Weather dampens 1st day Deer harvest, down 39%

[ohbuckeye2]

http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/_Wea ... 42228.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's deer season has gotten off to a soggy start as rain contributed to lower opening-day numbers.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says hunters with guns on Monday bagged 23,600 white-tailed deer. That was down 39 percent compared to the first day of last year's hunt, when weather conditions were described as "near ideal."

Division of Wildlife deer project leader Mike Tonkovich says the reduced tally from gun hunting also reflects the growing popularity of archery hunting.

Coshocton County had the highest number of deer counted at check stations Monday, nearly 1,200.

The season runs through Sunday and then resumes for two more days over the Dec. 17-18 weekend.

About 420,000 hunters are expected to take part in this year's deer-gun season.

[ohbuckeye2]

That's the ones that were reported........

My nieces husband had a guy shoot just down the ridge from him Monday, yesterday we walked down the hill and around the ridge.......GUESS WHAT WE FOUND........A Buck laying there with the horns cot off and the back straps cut out. This just makes me absolutely sick.

[Bleeding Red]

I truly think the call in method of checking deer will result in more poaching and the "figures" they report on harvested deer will be greatly skewed.

No idea why they decided to go to this system as it is flawed and causes problems in every state it is used in. Remember a couple of years ago a Minford resident killed a 200" deer in Adams Co (poached at night). He called the deer in through KY's call in method. He couldnt legally hunt in Ohio so he bought a KY tag (not sure how that works ?). The guy got a $20K+ fine and lost his hunting rights for life.

I cant stand someone that shoots a deer and lets it lay there. There is a big difference in a hunter and a killer.