Deer Season Extension

[Kaiser Sose]

It seems like every year, I stop hunting around December 5th or so, even though our various "seasons" continue on through Janiuary 1. The demands of the holidays just consume what little free time that I have, particularly weekends. Not that I have my priorities wrong, the holidays and family are more important not only to me, but to everybody in my family and my friends.

So, I have simply resigned myself that deer hunting is pretty much "over" for me after December 5 for that reason. And, trying to sneek in a hunt a day or two between the holidays falls under the same category; too much other stuff going on!

Still, I have a lot of "deer hunt" left in me after Christman and I wouldn't mind if I could get a few more days of hunting in right after the first of a year, say, an extra 7-10 days through January 10. It doesn't have to be witha firearm necessarily, whatever the DNR deems appropriate. I would even be willing to slice off a week or two in early December where no deer hunting is permitted whatsoever as a trade off. Sort of a hunting moratorium to cool things down in exchange for a few days in January.

Obviously, this has to balance within the total scheme of properly managing the resource, etc. However, come January 2, I've been a good boy for almost 30 days and there simply isn't much going on that week for me, perhaps others.

I'm not proposing a long shift in seasons say, through January or February as other States allow. Just a small windw right after the first of January to get in a few days of hunting and then close up the cabin. I have to imagine there are others out there that share these same ideas.

Any thoughts?

[Loudy]

I would love to hunt more, but my wife...........need I say more? :lol: :lol:

[Luv2hunteup]

Why do you think they put the holidays after hunting season?

[Nimrod1]

KS,
I agree with the desire to hunt after the new year. I too run into alot of time demands during Dec. How about a week of antlerless, where you could use either an unused antlerless tag or your unused restricted tag for the antlerless deer?

Loudy,
Get the gal pal into hunting! Worked for me. Downside is that now instead of 1 new jacket, I have to buy 2, etc, etc, etc.:yikes:

[farmlegend]

It'd be great to extend the bow season thru, say, 1/15(FWIW, Ohio goes thru 1/31). Especially since we've now got 12/2 - 1/1 of gun hunting in many DMU's, it would be nice to get a little peace and quiet in the woods.

[fairfax1]

Sure, hunting into January would work. Even if it meant trading off a week or two in December.

I do bow so in my perfect world it would be no bowhunting from January 20th to December 31st. Then archery only from January 1st to the 12th.

Muzzle guys & late antlerless could have those last 12 days of Christmas.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

[Adam Waszak]

Lets face it fellas if the seaso ended 2-15 we would still be bummed out about it. I'd like it but in reality we will still want for more:lol:

AW

[brdhntr]

Simple solution, buy a non resident Ohio license and head south of the border. Plenty of opportunity and can be had for $145 license fee.

[kingfishcam]

Hunt coyotes

[NorthJeff]

I love hunting whitetails...but after 80-100 sits in several states and over 300 hours on stand, I actually enjoy slowing down and getting the snowshoes out, running the beagles, and spending more time with the family...but I am happy that WI bow season opens in just a little over 8 months! :)

[Sib]

I think there are areas that can use an extended season to get on top of their density problems. The problem I see extending the season at the end is that it's possible more bucks will be killed as they drop their antlers. I would prefer any extention be done earlier in the season.

I guess if I could create the seasons I'd start with bow as it was now, give the second full weekend of October for a youth hunt and start with a firearms antlerless season the following monday and have that run a week.

So for the 2006 season it would be like this:

Oct 1 - Oct 13 Early season bow.
Oct 14 - Oct 15 Youth season
Oct 16 - Oct 22 extended firearms antlerless season
Oct 23 - Nov 14 Mid season Bow
Nov. 15 - 30 Firearms
The rest as is now.

Just don't like the chance of taking unintentional bucks late in the season with a late season antlerless.

[Luv2hunteup]

If we need an extention in season length lets do it for biological reasons. Open youth season in mid September followed by 2 weeks of early firearms season for does and start archery season on October 1st.

Killing does early in the season is much better management than killing them after the rut.

[Whit1]

[quote=Nimrod1]KS,
How about a week of antlerless, where you could use either an unused antlerless tag or your unused restricted tag for the antlerless deer?


Antlerless! By this time most bucks have dropped their antlers therefore most of the deer herd would be antlerless.

[Chasin]

[quote=Nimrod1]KS,
How about a week of antlerless, where you could use either an unused antlerless tag or your unused restricted tag for the antlerless deer?


Antlerless! By this time most bucks have dropped their antlers therefore most of the deer herd would be antlerless.

I agree... Too many bucks start loosing thier horns right after Christmas. I have shot two bucks that lost thier horns before the first of the year and one that the horns came off as soon as I pulled on them. Maybe a bow only hunt with a "does only" instead of a antlerless ruling. :chillin:

[jimmyboy]

I like SIB's season layout.Take antlerless deer early,reducing b/d ratio prior to the rut hunt period. Probably would draw flak from bowbenders tho.

[JAG]

I'm thinking that the poor ole deer need a break. They've been chased since September. I need a break too, I've been chasin em since September!!:dizzy: