For The Deer Geeks

The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) has issued their 2018 report.  The 2018 report covers the statistics thru the 2016 calendar year (and deer season).  The just ended 2017/2018 deer season will be in the 2019 report.  Anyway, it is always worth a read.  QDMA 2018 Report on Whitetail Deer

Utah Mule Deer Hunt Follow Up

I got an email from the outfitter that I hunted with in Utah this year (R&K Hunting Company).  It said;

"It's my understanding the 2017 deer hunt was tougher than normal for some of you, but the problem has been solved!!  Btw, the hunter in this pics is 6'3" to give you a little perspective on the size of the kill:)"

I hunted out of the same lodge (different property) 6 or 7 years ago and the guide on that hunt (Calvin) had help from his Dad (Ken).  Ken raised hounds for this purpose and I suspect that is one of his hounds in the photo.

I occasionally keep an eye on listings for western ranches that are for sale.  It's more or less dreaming but it's fun to see what's available.  I stumbled onto this listing that turns out to be the property that I hunted this year (and probably where that cat came from).  I don't think that I'll be making any offers.  Wasatch Peaks Ranch

On another note, this news item caught my attention recently.  Seems like an appropriate outcome for poachers.  Poachers Take Note

The Chow Line

I found this post showing some of the critters feasting on a deer carcass at a preserve near the farm.  Watch the clip - nice video capture.  What's Eating That Deer - Edge of Appalachia

Ohio Deer Season Summary

From the ODNR, the result of this deer season  ODNR Deer Season Summary.  So the harvest was up about 2% state wide but for Pike County, it was down from 2083 last year to 1934 this year.  It's amazing with all of the variables (weather, bag limits, hunter participation, etc) that it is that similar from year to year.

Black Rifle Coffee

Just saw a short segment on tv about this company.  Appears to be a company founded in Salt Lake City by vets in backlash to Starbucks and their policies.  Interesting...  Black Rifle Coffee Company

Ohio Considering Changes on Deer Hunting

I recently saw a post on Facebook about a process that ODNR is using to consider some changes in the deer management regime.  Here's their link about it.
ODNR Info on Process for Deer Management

This presentation talks about some of the management issues and some of the potential changes to the system.  It's a little bit hard to read but it explains the issues around establishing deer management units, setting bag limits, potential abuses of landowner tags, etc. It does give you an idea of the thankless task these managers have (hunters want big populations, farmers and auto insurers want small populations, everybody wants a better public land hunting experience but nobody wants any restrictions, etc).
Presentation On Potential Changes

This is a summary of the opinions on this subject from the participants in this workshop.
Summary of Workshop Opinions

I rarely see any mention of the length of gun season.  To me, having only one week to hunt deer with a gun is major disadvantage of this state.  I'm not sure why all gun hunting has to go on the whole state only during one 7 day period.  If you are controlling the population with bag limits, why do you also have to limit the availability of hunting with a gun to just those few days per year?  In vastly reduces the potential participation and makes people crazy for one week.  Hard to be committed to a sport that only lets you do it 7 days a year.  All it takes is a weather event, a work event, a wedding, a childbirth or a funeral, and you miss a year's deer hunting. Keep the bag limits low and increase the time in the field - that's my vote.

In the meantime, I'll archery hunt, rifle hunt in Kentucky or go west - because I enjoy the time in the field.  But if anyone has an objective to improve hunter recruitment, having more than 7 days per year available to do it in would be a great first step.

Weather Change

Saturday at 11:00 am.

 24 hours later.  Supposed to rain later today.

I really like the snow because it reveals traffic patterns.  This spot is obviously a highway.

 It's hard to tell just a day later. I relocated a couple of cameras based on the tracks in the snow.

The radish, turnip and sugar beet field.

And a day later.

Poop of the week discovered in this field - buck bomb.

I went for a walk on Sunday morning,  Six weeks or so ago there were four gut piles right here.  I couldn't find a trace of them.

 I bumped a nice buck on my walk.  He was bedded here just off the ridge trail.  I was about 100 yards away when he stood up and took off.  I think that I recognized him from the trailcams.

 It amazes me how selective they are on what they rub.  These little spruces have gone nowhere in about 12 years - I suspect that this is why.

 Almost every one has been rubbed.

 I found this young buck carcass a year or two ago.  This is all that's left.

 I decided to make a batch of jerky.  I use the ground meat method and I prefer the Backwoods Original spices.

 I use a jerky blaster and about 3 or 4 hours in the dehydrator.  This was about a 5 pound batch.  It took three batches thru the dehydrator.

I have stored my bird seed in these plastic bins for years.  Some rodent chewed thru the plastic this year.  Ugh.

 One of my cameras in the woods had this trail of prints going around the back of it.  Do they know?  I moved the camera - we'll find out.

 On the last visit, we cleaned the fridge out and dumped the old veggies here.

 It got some attention but I think the cracked corn was what they really wanted.

 There was some conflict over the goodies.

 But it was all gone this week.

 Even after taking three bucks off the property this year, there are still nice bucks around.

 I'd be glad to see this guy next season.

 This might be the buck that I bumped on my walk.

 There is a series here with a mutant, the one sider, and a youngster.

 A fair amount of doe activity.

 Not one coyote picture in the last two weeks.

 Flocks of turkeys.  I walked into one of these flocks in the woods.  They just kept taking off and flying.

 No coyotes but the fox still appears.

The pond is frozen except for the aerator.

We are starting to have quite a collection for the birds.

3 months or so until turkey season.  Time to study the seed catalogs.  Also planning a fall elk hunt out west.  Not finalized yet but looking like this is the one Hubbards Yellowstone Outfitters.