Hunters Check 15,036 Deer During Antlerless Season
December 23, 2008
Weather and reduced number of counties contribute to decline.
JEFFERSON CITY— Hunters checked 15,036 deer during the Antlerless Portion of Firearms Deer Season Dec. 13 through 21. That is down by almost 23 percent from last year (19,472). High winds, very cold weather conditions and considerable ice in many of Missouri’s northern counties took a toll on this year’s antlerless harvest numbers. In addition, there were six fewer counties open during this year’s Antlerless Portion.
High counties during the 2008 Antlerless Portion were the same as in 2007. Hunters checked 527 deer in Macon County, 468 in Pike and 415 in Callaway.
When added to the harvests during the Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season (678), the November Youth Portion (10,400), the November Portion (200,679) and the Muzzleloader Portion (10,254), the Antlerless Portion harvest brings the 2008-2009 firearms deer harvest to 237,047, down by almost nine percent from 2007 (260,162).
Missouri’s remaining 2008-2009 deer seasons are the Archery Season, which runs until Jan. 15, and a portion of the Youth Season January 3 and 4.
The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded no firearms-related hunting incidents during the Antlerless Portion of Firearms Deer Season. It recorded four during the preceding segments. Two involved self-inflicted injuries. None were fatal.
Related posts
Deer Hunters Have an Extra Weekend to Hunt with Guns in Ohio
December 6, 2008
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio’s popular deer-gun season will run an additional weekend, Saturday and Sunday, December 20-21, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
Â
The extra days were added beginning in 2006 in response to comments received from hunters for more weekend time to hunt.
Â
“These two additional weekend days give deer hunters another chance at filling their deer tag while helping us in meeting our deer management goals,” said David M. Graham, chief of the Division of Wildlife.
Â
So far this season, hunters have taken 51,620 deer during the first six weeks of the statewide archery season, which began September 27 and continues through February 1. The special youth season, held November 22-23, resulted in young hunters bagging 9,852 deer. Hunters checked 33,034 deer during the opening day of the statewide deer-gun season, December 1. Another 568 deer were taken during the early muzzleloader deer season held in October on the Shawnee, Salt Fork and Wolf Creek state wildlife areas.
Â
The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 6th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 4th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has a $1.5 billion economic impact in Ohio. Hunting related retail sales in Ohio total more than $700 million.
Â
Venison is delicious and nutritious meat, low in fat and cholesterol. It is the number one wild game served by hunters in Ohio. Deer hunters also contribute thousands of pounds of venison to organizations that help feed less-fortunate Ohioans through special programs.
Â
Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. A limit of one deer may be taken in Zone A (20 counties). Hunters may take a second deer in Zone B (30 counties). A total of three deer may be harvested in eastern and southeastern Ohio’s Zone C (38 counties). Antlerless deer permits are not valid for this extra weekend of the deer-gun season except within the designated urban deer zones located around Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati or at Division of Wildlife controlled hunts.
Â
Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license. Hunter orange is required. Only deer, coyote and waterfowl can be hunted during the extra deer-gun weekend.
Â
Hunters are encouraged to kill more does this season and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The Division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org
.
Â
Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state’s deer zones are contained in the 2008-2009Ohio Hunting Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Â
Ohio hunters and birdwatchers are reminded that they will need to be aware of one another as the pursue deer and birds on this shared weekend. Hunters need to remember that there may be other people in the woods-hunters and non-hunters. Birders are also reminded that hunters are allowed to hunt wherever they have written permission to hunt. And, while hunters are required to wear hunter orange in the field, birders should also give consideration to wearing a hunter orange vest or hat during the deer-gun weekend.
Â
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
Related posts
TPWD to Consider Sweeping Deer Hunting Regulation Changes
November 11, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas -The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has transitioned away from political boundaries for the purpose of monitoring white-tailed deer populations and toward biologically-based communities or Resource Management Units (RMUs).
