Last Sunday afternoon, my wife wanted to just go 'riding-around' on the backroads. It was warm and I didn't feel like going hunting. So, we loaded up around 3:00 pm and just slowly rode backroads. We went down Hwy 154 through the Chilton community, then through the Lower Road (dirt) out to Hwy 84 and then to Coffeeville. We left Coffeeville on Hwy 69 and came then turned back up the Tallahatta Rd to midway and then back thru there to the house. It was just after dark when we got home. We saw 1 (one) doe the entire trip!!!! And she crossed the road very near my house right as we were getting home.

In recent years past, at this time of the year, we would have thought it unusual to have not seen 15-20. 20 years ago, we would have seen well over 100. I know we WERE overpopulated at one time. BUT, it has not been in the past 6-8 years!!!

mike35549,


DMAP was designed for people on small properties to coopertate with each other to kill only the numbers of does needed to keep the population from increasing at an undersireable rate. It is a very effective tool if the people on those small parcels join together and give it a chance to work. The limit is set for a designated area instead of allowing an individual limit for each hunter.

I have seen more people NOT hunt this year than EVER before.

Kids don't want to go and not see anything.
Older people, like my Uncles, who are not able to get around like they used to and hunt the way it takes to even see deer nowadays are getting very dis0interested as well.

I'm worried more about the dang coyotes killing untold numbers of fawns than I am a hunter shooting a couple of sausage nannies.

mike35549,


DMAP was designed for people on small properties to coopertate with each other to kill only the numbers of does needed to keep the population from increasing at an undersireable rate. It is a very effective tool if the people on those small parcels join together and give it a chance to work. The limit is set for a designated area instead of allowing an individual limit for each hunter.

If you guys are so worried how many does did you kill this year?
Deer management begins with YOU using trigger finger control !

I agree but with both going on your are asking for big trouble. It is easier to control hunters than coyotes.

I suggest clubs tell members to please continue to hunt till it gets too hot. Hunt and kill every yote they can ! Kill as many as possible before the fawns drop next time. Dogs take a toll on fawns too. Uncollared dogs running deer need to be killed also.

Here's something to think about. I've been complaining cause we simply are not seeing deer in daylight hours on my lease in Covington county. Not getting too specific but its well over 1,000 acres and only 4 of us hunt it. Pressure is not an issue. We've killed 3 mature bucks, 3 does, 2 hogs. Tracks and sign everywhere so the deer are still there and we're all very experienced hunters and just not seeing them. There is something going on this year in the SE with the deer herds. I live in FL and work just across the AL line so I drive through 20 miles of Eglin AFB property every day, morning and night going to a from work. Eglin allows limited hunting and absolutely no does. I was thinking this morning on the way in that I have not seen a deer on the side of the road in the past 45-60 days morning or night. In a normal year, I'll see 2-3 in each morning driving north and generally 7-12 at night on the way home, bucks and does. Let me stress this point, no does are being killed at Eglin and the majority of the land I am driving through is closed to all hunting. Once again, i have not seen a deer on the way to or from work in the past 2 months. Warm weather, abundant natural browse, good acorn production, EHD, coyotes, who the heck knows but it is not just due to hunting pressure and doe harvest. My opinion is there is something else behind it and I'd sure like to know what it is. The deer just are not moving during daylight hours.