# season up or down from last year



## NIGHT MAGIC (Jun 13, 2011)

just taking a poll is your season up or down from last year, mine is down 50%
onle 3 for bow so far


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Mines way down from what has been seen....got one in the freezer though so still a productive season....I think the neighbors dogs have some thing to do with the lack of deer seen....and now the one had pups and there is 3 more running around for a total of 6 and she is pregnant again I noticed
I guess putting the deer carcass up there didn't help either....trying to draw in the coyotes or fox and only got the dogs


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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

ironman172 said:


> I think the neighbors dogs have some thing to do with the lack of deer seen....


ironman172,
Depending on your relationship with your stray dog owning neighbors, I'd either say something to them about keeping their dogs on their property or shoot them. The SSS rule applies here. 

If you know your neighbors well enough that you think saying something to them would make them keep their dogs home, then that's the thing to do. However, if you think they're not going to do something about it, you be better off not saying anything and when the dogs come up missing...it was probably coyotes. 

More than likely, if they're letting their dogs run, it's not a good chance that they're going to start keeping them on their property. However, you'd know more about them than we would. Good luck! 

Bowhunter57


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## VitalShot (Feb 10, 2012)

Down. Alot less deer in my part of brown co. Ehd. 


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## NIGHT MAGIC (Jun 13, 2011)

everyone I know that hunts, are also down, yet the odnr says the harvest is up


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## dmgonfishin55 (Jan 8, 2009)

Down for sure.


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## VitalShot (Feb 10, 2012)

I know a state vet and he says there were several cases of ehd 


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## VitalShot (Feb 10, 2012)

But also this yr there has been more monsters killed than I can ever remember 


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

It's been kind of mixed really.

I hunt southern Clermont county near the Brown County line.
Early on I was seeing plenty of deer, especially bucks. It's been a little slow lately but we've been seeing more does.
I think alot has to do with changing food sources. Not too may acorns on the properties that I hunt and the soybeans got picked early.

Seems to be better than last year. I took an 11 point and a button buck, my partner hasn't tagged anything yet.


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

I'd say about the same. Filled my first tag Nov. 3rd this year compared to Dec. 12th last year. Not seeing a lot of deer in the woods, but pressure is off since one is in the freezer. Buck hunting from here on out.


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

It's been a banner season as far as success for me, but too many variables from last season to this one to compare. I suspect if things had been equal from year to year it would have been down. 

I have only seen one doe where I hunt though in Ohio. Most of my deer have come from WV.


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

VitalShot said:


> But also this yr there has been more monsters killed than I can ever remember
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I agree, including a nice buck of my own. Or perhaps mobile communications simply make the pictures more readily available.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Way down. I have seen a total of 7 deer on 19 hunts. I've been skunked on 15 hunts. I may give it up. 

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## VitalShot (Feb 10, 2012)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> I agree, including a nice buck of my own. Or perhaps mobile communications simply make the pictures more readily available.


I agree with the mobile communications. But just the deer around my area is unreal more180-190 deer and a ton of 150-160. 


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## talltim (Jul 25, 2008)

a six deer limit and 300 amish the next road over from were i hunt, and i see fewer deer every year. I'm sure some areas still have a lot of deer, but i saw more deer when i started hunting 30 years ago.


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## OhioBigBuck (Nov 19, 2010)

I have 25 acres with two food plots and three feeders and have kept the food source strong for the past few years. I also run six trail cams year round. The population has dropped tremendously over the past few years and this year is the worst I have ever experienced. I also have a close friend that hunts hard on another property about 35 to 40 miles from me and he has always had a large population of deer where he hunts. He has yet to see more than a single doe and a young year and a half or so buck. I truly believe that many of the big bucks are urban and also attributed to the fact that almost everyone has a camera on their phone anymore. Also, with that said, I had four nice 3 ½ year old bucks pre-season. Within a week of opening day I learned that the Amish families to the south of me killed them. I was also told they killed a couple fawns and a button buck. With the new check system I have a pretty good feeling that many deer are harvested or slaughtered without any checking being done so as for the state count Im not too sure of the accuracy. I am forced to find another place to hunt after making such a large investment into the property, food plots and feeders as well as the thousands of pounds of corn in a years time. I went out a few weeks ago and saw two guys with shotguns on a neighboring property shooting at a doe. Yes, I called ODNR! I used to see herds of deer in a number of fields to and from my hunting property and this year in particular I have only seen four or five in those some fields that used to hold 16-20 or more at a time daily. Certainly something is going on to deplete the deer population in my area.

