The News Outside

No hunting for a year or two - This reminds me in the early 70’s when the duck population was at a all time low.  There was a lot of talk of eliminating one season to let them rebound, of course it never happened, but the DNR got rid of the point system and instituted a two duck limit with only one hen mallard.  Most of the hunters I knew practiced voluntary restraint and would not shoot a hen mallard ( and many still practice this today).  It took awhile but the numbers rebounded and as they did the limits went up, but it took hunters and the DNR to accomplish this.  The current DNR has no such mindset when it comes to deer management, they have never been pro active.  Heck they can’t even update how many gun permits are available come this Thursday, last update 11-19.

I have been out twice since last shotgun season and have not seen a deer, will be sitting in a brush pile by a brassica patch in the morning, most of my pics are showing nocturnal movement so not expecting to much. Good luck to everyone.

I’ve been seeing deer the last 2 nights around midnight on my way home.  Seen 5 last night.  2 bucks and 3 does all in a group feeding.  The moon was about 3/4 so it was pretty bright.

snuck back and got my trail cam pictures yesterday. They were all from between 6 at night to 3 am. So I guess I will have a better chance of peeing up a rope than seeing a deer. Oh well I’m off so I might as well get my rope ready. Good luck to all .

Heading down to the public ground today for a little scouting.  Beautiful morning so I can’t just waste it.

Started my deerhuntcation Tuesday (by working on the house for the spouse), hope to see more deer than opening day=0, had to work sat. sun. 1st season. Sure hope more shooting is going on in DeWitt county as I need that to run em to my little neck of the woods. Have everything I need to sit in pop-up blind all day for four days, but hope it don’t come to that. But if it does so be it, wont be from lack of trying, better than a day at work, or inside cutting moulding trim. You know how deer hunting is, things can sure get better in the blink of an eye and ya sure cant harvest one from the couch.

Good luck this weekend, everyone, whether you’re hunting deer, cutting honeysuckle, drinking beer, or watching da bears.

IDNR must have sent out a “PSA” (they don’t show it as a press release on their website) to media this week. Our local TV station ran a segment this morning talking about 2nd season and how you could keep buying permits through Sunday… or until “quotas are filled.”  And… reminding people that you can donate all that unwanted deer meat to the ISAH program.

Saw that release and I find it interesting that they dont update the “available permits by county” on their website - last updated 11-19.
I guess you have to waste your time running to a vendor to see if there are any buck permits left and when there is not, maybe they hope you buy a doe only permit.  I wonder if they are just lazy or is the above their strategy - sad either way!

We should have some 2nd season numbers in a couple of days.  Kevin posted them fast last season.  I thought the weather was good all but one day.