Change in Ark. deer rules?
02-03-2003, 09:04 PM
#11
New Sheriff
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Arkansas
Posts: 4,592
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
The one buck limit is tough, it's hard to get motivated to go out after you have killed a buck and hunt for a doe. Our gun season is a week shorter than yours down south so I can't really blame that.
I hunt private land. We have managed it for bucks the last few years and it shows. I used to be able to go there and see 25 deer per day but lucky if I saw one buck, and then it was usually a small one. A few years ago we slaughtered the does, shot every one we were able to. Now the ratio is right but we don't see near the deer we used to, when we do the chances are that it is gonna be a good buck.
When we (Arkansas) went to the 3 pt rule and then a few years later we opened season on does we were in effect trying to manage the ENTIRE state for trophy deer. I don't know if it works statewide. So the question we must ask ourselves is do we want to see a deer behind every tree or do we want the chance to kill a trophy buck every year?
I hunt private land. We have managed it for bucks the last few years and it shows. I used to be able to go there and see 25 deer per day but lucky if I saw one buck, and then it was usually a small one. A few years ago we slaughtered the does, shot every one we were able to. Now the ratio is right but we don't see near the deer we used to, when we do the chances are that it is gonna be a good buck.
When we (Arkansas) went to the 3 pt rule and then a few years later we opened season on does we were in effect trying to manage the ENTIRE state for trophy deer. I don't know if it works statewide. So the question we must ask ourselves is do we want to see a deer behind every tree or do we want the chance to kill a trophy buck every year?
02-04-2003, 03:07 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: AR USA
Posts: 889
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
well, if season length is not the problem, then leave gun and bow season the same. cut the doe limit down to 2 , but leave the buck limit the same.
one buck ain't didly for such a long season!
I'm wonderin if the deer haven't gone nocturnal also. that would certainly explain the fewer deer sightings. I'm still bowhuntin, and I'm seein more deer sign, than I've seen since season started. especially tracks. so, I'm not so sure anymore, that there are actually fewer deer.
do any of you guys have game cameras? if everbody that owned a game camera, would put them to use now, that might give us an idea on how many deer are actually movin at night. I don't have one, but if I did I'd sure be usin it.
with all the tracks I'm seein, there has got to be a lot of deer on our lease. I'm not seein any in the late evenins, and very few in the mornins. my F-I-L says 4 or 5 deer can make a lot of tracks, which is true, but I'm seein different size tracks, so it's not just the same 4 or 5 deer makin all those tracks.
mr4pt, I'd lots rather see a good buck, than see a deer behind ever tree<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> that's why I was glad to see them make the 3 points on one side rule, and also allow 4 doe. but, I'm not so sure the doe limit shouldn't be cut back to 2 instead of 4 now.
If the deer have gone nocturnal, (which game cameras could tell us for sure) then, we just have to figure out how to make em want to move durin daylight hours.<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
Ward Burton-- Daytona 500 winner--
go Cat-22
one buck ain't didly for such a long season!
I'm wonderin if the deer haven't gone nocturnal also. that would certainly explain the fewer deer sightings. I'm still bowhuntin, and I'm seein more deer sign, than I've seen since season started. especially tracks. so, I'm not so sure anymore, that there are actually fewer deer.
do any of you guys have game cameras? if everbody that owned a game camera, would put them to use now, that might give us an idea on how many deer are actually movin at night. I don't have one, but if I did I'd sure be usin it.
with all the tracks I'm seein, there has got to be a lot of deer on our lease. I'm not seein any in the late evenins, and very few in the mornins. my F-I-L says 4 or 5 deer can make a lot of tracks, which is true, but I'm seein different size tracks, so it's not just the same 4 or 5 deer makin all those tracks.
mr4pt, I'd lots rather see a good buck, than see a deer behind ever tree<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> that's why I was glad to see them make the 3 points on one side rule, and also allow 4 doe. but, I'm not so sure the doe limit shouldn't be cut back to 2 instead of 4 now.
If the deer have gone nocturnal, (which game cameras could tell us for sure) then, we just have to figure out how to make em want to move durin daylight hours.<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
Ward Burton-- Daytona 500 winner--
go Cat-22
02-04-2003, 11:10 PM
#13
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: A shack in Arkansas
Posts: 2,029
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
Now your talking bogobble. that is my personal bag limit anyway.
i talked to my nieghbor ,hunting club that is, and they had a good year to . killed like 16 in all . now this is only 5 hunters on about 900 acres. one 6 pt with a 20" inside spread heavy mass , long tines. one 9 with drop tines 16" spread. and the rest were eights smaller 14" or so. thats not bad for south arkansas. i can remeber in ouachita county if you killed one 14 " 8 pt you were doing good. in the whole camp that is.