The department has identified 33 unique RMUs across the state having similar soils, vegetation types and land use practices they believe will more accurately capture deer population dynamics. The intent is to develop deer season bag limit frameworks based on these units, although implementation will still track county boundaries to avoid confusion among hunters.
In a briefing of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s Regulations Committee, TPWD unveiled an extensive suite of potential regulation changes in deer harvest throughout much of the state. The department will be gathering public input on the possible proposals during the next couple of months and present to the commission in January a comprehensive set of proposals.
Those proposals will then go back out for official comment during a series of public hearings around the state next spring. A final decision will be made by the commission at its March 25-26, 2009 public meeting.
Expansion of Antler Restriction Regulations
One key potential change involves further expansion of the department’s successful antler restriction regulations into 52 additional counties where biologists have identified a need to provide greater protection of younger buck deer. In these counties, data indicates more than 55 percent of the harvested bucks are two-and-a-half years of age or younger, which creates an imbalance in the deer herd age structure.
According to Clayton Wolf, TPWD big game program director, based on data to date in the 61 counties where the rule is currently in effect, the antler restrictions have improved age structure while maintaining ample hunting opportunity.
Potentially affected counties include: Anderson, Angelina, Archer, Atascosa, Brazos, Brown, Chambers, Clay, Cooke, Denton, Ellis, Falls, Freestone, Grayson, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Jack, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kaufman, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Palo Pinto, Parker, Polk, Robertson, San Jacinto, Smith, Stephens, Tarrant, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker, Wichita, Wise, and Young.
Bag Limit Changes
The department is also looking at increasing the bag limit from one buck to two bucks in Baylor, Callahan, Haskell, Jones, Knox, Shackelford, Taylor, Throckmorton, and Wilbarger counties. Wolf noted this area of the state is characterized by relatively large tract sizes and light hunter density and the deer population has grown over the years as habitat has become more favorable to white-tailed deer.
In addition, the department is considering increasing the bag limit from four deer to five deer in Pecos, Terrell, and Upton counties. White-tailed deer densities throughout the eastern Trans-Pecos are very similar to densities on the Edwards Plateau, where current rules allow the harvest of up to five antlerless deer. This change would increase hunting opportunity while addressing a resource concern.
The department is also looking at increasing the bag limit in most Cross Timbers and Prairies and eastern Rolling Plains counties from three deer (no more than one buck, no more than two antlerless) or four deer (no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless) to five deer (no more than 2 bucks). Counties affected include: Archer, Baylor, Bell (West of IH35), Bosque, Callahan, Clay, Coryell, Hamilton, Haskell, Hill, Jack, Jones, Knox, Lampasas, McLennan, Palo Pinto, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Taylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson (west of IH35), and Young.
Another possible change would increase the bag limit from three deer to five deer (no more than one buck) in selected counties in the western Rolling Plains. Although white-tailed deer densities are highly variable in this part of the state, areas containing suitable habitat have become saturated with deer and whitetails are expanding into marginal to poor habitat.
Browsing pressure is severe in these areas, where little woody vegetation exists within five feet of the ground. The proposal would provide additional hunting opportunity while addressing a resource concern. Counties affected include: Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Gray, Hall, Hardeman, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Kent, King, Lipscomb, Motley, Ochiltree, Roberts, Scurry, Stonewall, and Wheeler.
The department is also considering for the first time implementing a general open season in Dawson, Deaf Smith, and Martin counties (three deer, no more than one buck, no more than two antlerless).
Another issue where deer surveys indicate a need for change involves additional antlerless deer harvest opportunities. Therefore, the department is looking to increase antlerless deer hunting or “doe days” in the following areas:
- from 16 days to full-season either-sex in Dallam, Denton, Hartley, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Sherman and Tarrant counties;
- from 30 days to full-season either-sex in Cook, Hardeman, Hill, Johnson, Wichita, and Wilbarger counties;
- from four days to16 days in Bowie and Rusk counties;
- from four days to 30 days in Cherokee and Houston counties;
- from no doe days to four doe days in Anderson, Henderson, Hunt, Leon, Rains, Smith, and Van Zandt counties.
