The numbers are very interesting. Over the weekend I talked to a guy who said he didn't bother to hunt deer this year. He said if the DNR was going to charge him for a license and then force him to report the harvest then they could keep the deer and he would keep his money. I had really thought that those of you on here who had reported that kind of reaction to the new system were streching or embelishing the truth a little, but not now. He said as long as the DNR used Gestopo tactics he would just give up deer hunting, and his son, a police officer, said almost the same thing. I was just floored that anyone could have that attitude about so simple and vital information gathering system. He had read the articles in the newspapers and justified his reactions by saying that about 50,000 others must have felt the same because of the drop in numbers. I firmly believe the the drop in numbers are more a reflection of fewer deer and a much more accurate harvest reporting system. No offense to Willy at all but last years number of 211,000 was at best a guess and at worst a fabracation, but an overstatement of facts at any rate. I am very glad that we can now look forward real figures without the real headaches and cost of physical check stations, but we all need to educate those who are opposed to the reporting system for what ever reasons. It is easy and worthwhile and will benifit us all.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
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It looks like button bucks comprised 15% of the antlerless deer taken and 9% of the overall harvest. I feel these are fairly low numbers taking everything into consideration
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Those are low % but 13,953 still looks like a big number to me. 150,552 seems to be a lot, plus all the deer that wernt reported, not found, or just left lay.
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I guess I was just commenting on the Wisc. fact sheet at Benny's link. I went back and looked at it, noticing that it appears to be a 2001 document, so maybe the numbers have changed. It stated that Wisconsin's button buck harvest (% of antlerless) was 23.1%. Illinois was 26.7%, Minnesota 19.7%, and Indiana 24.8%.
Some might say that any % is too much, but I'm just happy that Iowa appears to be below a regional average.
If I had to venture a guess, I'm betting that unreported deer (where licenses were purchased) were mostly antlerless and the ratio of button to doe will be similar. I'm thinking that if somebody shot a buck, they didn't want to risk losing it on the technicality of not reporting. But hey, what do I know?
![shrug[1].gif](http://www.iowawhitetail.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug[1].gif)
Some actions can't be explained.
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It looks like button bucks comprised 15% of the antlerless deer taken and 9% of the overall harvest. I feel these are fairly low numbers taking everything into consideration
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Those are low % but 13,953 still looks like a big number to me. 150,552 seems to be a lot, plus all the deer that wernt reported, not found, or just left lay.
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I guess I was just commenting on the Wisc. fact sheet at Benny's link. I went back and looked at it, noticing that it appears to be a 2001 document, so maybe the numbers have changed. It stated that Wisconsin's button buck harvest (% of antlerless) was 23.1%. Illinois was 26.7%, Minnesota 19.7%, and Indiana 24.8%.
Some might say that any % is too much, but I'm just happy that Iowa appears to be below a regional average.
If I had to venture a guess, I'm betting that unreported deer (where licenses were purchased) were mostly antlerless and the ratio of button to doe will be similar. I'm thinking that if somebody shot a buck, they didn't want to risk losing it on the technicality of not reporting. But hey, what do I know?
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
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He said as long as the DNR used Gestopo tactics he would just give up deer hunting, and his son, a police officer, said almost the same thing.
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The "Us vs. Them" mentality. Stick it to the man!
I'm glad they chose to sit out rather than going "to the dark side" and poach.
I'm sorry to see people blame the DNR for doing their job. I guess it sorts out those who truly enjoy the sport. People who are willing to abide by the regulations and pay for the privilege.
He said as long as the DNR used Gestopo tactics he would just give up deer hunting, and his son, a police officer, said almost the same thing.
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The "Us vs. Them" mentality. Stick it to the man!
I'm sorry to see people blame the DNR for doing their job. I guess it sorts out those who truly enjoy the sport. People who are willing to abide by the regulations and pay for the privilege.
dbltree
Super Moderator
IDNR News:
Does Lead Deer Harvest for Fourth Year in a Row
Posted: February 20, 2007
BOONE - Iowa hunters reported 150,552 deer harvested during the 2006-07 hunting seasons, with the most deer taken from Clayton County - 7,389, and the least from Calhoun County - 159. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has posted the results of the reported deer harvest by season, sex, and county at www.iowadnr.gov.
"The reported deer harvest totals should be taken as a minimum number, not as an exact number," said Willie Suchy, wildlife research supervisor for the DNR. "The number will not include the deer that were wounded and not recovered, any hunters who became frustrated with the reporting system and those who simply were not going to report, regardless of the circumstances. But it does give us information that we can build on ."
Does filled 51.8 percent (77,946) of the tags that were reported. Hunters reported harvesting 58,653 bucks and 13,953 button bucks, which are young bucks occasionally mistaken for does.
Suchy said the information, when combined with the deer population surveys, will help with setting the antlerless deer quotas by county and other deer hunting seasons.
For more information, contact Steve Roberts at 515-432-2823
Does Lead Deer Harvest for Fourth Year in a Row
Posted: February 20, 2007
BOONE - Iowa hunters reported 150,552 deer harvested during the 2006-07 hunting seasons, with the most deer taken from Clayton County - 7,389, and the least from Calhoun County - 159. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has posted the results of the reported deer harvest by season, sex, and county at www.iowadnr.gov.
"The reported deer harvest totals should be taken as a minimum number, not as an exact number," said Willie Suchy, wildlife research supervisor for the DNR. "The number will not include the deer that were wounded and not recovered, any hunters who became frustrated with the reporting system and those who simply were not going to report, regardless of the circumstances. But it does give us information that we can build on ."
Does filled 51.8 percent (77,946) of the tags that were reported. Hunters reported harvesting 58,653 bucks and 13,953 button bucks, which are young bucks occasionally mistaken for does.
Suchy said the information, when combined with the deer population surveys, will help with setting the antlerless deer quotas by county and other deer hunting seasons.
For more information, contact Steve Roberts at 515-432-2823