I grew up in Mobile. I left Mobile at age 19. I just got back. I spent the last 30 years in South Carolina. I am AMAZED at the changes!!! From the growth of Baldwin County to the rules and regs regarding fish and wildlife.
The cost to lease land - WOW!!! Who done this? Hunters? Non Hunters? Land got expensive because hunters were/are willing to pay, so we have to blame ourselves.
One thing I do not (NOT!!) understand is how the state does not know what the deer densities and/or the harvest densities are across the state. I called and asked. I sent emails. I stopped by a district office and asked. I did get a good response from someone out of Montgomery, who sent me a density map for deer and turkey from 05 and 06. Good information! But, hardly up to date. What about the harvest densities? How many deer are being killed per sq mile, per county? I see the info on the state's web site, but who in the world measures and records HARVEST info by number of man days spent to kill a deer??? Id rather know how many deer were being killed per sq mile. If hunters knew how many deer their were per sq mile (live) and what the harvest rate was, WE hunters would have a better idea of what WE needed to do, or not do.
I personally dont want emotion, based on what individual hunters want for themself or their hunting club. To manage deer and turkey you have to have hard core factual data, stats and figures. You have to know how many deer you have, and then have a harvest plan to ensure the resource is not taken advantage of, and to keep their number in check (REAL management). And I am not referring to QDM and/or BIG antlers. States regulate wild game to control populations, not to grow big antlers. I am ALL for a BUCK limit to help manage the deer. When I was a kid here in AL, it was a buck a day, every day, for the entire season - that is CrAzY - that is NOT wildlife management.
Iv read here that some say the state is saying the overall deer herd has grown in AL. I spoke to a regional biologist last week and asked this question: "Would you say that the overall deer density has decreased in Alabama over the last 5-8 years?". He answered "Yes". So now I am ...... ??? ??? ??? Both SC and GA have seen a 30% decrease (on avg) in the states overall deer herd in the past decade. Changes in habitat, changes in timber practices, coyotes, QDM (shoot the does, shoot the does, shoot the does ...) have all been contributing factors. SO, has the overall number of deer in AL increased or decreased in the past 3, 4, 5 years???
Another question ..... Why the BIG difference in the number of days allowed to harvest UNantlered deer between public and private land?????? WOW!! If my math serves me correctly, there is something like 12 days for public land, and 70 for private land. What the ......???? Did I read and count that correctly????
Does the state know what the sex ratio is in the state (LOL!!)??? This could open a can of worms!! Male to Female Ratio??
Do they know what % of the buck harvest is made up of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 year old bucks? Anyone know? I do not see this info anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?
