Georgia's Deer Management Plan draft now available for comment

[Etoncathunter]

Thanks, I guess we'll just try to be patient, hope for the best, and keep our fingers crossed. How soon do you think it might be before we start hearing specifics on some of the plans such as the predator control or harvest limits. Do you think lowering bear pop/increasing harvest, or expanding the open seasons on yotes/hogs that is on NF land (not private land, we all know that is already year round)? Thanks for taking time to respond to people here.

 

[C.Killmaster]

Thanks, I guess we'll just try to be patient, hope for the best, and keep our fingers crossed. How soon do you think it might be before we start hearing specifics on some of the plans such as the predator control or harvest limits. Do you think lowering bear pop/increasing harvest, or expanding the open seasons on yotes/hogs that is on NF land (not private land, we all know that is already year round)? Thanks for taking time to respond to people here.

Starting in January, we'll be working as quickly as we can to tackle the proposed actions. Most of the action items in the previous plan were completed in the first few years of the plan term. However, any action items with direct ties to state laws could take a while, may never happen, or could happen quickly. Items that can be handled internally, such as educational programs on predator management, will likely begin the first year.

 

[Etoncathunter]

That's good to hear, thanks.

 

[triton196]

heres my two cents and what i see i live in the n ga mountains and some property has alot of deer and some doesnt. due to what i have seen on cameras i know for a fact the coyotes do alot of damage. also with that said certain hunters whit the if i dont kill it somebody else will mentality have also really dropped the population in certain areas they have access to and or they road hunt. on my property in middle ga there is alot more deer and alot more habitat as far as thicket and stuff but the coyote problem there is really bad you hardly ever see fawns the last couple of years.

 

[Atlanta Dawg]

As far as the Ten Year Plan goes this is in the area of relevance:

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" !!!! (This saw cuts both ways )!!!

Also "BOHICA" comes into the formula as well !

 

[Milkman]

Who is going to speak at the public meetings?

 

[Atlanta Dawg]

Likely...

Who is going to speak at the public meetings?

They will do a best out of three short straw draws-then flip a coin !!

 

[JBowers]

C.killmaster or Efiii, knowing how bad the deer population in the mountain zone and specifically the CNF is can we realistically expect any changes that will have a significant improvement? Or is it beyond hope (due to to either habitat limits, requiring steps the state isn't prepared to take, or due limits/hands being tied by the USFS) to ever see anything coming anywhere close to other parts of the state?

The low hole in the bucket for the mountains, especially the NE portion is habitat. And, this low hole applies to many other wildlife species besides WTD!

While coyotes, feral swine & bears can certainly play varying roles, habitat improvement most especially through timber management is the foundational solution.

 

[JBowers]

Who is going to speak at the public meetings?

There are two each night for four straight days. Charlie. & I will split the duties. I'll see which ones he would like to handle & then I'll let him know the ones I am handling!

 

[bigblocktransam]

I am excited!! The wrd basically admitted they were wrong about high doe harvest!! That's awesome, maybe now they will be a little more cautious about being so liberal and make this States deer hunting truly capable of being the best!

 

[Etoncathunter]

The low hole in the bucket for the mountains, especially the NE portion is habitat. And, this low hole applies to many other wildlife species besides WTD!

While coyotes, feral swine & bears can certainly play varying roles, habitat improvement most especially through timber management is the foundational solution.

Yeah I think that is a given. That's why I said no one expects Piedmont or other area like numbers. There are some things just too far out of DNR's control to do anything. That's one of the things I was getting at when I said their hands were tied by the USFS. The USFS would never consent (whether by their choice or choices forced from above by the green lobby is a discussion for another thread) to having anything more than a minuscule % of the area to be cut or managed. The news that maybe there was a unexpected change on that front was the biggest thing I was hoping to hear in the report, but the odds of that are.... well I'd buy a lotto ticket before I expected that.

 

[BEEVUS]

+1


I have serious doubts the majority will read it for its total content.

If there is anyone left who thinks farmers and insurance companies don't have imput please return to the reading material.

YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD....AGREE WIT CHA!

 

[Zen Monkeyman]

I am excited!! The wrd basically admitted they were wrong about high doe harvest!! That's awesome, maybe now they will be a little more cautious about being so liberal and make this States deer hunting truly capable of being the best!

It's not a matter of being "wrong", it's a matter of dealing with a continually moving target and changing scenarios. When one set of management goals is reached, you may have to adapt your strategy to make the best decision for the critters and the habitat. If you aren't flexible in your management approach, you are likely doomed to failure.

