# Gun season



## fishguy 888 (Aug 8, 2012)

Hunted all day Monday and for 5 hours today in Auglaize County. Only saw 1 doe, a coyote and a small buck which was on Monday. We saw not even one hunter out today driving around parts of Hardin and Auglaize county. We didn't see any deer today hunting. We saw 20 or 25 a few miles from where we were hunting. Deer are always there because they know they are safe there. We only heard 5 or 6 shots this morning! I think the hunters aren't out like they used to be. Anybody else noticing a lack of hunters?


----------



## bludog (Apr 15, 2011)

I personally have not went deer hunting for several years now, but I talked to my friend who has been going to Egypt Valley in SE Ohio. We use to see lots of deer and usually brought some home, not so lately hardly even see 1 all day. Numbers are down for sure. He also stated that number of hunters he seen were down.


----------



## the czar (Aug 14, 2008)

I have a farm in Washington Co. And one in erie Co. Both were hunted monday and Tuesday. Yesterday and today. 1 doe killed 3 bucks killed. Only 2 does seen I'm worried about that 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

No lack of hunters where I am. The usual orange army is out in droves. Erie County


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

That Egypt Valley is so overrun with that "Russian Olive" brush you would need dozer to get thru it.
Hunted S.E. Ohio all week and Thurs. was the day deer were moving with a good frost and colder. First of the week saw very little and no shooting close. I think the deer were laying up until after 9 and then moving till after noon and then not till just before dark. Food plentiful and they were eating and laying and back up later for more.

Numbers down in hunters.... Gas to go hunting and processing 120.00 estimate for that. Those parents who chase the kids 24/7 every day for activities and those who gave up trying to get the kids off the couch. Then work when you are lucky to have a job. Anyone have any more reasons?


----------



## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

4 of us hunted Hocking county on public ground Mon-Wed. We got 5 deer three bucks and two does. The bucks were a 10, 9 and a 6. The 10 and 9 were big bodied deer 2.5 yr old deer. We took a guy with us that never deer hunted and of course he saw the most deer. He saw 9 deer and got a doe the first 45 minutes he was in his stand. Overall we saw over 20 deer. Headed out in the morning for some freezer meat.


----------



## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Plenty of hunters where I am, so be glad you had the light pressure.


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Can't remember the exact figures this year for opening day, thinking around 15,500. Down from 22,000+ last year for opening day. Will be interesting to see the total kill for this 2014-15 season. I'd almost say for certain this year tally will be less then last year. And last year was less then the year before and that tend has continued for several years.

Here's the last few years tally numbers which have declined every year:

Ohio's deer hunters kill nearly 20,000 fewer animals
northernohiolocalpolitics.blogspot.com/2012/02/ohios... 

Living in the middle of the woods and spending many hours afield throughout every year, there is no doubt in my mind there are fewer deer in this area then there used to be 7-14yrs ago. This is not only my opinion, but the opinion of most all the farm owners around here within several miles. We just don't see the sign or numbers we used to.

Too, know farmers and people with plenty of property in Hocking Co. that are reporting the same. Ironically was talking to one of them two nights ago that had a horrible season last year as well as this year. He has game cameras posted all over almost 300 acres. He has saved every pics. he has gotten in the last four years and the amount has decreased every year and really dropped last year throughout this year.

Know more guys in Lucasville Ohio and Pickaway Co. claiming the same drop.

I said all that to say this... have heard about every excuse under the sun for the decrease in the number of deer taken from not as many hunters, people don't get out as often for this reason or that. I not convinced that's the case. Neither is that the opinion of many property owners I know and have talked to. 

ODNR estimates Ohio's current deer population of 700,000 to 750,000. 

AFAIK, can't find the stats for 2005 Ohio deer population( maybe someone has them and can help out) but thinking it was somewhere around 625,000-650,000. 

Only thing I can say is there must have either been a big shift in the counties/areas where these deer are at or the current 700,000-750,000 deer figure is wrong.

Maybe they are all in the parks.


