MDHA/MN DNR listening sessions

[laker1]

It was paltry. I'd estimate maybe 60 people. I expected to see a lot more.

Been to a lot of DNR meetings in my lifetime,and sometimes you have more DNR staff than anglers or hunters. Usually also it is a older crowd,like over age 55. People complain,but usually won't put the time and effort to go to a meeting or volunteer.

[winterwalleye]

If we are at goal in 184 I think there will be a big decline in hunters and it will be hard to recruit new hunters especially our youth. I hope the DNR listens to the hunters concerns or hunting will be a dying sport.

[winterwalleye]

Having meetings on weeknights miles from many hunters who hunt in area 184 but are not from area how can you expect many to attend. Should have meetings on the weekends and I bet the attendance would be much greater.

[BuckSutherland]

Having meetings on weeknights miles from many hunters who hunt in area 184 but are not from area how can you expect many to attend. Should have meetings on the weekends and I bet the attendance would be much greater.

You nailed. Lots of people working, kids and other stuff going on 100s of miles from where most hunt. Not only that, but its no small thing for some guys/gals financially to get to a meeting.

Maybe they should have one in the Metro on a weekend and see how many people attend.

[hockeybc69]

Be sure to post your comments on the DNR webpage if you are not able to attend.

I am not real confident that someone in a position of power will be reading each and every one of them...... But you may as well take the opp to post your thoughts, no matter what your feelings are.

[laker1]

I hope they change things,

but that all said and done,if we have the habitat. Deer populations always have the potential to come back. I know many past deer yards in central Minnesota now have a house in the middle of it or close by.

[SmellEsox]

Be sure to post your comments on the DNR webpage if you are not able to attend.

I am not real confident that someone in a position of power will be reading each and every one of them...... But you may as well take the opp to post your thoughts, no matter what your feelings are.

This. And give the link to all your friends. We can make a difference by getting our deer hunting friends to post their thoughts and concerns.

[smsmith]

Legitimate points made ^^^ about meeting times and locations. However, anybody with access to a computer and the internet can make a comment on the DNR webpage....PLEASE DO SO. And yes...please ask your friends, family, and other hunters to do so as well.

I can understand that people have commitments/obligations/possible financial limitations in regards to going to meetings. All I'll say is that I've logged about 18 hours of drive time in the last few months going to various meetings. That time doesn't include actual time spent sitting in those meetings either. That time doesn't approach the number of hours I and many others involved with the MDDI have spent on research.

I can guarantee that Brooks Johnson has many, many times the numbers of hours invested that I do. Many other individuals involved with the MDDI have spent countless hours on this process as well.

Not everybody can make that kind of commitment...I fully understand. However, for anyone who can take a few hours of their time to attempt to make changes that could last a lifetime...it'd be a darn good idea to do so. If folks want better hunting for themselves and for the generations that follow us, it takes a commitment. It takes giving up a few hours now to make many, many hours of better hunting in the future.

[hockeybc69]

Here is the link to post your thoughts

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/mgmt.html

Click on the listening sessions tab and type away.

[matchset]

I'm so sick of intensive harvest And sharing buck tags.

[MahtowaDave]

Intensive slaughter must end!

[hockeybc69]

In the listening sessions, the DNR has said publicly that there will be ZERO intensive harvest permit areas in the 100 and 200 zones.

[laker1]

The northeast this winter is taking a hit,may be a lot of bucks only?

[smsmith]

If the entire northern 1/3 or so of the state isn't bucks only this year (with a possible exception for the Duluth area and some small areas along the north shore) I'll be pretty disappointed.

IMO...the most liberal designation for the vast majority of the state should be Hunter Choice....and there shouldn't be all that many of those units.

I'm expecting a total harvest next year below 150K. Wonder if hunters will be more or less ticked off next January than they were this year?

[hockeybc69]

MDHA has an online survey regarding the listening sessions.

