucks are just getting better. But, we also have a lot "it's brown, it's down" mentality, poaching, having every freakin member of your family tagging deer in, etc. So, it is by no means a trophy haven, but if you know the right people and can get in on some good land, you never know how big of a buck may walk out in front of you!

lg_mouth


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

The deer harvest numbers prior to 1990 compared to now indicate that we are not coming anywhere close to depleting our resource. The state has progressively become more and more liberal with the bag limits and nowhere along the course of those 15+ years has the totals indicated that we have gone too far. In fact the harvest totals now are consistently more than double the numbers from prior to 1990. The key here is sonsistency. That indicates that the population is not declining. Granted you may be able to overharvest for a year or two (theoretically) but the numbers would begin to show it and they have not. Here is a good link to the year-by-year totals since the inception of the deer hunting in Ohio. (Page 9 has the totals)

Summary of 2005-2006 Deer Seasons


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

I used to hunt down there in Meigs Co. on Jack Irvins land , but havent been down there in a few years


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

Name doesn't ring a bell. I hunt in the Racine area.

lg_mouth


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I am glad to have the extra days. I just started a new job this year and have no vacation to take. By the way...why is it that the people that only bow hunt believe that all gun hunters are morons? I bow hunt and will admit that is by far my favorite method of hunting even though I have not taken my first bow kill but I also gun hunt and I always feel like gun hunters are looked down upon by the die hard bowhunters and even the muzzle loader guys. I agree that there are alot of morons out there that only hunt during the gun season and probably shouldn't even be aloud to own the gun their using but for the most part there are alot more of us good guys and I think we deserve the same respect as anyone else.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I hope you guys don't think I was getting down on all gun hunters, that was not my intent. I gunhunt myself, I take my kids with me every year, one gets opening day of gun and one gets the 1st day of muzzle season. I have no problem with most gun hunters but there are groups of guys that hunt in my and surronding counties that have no respect for the land or the deer. I just don't see the sport in haveing 5 trucks surrond a 25 acre woodlot with 6 guys pushing and 6 guys sitting on the other end. Then you have the guys in the trucks watching where any deer that do make out and relaying to the others where they went and doing the same agian. Not hunting in my book.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I agree with you 100%. Driving deer is not hunting. As far as I'm concerned, deer drives could be made illegal. These are the morons that I speak about. But I get odd feelings from people that only bow hunt and I got that feeling while reading through these posts. Maybe I feel that way because bow season is five months long and gun season is a week and here are some guys complaining about two more days. Here's a thought....How many of the guys that are complaining about the extra days will actually take a doe with there bow? The deer population in OH is outta control and the buck to doe ratio even more outta wack. Yet heres the bowhunters who refuse to shoot anything but a B&C buck complaining about two more days of gun hunting, and you know the gun hunters won't hesitate to shoot them does. I just enjoy being out in the woods wether or not I take the bow or the trusty ole 870. Too many people have lost touch with what hunting is all about.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

I couldn't have said it better than Swantucky. Those are my thoughts exactly.

Now, addressing taking a doe with a bow. I already have. I would be just as happy filling my 3 tags with mature does than with 1 buck and 2 does. I bow hunt to enjoy what God has blessed me with and I feel that many (not saying all) gun hunters (in my area especially) have no respect. We have gun hunters who drink all day Sunday then go hunting on Monday, then drink every night in deer camp. We have guys who begin driving deer Monday morning, not even giving deer a chance. In the weeks following gun season, most of the bowhunters I talk to find at least one dead deer because some gun hunter decided not to track it. 

Here in my county, gun season is a dangerous time to be in the woods or even on the roads for that matter. We have had houses shot into and vehicles with slug holes because these guys just blast away. 

I apologize if you feel I am painting gun hunters with too broad of a brush, but these are my experiences here in my neck of the woods.

lg_mouth


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I agree with everything your saying. There are alot of morons out there that gun hunt but I don't think these idiots should cause all us gun hunters to have a bad image. I guess I see where you all are coming from, I just don't see what all the fuss is about over two extra days. I personally hunt all week but this year I will only be hunting the weekend and the extra weekend. I'm glad to have the extra days. Sorry to ruffle any feathers but I guess I take offense when someone bashes gun hunters in general when in general I'm a gun hunter as are some of you that are doing the bashing.


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

The fact of this whole matter is that everyone has a right to their own opinion. I am a preferred bow hunter. I focus my whole bow season on bagging my buck. But I also enjoy gun season. Gun season is always great because for one week, my family and hunting buddies get together to do some gun hunting.

I respect all of your opinions. I agree that their are many morons in the woods, but I am one who is in favor of deer driving. We drive our property on the final day of gun season every year. We sit the entire week until Sunday at noon. From noon until the end of the day, we drive all the briar patches on our property to attempt to fill any tags we have left. Above all, we strategically set up every drive to ensure the safety of everyone and to make sure we aren't shooting at any roads.

I'm not attempting to create an argument. I agree there are a bunch of morons who give gun hunting a bad name. But, I want everyone to remember that their are hunters out their who use hunting methods you may not agree with, but they do carry through these methods in safe manners.


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## DarbyMan (Dec 11, 2005)

Good point Fishstix.
I love the extra two days to hunt. I have to use vacation days when I hunt during the week so a couple extra "free" days is good to me.
I only hunt deer with a gun because I don't own a bow. I don't beleive that makes me unethical as I have never lost a deer or shot up someone's house or car. Guess what, I also pick up my empty shells! And I don't drink!
It peeves me when you guys paint the broad stroke of unethical gun hunters. There are morons in every facet of society, is it fair to label the whole group as bad?
When I fish I flyfish, but I don't snub my nose at baitcasters or spinfisherman.
To each their own. Ethical decisions are yours to make and live with.
Sportsman in general need to stick up for each other. There will always be bad apples but we can't judge the entire group.
As for deer drives I think they are loads of fun and a great way for a large family to hunt together.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Don't get me wrong I hunt with or have hunted with a recurve, compound, crossbow, high powered rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader. I have no problem with most gun hunters, I'm one of them!!! We also do some deer drives so don't think I am saying that one method of hunting is better or more "refined" than another.

I just like to see the deer have a fair chance to escape. Guys chasing them with trucks through fields and from woodlot to woodlot is just not my idea of fair chase. Not saying anyone on here does or would do that, I've just seen it happen in the past. I will call the DNR if I see that crap going on.


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## jeffmo (Apr 7, 2004)

the extra days won't hurt the population and it will definately give some people a chance to hunt that might not have otherwise.
if it's done SAFELY,there's nothing wrong with utilizing deer drives as a way of hunting.
i hunt the hills during most of gun week and we've never had the 1st problem during a drive.but we have guys who have hunted together for over 25 years on mostly the same property that we all know very well.if it weren't safe i'd be out of there in a heartbeat.
i alway take a day or two to hunt the farm where i live and it is alot more relaxing for me to hunt by myself.


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