2Dogs,


OK. Then let's double the number to be sure all of the deer killed were counted, including yours and your kid's.


7248 / 533,400 = 1.36 percent of deer killed last year reported so far.


There's still not quite a VAST MAJORITY of hunters supporting it now, is there?

Yep but oh well just my thoughts on it sure would be nice to grow some high 40's or 50's EVERY year!

I think if they were to let each club or group turn in their records as a whole; then the real harvest numbers would probably be more accurate.What do y'all think of this idea. I am sure it would not be a 100 percent by no means; but I believe the data would be far more factual than on an individual level. Even if you don't hunt with a group it would still be more likely that an individual would probably turn in his or her numbers after season. Also what would be wrong with having it where you could just simply keep your totals and say mid February everyone turns your data in by say any given certain day. By doing this even with it not mandatory I feel like most people would abide because of their curiosity and some simply want to see statistics. Just a thought . What do y'all think?

Of the 120 bucks killed and reported in limestone co I would put every dollar bill in my wallet on the table and bet that les than 5 of those deer were 3 yrs old or older. Hey I am all for hunting and harvesting game but we still have guys around here killing every buck that walks into killing range and they are not stopping at there three. I have known guys my entire life here that kill 20 to 30 bucks a year and you couldn't melt all the racks down and pour up a 130" rack. Pitiful! These people I speak of are not the ones reporting there deer either so how bad does that skew the numbers.

Yelcka is absolutly correct with his observation of Limestone County. I live in West Limestone, and in my area every spike that takes a step in daylight and alot of times after dark, is gunned down like there is no tomorrow. And pertty much the same goes for doe's. It is amazing that the population is as good as it is. I guess deer migrate down from Giles county ever year and replenish the population.

If you want to just kill one buck per year, then go for it. I prefer you didn't try and push your thinking down my throat. Just because they say you can kill 3 bucks, doesn't mean you have to. I think everyone should be able to manage their own property by their own standards,. I don't want the state forcing someone to manage their property for trophy deer, if thats not what they want. I believe in QDMA, not TDMA. Just because i believe in QDMA, doesn't mean i want to force it down some else's throat.

Blumsden, I am not trying to push anything down anyones throat. I am not for bigger government or regs but you didnt understand what I was saying. Limestone co is THE smallest county in the state of alabama geographically speaking. We have a huge problem with the way our game laws currently read due to the make up of our county. How would you like it if turkey season opened in 1997 like it did for us with a 10 day season and enough birds to hunt. Fast forward to 2005 and we had 30 days to hunt and no population left. The majority did not move out they were slaughtered by every redneck in this county. As a dyed in the wool turkey hunter I know better that to de bird an area but when you have hundreds or idiots shooting them with rifles during deer season and then killing every jake, hen a gobbler they see we end up like we are now. No huntable population and no help from the state to correct the cause or the effect. The deer are going to meet the same fate. We have the fastest growing urbanization in the State of Alabama due to Huntsville and Madison. That brings more people to our small county that want to go out and kill a deer. Hell I don't care if they open the rest of the state back up to a buck a day but we sir do not need three UNMANAGED buck tags in our county. By the way my entire rant is about people making un educated guesses on why Limestone co and others that were named are killing so many bucks. We dont need one more sob from out of town hunting in this area. Its like me saying that a certain guys living room must be a hot bed for good looking single receptive females because he is married or has a daughter. Enough said.

I understand perfectly the fact they don't have to know every deer that was killed state wide.

What's wrong with what we've already got???


220-2-.73 The Alabama Cooperative Deer Management
Assistance Program

Section 1. The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries of the
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall
administer a program entitled "The Alabama Cooperative Deer
Management Assistance Program" to improve management of white-tailed
deer through cooperative agreements with landowners and hunting clubs.

Section 2. Each prospective participant shall submit an application
on a form to be supplied by the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater
Fisheries. Each application must be accompanied by two copies of a map
of the area to be included in the Deer Management Program that are of
sufficient detail to allow the area's boundaries to be readily determined.
Cooperators in Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Districts 1-2 and 3-5
shall have at least 200 and 500 contiguous acres, respectively. Approval of
the application shall be at the discretion of the Division of Wildlife and
Freshwater Fisheries. Each landowner/club approved shall be termed a
"cooperator."

Section 3. Each cooperator shall designate a person with authority
to represent all parties with a controlling interest in hunting activities on
the land to serve as the cooperator's contact with the Division of Wildlife
and Freshwater Fisheries.

Section 4. The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries shall
designate a Wildlife Biologist, knowledgeable in deer management, as the
agency's contact with each cooperator.

Section 5. Cooperators must abide by all hunting laws and
regulations. Failure to do so shall be cause to terminate participation in
the Deer Management Assistance Program.

Section 6. Each cooperator shall make a written statement of its
deer management objectives. Those objectives must be within the
capabilities of the harvest and management strategies that can be applied.

Section 7. Each cooperator shall collect specified biological
information from deer harvested and submit the data to the Division of
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries as directed. Failure to do so shall be
cause to terminate participation in the Deer Management Assistance
Program.

