Illinois-182,000 Less Deer

[blake]

Illinois Hunters Harvest Nearly 182,000 Deer this Season

The deer season ended this week in Illinois and preliminary estimates are that hunters harvested nearly 182,000 deer.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that this season's total is nearly 700 more deer than last season. The state's record harvest was in 2005 and 2006 when 201,300 deer were harvested. Archery hunters took about 63,500 deer and firearm hunters took 98,700 deer.

The muzzleloader-only hunt brought about 2,300 deer and the youth deer season harvested about 1,500 deer.

Department wildlife program manager Paul Shelton says liberal permit quotas and season have contributed to the record harvest levels. He says biologists are working to control herbs and curb deer population growth.

Top deer harvesting areas of Illinois included Adams, Fulton and Pike counties.

 

[nannyslayer]

Illinois Hunters Harvest Nearly 182,000 Deer this Season

The deer season ended this week in Illinois and preliminary estimates are that hunters harvested nearly 182,000 deer.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that this season's total is nearly 700 more deer than last season. The state's record harvest was in 2005 and 2006 when 201,300 deer were harvested. Archery hunters took about 63,500 deer and firearm hunters took 98,700 deer.

The muzzleloader-only hunt brought about 2,300 deer and the youth deer season harvested about 1,500 deer.

Department wildlife program manager Paul Shelton says liberal permit quotas and season have contributed to the record harvest levels. He says biologists are working to control herbs and curb deer population growth.

Top deer harvesting areas of Illinois included Adams, Fulton and Pike counties.

I think that is what IL leaders are smokin.

 

[Baby-G]

I can tell you this about Illinois. I hunted there for over 13 years. They have allowed more and more tags. The county I hunt in used to have zero outfitters in it up until 7 years ago. It now has over 6 big outfitters and it sure shows it now. Buck to doe ratio is completely screwed up, over-all deer population is down 60%. It is freakin' ruined the county. Age structure is awful, it will take years to recover if they put fixes in place right now!!!

Protect what you've got if your area is good!!!!

 

[Altiman94]

Sounds about like the road Iowa is heading down. I'm hoping the 2010-11 numbers will show the DNR that the herd is down to healthy levels and time to stop issuing so many tags.