Communication and education would make their jobs alot easier. For example, if they have fetal surveys that indicate differently than what hunters in South Al experience, then why not communicate that to them, then educate them as to why the season doesnt need to be extended?

They publicize this info all over. What are they supposed to do, go door to door? Matter of fact it is publicized on this website and some on here failed to read it. One of the worst problems we (biologists) have to deal with is a constituency that has failed to read information available to them.

Where?

Links?

If that is what it takes, because I havent seen anything and apparently, from the looks of this thread, I'm not alone.

I just did a Google search for "Alabama DCNR fetal survey" and also for "Alabama DCNR whitetail deer fetal survey."

Those, logically, would be the likely words used in such a search engine. Nothing comes up with any results for published materials, either in-house or in the news media.

http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=102685#Post102685

This to start. Since I read Wildlife Trends, Alabama Wildlife, Outdoor Alabama, and any other pertinent wildlife/management publication I can get my hands on, I have seen it several times. Where? Call Chris Cook or Bill Grey, they do the studies

Unless you're a member of AWF, look at OutdoorAlabama.com and know where to look, or subscribe to Wildlife Trends ... few would know where to find it or could find it.

That's not truly "all over." It may be known in the wildlife biology circles but the common Joe don't know about it.

Quick Google search

My thoughts exactly, I was trying to pull up some CAB minutes the other day and gave up and went back to searching for my lost needle in the haystack because it was easier.

Gobbler, what words did you use to search and find that info? Just wondering.

I would submit that if you are a deer hunter, have an interest in deer and deer hunting, and have an interest and opinion on this subject and DON"T subscribe to Wildlife Trends, Alabama Wildlife Federation, Don't keep up with outdooralabama or any of the other publications where this information is released, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution Again, what are they supposed to do, find each deer hunter and hand it to them, stand at the door of the CAB and provide handouts. If you WANT the season extended, you should seek out good biological data to support your argument and not rely on anecdotal observations. MHO

eskimo, you have to go to the main site:

outdooralabama.com

And then scroll to the bottom and click on "About Us"

http://outdooralabama.com/about/

And then look for "Advisory Board" and click on it:

http://outdooralabama.com/about/board/

This gives you the contact info and list of members. The minutes are listed on the right side by Month-Year, although the header doesn't say anything about minutes. It says "In this section ..."

Thanks

Part of the problem huh? My apologies your magnificant Highness.

The line should be "drawn" using science as a basis. In most states like Florida different regions for deer season were made using a conception date study carried out by Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists. The study, conducted over two years, looked at mean conception dates of does across the state of Florida. The deer regions, each with different hunting dates, were drawn having the results of this study. Alabama should do the same type of study before any lines are drawn to separate deer hunting regions based on rut dates. To haphazardly draw a line based on the hearsay you bring up is not the way to do it. I hope that if the season is extended that somebody will have the wisdom to remove deer hunting days between November and February so that we don't end up overharvesting deer in Alabama. To just add two weeks to the season without taking a couple of weeks out seems counterproductive.

I knew I was staying out of this for a reason. I am/was not trying to poke anyone. Sorry, but I write as well and it is frustrating when I meet folks who haven't spent time trying to get educated on a subject but still have a STRONG opinion.

Guess I'm part of the problem, Gob.

I don't subscribe to Wildlife Trends, although Andy is kind enough to send it to me. I enjoy reading it very much.

I'm not a member of AWF. I also visit the DCNR site regularly but have yet to see anything significantly displayed, promoted, publicized or put forth about fetal survey info and how it relates to seasons, breeding, etc.

You know well enough the common guy doesn't keep up with this either. You know that. Right? Sure you do. The main reason you know all this is because you're in the wildlife and resources industry. Only the true diehards would be keeping up with fetal info and its publication in wildlife and biological periodicals.

Find each hunter? Go door to door?

Y'know what? That's not impossible given the INTERNET and how easily available it is to disseminate information in today's world.

Stand at the door at CAB meetings and provide handouts? Why, they don't even have a specific agenda available beforehand about what's going to be discussed, unlike some states (Tennessee, specifically), so people will have an idea other than from email scuttlebutt about what's going on. Providing information about fetal studies, fisheries research and other topics at the door might be a welcomed by the attendees.

Digging up studies and info is a good suggestion. It shouldn't be so damn hard for the average guy to do it, though. Wildlife Trends - I just went to their site - requires subscription and membership to view any articles. AWF requires membership and a lot of people don't want to join, for various reasons.

The state agency that does these things does it with public money and the info is public. It should be easily provided to the public without the public having to search high and low, hard and fast, to find it. But it's not an uncommon problem among state and federal agencies throughout the nation.