Is There a Nationwide Deer Shortage?

[Deerhunter]

I feel the pain and I guess so do others

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/nationwide-deer-shortage/

[ranger175a]

I can relate to that.

[hortontoter]

I think the huntable herd is in trouble. The unhuntable herd is a different story. What I'll call "city deer" are growing in numbers pretty rapidly. Cities are going to have to find a way to deal with this in the near future. We may be pest controllers sooner than we think.

Speaking of shortages, where are all the posters on this site?

[Big_Holla]

Speaking of shortages, where are all the posters on this site?

Insert tumbleweed here............. * ..................

[Big_Holla]

Sure makes you wonder what the heck is going on. Many of the guys I know in Michigan had a very similar season as well. I know up here we had quite a bit of EHD all over the middle part of the state but I'm not so sure that is the only answer. Coyotes are becoming quite a big nuisance on/around our property down there in Ohio as well as the farms we hunt up here.

[Seeker Bp]

It must be the Goverment! Lol...didn't get my butt out in the trees this year much, but have seen no loss of deer in my areas of hunting..Still scouted a bunch and used the cams a bunch..mineral sites are getting hit hard...it might just be location, location, location.

[00buck]

I agree seeker all about location and selective harvest I hunted with a guy that shot a doe early season with her fawns and when he field dressed her there was still milk will they make it not sure

[radicalxl]

Sightings are down around here too. I believe a lot has to do with the yotes. A lot more folks are seeing them lately. Neighbor watched one chasing a deer during gun season. Lost our last dog in 2 minutes right from the driveway. No tracks in the snow anywhere around. Don't what else could have happened other than a yote snatching her up and running down the road a ways before heading back into the woods. We searched quite a ways with no blood or tracks. Any ideas from you guys are welcome.

[blackbeard]

Lots of coyotes around here, many many more than 5 years ago, and add to that the 2-3 years of 6 doe tags and you have a lot less deer. I have yet to tally my number of deer seen this year yet, but I saw fewer for sure. But I still had plenty of opportunities and killed three so I can't complain. I took a short walk today and did see where a live pine tree got knocked over by the ice recently. And the deer have been eating the heck out of the needles. That tells me this persistent snow cover is probably going to cause several more to not make it through the winter.

[nomad_archer]

So I can only speak to what I have witnessed in PA. I think the biggest impact on deer herd numbers is first and foremost the liberal doe tag allocations in PA over the past ten years with the goal of herd reduction and boy oh boy did us hunters do our job in that one.

The next part of the equation has been a maturing habitat particularly in the northern tier of the state. Big woods with little under story and nothing done for habitat improvement.

We had a severe round of EHD which hurt herd numbers and now we have CWD in parts of the state so the out look isn't too good.

Predators have an impact but I don't feel it is nearly on the level that hunters and high doe tag allocations and a 2 week buck/doe combined firearms season had.

Now. The in PA there have been some changes in areas to firearms seasons and doe tag allocations and the herd has rebounded very nicely the last two years. This season was the best I have had in a very very long time when it comes to deer sightings in the northern tier.

I think in regards to Ohio the adjusted doe allocations are pretty good. But I think the total doe allowed may need to be adjusted a bit. Im PA there is no total deer limit but unless you are in a special regs area around philly or pittsburgh you can get 2 doe tags and possibly a third but the tags are typically all sold out.

This winter though will be particularly hard on the deer herd unfortunately. The extended cold and snow cover could make a poor situation even worse.

[blackbeard]

"The next part of the equation has been a maturing habitat particularly in the northern tier of the state. Big woods with little under story and nothing done for habitat improvement."

This is certainly not a problem in southern Ohio, clear cuts everywhere and very little mature timber remaining.

[nomad_archer]

"The next part of the equation has been a maturing habitat particularly in the northern tier of the state. Big woods with little under story and nothing done for habitat improvement."

This is certainly not a problem in southern Ohio, clear cuts everywhere and very little mature timber remaining.

Sounds like they have plenty of food and cover. Must be the 6 doe tag limit and the EHD. Hunters when given lots of tags and liberal seasons will try to use most of them because they can. Most cant see past this year when it comes to deer hunting particularly public land hunters. Now dont anyone get upset with that last statement I said most. Particularly you opening day or shotgun crowd.

[blackbeard]

Coyotes really thick around here, I can't believe how many I hear now every night, in all directions.

[nomad_archer]

Being in the woods after dark when they start singing will give you the chills. I had that happen once and I can tell you I humped it out of there faster that I thought I could move.

[Griz]

Coyotes really thick around here, I can't believe how many I hear now every night, in all directions.

During my last trip in Nov 13, every night I got down at dark and the coyotes had already started there yipping, grouling, and singing in two or three differenct directions. As Nomad said, it gives you the chills. I caught my self saying one yote no problem, two yotes I think I can handle, three or more and I got my hands full. The sign was every where. I will admit , I cut a big stick, that I carried out on my 1+ mile hike out. Never had to use it but once my head lamp show two eyes looking at me at 25 yrds. It grouled loud and turned and ran. I honestly think there should be no problem, but you never know. One other note: I never heard them on the walk in. The woods was always quiet. I'm courious to hear other hunters experence's. I was hunting mostly Athens, and Vinton Co.

