Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
Much of the talk of hunter perceived deer population decline centers around does being pressured and learning how to avoid the hunter. I would have to agree with that to a point. In the past, pressured bucks learned to do the same. Consequently, hunters would usually see more does than bucks while hunting. Once hunters began targeting does they became elusive as well. Now it's not uncommon to see more bucks than does on any given hunt. Bucks are still hunted and yet sometimes more visible than the does. I'd venture to guess that far more does are passed than bucks; bucks still being the primary target. On good acorn years both sexes may be harder to see netting the same results. Still more bucks may be seen even though these "hidden" food sources apply to both sexes. Is it because doe groups have been splintered into smaller groupings? Is it because hunter restraint on bucks has increased their numbers? Is it because there are in fact, fewer does in the population? Is the deer population really on the decline?
I understand that our deer kill stats have basically remained the same which points to no decrease in the population. Something that TWRA doesn't monitor in those numbers is man hours spent to take those deer and I don't suppose there's any feasible way to do that. It would seem to me that if the kill numbers remain the same but if it was taking more man hours to produce those numbers then something is amiss somewhere. Thoughts?
I understand that our deer kill stats have basically remained the same which points to no decrease in the population. Something that TWRA doesn't monitor in those numbers is man hours spent to take those deer and I don't suppose there's any feasible way to do that. It would seem to me that if the kill numbers remain the same but if it was taking more man hours to produce those numbers then something is amiss somewhere. Thoughts?