ruttinbuc Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Deer Management Threatened in Indiana Bill Sets Arbitrary Increase for Deer Harvests 2/6/09 A new Indiana bill increasing the bag limit for deer in thirty counties has substituted politics for scientific wildlife management. House Bill 1585 was introduced by Representative Bill Friend (R- Macy). The bill politicizes wildlife management by permitting the legislature, not the state wildlife management agency, to have jurisdiction over setting seasons and bag limits. According to the bill, the Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife is mandated to double the seasonal bag limit for deer in each of the thirty counties that experienced the highest number of deer-vehicle collisions as reported by the state police department. The new limits would begin in the 2009 hunting season and continue through the end of the 2011 season. According to Rick Story, senior vice president of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, “It’s a slippery slope whenever politicians get involved in wildlife management. It is a highly scientific process that should be handled by the responsible agency and not be made a political football.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Indiana=just another state where the insurance companies control big game bag limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerslayer06 Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 woohoo! another reason to shoot more deer! i already miss november... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 woohoo! another reason to shoot more deer! i already miss november... Be careful what you wish for, deerslayer...trust me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorden Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 This was one of the reasons why Wisconsin has increased the number of deer they want harvested. Trust me it definately hasnt helped the deer population or hunters. Never a good thing when politicians think they know what is better than state wildlife agencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Indiana=just another state where the insurance companies control big game bag limits. Actually there is a whole lot of people out there that want deer numbers eradicated or severely reduced. The bad news is that they are beginning to get the ear of legislators or in some cases the state conservation offices as well. Here in NY DEC has what is called Citizen Task Forces that determine deer population density targets. "Farmers, hunters, foresters, conservationists, motorists, the tourism industry, landowners, small business, etc, are all considered as potentially distinct stakeholder groups. The final selection of the individuals who are asked to serve on the task force is made by the facilitator. Each facilitator is empowered to select individuals to represent each of the stakeholder interests identified for the WMU." (lifted from the DEC website). So look closely at that list, and you will see pro-deer groups and anti-deer groups. And then note that the decision as to who sits on these task forces, and determines the harvest goals for and entire wildlife management unit resides with a single individual. That individual who is from Cornell University really has the power to shape deer management policy in a complete WMU. Yes I do see the insurance companies (cleverly disguised under the heading of 'motorists') in there, but I also see a bunch of other anti-deer stakeholders listed in that pool of potential task force members. I can also see how the whole thing could become completely biased toward shredding the deer herd if the majority members of the task force became biased either by numbers, or even just the strength of the personalities involved. I see this as the DEC abdicating their responsibilities of scientific herd management. While NYS has provided this potential bias with an official system, I have to wonder if other states such as Indiana Wisconsin and many others haven't moved in the same direction in a bit more covert way, such as letting the politicians represent these anti-deer forces, and creating management policies based on the old squeaky-wheel syndrome instead of managing to match habitat. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 No offense here to all Indianans, but dont you think the two week gun season that runs during the rut is bad enough? Im pretty sure that is the main reason why Indiana isnt in the same category as IL, KS, IA, WI, OH etc regarding the number of trophy bucks harvested each year. If they really wanted to help with the management of the herd, they would implement a season that focuses on doe harvests, or ammend the current gun season to earn a buck... JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Yep, when you take the decision making process out of the hands of the biologists and put it into the hands of the politicians, the deer herd always suffers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 No offense here to all Indianans, but dont you think the two week gun season that runs during the rut is bad enough? Im pretty sure that is the main reason why Indiana isnt in the same category as IL, KS, IA, WI, OH etc regarding the number of trophy bucks harvested each year. If they really wanted to help with the management of the herd, they would implement a season that focuses on doe harvests, or ammend the current gun season to earn a buck... JMO That is ok by me, not being another big buck state like WI, OH, KS ect.......... lot of out of state hunters hit those states, we got enough residental hunters as it is. I hunt on three main properties and we manage it very well. This place has some big bucks on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 gotta love it when government becomes deer managers!! This bill is moving fast!! Alot of us have been contacting reps. letting them know how we feel.....One response we got was and I quote "I really dont like the DNR." A quote from an elected official (sp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Ohio has fought that on many occasions. So far, luckily, the DNR has won the fight. One of these days the insurance money mongers will win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nut Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Ohio has fought that on many occasions. So far, luckily, the DNR has won the fight. One of these days the insurance money mongers will win. That is why we must stay in contact with our elected officials regardless on who donates to their re-election funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_218 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 gotta love it when government becomes deer managers!! This bill is moving fast!! Alot of us have been contacting reps. letting them know how we feel.....One response we got was and I quote "I really dont like the DNR." A quote from an elected official (sp) All I can say is I am glad I moved to Kentucky!! Indiana's hunting opportunities are shrinking each & every year!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widowmaker Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Everybody needs to contact their state senator. Go to www.in.gov.legislative/legislators/ and click on "who's your legislator" and then scroll through the list to find him and email him to stop this bill. I just emailed mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 for me this depends on whether they change the buck limit. I'm a huge proponent of the one buck rule. As for regular bag limits. How many hunters actually come anywhere near their bag limit? Not very many. Most just go out and gun hunt and kill the first thing that walks by. This year I killed 4 deer and that's double what i've killed in a year for the past 15 years. My point being is make the bag limit 10 and only one out of 25 hunters will try to kill 10 deer. Besides if people already want to kill a bunch of deer they can just put different county tags on them and kill as many as they want.... This really only is a big deal if they change the buck limit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 will email him tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 This really only is a big deal if they change the buck limit..... I'd rethink that if I were you. There is such a thing as antlerless overkill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'd rethink that if I were you. There is such a thing as antlerless overkill. No kidding, no does, no bucks... I sure wouldn't want to see BrokeBack Bucks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphira Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 i'm from indiana and before to long there isn't even going to be a such thang as deer hunting and guns because of our goverment so make sure everyone is up todate on there NRA PLEASE DO SO OR WE'LL NEVER HAVE THE RIGHT TO HUNT OR BEAR ARMS. THAT REALLY SUCKS BECAUSE NOW THE DEER POPULATION IS GOING TO GO WAY DOWN JUST CAUSE CONGRESS AND THE REST OF THE POLITICANS THANK THEY OWN EVERYTHING. MY FIANCE DOSENT EVEN HUNT AND SHES PRETTY MAD ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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