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Anyone in 103 this year?

How was 103 this year? It's been a few years since I was out at Bonney and it wasn't very good. It seems to be rapidly declining over the years. Not many deer, and even fewer bucks.

Just came back Monday. Went out late Thursday. This was my first chance to get out there this year. There are still a fair amount of deer out there I think, but all I saw were two small bucks and a doe with a fawn. Set up a couple trail cams & only got deer movement between 5:30 pm & 4:00 am. Nothing big to speak of. Talked with a guy who said he thought the rut was late this year as he saw a little chasing activity the previous weekend. The cover is so thick on the lake bed, it's tough to get after them down there. I have hunted out there almost every year & my cameras are definitely not picking up the really big bucks I would see on them a few years ago. After this trip being much like my hunt a couple years ago (hunted elsewhere last year), I was thinking it's time to find a different spot. Hot, crowded, dry, cover too thick to even really get through. They give out so many tags now, to me it appears they are just trying to reduce the population. This year they had 50 ES archery tags, 395 doe tags between archery, ML, rifle and private land, 155 tags for bucks between rifle, ML & private land. Compare that to 2010 where they had 49 buck tags, 90 doe tags and 30 E/S archery tags. 2021 600 total tags vs 2010's total of 169.

This is really sad to read. There was a time when this was a really great hunt, that could be done most every year- every other year at the worst...

I have hunted 103 six times since 2005. I killed four P&Y bucks, two WT, two mulies and missed a 160" buck in 2005, all prior to 2013. It has gone straight down the shitter since around 2015. My last time hunting out there was 2016 and I saw one smaller buck that I passed on. Since 2005 in addition to the times I have hunted the unit, I have also accompanied others out there four other years times and each time during the rut. In 2013, while scouting for a friend, I saw on average 5-7 nice bucks each morning while driving/scouting while my friend hunted. Same with evenings. In 2019, I was out there, while a two friends hunted, and saw two nice WT bucks, one nice mulie in nine days! I went out there again this November(2021) with oldfart (he hunted, I scouted) and saw NO good bucks at all and not a lot of deer. Again, I would drive around mornings/evenings. My belief is that CPW got tired of paying out for crop damage and decided to kill every bleeping WT does/fawn/buck that they could. And I believe they've succeeded! I emailed the terrestrial biologist (Tyrol Woodward) and asked him what their plan is for the unit, but, of course, have gotten no response. This year, one hunter drew the unit with 0 points. It used to take 3. RIP Bonny!

Sad to hear. CPW has ruined it for turkey hunting too. Used to be a magical place.

It cannot be compared to what it was just 5 years ago. Way too many tags given out.

Cpw isn't even denying that they are trying to eliminate the WT. I bounce back and forth between 103 & 109 and always camp on North Side of 103, I watched 2 bucks, one really good and one ok one bird dogging the area on a little rise across from the outhouse on the north side of 103 while I was sitting in camp, I think it's still worth hunting, but I won't bother with 109 anymore, did see a couple good bucks in there though, one WT and one MD. But the deer that are there are so pressured they just won't even play the game like normal!

oldgoat, you must camp near that one bathroom on the north side.? The thing about bonny is for those like me that hunted it in its heyday, it's really hard to continue hunting it in its current state even if it will soon end up a 0 point unit. I'd rather drive all the way back to Wisconsin and for archery WTs in November.

My 15 y/o son and I have rifle doe tags for early January and sounds pretty bleak. I have a few spots that I used to see deer all the time down there but will be curious if they produce....even does. Last opportunity at meat for the freezer and was going to set up wall tent with stove near Foster Grove camp ground to get the kids outside and away from screens. We will have fun regardless

I bowhunted 103 several times this year. I had one opportunity at a nice buck all season. The deer numbers are definitely low. They give out way too many muzzleloader and rifle tags. I hunt it every two to three years. It has been going downhill for several years now. I will be going to KS next year. Ken

I was out this year. I saw 3 bucks, 6-7 does. No real big bucks, but all were chasing does in mid Nov. I shot an average 4x4 whitetail, just found out it tested positive for cwd. I hunted it in 2018, only saw one buck in 4 days. Not the same as it used to be prior to draining the lake.

I sure wish they would put water back in the lake. Won't happen, but at least I can dream.

killed a small buck this year that tested positive for CWD.

CWD is definitely a big part of the problem. I hunt Kansas not far from 103 and we’ve seen a huge population decline the last 4 years.

From the CPW 2020 Big Game Report, for D47 that includes Bonney Res area.

D-47 South Republican deer Population objective = 2000 deer.

Est population, in 2020 was 3,800

Remarks, -- Above Objective

"From the CPW 2020 Big Game Report, for D47 that includes Bonney Res area.

D-47 South Republican deer Population objective = 2000 deer.

Est population, in 2020 was 3,800

Remarks, -- Above Objective"

D47 comprises units 103, 109, 116 and 117, the total acreage of which is over 1.5 million acres. The size of South Republican SWA, one of the only public hunting areas out there, is 18,000 acreas. CPW statistics also show that D47's population estimate in 2015 was 2,820, so they are saying D47's population has increased by 35% in five years. Hmm....

I don't think killing all the deer in the South Republican SWA is going to help reduce the population in D47's other three units and on the private property in 103.

In 2003 there were 104 deer hunters (53 deer taken) in 103. In 2020 there were 448 (170 deer taken).

^^^^ Pretty much explains the problem.

I think right around 2000 I first hunted turkeys out in 103 and saw a lot of deer too. It's a shame what the CPW did to 103. Used to be an oasis for wildlife.

Today in 103. 346 yard 300 win mag.

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