salukipv1

I'm doubting another gun season in late october....bowhunters would riot!

This is prime buck/rut time, so to have it be a antlerless only season, and gun to boot, is just beyond stupid!

I think Iowa has no gun hunting until after the rut, ie all of december is gun I believe, and til then is all bow. I wouldn't mind pushing gun season back and even 1 month long all december gun hunt.

If they went to a gun season in OCT, I think I'd almost have to give up bowhunting in IL.


I'm open to suggestions, but I think...

December being gun season....
Prior to that being Bow....
Earn a 2nd buck tag, ie must harvest a doe to get a 2nd buck tag.

I'm not sure about that late season antlerless season, but I've heard of some trophy bucks being taken during these seasons due to them losing their antlers early....I think if we're going to have a late antlerless season, we should avoid it being too late, or the chance at taking some of these trophy bucks.

Kid

Thought i would let this run a few days then post a few thoughts. The number one problem the IDNR has right now is the complete raping of their budget by our Governor. This led to the elimination of check stations, whichwasa huge mistake in my book. It is also why the IDNR nurses on the non-resident teat like it does.I like the idea of earn a second buck for residents and earn a firstbuck for non-residents in the Counties where a BIOLOGIST and not some Politician, Landowneror Outfitter has determined the population is too high, but that is practically unenforceable without check stations. In my opinion,far too many non-residents leave Illinois having only killed a buck.I would only agree with eliminating our split season for firearm and making one longer season if it happened in early Decembersuch as inIowa (i think Illinois could learn a lot from Iowa!). I like the idea of a longer late season and making late season a zone situation verses County by County so tags can be sold over the counter. While I'm sure some Bucks that have already dropped their antlers are taken every Winter, i doubt the percentage is very high and the thinning of the Does is more than worth it. A lot is made about the "trophy" Bucks that are killed during the late winter antler less season, but without antlers, how does anyone know anyway? A bit of a "red herring" in my book. In short, it is time to give morecontrol of the managing of Illinois's Deer herd back to the biologists and residentsand less control to the money. That will only happen when we get rid of our Governor and his Chicago cronies. Far too much emphasis is placed on antler size, and antler size only, when it comes to managing the Illinois Deer herd. Ironically, managing strictly to attain reasonable population levels would helpachieve exactly that. One last thought, the land in Illinois belongs to the individual land owner, but Illinois State law says the animals belong to the people of the State of Illinois. It is time we get some control back!

salukipv1

Where are these deer out of control? I hunt jo daviess, and I see deer, but I'd hardly say they're overpopulated, or the ratio is out of whack.

I've heard in the golden triangle things are getting bad, buck:doe ratios of like 1:15 etc....

Is this were the deer are out of control? are the ratios that bad?

Would be nice to start implementing a program that would get it closer to 1:1.

Also a month long gun season, say in december, wouldn't produce 4x the amount of deer killed IMO, few guys would hunt the entire month, and pressure may be even lighter, since guys aren't forced to hunt 2 seasons amounting to a week total, with the majority of guys hunting the weekend part. Would also give outfitters a longer season for gun etc...not that, that is much of an issue to me, just a point to be made. People could hunt when convienient....some guys wouldn't hunt the opener etc...

I'm hoping for things to change for the better.....be curious to see what comes down the way...

Also a month long firearm season, in december ideally, I think would be great if it included everything for the entire month, slug, muzzleloader, pistol. We wouldn't need a late season doe only etc...
Offering additional antlerless only tags for that season would be fine, but I don't see a reason to have a seperate late season doe only etc..., as of now maybe, but if we had a month long december gun season I wouldn't see the point.

That OCT gun season, antlerless, sounds like a youth hunt idea....personally I'm strongly opposed to any OCT gun hunt. There's plenty of antlerless deer opportunities with a bow in OCT, and thought it wasn't stated, a youth hunt in OCT....I think is more harm than good.A kid can shoot a doe or buck currently in November, or if things change, in december. Call me bitter, but I don't see the point of all these youth seasons nowadays, we bend over backwards for kids these days, when I and others were kids we didn't get special privaledges, perhaps our fathers would let us shoot the first animal we saw, and that was fine by me. Personally I think it creates an atmosphere where are kids feel entitled, so then what happens when they grow up? Also getting a kid into hunting does with these special seasons, personally as a kid I'd rather have shot a monster buck than just any old doe. Sure its experience and another opportunity to get started, but if I know when I was 12yrs old I'd rather have waited to hunt Nov gun season so I could shoot a buck than hunt earlier fora doe only. Personally the chance at a big buck would be much more exciting to me than having to take a doe. Just my $.02

solocamcan

You can thank outfitters in the Golden Triangle for that.


I think the youth hunt in Oct. is ok, it's more geared to 1st time hunters who wouldn't enjoy hunting in 30 degree temps. And ruining there idea of hunting altogether.

uncle matt

I am all for an earn EAB program and I mean starting withthe very first buck and the second.

GDI! Things need to get balanced out andtime is a wasting.

IMO if there is any NR coming to IL for a big IL buck that will not come because they have to harvest a doe first it is a super small percentage and someone else will glady take their spot. I know there will be whining but man ya don't go out to you honey hole and shoot the doe, ya get one elsewhere on the property and then go to the hot spots. And there would always be someone or a Hunters For The Hungry program to take the sweet meat.

Just imagine what our herd would look like today if we did something like this say 10 or even 5 years ago. Just think about it.

fastetti

I personally think that Wisconsin has the right idea with the earn-a-buck program. These outfitters are charging a buttload for people to come in and harvest one buck and tell them they can't take any does. That has to be the dumbest thing ever. If someone fills their buck tag or has the opportunity to take a doe at a non-peak hunting time, then they should. I know people kill nice bucks at all hours, but I try to fill my deer tag later in the morning, say after 10 or so. Then I can pull the deer out of there quick and not risk ruining my afternoon hunt.

I also feel that there are a good amount of "Old Timers" that believe the more deer there are, the more bucks will be born the following spring, therefor more bucks down the road. I have met guys like this and hunted property where they have this opinion. I believe they also hunted in a time where there was far less of a deer population and taking a doe while hunting was unthinkable. I usually take a doe or two out, meat is meat and 3 deer is usually what I need to last me the year. I'd have no problem taking another doe out, but getting rid of it is the problem. I wish it would be a little easier to donate it to a food pantry. If we don't start doing something about all these does soon, its going to get out of hand and there will be to many deer for us hunters to take out on a yearly basis. It doesn't sound like a problem now, but down the road, it could get bad IMO.

stikbow26

Here is an idea that we had talked about last year while in camp because the topic came about this very matter. Most locals already shoot does for there freezer but I believe it is the NR that comes down to hunt and doesn't want to deal with or take the time to clean or what ever excuse they want to use and shoot does. I think the NR tags should be earn a buck and I am a NR who shoots does!! Walt

solocamcan

This is just a BIG gimmick to try and make $$$$ off of this poor ass excuse "We have to many deer...Blah blah blah"

Take for example just this year Clinton Lake (public) no longer allows hunters to leave stands up through the season. If you want to hunt it's by 3 methods only...

1. Take a climber in and out every day

2. Take a set of climbing sticks and portable stand....in and out everyday.

3. Hunt off the ground.

Now you tell me, if they were SO concerned about the deer population in IL why in the hell would they make it so difficult to hunt them?

And to make it worse, Clinton Lake isn't the only piece of public ground in IL doing this, there are several.