GA DNR Proposed & Finalized Firearms Either-Sex Days 2017-18 Map - March/July 2017

[JB0704]

This is a move to stabilize the population and make the regulations less complicated.

I only hunt Ga, but, I've read the regs for several other states to compare......our regs are a lot less complicated than many other states, and yet, those folks seem to figure it out. I can't imagine not being able to understand a color-coded map.

 

[C.Killmaster]

I only hunt Ga, but, I've read the regs for several other states to compare......our regs are a lot less complicated than many other states, and yet, those folks seem to figure it out. I can't imagine not being able to understand a color-coded map.

While I agree that Georgia's regulations are much simpler than many other states, particularly western states, it can have an impact on recruiting new hunters. Even though I'm a very experienced hunter and biologist, trying to figure out the regulations in a new state can be a little daunting. Think about how that can affect someone just learning to hunt, particularly someone that didn't grow up around it.

 

[spurrs and racks]

Imho

I like the new doe days.

The mountains are the only location I see need help in deer population management. The remainder of the state really could have a statewide season, doe days and bag limit. And it is very close now to being that way.

Timber management practices for the last 30+ years were building saw timber. Those properties are now being cut. Clear cuts and thick pines will again become the norm and deer populations will rise.

As deer hunters we need to do more about controlling the pigs and the yotes. For deer hunters things will start to turn around. For turkey hunters ....not so much.

s&r

 

[George30022]

I like a limited Bag limit

The bag limit isn't set by DNR, its set by our state legislators, ( who are in the back pocket of State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, etc,etc) legislators don't know diddly squat about deer populations, I'd be willing to be 90% of them have never deer hunted, so I don't know why they were ever given the authority to set bag limits, but that's the way it is.
The DNR official I communicated with said the only thing they could do to lower the harvest numbers was cut back on the days available to harvest does, which they did for a couple years. It looks like now they have been influenced by big money as well.

3 Doe, 1 Buck to a Hunter would seem fitting to Fill The Freezer. Out In Gordon County; deep in our woods , your going to see a few Doe - maybe 1 or 2 larger. You see a Buck, seldom will 4 points to a side.
The Sport of it I say - One 8 Point a season would satisfy me.
Now, down south - yep; push it to 10 on the Doe but don't buy the Hype they are eating the Bucks food; you all know South GA is saturated with Deer food.

 

[red neck richie]

While I agree that Georgia's regulations are much simpler than many other states, particularly western states, it can have an impact on recruiting new hunters. Even though I'm a very experienced hunter and biologist, trying to figure out the regulations in a new state can be a little daunting. Think about how that can affect someone just learning to hunt, particularly someone that didn't grow up around it.

Agreed. Especially if the doe days change yearly. During hunting season I leave the house right after work on Fridays and don't come home till Sunday. I left for the woods a few times before checking the dates to see what was legal to shoot. I usually text my wife while I'm in the stand to get her to check for me. But their have been a few times I honestly didn't know so I passed on does and hog hunted since I had already shot 2 bucks. I think the simpler we can make it for people the better. I think a lower bag limit combined with doe days that are not interrupted meaning no does the first 3 weeks and the legal after that. I think they get accustomed to hunters in the woods after that. Would be a simpler option. IMHO.

 

[red neck richie]

I only hunt Ga, but, I've read the regs for several other states to compare......our regs are a lot less complicated than many other states, and yet, those folks seem to figure it out. I can't imagine not being able to understand a color-coded map.

Every State is different and has different
habitat as well as population. I think we need to worry about whats best for the herd in Georgia and not what other states are doing so much. Like Mom said if your buddy jumps off a cliff are you gonna follow?

 

[JB0704]

Every State is different and has different
habitat as well as population. I think we need to worry about whats best for the herd in Georgia and not what other states are doing so much. Like Mom said if your buddy jumps off a cliff are you gonna follow?

I do not think Ga should be regulated like Maryland, or Montana. But, I do think we should be able to read as well as they can.

We like the whole "manage as we see fit" here in Ga. Yet, folks who claim to have intimate knowledge of the local deer herd, and understand the biological impacts of when and how many deer can / should be killed, cannot figure out when it's legal to kill 'em.

 

[lampern]

Every State is different and has different
habitat as well as population. I think we need to worry about whats best for the herd in Georgia and not what other states are doing so much. Like Mom said if your buddy jumps off a cliff are you gonna follow?

How is the habitat in GA any different than SC or AL?

 

[deast1988]

They goin to let me tag out, and hunt WMA to get even more deer.

I'm hungry, an I like deer meat ALOT!!

 

[deast1988]

Not trying to be a smart aZZ , but wouldn't it be easier to just have a limit of say 4 deer 2 does and 2 bucks and let it be either sex , any weapon any date during the season...seems to me if you can't kill over the limit and you want to hunt all season the individual hunter can take what he needs and be done with it. If a hunter wants to kill 2 does a year for the freezer why can't they do it early in the season and then buck hunt ? Or vise versa ? I think anything over 4-5 deer a year is gluttony to start with...sorry if you have enough kids that you need 12 deer to feed them you have bigger issues than deer season. And if your friends and family need venison ...get them a rifle. During the years that we had a 5 deer limit the herd was expanding , I agree that in certain areas hunter density if the biggest issue , but with a stable lower limit I think that balances itself out over a 3-5 year period. I think DNR does and has always done a fine job ...they need to make the calls on limit/season not a politician who will make the call based on votes or money. Again not trying to be a smart azz... Just my 2 cents.

4 does 2 bucks id starve. An tag out in bow season. No fun if I ain't hunting An filling the freezer. I avg around 8-10 a year. I'm not gluttony I fill orders for folks from church An landowners get a priority. I drop them off tagged under my name with those peoples cell phones for pick up. Its good system I like deer hunting a lot.

