Media Concerned About Minnesota Deer

[smsmith]

That's a good point Ssmith. Still, it seems the important thing to compare is success rates, not simply overall totals, and by that measure WI hunters fell further from what they are accustomed to than we did.

I won't debate whether success rates are the way to judge a season or not...but I will say we need to accurately compare.

MN firearm hunters didn't take 140K, we took 111k..so using your figure of 450K hunters, that's a success rate of 25%, not 31%.

I don't know off the top of my head the average success rates of MN or WI...so I won't debate those with you right now either

Once the final numbers are in for both states, we could figure out total success rate for each...that would probably the "fairest" way to assign who had the crappier season.

[Getanet]

MN firearm hunters didn't take 140K, we took 111k..so using your figure of 450K hunters, that's a success rate of 25%, not 31%.

Yes, I understand that, just didn't re-post the figures. Still, MN didn't seem to fall as far from the norm as WI did.

Considering the reduction in antlerless permits and how much talk there was leading up to the season about the low herd total, I was prepared for MN's harvest to be much lower than the 120K that was projected.

[O.T.C.]

Realize "success" rate is skewed a little, everyone I know personally could've shot a deer this year if they wanted to, but we're waiting on phantom trailcam bucks they think are still hiding close by even though a dozen other guys got the same 1 on camera also. My phantom got shot 3 miles away from my trailcamera and must have passed through 7-8 solid properties to get there. Issue is why can't a buck come from 3 miles away to me some year lol.

[LightningBG]

I'm still pondering why the name of this tread is "Media Concerned about Minnesota Deer"?

[Bureaucrat]

If a child makes a mistake and hurts someone, do you turn a blind eye and just hope they learned from it?

If an employee makes a mistake and wrecks a project, do you turn a blind eye and just hope it doesn't happen again?

If a lapse in protocols allows a disease to punch through the border, do you turn a blind eye and just hope it doesn't happen again?

If a doctor makes a mistake during a procedure, do you just hope the effect of it is enough to prevent it from happening again?

[smsmith]

It was...about 9K below the projected DNR estimate.

I wouldn't have been shocked if it came in around 100K though

[Getanet]

The 120K estimate by the DNR was for total harvest, not just firearms. They compared it to the 170,000 harvest from 2013, only 145,000 or so of that was from firearms.

Looks like we'll wind up 15-20K over the projection.

[Jameson]

Still shaking my head at those numbers.

Last year we killed 170,000 with loose regulations. This year we kill 145,000 with very conservative regulations.

Just how terrible were the regulations last year? How many too many permits did the DNR issue to only have 25,000 more deer harvested prior to a very severe winter and with much looser regulations.

Or

Just how non-conservative were our regulations this year? Was Hunter Choice too loose of a regulation and many more Lottery or even Buck Only areas would have actually made the regulations conservative.

....

Don't know the answers, but every time the recent harvest numbers come up, it begs the questions from me.

[delcecchi]

It was 120k this year, so 50k less. And that 30% decrease probably varied greatly by area. Did the rules change that much in the SE for example? And did the harvest go down there?

[ANYFISH2]

Maybe Jameson, it shows how depressed our deer population was going into last fall. It sure would have been nice to have those 10,000 extra does going in to this year (I know some may have died over winter).

Hope the lowered harvest this will help in coming years, I also hope regs stay similar next season as well. Low harvest numbers is what the population needs (right now) IMHO.

[SmellEsox]

Still shaking my head at those numbers.

Last year we killed 170,000 with loose regulations. This year we kill 145,000 with very conservative regulations.

Just how terrible were the regulations last year? How many too many permits did the DNR issue to only have 25,000 more deer harvested prior to a very severe winter and with much looser regulations.

Or

Just how non-conservative were our regulations this year? Was Hunter Choice too loose of a regulation and many more Lottery or even Buck Only areas would have actually made the regulations conservative.

....

Don't know the answers, but every time the recent harvest numbers come up, it begs the questions from me.

I thought the same thing. In fact, when you compare HC to how things were managed in the 90's, HC is liberal. Most areas were lottery. Basically with HC, everyone has an antlerless permit. With party hunting, there really is nothing holding anyone back from shooting liberally. A friend of a friend shot 5 deer this year in HC areas.

[smsmith]

Hope the lowered harvest this will help in coming years, I also hope regs stay similar next season as well. Low harvest numbers is what the population needs (right now) IMHO.

I agree and also hope the regs stay at least as conservative next year...I have my doubts though, especially with how winter is currently playing out.

[strait-meat]

I'm so glad so many of you voted for the Legacy Act. You know it was something that was gonna to make MN the mecca for hunters and fishers. At least that is what they told you. I wasn't that foolish to vote for it so I don't know the feeling.

Anyways, maybe MN should look to other states as an example of what policies they should adopt which have a good healthy herd of trophy deer to hunt. Oh wait, we need quantity of deer and not quality of deer because it is a tradition to party hunt and shoot button bucks year after year to fill the freezer. Im sorry bad idea, what was I thinking?

[Bureaucrat]

I'm so glad so many of you voted for the Legacy Act. You know it was something that was gonna to make MN the mecca for hunters and fishers. At least that is what they told you. I wasn't that foolish to vote for it so I don't know the feeling.

