Three Lakes = No doe harvest during archery

ajricketts

I just noticed this in the brochure for this year. Anyone know what's going on? I suspect overall harvest figures are going to be way down this year . . . 

binellishtr

BOHICA didnt you get the survey

ajricketts

I didn't harvest last year so I didn't get the privilege of taking the most recent survey. I filled out the bowhunter survey and specifically said that the lack of anterless availability near me was the primary driver causing me to bowhunt less. 

Crazy. I made sure to double check JW Corbett for the antlerless week right away. Thankfully that is still there. Geez

Hollywoodcorolla

They were complaining that the numbers were down on bucks killed. 
That was the last southern romp and stomp place to shoot doe during all archery. Without quota. 
I’m a meat hunter and I don’t like the new rule. 

binellishtr

http://myfwc.com/hunting/harvest-reports/by-season-areas/

Walker Dog

Yup. Should have just left things alone so the population could stay low. Better for the health of the deer. But........... I thought I heard that Maximum Sustained Yield was what should be happening on all state WMAs.

If that's what you want then you've told them to keep the doe harvest as low as they need to in order to maximize buck harvest. That's just one of the downsides to managing a deer herd for MSY. Sounds like you might want to rethink what you ask for. Either that or thank them for doing what you've asked them to.

GRIZZL

I have to think the two flooding hurricanes in consecutive years caused high deer mortality above beyond harvest numbers...I'm surprised more aren't doing it this year

Pinman

Im a Turkey hunter, not a Deer hunter, but Id bet eradicating the Oak trees over the last few years and turning the West side into a big Scrub Jay-Palmetto flat doesn't help the Deer one bit.

binellishtr

Yup. Should have just left things alone so the population could stay low. Better for the health of the deer. But........... I thought I heard that Maximum Sustained Yield was what should be happening on all state WMAs.

If that's what you want then you've told them to keep the doe harvest as low as they need to in order to maximize buck harvest. That's just one of the downsides to managing a deer herd for MSY. Sounds like you might want to rethink what you ask for. Either that or thank them for doing what you've asked them to.

NEVER had any problems harvesting a doe or a buck during doe week..NEVER.
**** buck harvest / antler harvest .. we never had a problem successfully hunting for meat ever until this new BS.

Never asked for more BUCK harvest as you stated putting words in peoples mouth that are not true....most people I know want to harvest a deer no matter the sex, or pts and fill a cooler and call it success... ANTLER ENVY is a **** 

binellishtr

BTW, what measuring stick did FWC use to eliminate doe day, and or restrict 3 lakes doe harvest?

swampwalker

Back before antler restrictions, DMUs, and phone surveys. The "good old days" when nothing was wrong- we had a popular area where the does and the overall herd health got whacked. FWC finally closed it to antlerless deer (unpopular-but necessary). Today it is beginning to significantly improve but only time will tell. It was a learning experience for everyone...Florida hunting today is not the Florida of the 60s/70s. Let's face it - "the people you know" is just a type of survey, limited in scope and personal screening needs. FWC needs to make these changes as they deem necessary, for the overall health of the herd and the hunting. WMAs rarely stay static, there are just too many factors working against it. 

binellishtr

binellishtr said:

BTW, what measuring stick did FWC use to eliminate doe day, and or restrict 3 lakes doe harvest?

H20dad

binellishtr said:

BTW, what measuring stick did FWC use to eliminate doe day, and or restrict 3 lakes doe harvest?

Lol. You think anyone will honestly answer this?

binellishtr

Nope, someone always drops out once the hard questions are asked. And, puts words in peoples mouth's If that's what you want then you've told them to keep the doe harvest as low as they need to in order to maximize buck harvest.

What he fails to mention is all the harvest numbers are down both sexes, and dont get off on the hog harvesting in the S zone. But on the bright side turkeys have exploded due to this new management practice. Kind of an unanticipated positive

H20dad

Turkeys? Where?

binellishtr

Everywhere

Walker Dog

swampwalker said:

WMAs rarely stay static, there are just too many factors working against it. 

Exactly right! That's why the current DMU system is an upgrade from the old "set it and forget it" that some yearn to go back to.

Walker Dog

H20dad said:

binellishtr said:

BTW, what measuring stick did FWC use to eliminate doe day, and or restrict 3 lakes doe harvest?

Lol. You think anyone will honestly answer this?

I doubt that anyone answering that question again will help those that didn't comprehend it the first time it was given or any of the times it was given after that.

swampwalker

Beneli - I can't speak to Three Lakes issue. Only speaking about an area I'm familiar with that was also closed to antlerless harvests. I offered it as an enlightening possibility to what could be part of the puzzle. I am curious though, when I look at your historical posting - you're the one that never provides any proof or answers. You start some off the wall conjecture then when folks reply you demand proof; ask open ended questions and quickly follow up w your over used slang catch-all acronym. Oh well everyone brings something to the party I guess. 

binellishtr

Explain your post cite an example in detail and ill surely reply w details?