This proposal offers more hunting opportunity as well as making “doe days’ more consistent within each resource management unit (a suite of counties with similar population and habitat characteristics). Data indicate that the deer populations can withstand the additional harvest pressure proposed.
The department is also looking at expansion of the late antlerless and spike season into additional counties.
Counties affected include: Archer, Armstrong, Baylor, Bell (West of IH35), Bosque, Briscoe, Callahan, Carson, Childress, Clay, Collingsworth, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Crosby, Denton, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Gray, Hall, Hamilton, Hardeman, Haskell, Hemphill, Hill, Hood, Hutchinson, Jack, Johnson, Jones, Kent, King, Knox, Lampasas, Lipscomb, McLennan, Montague, Motley, Ochiltree, Palo Pinto, Parker, Pecos, Roberts, Scurry, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Throckmorton, Upton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson (West of IH35), Wise, and Young. In Pecos, Terrell, and Upton counties, the proposed season would replace the current muzzleloader-only open season.
Biologists are also looking to implement a special muzzleloader season in additional counties, lengthen the existing muzzleloader season by five days to be equivalent in length with the special antlerless and spike buck seasons in other counties, and alter the current muzzleloader bag composition to allow the harvest of any buck (not just spike bucks) and antlerless deer without permits if the county has “doe days” during the general season.
Counties affected include: Austin, Bastrop, Bowie, Brazoria, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Colorado, De Witt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Goliad (North of HWY 59), Goliad (South of HWY 59), Gonzales, Gregg, Guadalupe, Harrison, Houston, Jackson (North of HWY 59), Jackson (South of HWY 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Marion, Matagorda, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Upshur, Victoria (North of HWY 59), Victoria (South of HWY 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (North of HWY 59), Wharton (South of HWY 59), and Wilson.
In response to a commission directive to seek additional opportunities for youth participation, the department is looking at extending the early youth only season to include the entire month of October and the late youth-only season by 12 days during January in selected counties to run concurrently with late antlerless and spike seasons. The intent of the proposal is to allow adults and children to hunt together during different special seasons.
The department is also considering a petition to implement a general open season (with antlerless harvest by permit only) in Grayson County. TPWD staff has determined that there is no biological necessity for retaining the current rule, which restricts lawful methods to archery equipment and crossbows, but will be seeking input from county residents prior to making any official proposal to the commission in January. The date and locations of scoping meetings in Grayson County have not been finalized.
Other Wildlife-Related Issues
Other wildlife-related issues that could be advanced by the department include potentially implementing an open general season in Parmer County for mule deer, contingent upon the results of winter surveys and the temporary suspension of the two-day October lesser prairie chicken season until population recovery supports a season.
Changes Possible in Freshwater Fishing Regs
In addition, several possible changes to freshwater fishing regulations were offered to the commission for consideration including: modifying blue catfish regulations on three reservoirs, modifying largemouth bass regulations on another and providing increased protection for alligator gar statewide.
Harvest regulations for blue catfish on Lake Lewisville, Lake Richland Chambers and Lake Waco currently reflect the statewide limits (12-inch minimum length limit and 25 fish daily bag limit). Possible proposed changes would consist of a 25 fish daily bag limit with a 30 to 45-inch slot length limit and harvest of only one blue catfish over 45 inches would be allowed. No harvest of blue catfish between 30 and 45 inches would be allowed.
Harvest regulations for largemouth bass on Lake Ray Roberts are currently a 14- to 24-inch slot length limit and a five fish daily bag (only one bass 24 inches or greater may be retained each day). Potential changes would consist of the statewide limits for largemouth bass (14-inch minimum length limit and five fish daily bag limit).