Section 8. Information concerning past harvest, existing conditions
and deer management objectives will be considered in the development of
a deer management and harvest strategy for each cooperator. Harvest of
unantlered deer will be prescribed as appropriate.

Section 9. Harvest of unantlered deer outside the regular Hunter's
Choice hunting season will be allowed only where appropriate to meet the
deer management objectives of the cooperator. The number of unantlered
deer to be taken, dates of harvest and bag limits will be designated and
shall be by written permit as approved by the Division of Wildlife and
Freshwater Fisheries Director based on recommendations submitted by the
Wildlife and Enforcement Sections. The regular Hunter's Choice hunting
season shall not apply to the extent of its conflict with the provisions of
said permits.

Section 10. Any person hunting on areas included in the Deer
Management Program shall comply with all applicable laws, rules, and
regulations, including those relating to the wearing of hunter orange.

Section 11. The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries shall
provide the cooperator a report based on the biological information
submitted.


pp. 38-39 Alabama Regulation 2013-2014, Game, Fish, Furbearers and Other Wildlife



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


220-2-.22-.208ER Wildlife Management Areas and Sanctuaries
Established

(1) The areas and refuges described in paragraph (2) hereof are hereby
established as "wildlife management areas." The boundary lines of
these areas and refuges shall be as they are described on the revised
maps attached hereto and made a part hereof as though set out herein
in full.

(2) The names and counties of these areas and refuges are as follows:
Autauga County Community Hunting Area (Autauga); Barbour
Wildlife Management Area (Barbour, Bullock); Black Warrior
Wildlife Management Area (Winston, Lawrence); Blue Spring
Wildlife Management Area (Covington); William R. Ireland, Sr. -
Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area (Bibb, Shelby);
Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area (Cleburne, Calhoun); Coosa
Wildlife Management Area (Coosa); Crow Creek Management Area
(Jackson); David K. Nelson Wildlife Management Area (Sumter,
Greene, Hale, Marengo); Frank W. & Rob M. Boykin Wildlife
Management Area (Washington, Mobile); Fred T. Stimpson
Community Hunting Area (Clarke); Freedom Hills Wildlife
Management Area (Colbert); Geneva State Forest Wildlife
Management Area (Geneva, Covington); Grand Bay Savanna
Community Hunting Area (Mobile); Hollins Wildlife Management
Area (Talladega, Clay); James D. Martin - Skyline Wildlife
Management Area (Jackson); Lauderdale Wildlife Management
Area (Lauderdale); Little River Wildlife Management Area (DeKalb,
Cherokee); Lowndes Wildlife Management Area (Lowndes);
Mallard-Fox Creek Wildlife Management Area (Morgan, Lawrence);
Mud Creek Management Area (Jackson); Mulberry Fork Wildlife
Management Area (Walker, Tuscaloosa); Oakmulgee Wildlife
Management Area (Bibb, Perry, Hale, Tuscaloosa); Perdido River
Wildlife Management Area (Baldwin); Raccoon Creek Management
Area (Jackson); Riverton Community Hunting Area (Colbert); Sam
R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area (Lamar, Marion); Scotch
Wildlife Management Area (Clarke); Seven Mile Island Wildlife
Management Area (Lauderdale); Swan Creek Wildlife Management
Area (Limestone); Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area
(Baldwin, Mobile); W. L. Holland and Mobile-Tensaw Delta
Wildlife Management Areas (Baldwin, Mobile); Wolf Creek
Community Hunting Area (Walker, Fayette); Forever Wild Gothard-
AWF Yates Lake Wildlife Management Area (Elmore); North Sauty
Refuge (Jackson); and Crow Creek Refuge (Jackson)…


220-2-.55 Wildlife Management Areas, Community
Hunting Areas, Public Hunting Areas, and
Refuges of Alabama

(1) It shall be unlawful on ALL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS,
COMMUNITY HUNTING AREAS, PUBLIC HUNTING AREAS,
AND REFUGE AREAS, all of which are established as "wildlife
management areas" by Rule 220-2-.22 and all of which are
hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to herein as "AREAS" or
"AREA":

… (q) To transport deer killed during gun hunts from any AREA before
being checked at the designated checking stations for scientific
data, except on David K. Nelson, Grand Bay Savanna, Riverton,
Upper Delta, W. L. Holland and Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Wolf
Creek, and Forever Wild Gothard–AWF Yates Lake AREAS or to
transport turkey without reporting as specified for each AREA.



pp 79-82 Alabama Regulation 2013-2014, Game, Fish, Furbearers and Other Wildlife

when i checked in my last deer it said that jackson co. had over 4000 deer killed and limestone co had 300. thats 10x the amount. that chart must be from youth day because last I checked Madison co had over 1000 deer killed.

Deer Management Assistance Program Changes Encourage Enrollment


The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) has made two significant changes to its Deer Management Assistance Program (DMP). Starting with the 2012-13 hunting season, the enrollment fees will be dropped, and a series of regional meetings will be conducted by WFF biologists to collect the data gathered by participating hunting clubs.