Go ahead... I always have facts to go off

Walker Dog

LOL.

You frequently share your opinion, of which everyone who has been here more than a week is already familiar with.  Opinions aren't facts. How someone views something is not a fact.

Please cite some examples of the facts you say you go off of.

binellishtr

No, you tell me what I have said that is NON factual and ill gladly reply.. until then BOHICA

binellishtr

go back as far as you want as well..

spangler

binellishtr said:

The FWC has been taken over by bunny huggers. Bring back GFC

I'd like to understand this.  It would be helpful, if it's at all true.

fwiw, at the commissioner meeting this week.  I was approached by the hunting biologist for my region.  She definitely agreed about the lack of opportunity and that it is a problem.  She also mentioned a bear hunt she participated in, in Louisiana...

binellishtr

just go to their facebook page make your own assumption, I guess this isn't a factual assumption I have made... should anyone disagree that's my opinion. 

BTW they also have another page if U can find it

relicshunter

binellishtr said:

What he fails to mention is all the harvest numbers are down both sexes, and dont get off on the hog harvesting in the S zone. But on the bright side turkeys have exploded due to this new management practice. Kind of an unanticipated positive

Harvest numbers are down in all most all wma's that list them. Last two years it's noticeable. I thought I'd see the doe take go up as hunters grab a doe for meat after the start of antler restrictions, but the total take is still dropping. I don't know if it's heavy pouching or coyotes or hunter pressure is making success so much harder. I read that licence sales are down, but the woods seem so crowded, must be all the unlicensed hog hunters running around now. 

Florida Bullfrog

spangler said:

binellishtr said:

The FWC has been taken over by bunny huggers. Bring back GFC

I'd like to understand this.  It would be helpful, if it's at all true.

fwiw, at the commissioner meeting this week.  I was approached by the hunting biologist for my region.  She definitely agreed about the lack of opportunity and that it is a problem.  She also mentioned a bear hunt she participated in, in Louisiana...

Back in the 90s the old GFC merged with several agencies to make the FWC. It brought in some anti hunting interests (and also had a vocal anti hunting camp already in some biologists) and in those years immediately following the merger, hunting was willfully and knowingly set to the side to please anti hunting interests. People from the old GFC days (as in people who built their careers from within that agency) saw it as a betrayal of their lives’ work. 

A lot has changes over 20 years though. I don’t believe those anti hunting interests dominate anymore from within the agency. As where a new generation subverted the old generation immediately after the merger, that subversive generation is in turn being subverted by the current generation. I see the agency as moving very rapidly towards a pro hunting agenda again. Yes, the bear hunt cancelation was a debacle.  But we should lay that at Scott’s feet and repay him accordingly in his senate bid. 

I don’t see attempts to limit deer harvests in these contexts as anti hunting. They’re more well intentioned but misguided. That whole “we need more does to make more bucks” is a sincere, but ultimately factually garbage, argument.

The ratio between bucks and does should be nearly 1:1. That’s what they’d be in a state of nature. On the 1500 acres I managed bordering the Osceola we started covered up with does and with very few bucks. For 6 years we shot every doe we legally could. 10-12 a year. We sucked them out of the WMA like a sponge. Eventually it became hard to see a doe. But we didn’t see less deer. The does were replaced with bucks. Something about removing lots of does seemed to make room for bucks. By the time we gave the lease up, one was more likely to sit and see a buck than a doe. 

South Florida is a different animal than north Florida. I’m sure the panthers and flooding makes for different considerations. I’m speaking more to the overall idea that we need excess does running around to keep spawning bucks to be killed. That’s an argument that works on paper but doesn’t seem to pan out in real life. 

binellishtr

FWC's facebook page is dominated by bird lovers, manatee huggers,and bunny huggers undoubtedly what assumption one could make from it is their own, but I guess now making assumptions are not factual according to some but to each their own.
It's funny how FWC's other side of the coin had to develop their own facebook name/page AFTER hunter outrage with no attachments to an FWC logo? 

To say its still not dominated by anti huggers according to even some of their own employees(cant name names) ha ha that's a joke. Ever wonder why some of the good one's took early retirement?

binellishtr

give it time relics, even though hunter satisfaction was at an all time high(fact) prior to the new restrictions being implemented, you are now seeing the results, and they are pointing more and more towards hunter dissatisfaction(a good assumption not a fact yet)

Walker Dog

Well I'll be jiggered! Looks like you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Keep up the good work!

binellishtr

Let me know when U come up with any of those non factual posts of mine, I mean if your gonna call a guy out have some facts to back it up..ironic ?