The department discussed possible regulation strategies that emphasize protection of adult fish, while allowing some limited harvest of trophy fish to ensure population stability while allowing utilization of the resource. Two possible regulation scenarios were highlighted. The first would consist of issuing tags that would limit the size and/or number of alligator gar an angler could harvest in one year. The other would involve setting a minimum length limit of 7 feet and a daily bag limit of one. Under either scenario, harvest through commercial activities would also be restricted.
Coastal Fisheries to Look at Flounder, All-Water Guide Licenses and Consistency
Despite a relatively good year for flounder coastwide this year, TPWD Coastal Fisheries biologists remain concerned about a long-term downward trend in the abundance of southern flounder in Texas bays. Gill net catch rates have fallen from a rate of .14 fish per hour in 1982 to about .03 fish per hour lat year.
State fisheries biologists have already met with commercial and recreational fishermen to discuss possible changes to flounder regulations, and have planned a series of public scoping meetings to outline management options and receive input from anyone with an interest in the issue.
Management tools at the department’s disposal include decreasing the bag limit, increasing minimum size limit, area or time closures and quotas.
Also subject to scoping in the coming months is a proposal to change the requirements for a TPWD All-Water Guide license, which currently calls for the applicant to hold a USCG Operator of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel, or “Six-Pack” license. The changes would apply to applicants who wish to guide paddle craft trips only.
The draft proposal presented to TPW Commissioners includes requirements that licensees — in lieu of holding a USCG license — successfully complete TPWD Boater Safety training, hold current CPR and First Aid certifications and successfully complete ACA Level II Essentials of Kayak Touring and Coastal Kayak Trip Leading, or BCU Three-Star Sea Kayak and Four-Star Leader Sea Kayak certifications.
Finally, Coastal Fisheries biologists presented several issues pertaining to achieving consistency between state and federal regulations for sharks and reef fish such as gray triggerfish, greater amberjack and gag grouper.
Dates have not yet been set for public scoping meetings on the proposals to change the guide license requirements for paddle craft guides, or for changes in migratory and reef fish regulations to achieve consistency with federal regulations.
 Scoping meetings have been scheduled for possible changes to flounder regulations.
Related posts
Antlerless Deer License Application Process Begins For Hunters
July 28, 2008
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters the agency will begin accepting regular antlerless deer license applications from resident hunters beginning Aug. 4, and nonresidents on Aug. 18. Antlerless deer license applications must be sent to the Game Commission via 22 different Post Office boxes and the agency, in turn, will forward them to county treasurers for processing.Â
All applications for antlerless deer licenses - regular, as well as unsold - must be submitted through the U.S. Mail (first-class only). Express and priority mail will not be accepted.
Hunters are provided with a regular antlerless deer license application when they purchase their general hunting license. Applications for unsold antlerless deer licenses can be found on pages 54 and 60 of the 2008-09 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which is presented to each license buyer, along with harvest report cards, an antlerless deer license application and envelopes.Â
For convenience, a copy of the 2008-09 Digest has been posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and can be viewed by clicking on “2008-09 Digest” in center of the homepage.
Antlerless deer licenses cost $6 for residents and $26 for nonresidents. Checks should be made payable to “County Treasurer,” not the Game Commission. Also, applicants should not designate a specific county.
With the implementation of Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in 2003, hunters began applying for antlerless deer licenses based on WMUs, not specific counties. Pre-printed mailing labels for each WMU are provided to affix to the yellow application envelope. They are bar-coded to speed the application process. Hunters should ensure the label is affixed securely to the envelope before mailing it. If it appears that the label is not attached properly, the U.S. Postal Service allows applicants to place transparent tape over the label to secure it.
To further ensure proper delivery, hunters also should write the WMU they are applying for in the lower left-hand corner box on the envelope. This step enables the agency to continue processing the envelope without having to open and check the application’s WMU designation and then re-sealing the envelope for shipment to a county treasurer.