The WFF’s goal is to enroll 400 to 500 hunting clubs scattered evenly across the state in order to collect enough data to help it better understand and manage the state’s deer population. During the 2011-12 hunting season, only 104 participating hunting clubs were enrolled in the program.



Hunting clubs in all parts of the state with 500 acres or more are especially encouraged to enroll in the program. Clubs in the northern part of the state with less than 500 acres that are interested in participating in the DMP are encouraged to contact their district office to discuss enrolling in the program.



According to WFF Wildlife Section Assistant Chief Ray Metzler, participation in the DMP is a win-win situation for both the hunting clubs and the WFF. “Hunting clubs and deer managers will receive free professional technical assistance from a WFF wildlife biologist regarding habitat management, harvest recommendations, breeding chronology, population dynamics, and other facets of white-tailed deer management,” he said. “The WFF will receive much needed age-specific harvest data from hunting clubs throughout the state.”



The DMP was started in 1983 with 10 hunting clubs. Participation quickly grew to approximately 2,200 hunting clubs and included more than 12 percent of the state’s land area. Enrollment in the program declined significantly over the past decade as a result of the liberalization of the statewide antlerless deer hunting seasons. The decline in participation resulted in less age-specific data available to WFF biologists to use in assessing the health and condition of Alabama’s white-tailed deer population.



“By lowering the barriers to DMP participation we hope to ensure the long-term health of the state’s deer herd,” said Chris Cook, WFF Deer Project Study Leader. “Alabama’s hunters are vital to that effort.”



DMP participants are required to obtain sex, weight, lactation rates, antler measurements, and other data for all deer harvested during the hunting season. Hunting clubs interested in partnering with the WFF to assess and better manage local deer populations can enroll in the program by contacting their district office. WFF District Wildlife Office contact information is listed below and can also be found online at outdooralabama.com.



WFF District Wildlife Office Contact Information:



Montgomery Headquarters

(334) 242-3469



District I

Counties: Blount, Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Walker, and Winston.

(256) 353-2634



District II

Counties: Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Randolph, St. Clair, Talladega, and Tallapoosa.

(256) 435-5422



District III

Counties: Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa.

(205) 339-5716



District IV

Counties: Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, and Russell.

(334) 347-9467



District V

Counties: Baldwin, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Washington, and Wilcox.

(251) 626-5474

so you want to say that we shouldn't kill 3 bucks because the people youv'e known all your life are killing 20 to 30 bucks a year. why should we only shoot one buck so that they can shoot 20 or 30. sounds like its time for them to pay up. ive found most outlaws would be more than happy to snitch you out 10x faster.

In less that 12hrs I have proved my point. The majority of hunters in Limestone co have so little dirt to hunt on they can not stand the thoughts of letting any buck walk. I hope yall kill every last dang one of them! Yall get on down the Wal Marts and buy some more bullets. Oh and make sure you tell everyone exactly where you killed it when you put your picture in the Athens news paper.

We need some revisions to the DMAP program and the buck limit both.

DMAP should be changed so that the total number of both bucks and does to be killed is set for the total management unit instead of allowing an individual bag limit for each hunter for bucks. The cooperators can then decide how they want to divide the allotment among the participants. That may involve more or less than a statewide bag limit for individual hunters, depending on the site-specific conditions.

The deer killed on one management unit should not count against the hunter's statewide bag limit. An individual hunter should be allowed to hunt on more than one management unit, a state WMA, or open permit public land without being restricted to one arbitrary statewide bag limit. Bag limits should be set for the management unit and then allotted to individuals hunting on that unit, not for the individual hunter statewide.

State management areas should do something similar. The total number of deer of both sexes that are allowed to be killed on the management area should be determined, and bag limits for individuals should depend on the total for the management area. The deer killed on that particular management area should not count against a statewide bag limit.

There are 32 management areas in the state that are independent management units. Deer killed on Skyline WMA have no effect whatsoever on the deer on the Barbour WMA.

The hunter's bag limit for a particular management unit should not count against an individual's statewide bag limit.

Yelcka I agree with you 100%. If the county was not in such close proximity to Giles county there would not even be a huntable population of deer to hunt. I know in the mid 90s in Sept. you could ride around in the afternoon in the area I live and easily see over 100 deer now you are lucky to see a couple. I am fortunate enough that my property borders a land owner that has a large track (for Limestone County) and does not allow hunting so I still see deer often. But as you said earlier turky's are a thing of the past.In the 1990s you could here them in the spring anytime you went outside. Now they are completely gone. There are 0 turkey in a area where 15 years ago they were everwhere.

Can anyone answer or provide a theory as to how the State determined the amount of deer that was killed last year? And also, the State must already know that only a certain percentage of deer will be reported on the Game Check system. I wonder what percentage they will assume? Will they look at other state's Game Check numbers vs. actual data? Will our State still determine to amount of deer we kill using the same approach as in previous years (which refers back to my first question). Haaa, the more I think about this the more questions I have!

Start at the front of this report. It explains how the survey is conducted, etc.

2012-2013 Hunter Survey Report *** click here ***


Don't overlook this:



There are 32 state wildlife management areas along with DMAP management units where plenty of hard biological data is collected all across the state.