2022-2023 WMA Deer Hunt results

[oldfatbubba]

GON Forum Friends:

I will once again be maintaining a report detailing the results for WMA Deer hunts for the 2022/2023 season. The report *will be* updated to include results for bear-only and bear/deer hunts at a later date.

As a reminder, results are missing for several 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 seasons hunts. Additionally, hunt data for most Redlands WMA hunts are missing for the 2021/2022 season. Missing results will impact success rate and hunters-per-hunts statistics for several WMAs.

Thanks again to @C.Killmaster for his support of my efforts.

Regards,
Bubba

Link to Bubba's 2022/2023 WMA Hunt report

 

[oldfatbubba]

My report has been updated to include Deer harvest results for 51 WMA hunts. I'm still trying to determine how to incorporate Bear harvest totals, so no updates on that front. While the DNR recently fixed their database to accurately reflect Bear harvest totals, I would like my report to include prior-year results before publishing Bear harvest totals for 2022; a bit of work.

Best regards,
Bubba.

 

[oldfatbubba]

I've reorganized the report for 2022/2023 season totals into their respective WMA zones. This should make it easier for reviewers to find the best WMAs near their location.

 

[oldfatbubba]

Bear harvests totals have been added to the main report. I've also added harvests for the 2019/2020 & 2020/2021 seasons.

 

[oldfatbubba]

My report is updated through this AM and now contains results from 85 hunts.

 

[oldfatbubba]

Report has been updated w/ results from Ossabaw’s early Nov firearms hunt.

 

[common man]

Bubba I was hoping maybe you or killmaster could chime in why did they remove all the data for non wma public land? Last year you could go in and get numbers for Oconee national forest or fort Stewart etc? Now you have no access to that info

 

[C.Killmaster]

Bubba I was hoping maybe you or killmaster could chime in why did they remove all the data for non wma public land? Last year you could go in and get numbers for Oconee national forest or fort Stewart etc? Now you have no access to that info

Good point. We pulled the WMA Game Check reports off the statewide dashboard so we wouldn't have conflicting information with the WMA hunt summaries dashboard. Game Check doesn't reflect hunter numbers or the deer killed on bonus hunts, so it wasn't a complete picture of what was being killed on a WMA. I'll see if there's a way to get just those Federal areas posted back again.

Thus far this season:

Oconee National Forest outside WMA

Total Harvest: 254

Buck Harvest: 191

Doe Harvest: 63

Fort Stewart

Total Harvest: 205

Buck Harvest: 112

Doe Harvest: 93

 

[common man]

Thanks

 

[skoaleric]

Good point. We pulled the WMA Game Check reports off the statewide dashboard so we wouldn't have conflicting information with the WMA hunt summaries dashboard. Game Check doesn't reflect hunter numbers or the deer killed on bonus hunts, so it wasn't a complete picture of what was being killed on a WMA. I'll see if there's a way to get just those Federal areas posted back again.

Thus far this season:

Oconee National Forest outside WMA

Total Harvest: 254

Buck Harvest: 191

Doe Harvest: 63

Fort Stewart

Total Harvest: 205

Buck Harvest: 112

Doe Harvest: 93

The old game check worked great. Not sure why it was changed. You can’t click on it through the app and get it to work on a cell phone either. Have to go through the website. I haven’t heard anything good about the new game check. Just my observation.

 

[C.Killmaster]

The old game check worked great. Not sure why it was changed. You can’t click on it through the app and get it to work on a cell phone either. Have to go through the website. I haven’t heard anything good about the new game check. Just my observation.

The old one failed in the middle of October one year and we replaced it with the dashboard that we use now. More hunters prefer to see the hunt totals broken down by each hunt rather than just a running total for the WMA. The old version didn't show hunter numbers or hunter success either.

 

[oldfatbubba]

I fixed a problem that prevented the report from being opened / accessed. It now contains harvest totals for 199 hunts. Recent updates include Red Top Mountain State Park (127.7% Success Rate!!!) and the 2nd hunts at Clybel & B.F. Grant.

 

[oldfatbubba]

I've added three "Best of" reports to my analysis:
- Top 15 Deer Quota Hunts
- Top 15 Deer Sign-in Hunts
- Top 5 Bear Hunts
They're in separate spreadsheet tabs and probably will not be updated as frequently as the main reports. Click HERE to see the file...

 

[oldfatbubba]

...Added a "Best Of" report for Primitive Weapons, too.

 

[mallardsx2]

Thank you for posting this. It is very nice.

 

[oldfatbubba]

...added a "Best of..." report for Youth and Hunt & Learn hunts.
Link to report

edit: the report currently contains results from 300 WMA hunts from the 2022/2023 season, FWIW.

 

[oldfatbubba]

...added a "Best of..." report for Specialty hunts. From pg. 72 of the regulations:

A Specialty Hunt is only for Youth (16 years and younger), Ladies, Disability
License holders, Returning Georgia Veterans, Honorary License holders, and
hunters over the age of 65. Hunts are sign-in unless otherwise noted.

 

[mallardsx2]

Thanks for posting! Good stuff as per usual!

 

[common man]

Fellows like to encourage everyone to check out the specialty hunts and take a kid or a lady hunting. Lots of oppurtunity out there. My 14 year old got two nice does at flint river this year.

 

[oldfatbubba]

Results from almost all WMA 2022/23 deer hunts have been added to my report. While I don't have 100% posted, we're getting close. If you've not reviewed my report previously, please consider taking a look. LINK.