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

The Ohio game people better watch what they wish for, since hunting brings in tons of money to the economy. Hunters also put out tons of money for licenses and tags.....Take away the good hunting opportunities and less game, eventually their pocketbooks will start to show less money in them. Then what??? The scenario is, why do folks want to hunt Ohio?


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

^^^Agree *turkeyt*. ^^^

Here's a prime example of what you speak *turkeyt*.
There are 5 guys from NC that have leased land for the last 8-9yrs in Hocking county for deer hunting. Three hunt bow, shotgun and BP. The other two just shotgun and BP. Between them and their different stays, these guys spend a lot of $ in Ohio in license, lodging, food etc. 

Last year they were considering giving up their lease and trying to find a lease in Iowa. Haven't talked to them this year but a buddy of mine talked to a couple of them during late pre rut and he said they think they are close to working a deal in Iowa and this may be their last year here. Again, their reasoning is the continual lack of deer and sign from season to season.


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

I have hunted the same property since 2004 when the now owner bought it. The first 2 years were a little lean because of the previous owners managing the area. Then things picked up until the 2007 Blue Tongue disease wiped out a bunch of the area deer. I figured it would take about 4 years for the deer to rebound. Well that did not happen and with the liberal tags I believe that had a lot to do with it. Some of the people around the area love to shoot deer. They shoot any and all they are allowed. Some shoot more than they are allowed. **When we had ONE deer, buck or doe, there were more deer** Bring in the sportsman and the insurance companies. Both wanted changes in the amount of deer out there. Sportsman wanted more deer tags because they would limit out in bow season and could not hunt gun and B.P. season. You got what you wanted and so did the insurance companies...less deer in a lot of counties. The only difference was the sportsman had to fire the shots, the insurance companies pushed for less and fired no shots. In the previous post I said "watch what you wish for" The sportsman got their multiple tags and now they are the ones looking for their deer. The game people sat back and got you and the insurance companies off their back. How smart are they???
The same thing happened in Wv. when you could kill around 9 deer. Now the DNR is changing things back and forth to where it is confusing on what you can kill and where. I used to see 25 to 30 deer when I went out. The first day of season in Wv. I saw 2 and the rest of our group saw about the same.


----------



## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

I would rather see one or two dumb ones in a day than fifty of them running nose to tail with 50 noses to smell and 100 eyes to see.


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> I would rather see one or two dumb ones in a day than fifty of them running nose to tail with 50 noses to smell and 100 eyes to see.


That's the way it was several years ago. If you live long enough, you may get your wish and see one or two or none.


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

I can remember those days as *turkeyt *. 

There was a time here in Ohio when you could hunt all week(think we had a two week season back then) and never see a deer. It was a big thing to go to the check stations and see the few deer that were there.

May be going back to those days.


----------



## hopintocash2 (Aug 14, 2011)

fastwater said:


> I can remember those days as *turkeyt *.
> 
> There was a time here in Ohio when you could hunt all week(think we had a two week season back then) and never see a deer. It was a big thing to go to the check stations and see the few deer that were there.
> 
> May be going back to those days.


I lived those days and yes we are heading that way.


----------



## Perch-N-Quackers (Jun 26, 2011)

Personally, I think both the deer and hunter population is on a continued downward spiral. 2012 was the last good season I had. Seem to see fewer deer each year in several areas. I think several factors are causing it.
-Cost to go out
-Crazy high bag limits
-New Licenses
-New tagging system with an emphasis on removal of metal tags at check stations

It is WAY too easy for people to photocopy their tag. Shoot a deer. Temp tag it. Butcher it in home. Throw away the tag, and pull out a fresh copy. Repeat cycle.
The way I understand it, If you play your counties and tags right, you could shoot 12 deer with potentially 9 of the permits being either sex (meaning 9 bucks) 
I think we need to go back to the old semi laminate colored paper, metal tags, and small bags (3 deer, 1 of which is a buck). Just my $0.02/interpretation


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

Still one buck only,,, but all of the other doe tags mount up if you want to fill them all. That puts a bunch of money in Game peoples pockets and less deer they have to manage. I agree there are people tagging their game and then tossing the tag and keep on hunting. Then there are their buddies who don't hunt or own land who check their deer for them. There will always be crooks so that is in the equation anyway.


