Deer success rate

In light of the archery season question at this year's spring hearing I decided to break down the success rate based on licenses sold vs harvest numbers.

Numbers are for 2017-18 season

Gun deer (includes regular, youth, muzzleloader and all antlerless)

License sold 582,281

Deer killed 227,645

Kill Rate 39%

Regular Archery

License sold 152,660

Deer Killed 45,166

Kill Rate 29%

Cross bow

Licenses sold 82,660

Deer killed 47,228

Kill Rate 57%

With the current season frame work a hunter using a crossbow has a 18% higher success rate than any other form of weapon.  Almost 2x the success rate over a verticle bow.

He left on his own accord. Although rehashing his “the horns don’t rot” comment may have sent him over the edge. 

We didn't chase him away.

Scab

/skab/

noun

3.  Person or individual between the ages 0-39 who is capable of hunting with a vertical bow but chooses to use crossbow during the archery season.

Why does LB's ability to hunt on private land have anything to do with this?  His beliefs regarding able bodied individuals using crossbows for their ease of use simply translates to more people in the woods.  Now translate that into public land hunting.  The public lands that are overrun during gun season are even more overrun during archery season now.  These scabs don't even have bring a stand or ground blind as they can effectively sit on the ground and fill a tag.  The same people that don't care about full parking lots during gun season are provided a  weapon choice that easily allows them to fill tags.  I have said it before, nobody under the age of 40 (unless permitted) should be aloud to hunt with a crossbow.

Regarding the gun harvest, the gun kill total might increase if we actually had some favorable deer hunting weather.  I hunted the Illinois gun opener and that consisted of extreme wind and wet weather.  Really great deer movement weather.  Because of work reasons I only hunted WI the last two days on Public Land.  I don't recall much of the week and the last two days being calm, quet, dry, driving, sitting weather.  Favorable hunting weather usually coincides with record kill harvest (when available) for any season.

So, bash away because I too have the ability hunt in other states.  I hunt public in Wisconsin due to my limiting time to hunt in IL.  Wisconsin Hunter education should teach new hunters that your hunt will on public land by other hunters.  This is a guarantee.

I agree 100% rikj. Guy claims to know EVERYTHING!!!

.Long barrel, You giving up Lake-Link is not going to make anyone sad and it will make L/L much more enjoyable

Thanks for leaving!! 

I would leave a buck lay longer if I made a questionable shot.  What's your point?  If you/ anyone says they wouldn't they are lying. 

It's always the poor public land guys and the jerk private land guys.  Food plot Vs Baiting...it's the same BS year after year.

I have nothing more to say...Officially my last post on this site. Don't throw a party. LOL.  Good luck ya'll with what ever you choose.  It just isn't worth bickering with people that don't have the same views.  I don't care about you,  you don't care about me,  is what it is.

LB you just keep spinning your wheels. Where on this thread has anyone who isn’t in favor of imposing limits beyond current law on how someone else hunts complained about crappy hunting?  I haven’t, ere hasn’t, fish hound...I don’t really recall anyone. I can’t recall anyone implying you are a “trust fund baby” or you didn’t work for anything you have either.

The irony of all this, and some have pointed it out, You routinely demonize anyone who chooses to use a crossbow below 55 for whatever reason as a scab and lazy because it’s just too easy while at the same time bloviating about watching all kinds of bucks walk under your tree stand while holding your compound bow (a major technological advancement) on your total of 915 private acres. Yeah you worked hard for that opportunity blah blah. Lots of people work hard for what they have. You say you only shoot mature bucks because of the challenge and care less about the antlers. You also once said let them lay because antlers don’t rot on a different forum a while back but I digress. Your situation doesn’t sound too challenging at all but yet you want to regulate everyone who chooses to use a crossbow because that makes it too easy. Shoot if I had all October and November to hunt I’m pretty sure I could shoot a 120” 10 pt off public land up north more years than I wouldn’t. I’d rather do things with my wife and three young kids (1,3,4) instead so I guess I’m just lazy if I shoot a small buck instead. 

Bago there has to be a line in the sand at some point.If not we will end up with one long any weapon season.

Nothing to apologize for Ere, its a forum you brought up valid arguments that not all agree with.

We cant all hunt a 915 acre farm with planted "cornpiles" (food plot) on it. LB you're not a jerk for only killing mature deer, you're a jerk for pushing that belief on others when they dont have the luxury of seeing 50 bucks a year.

Back to original conversation xbows do make it easier to hunt but so does new climbers, scent lock clothing, scents, compound bows so on and so forth. The sport will always be improving as far as equiptment goes, will there be a line drawn thats yet to be seen. I do find it very interesting given the trends, the data suggests the bow kill will exceed the gun kill in the future.

Looks like it.

I guess apologies don't help. 

Amen, ere!!  Been lurking on this thread for a couple of days and it's making me sick.  So nice that LB and a couple others can tell everyone what a "quality deer or hunt" is. (Sarcasm intended) I am lucky, because we have a deer camp on a whole 18 acres. Our goal every year is to have more fun than we had the year before.  Everyone can shoot whatever sized buck they want to.  It's fricking great!  Had to teach my daughters to ignore all the crap about "oh, you shot a little buck".  If you are excited and want to shoot it, have at it.  Back in the day, for me, we used to say, did you get a buck?. And then, how many points.  No talk of, oh, a little buck.  A buck was a buck.  Used to be hard core bow hunter, with Vbow as you fellers call it, then got a lab.  Duck hunting way more fun!  With hunter numbers declining and anti hunters on the rise, forums like this don't help us!  We are hunters and fishermen, looks bad to be fighting amongst ourselves!

Yeah it’s a regional thing. Every time I hear about someone’s buck it involves a score and/or an age. You must be from Illinois or Iowa where those things don’t matter.