 

[elfiii]

The wrd basically admitted they were wrong about high doe harvest!!

No. What they admitted was we hunters were given the tools to manage our local population, which we asked for by the way, and many of us did the wrong thing and killed too many deer so now "Daddy" has to straighten things out because "Junior" can't always be trusted with the car keys.

 

[GTHunter007]

I am excited!! The wrd basically admitted they were wrong about high doe harvest!!

No. What they admitted was we hunters were given the tools to manage our local population, which we asked for by the way, and many of us did the wrong thing and killed too many deer so now "Daddy" has to straighten things out because "Junior" can't always be trusted with the car keys.

I don't think that is the case AT ALL. I think they had a goal 10 years ago to lower the deer population and they made a plan to hit that goal. They succeeded, AND we are not out of deer. The reasoning behind that goal is irrelevant today. That plan is coming to an end and now is time to make a new one. We have a set of data reaching back many years and specific numbers/limits/days that give us examples of what worked and what did not....possibly even why. It is WRD's job to determine the specifics.

As with any plan all sides will not be happy. Compromise will have to happen. For someone.

Read the survey results...the majority do not feel we are in a bad situation. Apparently it is the majority of people on GON forums however who feel this way though.

How do you argue against success when we have the healthiest population of animals we have seen? Is the goal to give you more targets or to have a sustainable and healthy deer herd? If its the former...people need to seriously rethink their motives for hunting and participating in our sport.

 

[florida boy]

I feel in areas of "heavy agriculture " as long as they keep killing them off with " crop tags " it will make no difference trying to "manage the herd " . We had strict trophy rules on our old lease for years and never seen much improvement in the herd . We on average killed 5 bucks/8 does on 1658 acres per year . They slaughtered every deer they seen on the bean and peanutfields around us all summer long......I feel for the people that just bought our old lease and are having high expectations . It will take them a few years to understand they made a big mistake on such a big investment .

 

[Milkman]

I feel in areas of "heavy agriculture " as long as they keep killing them off with " crop tags " it will make no difference trying to "manage the herd " . We had strict trophy rules on our old lease for years and never seen much improvement in the herd . We on average killed 5 bucks/8 does on 1658 acres per year . They slaughtered every deer they seen on the bean and peanutfields around us all summer long......I feel for the people that just bought our old lease and are having high expectations . It will take them a few years to understand they made a big mistake on such a big investment .

You mention heavy ag areas. I think in past years some areas of scattered ag production have used the summer crop predation permits to kill deer.

What is the criteria for a farmer getting this permit?

 

[Atlanta Dawg]

I don't think that is the case AT ALL. I think they had a goal 10 years ago to lower the deer population and they made a plan to hit that goal. They succeeded, AND we are not out of deer. The reasoning behind that goal is irrelevant today. That plan is coming to an end and now is time to make a new one. We have a set of data reaching back many years and specific numbers/limits/days that give us examples of what worked and what did not....possibly even why. It is WRD's job to determine the specifics.

As with any plan all sides will not be happy. Compromise will have to happen. For someone.

Read the survey results...the majority do not feel we are in a bad situation. "Apparently it is the majority of people on GON forums however who feel this way though."

How do you argue against success when we have the healthiest population of animals we have seen? Is the goal to give you more targets or to have a sustainable and healthy deer herd? If its the former...people need to seriously rethink their motives for hunting and participating in our sport.[/QUOTE

You are right on ! And...will strike a nerve 'mongst the folks that are pretty dominate on this board that "Steered, Guided, and Wrote the new deal ! But, it is what it is going to be !!!

 

[florida boy]

You mention heavy ag areas. I think in past years some areas of scattered ag production have used the summer crop predation permits to kill deer.

What is the criteria for a farmer getting this permit?

I can see it from the farmers point of view also......it is their livelihood . I am not sure on criteria to get permits but with the lack of officers enforcing the "rules" of the permits it gives them rights to " do as they wish " . As I understand it they are not supposed to shoot bucks but several of the " mature" deer are the first to go .

 

[dturnersr]

Well after reading this - it is obvious that we all have a passionate desire to improve the past and current deer population status.

All we have to do now is work to that end. It appears to be me this situtation is very similar to politics. If you don't vote or participate in making your opinion known- your voice will not be counted or known other than the two seconds of glory on a forum. If you can't contribute by attending meetings or don't believe that your attendance contributes to your goal- then I suggest you try to improve your local situation by the same methods of making your opionion know: at the very least practice what you believe to be the right management practices. With that said condeming someone else's efforts to make headway as the wrong approach goes no where- work to provide a logical solution.