----------



## Perch-N-Quackers (Jun 26, 2011)

turkeyt said:


> Still one buck only,,, but all of the other doe tags mount up if you want to fill them all. That puts a bunch of money in Game peoples pockets and less deer they have to manage. I agree there are people tagging their game and then tossing the tag and keep on hunting. Then there are their buddies who don't hunt or own land who check their deer for them. There will always be crooks so that is in the equation anyway.



I must have really misunderstood that. It said either sex tags, that's why I thought you could shoot more bucks. Either way, I still think the system is too abuser friendly.


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> Orig. posted by *Perch-N-Quackers*:
> 
> I must have really misunderstood that. It said either sex tags, that's why I thought you could shoot more bucks.


Page 8, 2014-15 Hunting/Trapping Regs. at top of page under heading *DEER PERMIT USE*



> "A hunter may kill no more than one antlered deer during the 2014-15 season regardless of where or how it is taken."


...and I agree with you *Perch*, very easy to cheat in the current system. But as *turkeyt* eluded to, unfortunately, doesn't matter what system we have there are those that are gonna cheat/poach. Always have been regardless of the system we've had.


----------



## Perch-N-Quackers (Jun 26, 2011)

I was looking in the bag limit section and the can/cannot do section. Thanks for shedding light on my confusion


----------



## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

There are deer out the wazoo down here in the Hamilton County/Butler County area. I can say they are smart, they know where to go where they will not be hunted and have nice access to yummy landscape vegetation, e.g. Suburbs. I see them ALL THE TIME in my neighborhood and when I'm out and about. 5 of them including a nice buck ran in front of my car Saturday on Galbraith Rd. in Amberly Village.

IMO there are still TOO MANY deer around and they need to be thinned out big time. Lot's of deer - vehicle encounters and it's not getting any better. I don't think there's less deer now in Ohio, there's just as many if not more. I think the populations have slowly moved and relocated to non-traditional hunting areas, again e.g. the Suburbs.

Sounds like hunting in traditional areas is not the easy video game experience the last few years as it has been in the past. To me, if you walk into the woods, fields, etc, and within 30 to 45 mins you're bagging easy deer, what's the point? Hunting is suppose to be a challenge. I think a lot of people have been spoiled by how easy it has been in the past to get your 2, 3 or 4 deer in a short amount of time with minimal or average effort. I remember when getting a nice buck was a huge deal and a once in a 5 years kind of thing. Up until the last couple of years it seemed like every other deer was a trophy buck and that's now the expectation; wake up, walk into field/woods/etc, bag trophy buck, be home in time for 11:30am lunch, rinse, repeat.

E...


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

EStrong, What you are saying is true in a lot of areas. Deer have moved into the urban areas where people have carved out housing and business construction. The settings around these types of development is perfect for deer, where there is water and small tracts of cover. These areas have become hot topics, where owners are being challenged on how to keep the deer from devastating their landscaping. This will come to a head some day because Suzie homemaker wants her home to look like something on Better Homes and Garden. The traditional hunting areas are the ones where deer are either there or they are scarce. Most legit sportsman want to get out and see deer and if they score fine. The ones who have to have a deer or their friends and family look at them as not much of a hunter are common too. The area I hunt is like many other areas other people hunt. I get muddy, sweaty and tired and when I get home, I feel like I worked all day. I get up the next morning because I did not harvest a deer the day before, so I'm out in the woods again. At the end of season I either harvested a deer or I had some memories to share. Now, if I feel the need to harvest a deer real bad I will sneak down to one of those urban hot spots and ambush one when it crosses the road. If those Outdoor Channel folks would come down and hunt with us, the only thing they would get, would be a low battery on their camera. No video game experience here. Lol.
As for the trophy buck expectations, everyone would like to get that big buck...Now,, there are those who go to great lengths to get the edge on that trophy. They have multiple cams out, feeders, every scent control device available, the best bows, the best arrows, and so on. They pretty much have the deer located to an area. If those people do not get a trophy every year, well it wasn't for a lack of money spent.


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Not a problem *P-n-Q*.

There are parts of the handbook that are a bit confusing.


----------