 

[spurrs and racks]

wow

"4 does 2 bucks id starve. An tag out in bow season. No fun if I ain't hunting An filling the freezer. I avg around 8-10 a year. I'm not gluttony I fill orders for folks from church An landowners get a priority. I drop them off tagged under my name with those peoples cell phones for pick up. Its good system I like deer hunting a lot. "

First you said that 4 does 2 bucks you would starve. Then you finished by saying you give them away.

IMHO you just like killing deer.

This too will pass.

s&r

 

[southerndraw]

Every year the rules and seasons change here in Georgia. What is so hard about setting season dates and regulations and keeping them the same each year? Someone in charge doesn't have a clue as to what they are doing.

Money and politics is who's in charge but that goes for everything.

 

[308]

Lobbyists get a bad rap...

WE are also a lobby... and should be heard from just as much as corporate lobbyists...

I've hunted the coast, central and now exclusively the mountains for the last dozen years or so...

The coast was overrun by deer and the buck size showed it...

The central part of the state has fewer, and the buck size increased noticeably...

The mountains I hunt have many fewer deer... but the bucks are glorious! fewer in number... and much harder to bag... but are remarkably bigger...

There isn't a one size fits all... I don't know what it's like on the coast anymore... but the map seems to be reasonable...

However... giving me a high limit is meaningless, as I'm not going to kill any does...

Give me longer to bag my bucks will accomplish more up here...

February and March were awesome on camera... and one of our biggest bucks was refusing to drop his antlers, at the end of April...

Let me hunt from Thanksgiving to tax day and I'll be more successful at putting a dent in the insurance companies problems...

But that might only work up here... and not on the coast...

Staggered seasons are okay... they did it against us Northern Zoners for many years...

 

[transfixer]

Longer season will just rile up the small game hunters even more, don't see that happening,

Let the insurance companies pay for trapping and relocating deer from the metro areas that have high deer/car collision rates, release them in the areas of the state that receive a lot of hunting pressure, they can pay for that instead of putting that money in the pockets of our legislators and politicians !

 

[308]

I can't remember the last time I saw a small game hunter... I know they exist... just can't remember the last time I saw or heard of one walking the woods...

 

[How2fish]

4 does 2 bucks id starve. An tag out in bow season. No fun if I ain't hunting An filling the freezer. I avg around 8-10 a year. I'm not gluttony I fill orders for folks from church An landowners get a priority. I drop them off tagged under my name with those peoples cell phones for pick up. Its good system I like deer hunting a lot.

Sorry but I think you filling orders for non-hunters should be a crime, giving venison to a few family members or friends every once in a while is fine . Starting a cottage industry on the backs of fellow hunters should be illegal .And it is gluttony your taking more than you or your family can consume and giving it away..sorry but that is the way I see it...it may not be illegal but its wrong. Your planning on killing deer you have no intent on using for you or your family..and that is why the limit should be lowered not to impact a hunters family's needs but to save deer that are being killed because the hunter still has a tag to fill...oh look there is a doe...I don;t have anymore freezer space but someone at the office might like some venison and I still have a tag...just my 2 cents.

 

[Blisterapine]

glad you have a good system..you're raping the heard , congrats!

 

[pottydoc]

According to CKs metrics only about 3.5% of the hunters kill 5 or more deer. That's nothing.

The problem lies when everyone on 300, 400, 500, 1000 acre clubs kill their one doe for the year and each club has 20-50 memebers. We have a hunter density problem and you're not going to sell a membership by telling prospective memebers they can't shoot does. And you won't sell memeberships at $1500 per member to protect the population. (Informal survey on this forum where I was called crazy)

Most clubs have no where near he amount of members you posted. We have 17 on 1800 acres. About half our members don't shoot any does (we have plenty). 5-6 shot nothing last year, despite multiple opportunities. I've never heard of a 300-400 acre club with 20 members. I'm sure there are a few, but if each of them are killing a doe, it won't last but a couple years.

 

[308]

Does any landowner or club, solicit the services of a biologist to study and make recommendations for your property?

The state has to work on averages... but you can work on your property...

Back in the dark ages, when they first had doe days, our club was told we needed to kill 15 does, as I recall and had like two days to do it...

We worked with two biologists, including the state biologist...

We were gathering live weights, misc. measurements and pulling a jaw bone of every deer we killed, but were killing very few does on those few permitted days...

We were a small club of 10 or 15 guys...

We weren't getting accomplished what we needed to, so we worked with the biologists, or the biologists worked with us, to start reducing our doe herd...

After a few years, the balance was better and the bucks were better...

I suggest to those here who seem to have the most grief... step up and commission a biologist...

It will help your hunt...

 

[BowanaLee]

Sorry but I think you filling orders for non-hunters should be a crime, giving venison to a few family members or friends every once in a while is fine . Starting a cottage industry on the backs of fellow hunters should be illegal .And it is gluttony your taking more than you or your family can consume and giving it away..sorry but that is the way I see it...it may not be illegal but its wrong. Your planning on killing deer you have no intent on using for you or your family..and that is why the limit should be lowered not to impact a hunters family's needs but to save deer that are being killed because the hunter still has a tag to fill...oh look there is a doe...I don;t have anymore freezer space but someone at the office might like some venison and I still have a tag...just my 2 cents.

When my land owners want deer, they get deer. I'm only hunting by their grace. Well, except maybe the big guy upstairs. I don't think he minds.
I just got a order from a new one today and he wants in processed. I'm paying too.
I'm sure the regulations will be worked out as fair as possible but you can't expect the majority to roll over for the minority.