I'm hoping to get to go stay a weekend at the camp. i intend on getting out at night and looking. i bet i see eyes everywhere. this time of the year they congregate and feed in our pastures late in the evening. watch that also.
I don't know the answer but reducing days just hurts those that can only hunt weekends.
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
i talked to my nieghbor ,hunting club that is, and they had a good year to . killed like 16 in all . now this is only 5 hunters on about 900 acres. one 6 pt with a 20" inside spread heavy mass , long tines. one 9 with drop tines 16" spread. and the rest were eights smaller 14" or so. thats not bad for south arkansas. i can remeber in ouachita county if you killed one 14 " 8 pt you were doing good. in the whole camp that is.
I'm hoping to get to go stay a weekend at the camp. i intend on getting out at night and looking. i bet i see eyes everywhere. this time of the year they congregate and feed in our pastures late in the evening. watch that also.
I don't know the answer but reducing days just hurts those that can only hunt weekends.
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
02-05-2003, 04:55 PM
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: God\'s Country,AR USA
Posts: 106
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
Maybe since they have gone nocturnal, we could legalize spotlitin', or let us use night vision scopes? THat would make it interesting. I have said all that I want to on this topic for now 
Why am I sittin here on this stupid PC when I could be huntin'
Why am I sittin here on this stupid PC when I could be huntin'
02-05-2003, 07:20 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: AR USA
Posts: 889
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
One other thing. ya'll know as well as I do, that there are bunches of deer that are not registered. for instance- a hunter shoots what he thinks is a doe, but turns out to be a spike with 2 or 3" spikes. he don't want to use one of his buck tags, so he either don't register it, or he registers it as a doe.
there are a lot of deer that are not registered, for one reason or another, which tends to make the agfc think there's fewer deer.
so, they say we have to shorten season and or, reduce the bag limit.
remember, thats what happened when they closed the turkey season for 9 years. there were no turkeys being registered, which the agfc beleived the turkey population was down, so they closed it. simply because of the greedy hunters that wanted to kill more than their legal limit!<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
I'm afraid the same thing is gonna happen to deer season if those same greedy hunters, don't start registering their deer!<img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>
Ward Burton-- Daytona 500 winner--
go Cat-22
there are a lot of deer that are not registered, for one reason or another, which tends to make the agfc think there's fewer deer.
so, they say we have to shorten season and or, reduce the bag limit.
remember, thats what happened when they closed the turkey season for 9 years. there were no turkeys being registered, which the agfc beleived the turkey population was down, so they closed it. simply because of the greedy hunters that wanted to kill more than their legal limit!<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
I'm afraid the same thing is gonna happen to deer season if those same greedy hunters, don't start registering their deer!<img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>
Ward Burton-- Daytona 500 winner--
go Cat-22
02-06-2003, 09:55 PM
#16
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: A shack in Arkansas
Posts: 2,029
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
bogobble being from just up the road in ouachita county and knowing those up there . i must say you made a valid point!
Now i don't reside in ouachita county any longer . economy and all ! i live over in the spa city area now! became a hill billy!
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
Now i don't reside in ouachita county any longer . economy and all ! i live over in the spa city area now! became a hill billy!
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
02-07-2003, 11:54 AM
#18
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Iberia La. USA
Posts: 47
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
reb, how ya doing?? This year was alittle weird, some days looked like a petting zoo under the feeder, some days not a deer. One thing I can say I ain't saw, and that was the Rut!!
I have noticed less deer on the road the last 2 years, but I'm seeing the same or more in the woods.
ZIIIIPPPPP--PAP
I have noticed less deer on the road the last 2 years, but I'm seeing the same or more in the woods.
ZIIIIPPPPP--PAP
02-07-2003, 09:01 PM
#19
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: A shack in Arkansas
Posts: 2,029
RE: Change in Ark. deer rules?
bogobble you really need to get out of union county sometimes?<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Hot springs ring a bell? you know the bath house spas?
i live about five minutes from lake ouachita.
6 mag i think it was a good year . when deer have food in the woods they don't eat on the road sides. they also don't have to roam as much to find food. food sources should be getting scarce now and they will be moving to find food. also late summer they feed on road sides cause of lack of food in the woods.
emerson good to you this year????
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
Hot springs ring a bell? you know the bath house spas?
i live about five minutes from lake ouachita.
6 mag i think it was a good year . when deer have food in the woods they don't eat on the road sides. they also don't have to roam as much to find food. food sources should be getting scarce now and they will be moving to find food. also late summer they feed on road sides cause of lack of food in the woods.
emerson good to you this year????
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL