Attention NJ Deer Hunters – We Need Your Input!

[JFC1]

1 hour ago, archer36 said:

Agree. Killing a lot of deer is WORK. Gutting, dragging, butchering, etc. You really have to like the meat. I know hunters that never eat venison. Some have limited use for it. A few deer a year is plenty even if they can shoot more. Also, as you said, there is a law of diminishing returns. Killing a lot of deer, especially doe, will eventually catch up you. But, a lot of guys don't know from one year to another if they will have access to the land every year so they only act like it's their final year. 

You make a good point. But it depends where, and when.  On my property and the surrounding area we still have a real bad problem with overpopulation that's destroying the forest and harming many other species. High deer densities mean high levels of invasive plants. 

There are times when it hurts me, but each year I do my best to take all the does off my own property. If I were to put in the time, I could take 10-12 within 100 yards of my mom's house in the month of Sept.   I make sure I take about 20 deer each season. I butcher them myself and distribute the meat to my family and friends. In my house we eat almost no government meat. Sometimes chicken or pork gets bought. With the jump in meat prices all of a sudden it's actually much cheaper to hunt, even with gear, gas, and license fees than it is to buy supermarket meat. 

If the deer population surrounding me were halved I wouldn't cry.  I'd be happy. 

Seeing 40, or 70, or even 20 deer in a field corner on a summer evening is NOT a good sign. 

None of the above is applicable to areas hit hard by EHD, to the pines today, or to the fart north of the great state of NJ, from what I hear today. 

So I do hope that killing a lot of deer catches up to me. But doesn't bite me in the rear

[JFC1]

4 hours ago, fab said:

Everywhere access is limited due to houses has many deer.  To many deer.   I saw 19 before I got on the highway yesterday ( a few blocks ) 

 

go 10 miles up the highway I don’t think theirs 19 deer in 2 square miles In some areas

 

the last 20 years the state really got the numbers beat back in most areas 

 

ehd did a number on Deer in other areas    
 

I hunt ny in an ar area   Buck take dropped over 1.2 bucks per mile  from before ar    We see nicer bucks just less of them 

 

I did see a 3 1/2 year old 4 pt.a few years back.      He had a huge body   About 17 inches wide   Like 9 inch y’s      100 yds out saw that big white rack coming     
 

he didn’t make it     Neighbors got him 3D evening of rifle      

 

 

You're right about the houses. 

But in my area of southern Hunterdon there are way too many deer even in forested areas with almost no houses. 

[JFC1]

12 hours ago, KEITH STONE said:

I’ll do it if you buy back my Buck tags.

But you had fun trying??

[archer36]

35 minutes ago, JFC1 said:

You make a good point. But it depends where, and when.  On my property and the surrounding area we still have a real bad problem with overpopulation that's destroying the forest and harming many other species. High deer densities mean high levels of invasive plants. 

There are times when it hurts me, but each year I do my best to take all the does off my own property. If I were to put in the time, I could take 10-12 within 100 yards of my mom's house in the month of Sept.   I make sure I take about 20 deer each season. I butcher them myself and distribute the meat to my family and friends. In my house we eat almost no government meat. Sometimes chicken or pork gets bought. With the jump in meat prices all of a sudden it's actually much cheaper to hunt, even with gear, gas, and license fees than it is to buy supermarket meat. 

If the deer population surrounding me were halved I wouldn't cry.  I'd be happy. 

Seeing 40, or 70, or even 20 deer in a field corner on a summer evening is NOT a good sign. 

None of the above is applicable to areas hit hard by EHD, to the pines today, or to the fart north of the great state of NJ, from what I hear today. 

So I do hope that killing a lot of deer catches up to me. But doesn't bite me in the rear

Agreed. The size of the land vs the number of hunters matters. There are some farmers that kill lots of deer every year but never put a dent in the population. They can only control their land. If surrounded by good deer land and little hunting, he has no win situation no matter how many deer he kills. 

My comments applied to my situation in one area. It is a small farm and woods surrounded by houses and developments. There are large tracts of land surrounding the houses and developments, but it is not ideal deer habitat. The deer population is naturally in check in those areas. Not due to hunters but due to poor habitat. 

[fab]

I use to hunt soybean farms in 14.   At night you used to see upwards of 60 deer.    Now over hunting and mostly ehd.    I see a few on  occasion   Most nights there’s none.  I don’t like deer anymore.  Were I have access to it’s beyond boring and a lot of work.    Like I said before.   Last 3 years of shotgun hunting almost everyday I saw a fawn in 21 and a small 6 in 23.   That’s a lot of hrs for 2 deer sighted.    I miss seeing deer.   I was spoiled.    We had an urban bow spot that was amazing.   

[archer36]

1 minute ago, fab said:

I use to hunt soybean farms in 14.   At night you used to see upwards of 60 deer.    Now over hunting and mostly ehd.    I see a few on  occasion   Most nights there’s none.  I don’t like deer anymore.  Were I have access to it’s beyond boring and a lot of work.    Like I said before.   Last 3 years of shotgun hunting almost everyday I saw a fawn in 21 and a small 6 in 23.   That’s a lot of hrs for 2 deer sighted.    I miss seeing deer.   I was spoiled.    We had an urban bow spot that was amazing.   

I hunt 14 also. A lot has changed in the last 20 years. Farming practices, overgrowth of trees/vegetation. Years ago, corn and soybeans were mostly planted. Now it's Hay. You could see and walk through the woods and fields. Now they are choked with cover. I used to see at least a dozen deer every night I walked from my woods stand to my vehicle, in the fields. Now, very rarely see 1 or 2. There is plenty of land to support a deer herd. Maybe they are there, and we just don't see them. 

[Lunatic]

1 hour ago, fab said:

I use to hunt soybean farms in 14.   At night you used to see upwards of 60 deer.    Now over hunting and mostly ehd.    I see a few on  occasion   Most nights there’s none.  I don’t like deer anymore.  Were I have access to it’s beyond boring and a lot of work.    Like I said before.   Last 3 years of shotgun hunting almost everyday I saw a fawn in 21 and a small 6 in 23.   That’s a lot of hrs for 2 deer sighted.    I miss seeing deer.   I was spoiled.    We had an urban bow spot that was amazing.   

You don’t like deer anymore but you miss seeing deer? Your post is very confusing 

[1957Buck]

1 hour ago, archer36 said:

Agreed. The size of the land vs the number of hunters matters. There are some farmers that kill lots of deer every year but never put a dent in the population. They can only control their land. If surrounded by good deer land and little hunting, he has no win situation no matter how many deer he kills. 

My comments applied to my situation in one area. It is a small farm and woods surrounded by houses and developments. There are large tracts of land surrounding the houses and developments, but it is not ideal deer habitat. The deer population is naturally in check in those areas. Not due to hunters but due to poor habitat. 

My last year deer hunting Shotgun & Black Powder was with 1 group & 1 Club both in Freehold The group was led by an Orchard farmer who had permits to kill deer on his land at will and had to Bury them, (wasting them)  we never hunted that farm but did in many areas of Jackson & freehold. The club was a well-established one full of locals and traditions of Drive hunts.  Hunting the Briers and Pines Sucked only had a few Farm Fields with both, 

My point is there were no wins  It all came to an end with house over development lands becoming a poor habitat. 

Those areas of Ocean County & bits of Monmouth are History only small plots are left with few deer. 

 

[Booner]

2 hours ago, 1957Buck said:

 have no idea who Booner is but seems to troll my posts  & others with  a    and never see his comment on any posts of mine or others,  It's sad; I love to hear his comments 

Troll? Far from it. Cause I disliked your posts?  Didn't realize it would hurt your feelings. And show me how I'm trolling others? 

You have a ton to say. None of it is relevant  when it comes to hunting/fishing or the outdoors. You yourself have just said that you haven't hunted in close to 40 years. 

All you have is stories from decades ago. But act like your word is golden. All you do is click paste or quote. That's it. Your like a old Jeeves on life support.

[fab]

To clarity.  I do not enjoy deer hunting anymore well a heck of a lot less.  It’s a lot of effort.  I do not see much game if any.   I don’t like going out scouting baiting checking cams sitting and not seeing deer.   
 

and it’s not just nj.  I use to hunt bedford in westchester.    One season I went 16 for 16 on sightings.   Usually saw 10 to 12 deer.  Sometimes 2 or 3.  On evening I saw 12 bucks and 13 doe

 

some 10 years later after ny when unlimited does in that county I sat 10 times    Saw deer twice   A fawn and  doe/fawn    
 

Some areas still have deer   Some areas have a lot of deer   Some areas the herd is a mere fraction what it once was   
 

zone 4    25 to 35 years ago to now Sad to see the decline   Herd maybe healthy but discouraging going out 3 or 4 times and not seeing a tail 

 

Don’t get me started on 3   That was always low but now it’s sad  

 

I swear lots of pockets in the catskill mts on public that got more deer   than areas in nj

 

its hard to get new ppl into hunting if they don’t at least see animals    

 

 

[Greybeard]

Is this one the same as the e-mail one?  Already let them know how I really feel on that one.  Not that any of this input matters.  They already know what they want to do to get the most money out of us

[Rusty]

11 hours ago, Greybeard said:

Is this one the same as the e-mail one?  Already let them know how I really feel on that one.  Not that any of this input matters.  They already know what they want to do to get the most money out of us

Take it again,  I’ve taken it 7 times already.  

[1957Buck]

15 hours ago, Booner said:

Troll? Far from it. Cause I disliked your posts?  Didn't realize it would hurt your feelings

Ok, Troller, hurting my feelings?  hardly you the one bothered by my posts if not you would just pass by, 

[Booner]

1 hour ago, 1957Buck said:

Ok, Troller, hurting my feelings?  hardly you the one bothered by my posts if not you would just pass by, 

Glad to see your up from your nap. For the record, I respect the elderly. Since you decided to call me out, IE a troll ,I'll play along and  conversate with you only as you know how.

 

 

 

[archer36]

Hey Guys, that's why there is an IGNORE button! 

Edited April 13 by archer36