Originally Posted by Mbrock
Originally Posted by Groundhawg


Wish it would go back to a January 31 ending.



Why? Just becasue you want it that way or is there any real reason that it hurts or help the deer herd ending the season on January 31st.[/quote]
There’s plenty of biological reasons to do it. It never should’ve been granted to begin with. Not a shred of evidence or data supported it. Heck, hunters didn’t support it then and the overwhelming majority don’t now, in areas where it’s not needed. [/quote]
Please share - What are the biological reasons that support ending the deer hunting season on or before January 31st? Thanks

Also were there any polls or feed back showing that the "overwhelming majority" of hunters support shorter season?

Would like to see data and/or evidence supporting what would be the best date to end the deer hunting season.

Thanks.

I support it. Saw more chasing the past few days than ever before. The extended season and baiting legalization has improved our deers health and sightings tremendously.

Where I hunt in Marshall County the most chasing, buck sightings, and rut activity occurs the last part of January and into February. The February extension is needed here.

In a perfect world there wouldn’t be a need for any seasons or start/end dates. Problem is Billy Joe No-Toe thinks if the season runs from 10/15-2/10 then he absolutely HAS to hunt the entire 4months without ever taking a break. Same problem with the liberal doe limit, just because you can kill a doe a day doesn’t mean that you need or have to do so.

SW AL definitely needed it

I never new deer season to be healthy for deer anyway. That is usually the time we kill them. Seen 15 in last 3 days first time I have ever hunted in February. Did not go this morning and had 6 does and three bucks on camera. Never pulled the trigger all week only killed 2 all year you don’t have to shoot them

What time of year do people decide this horse has been kicked enough?

I had a lease in Randolph co that was the same way, Late Jan early Feb the bucks come out of the woodwork....But, the club wasnt even an hour drive from Choccolocco wma and those deer would get after it in mid nov. around Thanksgiving.... Bama deer are the hardest deer you'll hunt anywhere you go.....IMO

Close it on January 31 north of hwy 80 like it started out to be.

I go everyday I can. Put out corn everyday I can. I shoot what I want. Ive seen more bucks and shooter bucks this year than ever. Can’t count the number of does.

Don’t let the governing rule making guys make you hunt when you don’t want to. Stay home close down the club on January 31st.

I think Baldwin county (unsure about Mobile and other areas) should go to Valentine’s Day or a couple days after. We always have our best buck pictures on Valentine’s Day and after

SE Alabama also, at least in the areas of Dale, Henry, Houston, Coffee, and a few others as our rut/chasing really steps up in early February.

But most of this is opinions and things that we have noted in different areas we hunt.

Would really like to see hard data. Mbrock stated - " There’s plenty of biological reasons to do it. It never should’ve been granted to begin with. Not a shred of evidence or data supported it. Heck, hunters didn’t support it then and the overwhelming majority don’t now."

So is there any biological reason to end the deer season on Jan. 31st or early and do the majority of hunters support it as was stated above.

So I guess you would be for a year round season? You don’t have to go just because the law says you can.

Hunters don’t support huh, I haven’t seen a lot of hunters set it out.

I thought cutting the limit back to 3 bucks and only a 111 does was the answer

Y’all want to change something, get rid of crossbows, black powder week and youth weekend. Limit bucks to one per hunter. That all would be valuable change.

That quote is taken somewhat out of context of what Matt has expressed. He was not referring to southwest and southeast Alabama where the visible rut primarily happens the first ten days of February. I could be wrong but the bigger discussion didn’t sound like he was saying that. I think he was referring to counties with an earlier rut.