Just my 2 cents!


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## Agitation Free (Jul 11, 2010)

Although I got 1 in the freezer, the numbers where I'm hunting are down. Signs of activity are down. Same said from 3 other bow hunters I know.


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## kmose (Jul 11, 2012)

Way down in Ashland County. Every hunter I've talked to says the same. I've put 2 does in the freezer, but in terms of seeing deer there just isn't much going on. They've been trying to reduce the population with the extra antlerless permits and nusiance permits. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that it's working.


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## NIGHT MAGIC (Jun 13, 2011)

what do you think about the #s being posted by the odnr they are up in every county, but yet the majority of our #s are down for the season, just doent make sence


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Most everyone I have spoken to in NW Ohio are saying the population is way down, probably is. But I have had my best year in my life with 3 in the freezer and one doe still allowed. Those that hunt hard, get out 3 times a week have done very well, nice bucks and big does. Those out for a few hunts a year, nada. I would like to see the bonus tags cut in half or eliminated, yea I know I don't need to shoot my limit, but it is legal I will. I saw some guys at a funeral (sad) but they were deer hunters compound bows only, I shoot a Xbow. It was funny, they said next year no crossbows will be allowed, the next year gun season will be cut down only compound bows will be allowed in the woods. I had to laugh in their face, would they not first cut the extra deer or even the extra gun season, one was my brother in law, he is not happy with me now. But this mornings paper had the numbers and Ohio is up 24.7% for gun season compared to last year, but we had flooding bad.


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

I've seen more deer this year than I have in the past 5 years. 


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Pretty much normal for me, maybe up a bit. Ever since the very first hunting forum was developed, the most vocal people have always been those that were &#8220;complaining&#8221; about lack of deer, or whatever the game happens to be. It&#8217;s human nature. When things are going good, or at least how we want them to go, we just take it for granted. When things aren&#8217;t going the way we want, we start looking for reasons. Or most often, excuses. Just like when we get normal or good service from a retail company, you never hear about it. But how many times do you see people making posts about how such and such company did them wrong? Plenty. My point being that random internet posters are hardly an accurate gauge of anything.

Oh, and they did cut the tags this year. Early bonus tags are no longer good from gun season on.


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## Red1 (May 3, 2011)

I've lived in my current home for the past 28 years, and in all that time, I've never seen such small numbers of deer as I do this year. I haven't seen even one this hunting season, and that is very unusual. My neighbor, who's not a hunter, asked me recently if the deer herd was down this year or something, because he hasn't been seeing them near his house or when he goes to his camper at Leesville. I realize they're still plentiful in some parts of the state, but it's not my imagination: the herd is smaller where I live. When we hunt in areas like this, we should be responsible and not kill does. I expect there are a number of reasons for the shrinking deer population, but I'd have to include coyote predation and over-hunting, which the state of Ohio encourages as a source of revenue, as two of them.


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## chris1162 (Mar 12, 2008)

seeing quite a few more this year than the past couple years in southeast greene county


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Way up in my area of Guernsey county.Saw 23 deer monday and 17 yesterday.Hunting pressure is way down this year from years past.Very little shooting and very few people hunting the land surrounding mine.


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## basstrackerman (Apr 6, 2004)

way down! all hunters in my area say the same thing... deer are small and the big ones are far and few. farmers in some areas are killing them off by the dozens and the 6 deer limit is killing deer numbers.


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

Remember that the total kill is not necessarily an indication of population. The kill numbers can be very influenced by weather and the number of hunters in the woods. The weather was fantastic this year on Monday. Last year it rained all day on opening day in most of the state. This fall has been the best bow hunting weather I have had in a while. At least on the days that I have been out.


