Voice your opinion On the new proposed IN deer hunting rule changes

[blackoak]

DNR: Rule/Regulation Changes Voice your opinion here to the INDR on the new proposed deer hunting rules. Click on the link and tell them how you feel whether for or against.

 

[woodsie57]

went to the site;obviously they dont wanna hear from us, theres a link for comments for all the regulation changes except the deer season ones. For that, you have to click "other". I don't like the smell of this.

 

[snapping turtle]

Yeap not into the two weekend 8 day firearm season. May have to use my bow but firearm season was always when i wanted to be in the woods.

 

[dcary7]

So to clarify the dates and all here... correct me if I am wrong.

Early Archery: October 1 - November 28
Firearms : November20 - November 28
Muzzleloader: December 4 - December 12
Late Archery: December 4 - January 1

Special ANTLERLESS Deer Only season:
"IF" your county has a limit of AT LEAST 4 antlerless deer : October 9th- January 1st.

"IF" your county as a limit of LESS than 4 antlerless deer : December 25-January 1st.

Now it doesn't say what methods are permitted to take doe during those "Special Seasons"... my assumption would be whatever method you prefer...since bow season is already in... it wouldn't make since to post the season unless it included firearms, but I will confirm this with a C.O. this week. This would also require a bowhunter to wear hunter orange during the portion of the season that will overlap with the Special Season in which firearms may be used. The only problem I foresee with this is that the hardcore bow hunters that do not gun hunt may not pay attention to this special overlapping season and not wear hunter orange.. thus resulting in a ticket and a frustrated bow hunter.

My overall thoughts on the changes... To be honest... they make sense. It is kind of isolating the does as targets, which will help control the population. For the majority of the state.. deer are nearly a nuissance because their populations are doing so well. These dates will result in fewer bucks being harvested which will give the immature bucks time to develop... ultimately I think this is going to produce more quality bucks for IN in the next 3-5 years. Although it may not seem like it now. I like these changes.

If you want meat in the freezer... and dont care about harvesting a trophy buck.. then you have ample time to do so. If anyone see's an error in my understanding of this by all means let me know. I just quickly glanced over the changes. Or I am always up for a friendly debate .
Anyway, My take on it is that it isn't bad, but I may have missed some things.

dcary7

 

[blackoak]

So to clarify the dates and all here... correct me if I am wrong.

Early Archery: October 1 - November 28
Firearms : November20 - November 28
Muzzleloader: December 4 - December 12
Late Archery: December 4 - January 1

Special ANTLERLESS Deer Only season:
"IF" your county has a limit of AT LEAST 4 antlerless deer : October 9th- January 1st.

"IF" your county as a limit of LESS than 4 antlerless deer : December 25-January 1st.

Now it doesn't say what methods are permitted to take doe during those "Special Seasons"... my assumption would be whatever method you prefer...since bow season is already in... it wouldn't make since to post the season unless it included firearms, but I will confirm this with a C.O. this week. This would also require a bowhunter to wear hunter orange during the portion of the season that will overlap with the Special Season in which firearms may be used. The only problem I foresee with this is that the hardcore bow hunters that do not gun hunt may not pay attention to this special overlapping season and not wear hunter orange.. thus resulting in a ticket and a frustrated bow hunter.

My overall thoughts on the changes... To be honest... they make sense. It is kind of isolating the does as targets, which will help control the population. For the majority of the state.. deer are nearly a nuissance because their populations are doing so well. These dates will result in fewer bucks being harvested which will give the immature bucks time to develop... ultimately I think this is going to produce more quality bucks for IN in the next 3-5 years. Although it may not seem like it now. I like these changes.

If you want meat in the freezer... and dont care about harvesting a trophy buck.. then you have ample time to do so. If anyone see's an error in my understanding of this by all means let me know. I just quickly glanced over the changes. Or I am always up for a friendly debate .
Anyway, My take on it is that it isn't bad, but I may have missed some things.

dcary7

You are incorrect on the antlerless seasons. Proposed rules are the second weekend only (2 days total) in October
And the second season of the proposed rule changes for an antlerless season Dec 25 to Jan,1. The rest of the rules you posted are correct.
I agree that some areas of this state may have a population problem, but not as bad as it is hurting the deer herds health in these areas. Some areas such as the lower part of the state that suffered the EHD outbreak 3 years ago are still hurting. The herd has not rebounded. Just as a side not the EHD that the southern part went through had nothing to do with the deer population being to great as some people claim. It is caused by a biting midge fly. Common sense says that in areas that need more does killed would to be to simply make the general firearms tag an either sex tag. Both bucks and does will be fair game with this one tag, but the DNR will lose money if that happens.

 

[dcary7]

You're right that EHD is not due to overpopulation.. but Chronic Wasting Disease is. Also the biting midge that you mentioned is named Sarcopsis (sp?)
That would be a possibility with making the general firearms tag an either sex, but I think that people would get frustrated with it too.. I can see people trying to buy a buck tag after they filled their general tag on a doe and can no longer take a buck lol.. but that of course would be the persons own fault... ultimately yes... it comes down to money. The DNR is one of the only self sufficient departments due to licenses/tags/firearms and ammo sales/ etc... their money doesn't come from righting tickets like everyone thinks lol. But getting side tracked here lol...

Is this the ONLY solution to improving deer health/populations? no. I can see this working though. Everyone asks me why we can't kill two bucks...if you killed two bucks around 200lbs each.. are you going to mess with killing a doe? probably not... then there would be population problems. Its a tough job catering to both the species management and sportsman.

Hopefully this works out. We will see.

dcary7