Why is deer season so long?

[bigearl68]

spend more time Hunting before Thanksgiving

after Thanksgiving the Deer stay holed up

Well all the decent deer I’ve seen killed were generally pre rut. If you can’t get a good deer harvested before thanksgiving you chance get mighty slim.

 

[Trailrider]

They may talk a big game, but most of them wouldn't hunt anymore than they do know. They might spread it out more, but the actual number of days in the woods would remain the same. All you have to do is look at the deer hunting reports here to see how little interest there is in deer hunting by the end of the existing season.

Oh for sure, my comment was more sarcasm. It's usually all it is is big talk. I'd say most of them are done once they've bagged a couple.

 

[Bear44]

I understand that but I’m a bit confused. Are advocating for a shorter deer season because you worry they could become over harvested once again?

I'm not advocating for a shorter season. I just think we should let the wildlife biologists do their job. Game management in Ga. is one of the very few government agencies where the experts are actually in charge for the most part and they have done a fantastic job. We have a healthy deer population and abundant opportunity to hunt them if people choose to take advantage of it.

Here's a question for the folks promoting no regulations. How many of you filled your tags this year?

 

[bigearl68]

Oh for sure, my comment was more sarcasm. It's usually all it is is big talk. I'd say most of them are done once they've bagged a couple.

Agree with you both on this. A small percent of our state wide deer harvest occurs after Christmas, so I digress. Why can’t we chop the last few weeks off the deer season and give other types of sportsman a chance to get out there?

 

[Bear44]

Agree with you both on this. A small percent of our state wide deer harvest occurs after Christmas, so I digress. Why can’t we chop the last few weeks off the deer season and give other types of sportsman a chance to get out there?

What's stopping them now?

 

[bigearl68]

Most landowners that deer hunt won’t allow deer hunting until deer season is over. No matter if they plan on deer hunting or not. Most all hunting clubs are comprised of deer hunter. Those hunters don’t want their deer hunting disturbed during season. That’s their right. They control the land and the hunting rights. Most landowners and some clubs could care less if you hunt small game after deer season is over. The only way your average small game hunter gets afield is to patiently await the close of deer season.
You’ve already stated that deer hunter interest is slim the last few weeks of the season, so why not close it and let the little guy come to the table?

 

[Glorfindel]

you could probably keep the limits restrictions and have the season go year round and get the same harvest results. i mean is anybody really interested in draggin a deer out da woods in July? covered in ticks and wolf worms? not this cowboy.

 

[rbstern]

Most landowners that deer hunt won’t allow deer hunting until deer season is over. No matter if they plan on deer hunting or not. Most all hunting clubs are comprised of deer hunter. Those hunters don’t want their deer hunting disturbed during season. That’s their right. They control the land and the hunting rights. Most landowners and some clubs could care less if you hunt small game after deer season is over. The only way your average small game hunter gets afield is to patiently await the close of deer season.
You’ve already stated that deer hunter interest is slim the last few weeks of the season, so why not close it and let the little guy come to the table?

There's a lot of public land for small game hunting. Your interest in small game on that land, during small game season, is as valid as a deer hunter's interest.

 

[shmerick]

I'm not advocating for a shorter season. I just think we should let the wildlife biologists do their job. Game management in Ga. is one of the very few government agencies where the experts are actually in charge for the most part and they have done a fantastic job. We have a healthy deer population and abundant opportunity to hunt them if people choose to take advantage of it.

Here's a question for the folks promoting no regulations. How many of you filled your tags this year?

Filled none BECAUSE of regulations and lack of available area.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bear44]

Most landowners that deer hunt won’t allow deer hunting until deer season is over. No matter if they plan on deer hunting or not. Most all hunting clubs are comprised of deer hunter. Those hunters don’t want their deer hunting disturbed during season. That’s their right. They control the land and the hunting rights. Most landowners and some clubs could care less if you hunt small game after deer season is over. The only way your average small game hunter gets afield is to patiently await the close of deer season.
You’ve already stated that deer hunter interest is slim the last few weeks of the season, so why not close it and let the little guy come to the table?

That may be true on some lands, but it has never been the case on any club I have ever belonged to. Basically once the rut is over you could hunt small game. Also, there is a vast amount of public land that this does not apply to at all. Hell, all of Oconee National Forest is closed to deer hunting for the majority of December specifically for this. There are also a ton of WMAs that have specific small game hunts on and off throughout the season.

I like to small game hunt almost as much as I do deer hunt and have never felt I was being deprived of opportunity due to deer season.