[nomad_archer]

Griz,
I've jumped deer in the dark, be startled by a flushing grouse and had the chills when the song dogs where at it. But the worst absolute worst is when I jumped a big healthy black bear walking into my stand one morning. I needed some new underwear. I also get very very attentive when I cut a fresh set of bear tracks or several sets of bear tracks especially if it is right before dark. One bear doesn't bother me much momma and cubs scares the crap out of me.

[mrbb]

well as for deer shortages
I am sure there are numbers in many ares that are way way down, and places where numbers are way way up
fater the past 5 yrs hunting my place, with all my food and well deer
I honestly think, many folks think deer numbers are down based on day time deer sightings
and I truely believe deer all over are becoming more and more nocturnal
I have when plots are growing, well over 100+ deer a night eating in them, yet you can sit in the woods from 10 yrd to 500 yrds away from my food plots, and never seen a deer in day time,
you would honest;y swear there are NO deer here, if all you did was hunt about the place, untill maybe last hr of light, and again, last few yrs, the time they show up to feed has been getting later and later, and this past yr, 90% of the deer didn't show up till a solid 2 hrs after sun set, based on trail cam's
trail cam's in area's I never once hunted, so wasn't me pressuring them keeping them away
and we have this same thing going on at my hunting cabin, 100 mile away, in a very remote area of the state
deer are becoming super nocturnal
I blame a lot of things, pressure, humans living so close to deer all the time
and even food plots
as with food plots deer learn that, food is there 24/7, and know what hrs are safest, night time hrs
they can come in at 9 pm, eat, rest, digest food, and then eat again, before day time, and just bed the day away, unless disturbed
deer in my opinion have changed a LOT, they learned how we hunt them, and are beating us at the game, as they know we don't hunt them at night
this is my opinion, but think this is why so many folks think numbers are down, again based on there day time sightings
from my experience, any place that has good food, cover and water, ALL YR< not justa few months of the yr
have good deer numbers

[MICH]

i spent 7 days i scioto cty between rarden & otway, didnt hear many yote's....BUT, only saw a doe & 2 doe yearly's, thats all the bladies i saw.....only saw 6 bucks compared to 10-12 doe's and 16 bucks last year....need to stop shooting if its brown its down!!!

[gonehunting 45]

Well here it is in a nut shell. We are responsible for the situation we are in. There is no way that anyone really thought taking 6 does a year was a good ideal. And yes 6 doe tags killed it. There is no way they could replace themselves at that rate, except where they could not be hunted. Oh and then the selling of the doe to buck ratio.....oh man you have to kill of those does to kill a big buck...bulls&%$. That was just the selling of deer hunting. The big boys fell way before then. I believe it was sold as QDM.....The professional hunting community really sold that ideal, hook line and sinker...we really need to be able to police our selves, because deer hunting is nothing but a money maker....my rant

[mrbb]

Well here it is in a nut shell. We are responsible for the situation we are in. There is no way that anyone really thought taking 6 does a year was a good ideal. And yes 6 doe tags killed it. There is no way they could replace themselves at that rate, except where they could not be hunted. Oh and then the selling of the doe to buck ratio.....oh man you have to kill of those does to kill a big buck...bulls&%$. That was just the selling of deer hunting. The big boys fell way before then. I believe it was sold as QDM.....The professional hunting community really sold that ideal, hook line and sinker...we really need to be able to police our selves, because deer hunting is nothing but a money maker....my rant

sadly people cannot police themselves
but I agree, hunters are the problem in many area's
as many times its the same hunters that complain about there being no deer, that continue to shoot deer in the area's they complain about being low in deer numbers
and its why I have been a firm believer in we need much smaller units, to control deer numbers more accurately
in county's or big zones units
its just not possible, as a few hundred yards down the road might be a deer haven, and then a few more yards down the road, can be deer depleted!
and I also, think any place there is food water and cover/safety, 365 days a yrs there are lots of deer
far too many folks don't understand a deer needs all that all yr
they see standing crops and say there is tons of food, so should be tons of deer?
but crops are only about for a few months a yr?? then what to all the deer eat to live the rest of the yr?
quality browse?? is a great thbing, but how many folks know what GOOD browse really is??

[ranger175a]

Seems like the last couple weeks deer have been coming out of the ground or something. They are everywhere.

[mrbb]

Up same thing, I say its due to a long winter, and there trying to find better foods
about hi ways, they also come for the mineral salt, used on hi ways for ice
it sticks to browse along road ways, and many times road ways green up first too, due to being cleared of snow before woods and/
Lots of road kills up here last few weeks now

[ed1315]

yep, I pulled my trail cam today. Many more deer on it than last month.... lets hope it will be good this fall

[bamabowhunter]

Y'all come to Alabama if y'all want to shoot numerous deer. We can shoot 2 deer a day, yes I typed that right, from Oct.15 until Jan. 31. 3 can be bucks.

[00buck]

What the hell