Anyways, maybe MN should look to other states as an example of what policies they should adopt which have a good healthy herd of trophy deer to hunt. Oh wait, we need quantity of deer and not quality of deer because it is a tradition to party hunt and shoot button bucks year after year to fill the freezer. Im sorry bad idea, what was I thinking?

I can't help but think of that very thing when I read all of the anger and disgust with ND voters for rejecting their equivalent legacy amendment this year. With what's been done in MN in six years, I can't say I blame anyone for not supporting it either. Just another do-something accomplish-nothing idea.

[Jameson]

It was 120k this year, so 50k less. And that 30% decrease probably varied greatly by area. Did the rules change that much in the SE for example? And did the harvest go down there?

Keep reading so many different numbers, they get confused....often.

I don't pay much attention to zone 3, but think things were pretty much the same this year as recent years past.

Edit:

looks like it was at 127,000 after third weekend, compared to 160,000 at the same time last year. source: http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2014/11/25/h...end/#more-15626

[SmellEsox]

I'm so glad so many of you voted for the Legacy Act. You know it was something that was gonna to make MN the mecca for hunters and fishers. At least that is what they told you. I wasn't that foolish to vote for it so I don't know the feeling.

Anyways, maybe MN should look to other states as an example of what policies they should adopt which have a good healthy herd of trophy deer to hunt. Oh wait, we need quantity of deer and not quality of deer because it is a tradition to party hunt and shoot button bucks year after year to fill the freezer. Im sorry bad idea, what was I thinking?

I'd vote for it again. Some good things have come out of it.

[O.T.C.]

Hey smsmith, your thing says Todd County, is that where you hunt primarily ? If so my word that county from my travels lately realize I'm driving the northern portion of that county mainly 210 from Hewitt to Staples sports which is cty 7 comes out to hwy 10, that stretch is insane for deer numbers that I've seen since rifle season, a very very risky ride lately. Not saying numbers are great overall for the county but that stretch is in pretty good shape. Seeing a lot of deer on that drive if I time it right with dark.

[smsmith]

Hey smsmith, your thing says Todd County, is that where you hunt primarily ? If so my word that county from my travels lately realize I'm driving the northern portion of that county mainly 210 from Hewitt to Staples sports which is cty 7 comes out to hwy 10, that stretch is insane for deer numbers that I've seen since rifle season, a very very risky ride lately. Not saying numbers are great overall for the county but that stretch is in pretty good shape. Seeing a lot of deer on that drive if I time it right with dark.

Yup, I'm in Todd, but south of 27 (unit 215). The section of Todd (unit 214)you're talking about is managed for 20 dpsm pre-fawn, my area is managed for 10.

[strait-meat]

I'd vote for it again. Some good things have come out of it.

I'm sure you would and many others would too. People like to have other people pay for their fun.

[delcecchi]

I'm sure you would and many others would too. People like to have other people pay for their fun.

Oh My. Not another "no public facilities" guy. You should look up BigDave2 in Sillytown. You think alike.

[SmellEsox]

I'm sure you would and many others would too. People like to have other people pay for their fun.

Has nothing to do with paying for my fun but rather paying for conservation and maintaining our lifestyle in this state. Habitat is declining fast in this state and hopefully this will slow down the decline somewhat.

[O.T.C.]

Right on smsmith, that makes sense if you're in the Long Prairie area southern portion of Todd, but 10 deer per square mile ish, that count might actually be like 5-6 deer in actuality, can't even imagine if the section I have land in was 10 deer lets say, I think we'd all have our land for sale, so they see 2 does and 4 fawns and call it good for that section, close enough to 10 and the other side of the road has a dozen goats in it etc. what ? 10 goats per square mile ? A 10 spot what ? 10, that could be zero by rifle season. Bow hunters get 3, cars get 2, 3 run across the road and 1 gets chowed by the wolves that are slowly but surely filtering through eagle bend on their way to LP. That leaves all ya all 1 goat to hunt ? Then the hope is maybe you purchase 3 licenses bow,gun,muzzy to get it. Time to thank old man winter currently, as we're doing good so far. 10 ?

[smsmith]

Right on smsmith, that makes sense if you're in the Long Prairie area southern portion of Todd, but 10 deer per square mile ish, that count might actually be like 5-6 deer in actuality, can't even imagine if the section I have land in was 10 deer lets say, I think we'd all have our land for sale, so they see 2 does and 4 fawns and call it good for that section, close enough to 10 and the other side of the road has a dozen goats in it etc. what ? 10 goats per square mile ? A 10 spot what ? 10, that could be zero by rifle season. Bow hunters get 3, cars get 2, 3 run across the road and 1 gets chowed by the wolves that are slowly but surely filtering through eagle bend on their way to LP. That leaves all ya all 1 goat to hunt ? Then the hope is maybe you purchase 3 licenses bow,gun,muzzy to get it. Time to thank old man winter currently, as we're doing good so far. 10 ?

Yup...my complaint exactly. This area is prime deer habitat and they manage for 10 dpsm. Just nuts if you ask me. Manage this unit for 20 dpsm like they do for 214 and the chances of me ever posting on HSO are slim to none.

[ANYFISH2]

Ahh Stu, we'd miss you.

[hockeybc69]

Heres to hoping the new Executive Director of the MDHA can bring some leadership and direction to our largest deer hunters voice in MN..... I am sure he is ready to stand up to the DNR and say its time for change..... Oh,, wait,,, he was recently a regional director for the DNR....

Scratch that hope of change...