Hers how the new season should look

Dec 15-31 bow only
Jan 1-15 muzzle loader only
Jan 15-31 rifle

One buck per hunter per season ( meaning you can take one with a bow, one with a muzzle loader, one with a rifle)

One doe per hunter per season
No spikes
Cell cams allowed out only during off season

Nah that's dumb you just have 1 season for any weapon then we will know who the bow hunters are

You have placed more pressure on the deer by making the most intrusive hunting last 4.25 months. I quit reading once I saw that.

Ben are you saying bow hunting is the most intrusive? I guarantee you the bow hunters are not wiping them out like the rifle hunters are. to be successful bowhunting you actually have to be a better hunter and actually hunt the deer.rifle hunters are no where near as careful as bowhunters and are usually very sloppy in their approach.anybody can kill a deer with a rifle.

GTFO

Sounds like us, Frankie. 57 years of hunting the same land and we have never killed a 130 deer. I'm sure that my dad and I were lousy hunters, as were all the folks we've carried, but we were good enough to kill dozens in the 110-128 range; just never get a bigger one.

And the state rules have almost nothing to do with it. We are surrounded by big clubs that all have restrictions on the size and number of bucks a member can kill, and those restrictions are much more than anything the state could ever hope to pass and enforce. We are loaded with deer, and have a lot of what I consider nice bucks. If you wanna enjoy the hunting experience, you just have to accept the fact that you aren't in Illinois.

If you wanna have Illinois hunting, go to Illinois.

It should be obvious to everyone that the primary objective of the current administration at our dcnr is no different from that of any corporation - it's to make money. The only difference is that corporations try to make money for their stockholders, while the dcnr uses the money to maintain and expand their governmental Kingdom. They will respond to hunter demands only if they perceive it might affect the money in some way. I'm not sure how you can do that, but best of luck in trying.

I believe it’s time to start talking about turkey limits again isn’t it? 😃
Too early?

I agree......I travel around to a lot of properties and the bow hunting only places are by far the best and least pressured......deer stand around like cows in a pasture at some of them. Some of the comments made on these threads are way off base......Our bow hunting days are a non factor. The first 4 days of the Feb gun extension killed more deer than the entire bow season…..

Never too early. Let's take it to 1 and shorten the season so it opens on April 25th and closes on May 2. Bow only, no crossbows. Gotta protect those dominant gobblers.

Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Ohio, and right next door: Georgia, all allow baiting and all are premier deer hunting states with high B&C record book entries. It ain't the corn, it's the culture.

Please explain why TAGS will be better than GAME CHECK and not referring to more information on the tags, can do that with game check. If you’re willing to avoid GC
Then you will avoid Tags for the same reason

They will only work if they come with significant enforcement and strong penalties .

There’s a certain psychological aspect to it that I don’t know if I can fully explain…….Not attaching a hot pink tag to an antler is an obvious in your face very noticeable thing for someone to not do……Its not the out of sight out of mind task of checking one in to game check that is an after thought to many. If we’re supposed to “tag” them then it sticks out like a sore thumb when one hasn’t been……whether at camp, in the truck, or on social media.

Also, monitoring social media for violations could be made very simple. If you had a hot pink tag then I’d imagine it would be pretty easy for AI to sort through buck pictures like facial recognition and spot the ones not tagged for further investigation.

Another aspect of it is that tags issued from the DCNR would be a whole lot harder to fake than someone printing out multiple copies of licenses on their home printer and having 48 hrs to call it in. Write it down, take it home, get a new license and never call it in……The system is too simple to beat......Its the honor system basically right now and even preachers and front row church go'ers will fudge it for an extra buck

Eliminating the three buck rule, then there is no need for either

Very well explained CNC. The 48hrs to formally report it is the problem. Here's an example of how easy it would be. Shoot buck, fill out the paper harvest record. Leave land, drive back to camp. If pulled over, show the paper record to the GW and and tell him that I did not have good cell service and I will officially check it within the required 48 hr timeframe. If I'm not pulled over, I process my own deer so within an hour, that deer is quartered up, iced down and in a cooler in the barn and effectively just disappeared. If I did not get pulled over on the way back to camp, I simply toss the filled out, paper copy in the firepit, and never record. If I did get pulled over and checked, I know the GW will be potentially looking for it so I log in and record it on Chuckie Check. I can guarantee you that it is happening just like that, all over the state.

With a license issued formal tag system, the tag is required to be defaced and attached to the deer prior to moving it. Once it is done, it is done and cannot be used again. Much better, much more effective system. Easier to enforce for the GWs, much harder to circumvent/cheat. Better for keeping honest people honest.

This: The first 4 days of the Feb gun extension killed more deer than the entire bow season….

Bow hunting puts a lot more pressure on them than rifle hunting . You have to get closer. When you get closer you get busted more.
Let’s say you have a ladder stand sitting back 100 yards off a field. You can come and leave with rifle and the deer never know you are there. That same stand is worthless to hunt from with a bow. To bow hunt same place you have to put a stand right on top of the expected trail. Much higher probability of getting busted. After that happens a few times they will quit coming by there.
Yes there are a lot more deer killed during rifle season. There are also a lot more hunters. If rifle season is as shortened. There would be a lot more people take up bow hunting.

I'm not interested in Midwest restrictions without Midwest results/opportunities and that isn't going to happen.

If an area doesn't have enough deer, change the doe limit.

If an area doesn't have the size bucks you desire, change YOUR situation.

I will say the social media aspect of it is something I have not thought about so good point. Maybe tags will make it a lot harder to cheat the system but, it will not affect me in the slightest. I am a big supporter in the killing of less does. All that to say rules are for the honest people.

The deer killed during the February extension will just be killed in the last of January, folks just pushing the chance to kill a better deer or waiting to the bitter end to fill the freezer, I don’t see that changing the #’s, folk’s gonna kill their quota be it in 60 days or 120 days.