“Hunters should give serious thought to which WMU they will apply to during the regular antlerless deer license round, because some WMUs may run out of licenses earlier in the process than in previous years,” Roe said. “Hunters also may want to consider applying for Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) antlerless deer permits, which offer them additional opportunities to hunt on specific properties where landowners are trying to increase deer hunting pressure.”
The Game Commission has already started up its “Doe License Update” page on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) to provide hunters with background information and availability updates on antlerless deer licenses. Notices for WMUs that have sold out will be posted as soon as possible. This page can be accessed either through the “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right-hand corner of the agency’s homepage or through the new “White-Tailed Deer” section, which also can be accessed through the homepage.  A link to the listing of participating DMAP public landowners also is available from the “Doe License Update” and “White-Tailed Deer” pages, as well as those private landowners who asked to be included on the agency’s website.
Roe emphasized that, as required by state law, county treasurers will continue to issue antlerless deer licenses. Except for “over-the-counter sales,” county treasurers will receive a pre-determined number of applications from the Game Commission based on the county’s geographic representation in the WMU.Â
The Game Commission will begin accepting antlerless license applications through the mail from residents on Monday, Aug. 4; nonresident applications will be accepted through the mail starting Monday, Aug. 18. The Game Commission will begin accepting resident and nonresident hunter applications through the mail for the first round of “unsold licenses” on Monday, Aug. 25; the second round will be accepted through the mail beginning Monday, Sept. 8.
Over-the-counter applications will not be accepted by county treasurers until Nov. 3, except in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5C and 5D, where county treasurers will begin accepting over-the-counter applications on Monday, Sept. 8. There is no limit on the number of applications a hunter can submit during this period for WMUs 2B, 5C or 5D. However, for all other WMUs, applying for and receiving more than one antlerless license at a time is against the law and, if convicted, violators could be sentenced to pay a fine.Â
While individuals are permitted to mail up to three antlerless deer license applications in one envelope, the applications must be for different individuals. Hunters may apply for only one license during the regular antlerless deer license round. During the first round of unsold licenses, hunters may apply for a second license. During the second round of unsold licenses, hunters may apply for a third license. The exception to this is when hunters are applying over the counter, or by mail beginning Aug. 25, in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D. If applying by mail in these units on or after Aug. 25, applicants are still limited to three applications per envelope.
Applications that do not include return postage will be placed in a “dead letter” file maintained by the Game Commission’s License Division in the Harrisburg headquarters. Applicants who believe that their antlerless license application may be in the dead letter file may contact the License Division at 717-787-2084 during business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. This telephone service will be activated after Tuesday, Sept. 4. An answering machine enables callers to leave messages so that Game Commission staff may return their calls.
County treasurers will mail regular and first round unsold antlerless licenses to successful applicants no later than Monday, Sept. 15. County treasurers will mail second and subsequent rounds of unsold antlerless licenses to successful applicants no later than Oct. 1.
Following is a listing of the antlerless deer license allocation by Wildlife Management Unit, with last year’s allocation in parenthesis: WMU 1A, 42,000 (42,000); WMU 1B, 30,000 (30,000); WMU 2A, 55,000 (60,000); WMU 2B, 68,000 (68,000); WMU 2C, 49,000 (49,000); WMU 2D, 56,000 (56,000); WMU 2E, 21,000 (21,000); WMU 2F, 28,000 (28,000); WMU 2G, 26,000 (26,000); WMU 3A, 26,000 (29,000); WMU 3B, 43,000 (43,000); WMU 3C, 27,000 (27,000); WMU 3D, 37,000 (38,000); WMU 4A, 29,000 (29,000); WMU 4B, 23,000 (23,000); WMU 4C, 35,000 (39,000); WMU 4D, 40,000 (40,000); WMU 4E, 30,000 (38,000); WMU 5A, 19,000 (22,000); WMU 5B, 51,000 (53,000); WMU 5C, 92,000 (84,000); and WMU 5D, 22,000 (20,000).
Recent Comments