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

Lewis said:


> Way up in my area of Guernsey county.Saw 23 deer monday and 17 yesterday.Hunting pressure is way down this year from years past.Very little shooting and very few people hunting the land surrounding mine.


Can I come hunt with you? I can't find a doe to save my life!


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## P-NUT (May 17, 2009)

I would also say it seems numbers are down where i hunt in harrison county. It is no secret that the division wants deer numbers reduced. They will (and have) tell you that that is their current management plan and they have target numbers that they want to achieve. But I think we give the six deer limit too much credit for herd reduction. Of the successful hunters in 2011 - 2012 72.78% harvested one deer. 19.11% harvested two. 5.44% harvested three. 1.81% harvested four. .57% harvested five. The percentage of successful hunters who harvested six or more deer was a mere .29%.

http://ohiodnr.com/Home/HuntingandT...wmanydeerhunterstake/tabid/23949/Default.aspx


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## -yensid- (Nov 29, 2012)

this year has got to be the worst for me. (and yes i hunt more than 3 times a week) numbers will never be even across the state..Im excited for the folks who have done well and am in the same boat as those who havent. I agree with the other fella bout the new check in, as a matter of fact i had a conversation with a game warden while back bout this. I asked him if I shot a spike but called in a doe, how are you gonna know? he was getting pissed by now..so then I say it appears the deer numbers are slowly decreasing, any chance of cutting back on tags? he laughs and says numbers are still up. I reply with "well what is the states goal numbers? you have to have a goal so you know when you reach it?" He walked away! me personally I ONLY shoot what me and my family will consume in a year. I dont fill tags cause its "legal too." This way of thinking will decrease numbers..like the state wants, but im afraid that once the ball gets a rolling in that direction, we the outdoorsman/women will be stuck with the tab. And yes hello to everyone..first post here..gotta get back to work.


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## jfarkas (Apr 14, 2008)

I think something is up. I went out Monday and saw a doe but it was behind to much stuff and she never came down to me. Then 20 turkey came by. After the turkey a Coyote came by at 9:30. It was to early to shoot because I didnt want to mess up my area. Well it turns out that I didnt see anymore deer anyways and I wish I shot it. I realize that I am not going to see alot of deer everyday etc... but it just didnt feel right on opening day. I BARELY heard any shots Monday and I hunted ALL day. The owner of the land I was on said he has never heard so little shots on opening day in 20 years.


Maybe its because you can tag online and how many people are not even tagging anymore and shooting a lot of deer? Or is it sort of a bad year where people cant afford to hunt and its not pushing the deer around? Maybe we will see what happens on Saturday.

After seeing that Coyote it also made me wonder how much that is effecting deer in certain areas right now.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Okay, so kill numbers are up all over the state, but somehow that means people aren&#8217;t tagging their deer? I didn&#8217;t learn that math in school.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

jfarkas said:


> I think something is up. I went out Monday and saw a doe but it was behind to much stuff and she never came down to me. Then 20 turkey came by. After the turkey a Coyote came by at 9:30. It was to early to shoot because I didnt want to mess up my area. Well it turns out that I didnt see anymore deer anyways and I wish I shot it. I realize that I am not going to see alot of deer everyday etc... but it just didnt feel right on opening day. I BARELY heard any shots Monday and I hunted ALL day. The owner of the land I was on said he has never heard so little shots on opening day in 20 years.
> 
> 
> Maybe its because you can tag online and how many people are not even tagging anymore and shooting a lot of deer? Or is it sort of a bad year where people cant afford to hunt and its not pushing the deer around? Maybe we will see what happens on Saturday.
> ...


I would think..... coyote = no deer to be seen as he was searching and should have found some lead....but that's just me


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## buckhunter43230 (Nov 6, 2012)

I hunt southern Morrow county. My sightings have been way up this year from the last couple of years. 

I've also changed what I am doing this year though. The days I have made it out, I have been more patient and sat longer. It amazed me how many deer I was seeing between 10am and 2pm. I also tried to minimize my time in the woods and made all day sits the times I have been out. Straight in, straight out. I also minimized grunting, rattling, etc... 

