NJ Deer Density & Hunter Satisfaction Survey

[Anonymous]

Please take this short, anonymous poll about deer densities. Discussion of the topic is encouraged in this thread.

 

Feel free to answer the following question in your own post.

 

Which of the following best describes your overall level of satisfaction with deer hunting in New Jersey?

 

1. I am very satisfied
2. I am somewhat satisfied
3. I am somewhat unsatisfied
4. I am very unsatisfied

 

Anonymous poster hash: 0d096...08e

[tcook8296]

I am somewhat unsatisfied. I have no problem seeing deer. The problem is the lack of older bucks in NJ. Most bucks I see are probably 1.5 to 2.5. Anything older than 3.5 is extremely rare these days. I can pass deer all day long, the problem is once they leave the property, those deer get shot

[Bucksnbows]

I have been hunting deer in NJ since 1975.  It went for me hunting zone 3 back in the day from seldom seeing a single deer to seeing more and more.  Then I moved away from NJ and later came back, but to hunt other zones as well as hunting z3.  Over time, the population increased to a point where there were clearly too many.  I say that based on forest browse pressure, not emotions.  Then I watched as the herds were reduced over the last 5 or so years only to see a rapid decline over the last 2 seasons.  But I don't overly worry about the last 2 years because I know some of the factors were not hunting pressure, so I expect some rebounding in herd numbers over the next couple of years starting next year.  I would state without thinking twice that even though we are complaining right now, we still have a bunch more deer than we did back in '75 when I first started out.  At least in the areas I am very familiar with and have hunted for decades.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Bucksnbows

[Haskell_Hunter]

I am somewhat unsatisfied. I have no problem seeing deer. The problem is the lack of older bucks in NJ. Most bucks I see are probably 1.5 to 2.5. Anything older than 3.5 is extremely rare these days. I can pass deer all day long, the problem is once they leave the property, those deer get shot

 

I'm in zone 3 with QDM.  There are some good deer here, but I mostly see spikes and "Y"s, and I think somehow they know they've got it made.

[Matty]

Feel pretty much the same as Tcook.

 

Only difference for me is they don't even have to leave the property to get shot. I hunt all public land, so the bucks I pass can walk a very short distance and then end up taking a ride in a pickup truck. I don't let it effect my decisions though.

 

Plus, as I get better at hunting (always trying to improve) I realize a lot of guys on public land don't really have a clue when it comes to mature bucks.

 

Not saying I'm an expert by any means, but I can tell I'm getting better and better at hunting them. I have slowly increased the number of mature bucks I see per year the past few years and I'm increasing my shot opportunities too. This comes at a time when the deer numbers are definitely down and I actually see less mature bucks in the Summer while locating them. I am slowly learning the ins and outs of mature bucks though and they are really a different breed of animal. They aren't the average "deer" and you can't hunt them that way....This year I have seen 5 bucks that were 3.5+ and had 3 shot opportunities under 30 yards at them. Passed all of them because I knew of a very big buck and I hate to end the game of chess we play.

 

The easier it is for me to see these bucks, the harder and harder it is to draw the bow and release. I can't stress how much I enjoy the game of finding and ambushing them. It's hands down the best part of hunting for me. 

 

Anyway, sorry for the tangent.....Hunting in NJ certainly could be worse, but I have my complaints, like the permit structure, baiting, access, etc. 

 

I guess overall I am somewhat satisfied. A few changes and tweaks and I would be more than satisfied. Then again, I'd probably be a lot happier in Iowa or Illinois. LOL

[Haskell]

I'm in zone 3 also.were not in bad shape and bucks are living longer ,in 75 if I went home and told my dad I saw a buck up in res while fishing he rounded up my uncles and they came home with it regardless if season was open.

[BowhunterNJ]

Great poll!  I split my time between public and private.  I have to say most deer I see now are yearlings as most mature does have been shot in the unlimited zones.  And I probably see more yearling bucks than I do does.

[Matty]

While we're on these subjects, don't forget that the UBNJ has it's own survey out. They intend to use the information gathered to approach the council with ideas for future changes. Make sure you take that one too.

 

Maybe they can use some of the information from these as well.

 

Here's a link to the UBNJ survey! Take it if you didn't already and let your voice be heard!!!

 

http://esurv.org/onl...LLHILF_b6c3fccd

[_X7]

I am somewhat disatisfied

[tcook8296]

Feel pretty much the same as Tcook.

 

Only difference for me is they don't even have to leave the property to get shot. I hunt all public land, so the bucks I pass can walk a very short distance and then end up taking a ride in a pickup truck. I don't let it effect my decisions though.

 

Plus, as I get better at hunting (always trying to improve) I realize a lot of guys on public land don't really have a clue when it comes to mature bucks.

 

Not saying I'm an expert by any means, but I can tell I'm getting better and better at hunting them. I have slowly increased the number of mature bucks I see per year the past few years and I'm increasing my shot opportunities too. This comes at a time when the deer numbers are definitely down and I actually see less mature bucks in the Summer while locating them. I am slowly learning the ins and outs of mature bucks though and they are really a different breed of animal. They aren't the average "deer" and you can't hunt them that way....This year I have seen 5 bucks that were 3.5+ and had 3 shot opportunities under 30 yards at them. Passed all of them because I knew of a very big buck and I hate to end the game of chess we play.

 

The easier it is for me to see these bucks, the harder and harder it is to draw the bow and release. I can't stress how much I enjoy the game of finding and ambushing them. It's hands down the best part of hunting for me. 

 

Anyway, sorry for the tangent.....Hunting in NJ certainly could be worse, but I have my complaints, like the permit structure, baiting, access, etc. 

 

I guess overall I am somewhat satisfied. A few changes and tweaks and I would be more than satisfied. Then again, I'd probably be a lot happier in Iowa or Illinois. LOL

You are right on the money when it comes to mature bucks as they are totally different animals. Every attention to detail has to be made while hunting these deer. As they get older, they move less and less during the day making them very hard to legally kill. Every move a mature deer makes is calculated. They move through the woods slower than the other deer. They walk with the wind in their favor. They don't walk the same trails as the other deer. They don't bed in the same spots as the rest of the herd. They don't waltz into bait piles or feeders in broad daylight. Most guys who hunt NJ mostly will see maybe a 3 1/2 if their lucky at night on their trail camera. Most of them will never see that deer while on stand. I wish every one could hunt the Midwest and see a truly mature buck with a huge rack approaching their stand set up. So big you begin to shake so hard you cant control it, your equipment starts falling out of the tree to the ground. He stops and looks up in the tree because he can hear your heart beating so fast. You have to feel that adrenaline rush.Once that happens to most, I think it changes them from that moment on. I am fortunate enough to hunt in Illinois and heading to Iowa next season and I satisfy my hunting urges here in NJ mostly killing time but Im always wishing I was in a tree somewhere in big buck country . If you look at the deer in my avatar, I was fortunate enough to hunt that deer 2 seasons ago, never saw him and he is still alive. Mature bucks are different animals and you have to hunt them differently and you might see him once if you are lucky. Edited December 18, 2015 by tcook8296