At least its something they can tally up results. The DNR online input is just a text box to type your thoughts with no way to tally actual hunter sentiment and give final results.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e92jodekhsw8cvuk/a011uhtg483nd/questions

[MahtowaDave]

Hockeybc69,

I have two deer bedded in my yard, where a bare spot just formed. I live very near you and wanted to pass along the good news as there have been very few sightings for either of us lately! They have moved about 50 feet in 4 hours, so they are conserving energy and eating everything in sight!

[hockeybc69]

HAAA.

Send em over. I have a couple hundred lbs of corn laying on the ground uneaten. They can have all they want.

[Jameson]

Hockeybc69,

I have two deer bedded in my yard, where a bare spot just formed. I live very near you and wanted to pass along the good news as there have been very few sightings for either of us lately! They have moved about 50 feet in 4 hours, so they are conserving energy and eating everything in sight!

Best keep quiet unless you want Intensive Harvest near you next year.

[Jameson]

MDHA has an online survey regarding the listening sessions.

At least its something they can tally up results. The DNR online input is just a text box to type your thoughts with no way to tally actual hunter sentiment and give final results.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e92jodekhsw8cvuk/a011uhtg483nd/questions

Link not working for me. MDHA site then to Legislative for anyone looking for it.

[laker1]

Site worked fine for me.

[hockeybc69]

Odd.... the link doesnt work when I click on it.

Try again...

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e92jodekhsw8cvuk/a0129htghz56g/questions

[MahtowaDave]

Jameson,

I don't know what you are talking about. I have not seen any deer. If I do see some, I will send them to Hockeybc69!

[DaveT]

Be sure to post your comments on the DNR webpage if you are not able to attend.

I am not real confident that someone in a position of power will be reading each and every one of them...... But you may as well take the opp to post your thoughts, no matter what your feelings are.

Hockey, where were you when I needed you? Remember this from 2 years ago?

#2783957 - 02/17/12 03:34 PM Something to think about

DaveT Online content

HSOList.com Family

Registered: 11/17/08

Posts: 195

Loc: Dakota County, MN

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/recreation/hunting/deer/2011_harvestreport.pdf

I just went through the harvest report and I stumbled across what may be the real reason we're all fighting about APRs and the rest of it.

Look at table 1. Look at the antlerless harvest gradually ramping up to 2002. In 2003 it exploded and stayed there until 2007. Remember that 33% of that antlerless harvest are bucks. When did you start seeing fewer mature bucks and fewer bucks in general? For me it was around 2005, and has gradually gotten worse since.

The reason people are complaining that their are fewer mature bucks and fewer bucks in general is because it's the truth. We've been killing too many antlerless deer. I'll give you back the APRs, the cross tagging, the gun season during the rut, the earn a buck, etc., just give me 30,000 less antlerless tags each year so we can have some decent hunting like we used to have.

[mntatonka]

Hockey, where were you when I needed you? Remember this from 2 years ago?

#2783957 - 02/17/12 03:34 PM Something to think about

DaveT Online content

HSOList.com Family

Registered: 11/17/08

Posts: 195

Loc: Dakota County, MN

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/recreation/hunting/deer/2011_harvestreport.pdf

I just went through the harvest report and I stumbled across what may be the real reason we're all fighting about APRs and the rest of it.

Look at table 1. Look at the antlerless harvest gradually ramping up to 2002. In 2003 it exploded and stayed there until 2007. Remember that 33% of that antlerless harvest are bucks. When did you start seeing fewer mature bucks and fewer bucks in general? For me it was around 2005, and has gradually gotten worse since.

The reason people are complaining that their are fewer mature bucks and fewer bucks in general is because it's the truth. We've been killing too many antlerless deer. I'll give you back the APRs, the cross tagging, the gun season during the rut, the earn a buck, etc., just give me 30,000 less antlerless tags each year so we can have some decent hunting like we used to have.

I know you didn't do the math regarding your 33% claim, but check it anyway. 19% of antlerless deer harvested are males, not 33%. I know 33% sounds so much better, but it's simply not true. The numbers you're looking for are in table 17 on the harvest reports.

[DaveT]

Tonka, I'm just bragging that I was ahead of the curve when it comes to complaining about the deer population. I'm not worried about facts.