I would like to think my tactics made the difference, but I really can't say for sure. Hunting pressure is about the same from neighboring farms, so I am guessing the deer were always there, I just wasn't seeing them in years past.


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## NIGHT MAGIC (Jun 13, 2011)

i think everyone is missing the point, if most of us here are seeing less deer and our #are down, and most of us are diehard hunters , how can the #s of kills be up in every county, when most of our numbers are down, i can see areas like cuyahoga county because more places opened up,just wonder how true the stats are,or is this just a ploy to sell more tags to non residents


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## P-NUT (May 17, 2009)

NIGHT MAGIC said:


> i think everyone is missing the point, if most of us here are seeing less deer and our #are down, and most of us are diehard hunters , how can the #s of kills be up in every county, when most of our numbers are down, i can see areas like cuyahoga county because more places opened up,just wonder how true the stats are,or is this just a ploy to sell more tags to non residents


Although you make a good point in theory, you have to remember that we are a very small percentage of the deer hunters in the state. There are not enough hunters that post here to draw any conclusion other than pure speculation.


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## Gills63 (Mar 29, 2012)

I can honestly say I've saw more deer this year. I have been in some different woods then years past and for the most part corn was taken off earlier this year.

Less does = less deer.

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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

I have seen deer this year in the area i bow hunt in Oh. and the area where i gun hunt in Wv. I don't think there is a shortage of deer but it's where they are hanging out that seems to have changed. I stopped by a guys place last week and he has been hunting a big buck. I asked him if he had seen that deer in the woods and he said no. He has cam pics from his feeder out back and his brother has pics from his house 300yds. from there. His other neighbors also have been getting pics. Imagine that? Everyone in that area has been seeing this buck on cam. Oh did i mention they all have feeders out. Alot of these deer and turkey have got so accustomed to the locals feeding that they are not coming by your stands down in the woods like in past years. When no one was feeding back some years ago you could figure on those bucks chasing the does who were in the woods eating wild food. This i got to have an advantage bull crap has got all kinds of wildlife so screwed up they are like alot of kids. Spoiled rotten!!! I see deer in my back yard and turkeys also and about 15 squirrels. Why, because most of my neighbors have bird feeders and throw corn out also. The critters were never there before in numbers before the feeding started. HUH This guy i talked to got the right idea. He built a blind at the back end of his yard and gets in there and waits for the deer that are frequenting the "feeding grounds" Got to love it. Just a thought, I harvested this buck where there are "no" corn crops and he was full of corn. Imagine that??


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## -yensid- (Nov 29, 2012)

These numbers are from odnr's website...mind you these numbers are from beginning to end of season.....2009-2010 season-261,260.........2010-2011 season 239,260......and 2011-2012 season-219,748....i thought this was interesting......yes opening day of gun this year was up 24 percent from last year...but like most govt. agencies we dont get the rest of the story which is last years opening day was 39 percent lower than year before. The sad part is all the complaining in the world doesnt put more deer under my stand


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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

-yensid- said:


> These numbers are from odnr's website...mind you these numbers are from beginning to end of season.....2009-2010 season-261,260.........2010-2011 season 239,260......and 2011-2012 season-219,748....i thought this was interesting......yes opening day of gun this year was up 24 percent from last year...but like most govt. agencies we dont get the rest of the story which is last years opening day was 39 percent lower than year before. The sad part is all the complaining in the world doesnt put more deer under my stand



Put a feeder under your stand and they will come.  LOL


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

-yensid- said:


> These numbers are from odnr's website...mind you these numbers are from beginning to end of season.....2009-2010 season-261,260.........2010-2011 season 239,260......and 2011-2012 season-219,748....i thought this was interesting......yes opening day of gun this year was up 24 percent from last year...but like most govt. agencies we dont get the rest of the story which is last years opening day was 39 percent lower than year before. The sad part is all the complaining in the world doesnt put more deer under my stand


Also the weather was terrible for opening day last year, keeping many guys and gals in the house. I'm not saying the numbers are not down, but you have to take that into consideration.


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