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.

So.... what if we look at this from a trending standpoint? Moving forward, I see the following:

- The number of x bow hunters and the number of deer ( both does AND bucks) harvested will continue to increase at a rapid pace.

- The number of vertical bow hunters will remain the same or possibly decrease somewhat. Harvest numbers and ratio's will remain approx. what we are seeing today.

- The number of gun hunters will likely decrease, and will do so at a more rapid rate than they have been in recent years.

- The number of hunters harvesting two bucks in a season will increase substantially. This will be due to the rapidly increasing number of xbow hunters along with their dramatically higher success rate compared to vertical bow hunters. I'd wager that nearly all xbow hunters also hunt with a gun so it stands to reason that a big increase in 2 buck/season harvests is forthcoming.

Now, this is only speculation on my part, but I think it makes sense given the trending we have seen since xbows were legalized for the masses.

Increased buck harvest is going to further lower the average age of animals harvested and will negatively affect the quality of the deer herd. Those of us who target mature deer are going to see fewer of them. No question.

This brings us back to assertions made by numerous others including myself. Namely, that as seasons are liberalized in terms of both weapon choice and duration, it makes sense to go to a one buck/season harvest strategy. This provides hunters an opportunity to hunt with the weapon(s) of their choice and (perhaps) gets people to think a bit more selectively about what they harvest, be it buck, doe or both.

All this being said, I highly doubt the Wisconsin DNR would ever go for a one buck rule. They seem hell bent on managing based upon two criteria; 1. Maximal harvest that hunters are willing to accept, and 2. Maximum revenue that can be sustained thru license sales.

I know of three from one crossbow (hunter),I helped track.He is just a gun hunter .

I wish there were a way to determine failure rates. How many deer are lost due to lack of a pass through .How many vertical bow archers are using light arrows and expandable broadheads resulting in lost deer. Maybe they need to put a speed limit on both weapons which would force many to use a heavier arrow/bolt resulting in more kinetic energy and better penetration. I don't know of any xbow deer shot and lost but I know many are shot and lost with vertical bows.  Just a thought. 

Oh my lord, a catastrophic drop in the deer kill. Or, someone shot my buck.

11,000 bucks is about one for every 4 square miles of deer range. Buck harvest (not buck population) densities averaged around 3.3ish per square mile statewide, or better than 13 for every four square miles. Adding 0.25 bucks for every square mile of deer range won’t really do much. Most of those 11,000 “second bucks” undoubtedly came off private land on the southern half of the state so for you northwoods public land guys, it’d could possibly mean about a buck for every ten square miles or so that “gets to live.” Hunters harvesting two bucks is not a problem. Natural mortality probably accounts for more buck deaths statewide. More probably get hit by cars in an average year with 20413 deer collisions reported to DOT in 2016. How many are not reported? 

I think we know who the "whine babies" are on this subject.

"They aren't like the X bow whine babies. They pick up a ML because it's closer to archery in that it's one shot and more of a challenge"

The idiocracy of that statement doesn't even warrant any type of reply, but I couldn't resist because I actually feel a bit sorry for you after reading that.

Oh I read that wrong, I thought it said 11,000 bucks.  Whoops, disregard my comment.  My lack of caring on the crossbow subject has removed my ability to double check my work.

I agree with you SNAP,  group hunting must go but how do you enforce that?  

11,000 bucks is 11,000,  no matter how you slice it.  I don't care what the % is of licensed hunters.  That is 11k more bucks that get one more year to live.

Most ML are more accurate than a rifle.  Let's not pretend that the ML is some type of primitive weapon.  If you are shooting the new inlines with a scope,  one shot is all you need.  whether it's 40 yards or 200.  The folks that shoot ML don't care about hunting during rifle season and after.  They aren't like the X bow whine babies.  They pick up a ML because it's closer to archery in that it's one shot and more of a challenge.  

if you are shooting a smooth bore with round balls,  you are awesome!  I'd like to shake your hand.

+1 Beertown.  Hoping the door hits him hard in the azz on the way out!!

If you guys want to all be happy you could just eliminate the use of treestands.  That would reduce the buck kill I'm sure.  It increased the kill when those came out after all.  Then everyone can use their weapon of choice yet and fling arrows off the ground.

We'd only be saving 5500 bucks.  All those guys would have still shot 1.

Forgot to add that a great step forward in how our natural resources are managed is happening at the end of the year.

The only way I would agree to a one buck per year rule would be if they end group hunting for gun season. Whats the point in trying to save the number of bucks harvested if  a guy in a 10 man party can LEGALLY? fill 10 buck tags. 

there was less then 11000 hunters that registered 2 bucks last year. Do you really think that few extra bucks shot really makes a difference? 

That comes out to 1.0436% of licensed hunters last year.

Yup, less than 1.5% participation makes that an issue.

Again. Buck kill over last year among all weapons is down. Its down compared to 10 years ago. 

If the current argument is valid, then lets get rid of scent lock suits and commercial scents.

Oh.... and muzzleloaders enjoy the fewest bucks harvested of all.... their season should be moved to start the last saturday in October and run for 2 weeks.

there was less then 11000 hunters that registered 2 bucks last year. Do you really think that few extra bucks shot really makes a difference? 

Um,  YES!  you don't think saving 11,000 bucks is worth anything?  LOL,  Typical WI outdoorsman response.

I don't even know why the older folks are posting here and sticking up for this BS Xbow season.  65 and older or disabled always have been able to hunt during archery season.  Grand Dad says he was very successful w Vbows earlier in his career.  That is a great,  I love to hear that.  

What about the guy that is just lazy,  30 years old,  no time to shoot and practice but wants to jump in the woods quick and get a deer?  Some would say GREAT,  good for him.  Others that live and breathe this stuff say it's BS.  There is no right answer.  Now the guy that wants his wife involved and she is willing to hunt now.  That's great. God forbid that happen to me.    my wife can stay home.

I think the numbers speak volumes.  How can you argue with it?  Why does it matter tho?  Why would it matter who does what with what weapon?  Now if we had ONE BUCK it wouldn't matter.  Shoot it with a blow gun or cold steel spear,  I don't give a rip.  What I don't want to see is the number of Xbow buck kills,  then those Xbow hunters kill a buck with a rifle.  That's VERY weak.

My family doesn't rifle hunt so my support of ONE BUCK would a big YES

Redhook,  i'm not following you.  What is a good hunter?   I'm not certain we will agree on what "good" means.  Personally,  i will quit hunting before I kill with a Xbow.  Taking good video of a great buck close would be enough for me.  I won't shoot a Xbow for the same reason I don't kill with a gun.  there is no satisfaction there,  I'm well past just killing to kill.  Others don't think that way and that's fine.  Different strokes for different folks.

I do agree with RedHooks fishing senario,  braggers are good for nothing.  can't anyone keep a spot to themselves these days.  Shut up and fish,  let the couch potatoes find their own fish.