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Harvest #

Looks like harvest numbers are way down. 82083 last time I checked. Wonder if it is because of online checking?

I noticed the same thing - Way down... Maybe we have killed enough does now.

Online check in

I think online check in has a big part of it but I can also tell you the last three years of drought has had a major impact on fawn birth. We talked to an offical in the know out in Black Kettle and he said the herd in many places out there is in trouble and blames it soley on the drought. We need some good years to get the population going again.

Interesting number checked-in to say the least. I actually like the on-line check-in system. It's much easier than having to drive all over the place looking for an open check-station. I believe whatever the check-in system is, if someone wants to cheat the system, they will. I checked in my buck I killed during the rifle season and I processed my deer myself. Maybe ODWC going to on-line check-in did have an effect on the numbers checked-in. Who knows for sure? I know on my lease there haven't been near as many deer killed this year as in the past. We have 20 guys hunting about 3000 ac and only 10 deer have been killed. And thats not because they were passing up shots. We just haven't seen the numbers of deer this year as in the past. Most of the does seen or on camera did not have fawns. Or if they did have fawns its was usually just 1. Interestingly, most of the deer that have been seen have been bucks. Our conclusion is the coyotes hammered the fawns really hard this spring/summer. Plus, the drought the last 2 yrs. probably had some effect as well. We don't really have any other explanation.

I was wondering if it was just our lease that had decreased numbers and harvest. We have seen very few does and even fewer fawns compared to the past few years. Wondering about the cumulative effects of the severe drought we were in for a couple of years. Also, a spike in number of coyotes and bobcats in the area could have reduced the fawns making it.

A big part of the lower numbers is because of the weather. The last week was ice, sleet, snow and temps at record lows. All of this combined with all of that just didn't do much for would be hunters going afield. Personally, I saw more bucks on my place than last year.

Matt

I agree with Matt. Weather was a big factor. Going from hot to frigid, wind, rain, snow, ice, all that will affect deer movement and hunters too. As for myself, I won't be out in very cold or unstable weather. I do think that the online check in makes it easier to cheat, but I think that people are gonna do what they are gonna do, whether it's cheating or not. It would seem to me that the online check in would make it easier to be legal, and therefore encourage more people to check that way. I like it much better than having to stand in line at a check station.

As for deer numbers, I travel S.E. OK in my job. I've seen lots of deer in the last two years. Lots of road kills too, so I figure this year, it was the weather.

I forgot about the weather because it didn't effect my hunting. I'm lucky in that I only live 5 miles from my lease so getting out wasn't a problem. I killed a buck the second day of rifle season and continued to rifle hunt for a doe. All I saw were bucks.

I still blame the old Logo "Hunters in the know, kill a doe"... There has been a war on the Doe Population for the last few years and the 16 day rifle and 10 day "Holiday" antlerless season doesn't help matters any. I hunted every single weekend and 2 1/2 full weeks of vacation since October 1st and am still hunting for that 2nd buck so while in the field I keep a log of what is seen. Numbers in our area are down about 50%. The largest bucks I have ever taken off our lease was back in the 9 day general firearms season years with the can only take a doe on the last day of rifle... 9 Days of rifle is ALL anyone should ever need to try to take a deer.

I do like the new logo - "Hunters in the know let young bucks grow"...

I read the article from the ODWC on the upcoming holiday antlerless hunt. In that article they address the fact that kill (I don't use the word harvest) numbers are down. The article says the ODWC predicted the kill numbers to be down this year due to, in no particular order, a.) good spring and summer rains ended the drought and allowed for natural forage to flourish. Deer didn't have to travel as far to eat; b.) spring and summer rains resulted in thicker cover for the deer; and C.) weather made it difficult for hunters to get out. Both A&B made it harder for hunters to see/find deer. I am just paraphrasing what I read.

I live on my ranch and see deer almost every day. It was a great year for us. Several nice bucks harvested. I have seen more deer this year than in the past. I also do not like all the doe seasons. If what the dept. says holds true ( the weather. all the food, etc.) Things should be really good next year. The second rut has about wound down on my place now. We still have a healthy amount of bucks on my place so we are expecting a good season next year.

Kind of hard to look past one of the harshest winters we've had (Jan-Feb 2011) followed by two years of the worst drought we've experienced since we've even had a huntable deer herd and blame it on an online check system. Come on guys...

Well guys cant speak for all parts of the state but for sure numbers are down out in western part and not just the place i hunt lots of others out here saying the same. And yes less hunters out due to weather on most weekends for rifle season was bad and that was a bleessing due to the low numbers.IMO it is all things dry yrs online check in and to many rifle days.

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