Ft. Sill Deer Survey Results.....looks like a bad year ahead of us

[Bulls eye]

Here is the info cut out of this week Cannoneer. Looks like numbers are way down. The total deer quota has been dropped by 220 deer range wide. I figure all of Oklahoma will experience the same drop in numbers. This coupled with all the new X-bow hunters I think my season will be poor at best.

http://www.swoknews.com/main.asp?SectionID=22&SubSectionID=455&AdId=2910

Crossbow hunters are gonna kill a lot less deer than you think. Shame on those evil crossbow hunters for killing all YOUR deer!!!!

Out of all those hunters buying crossbows this year only 15-20% of them will be using them next year. Relax, the crossbow wont be the end of deer hunting as you know it in OK.

 

[bigcountryok]

1. I beleive the low numbers is due to the harsh winter. It wasnt just the lawton/ft sill area that was effected and expect the same throughout much of the state

2. I have never heard of an overpopulation of deer in sw oklahoma....it never seems that way when i hunt down there.

3.From things I have read on bowsite forums retailers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. they are flying off the shelves. I think this fall with be filled with new xbow hunters. I hunt only publci land so this will have a dramatic effect on my deer hunting, whether it be wounded or killed animals or just more folks in the public areas.

I would have to agree that last winter may have had an effect on the deer population, but I'm not sure it was a bad thing.

If you are hunting public land, it never seems like there is an over population LOL. It's very tough hunting.

As far as the xbow. 1) its not as easy as it sounds, I think that there will be alot of used crossbows for sell around Christmas time. 2) Most hunters IMO are lazy and won't stray more than half mile away from the road. If you are a hard core public land hunter this will probably work to your benefit pushing deer into the hard to reach areas that most successful public land hunters hunt. 3) I very seriously doubt that the deer killed as a result of x-bow use will be significant. Look at the difference between the number of deer killed during rifle season and archery season, and we still have a very huntable population. There is no way the kill rate is going to increase that much just because of the xbow 4) Are more hunters really a bad thing???? We need more hunters to preserve our hunting tradition and the world could benefit from the lessons that are learned in the woods.

Good luck this year. WHACKEM AND STACKEM!!!!!

 

[rlt7272]

Im a fan of a healthy herd, but could care less about trophys

Couldn't agree more!

 

[dennishoddy]

Im a fan of a healthy herd, but could care less about trophys

200lb 10 point has a whole lot more meat than a fork horn.

 

[rlt7272]

200lb 10 point has a whole lot more meat than a fork horn.

Sad thing is there is a growing group of people who would not consider that a trophy.

Oh, and in SE Okla you would have a better chance finding big foot versus coming across a 200# 10 point.

 

[Kingmarine]

The Tulsa Beacon states different results.

http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=1501

 

[Davs2601]

that was posted in 2009

 

[Davs2601]

Ill neveer refer to them as "MY" deer and my main point was about the survey results. xbows i believe will just be icing on the cake

Crossbow hunters are gonna kill a lot less deer than you think. Shame on those evil crossbow hunters for killing all YOUR deer!!!!

Out of all those hunters buying crossbows this year only 15-20% of them will be using them next year. Relax, the crossbow wont be the end of deer hunting as you know it in OK.

 

[DANNY-L]

I live here in upstate ny (st lawrence county) and we get lots of snow we can get 2ft easy in one storm,here when a storm is moving in the deer herd up and stay that way until it passes most survive with up to 5ft on the ground. It used to be legal to feed the deer in the winter (alfalfa,corn and such) now the state has made it ilegal so we do loose alot due to the long winters and they starve,they even issue tickets if they feed in your bird feeder. Next year they allow x bows but only during firearm season, its not much fun when you make several foodplots and only see a couple deer. About 6yrs ago it was estimated 8 deer per sqaure mile now its 2 due greatly by over issueing dmp's and no winter feeding allowed.What a piece of s--t state. I should have stayed in ok. or tx. when I was in the army 81-90.

 

[Jared]

Im a fan of a healthy herd, but could care less about trophys[.

WOW! So you wouldn't get "buck fever", be excited, proud, take pictures, or show your friends if you shot a buck that would be recognized as a trophy? If you answered yes then you should contact Ripley's Believe It or Not, you might earn some extra cash.