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| Tweet Topic Started: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:39 am (422 Views) | |
| TLC | Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:39 am Post #1 |
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Firearm deer harvest numbers in Illinois declined significantly this year and hunters aren’t happy about it. The harvest this season through the two primary firearm seasons was 74,191 as compared to last year’s total of 99,546. Some decline in harvest should have been expected. The state has been working to reduce its deer herd since 2008. “We know that in many places there are less deer than there were in the past, but not to the extent of what we saw in the firearm harvest,” said Paul Shelton, forest wildlife program manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “If you look at our archery harvest, it’s within a percent or two of where it was last year.” Several factors are involved. Weather in both firearm seasons created less than optimum hunting conditions. Both seasons featured rain, snow and frigid temperatures. “Well, yeah, it does have an impact,” Shelton said. “It’s hard to say how much of it was weather and how much of it wasn’t. If you look at what happened in comparable states, but people tend to think of that as us looking for a crutch. “The alternative explanation is everybody hunted and it was great. The true answer lies somewhere in between.” Shelton noted that harvest numbers in Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin also dipped in those weekends. As the result of the Joint Legislative Task Force recommendations adopted in 2008, the IDNR has been working to reduce the Illinois deer herd, based on car-deer collisions, by about 14 percent. “We know we’ve accomplished some reductions throughout the state,” Shelton said. “Each county has an individual goal. Some counties have lower deer populations than they did back then. That accounts for some of it. “In addition to that, we’ve had two consecutive seasons of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) activity. It’s certainly had the ability to impact certain local populations. There’s been a point of contention. Some people think EHD may have completely ravaged the deer herd.” As is always the case, biologists will re-examine quotas for each county. “Clearly, this year will be no different in that regard,” Shelton said. “If there are a number of new counties that are below goal, things will happen in those counties. They will be taken out of the late-winter seasons. “We have seen that some of the individual county goals appear to be a little on the harsh side. In order to meet state-wide goals, some of these county goals don’t have to be so harsh.” The firearm deer season will conclude the weekend of Jan. 17-19. Southern Illinois counties still open are Randolph, Perry, Jefferson, Hamilton, Saline, White and Wayne. Hunters holding tags for those counties can harvest an antlerless deer. Shelton noted that tags are still available in many of those counties. Since the deer herd is not being managed specifically for hunting, this point of contention was probably inevitable. “It goes full circle,” he said. “You go from a situation where if you look back at the 2007 the General Assembly said you simply aren’t doing enough to control his herd. It’s time for you to step up and take this herd down. Now, we’re in a situation where a numbers of hunters are clearly upset. “They feel we have clearly taken too many. Unfortunately, there is not a magic number where you can make everyone happy.” Edited by TLC, Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:40 am.
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| Dave N | Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:33 am Post #2 |
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I still see lots of deer on the road especially now that they've herded up. No lack of deer here, just lousy conditions while I was out hunting. Plus, I missed this year. Not like me to do that! My kill numbers should have been better but that was my fault. I'm planning on going out next weekend for the late season hunt. Hope the snow isn't too noisy when I walk out. |
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| Captain Bill | Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:31 pm Post #3 |
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Cairo was hit hard by blue tongue . The people down there are poor and with the gov. cutting food stamps they are all poaching year round . people are waiting for areas on the rives to get drown down and then go out at night , net the game fish and sell them . The herd is doing a lot of inbreeding . I do not see how it will ever get back with people killing every deer they can get . I also fear for the Turkey pop. . While hunting during last years first gun season I heard 2 shots and both times Turkeys came running from where the shots came from , so they are blasting them also . Would like to put out mineral licks but they be illegal . We post the land and tell LEO'S about what is happening but they do not have the money to bother with trespassing and the posted sings are just laughed at . That is the reason I do not bother with food plots , people down there just wait till you leave and then hunt them . So numbers are very low there . Hunted the Morris wetlands for 9 days late season and there were NO deer there . The problem there is that it is by the nuke plant , so lots of great land and food theer no reason to leave and the IDNR is making everything in the woods back to what it was 150 years ago vegetation wise and that is not what deer eat . Remember we had a lot less deer 150 years ago . So the prairie land there is just scrub grass and the wet land are the same . The trees they planted are shade trees not oaks or anything good for the deer. Now come on up to Crook county and there are plenty of deer , just no hunting . Edited by Captain Bill, Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:33 pm.
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