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Gun season to short

motorbreaker

*Supporting Member I*
1,542
63
North of Toledo
I think gun season is to short, I would like to see it start the monday after the youth weekend.
Thanksgiving weekend im off work. So its hard to get the following monday off. So i'll have to wait till sat.
And the dnr wants us to kill more deer anyway. Heck the amish have a longer season, Why cant we?

Just my rant. And you can see why i dont post much. Putting things on paper isnt one of my strong points.
 

huntn2

Senior Member
6,090
157
Hudson, OH
It's just right how it is IMO.

X2. Just cause the ODNR allows us to kill more deer doesn't mean it is the right thing to do on all parcels across the state. There are pockets that are overpopulated and areas seemingly void of deer.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
I am now curious. I never realized the Amish had a longer season? Then again, to some people seasons mean nothing. Is this what you are referring to?

I think gun season is just about right. There are early muzzle loader hunts. There is a gun season. There is a bonus weekend. Then we have muzzle loader season. If you are like the a-holes that trespass on me, you can hunt the youth season and tag them under your kids' names as well. Yes. Happens every year. More I think about it, maybe we have too long to gun hunt or too many opportunities.
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
I think gun season is to short, I would like to see it start the monday after the youth weekend.
Thanksgiving weekend im off work. So its hard to get the following monday off. So i'll have to wait till sat.
And the dnr wants us to kill more deer anyway. Heck the amish have a longer season, Why cant we?

Just my rant. And you can see why i dont post much. Putting things on paper isnt one of my strong points.

I wouldn't be opposed to having gun season go Friday after Thanksgiving through the following Saturday, getting rid of the extra weekend, and then moving muzzleloader back to the last week of Dec (between Christmas and New Years).

BUT, I think we have enough gun days.

How do the Amish get extra days?
 

motorbreaker

*Supporting Member I*
1,542
63
North of Toledo
I wouldn't be opposed to having gun season go Friday after Thanksgiving through the following Saturday, getting rid of the extra weekend, and then moving muzzleloader back to the last week of Dec (between Christmas and New Years).

That would work.

Just seems like the amish have been shooting alot just before dark around here. Between all of them they own enough property to do whatever they want.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,943
139
I know there are many areas in Ohio, Knox county I believe that is a huge co-op where the Amish believe in QDM, and are very respectful hunters.

Most around me are very respectful as well, I know a lot of you guys do not like them, but we shouldnt be convicting them of a crime (poaching deer), before we even know the facts.

Anyways there is no way Ohio could afford to make the season longer, in some pockets yea as someone already stated, but the majority of gun season is hunted on public lands that are already hit hard during bow.

If anything I wish they would take away more of the gun season, make it just a week long.
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
I'm all about encompassing gun season and Thanksgiving, as NY and PA do...many memories of dad driving to Grandma's with the 870 in the back of the van "just in case"...

But, then again, Thanksgiving is for rabbit hunting!
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
Ohio had a two week long gun season at one time for a year or two, late 90's??

It did not go over real well, and did not increase the harvest from what I remember. I also think that it might have been prior to Sunday hunting being permitted.

I think the intent was to spread out the hunting pressure and provide more opportunity and of course increase the harvest. I think that farm bureau did not like it at all because of landowner tresspass complaints going on for two weeks instead of just the traditional one week.


I only gun hunt now and I think we have enough days to gun hunt. I also hope that there is no statewide antlerless early MZ season and that they leave the current 4 day MZ season where it is now (where it started originally) in January.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I would like to see the gun season start the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Then move the muzzleloading season back to between Christmas and New Years. I always enjoyed hunting with the grandsons.
Youth Season is just fine where it is. Let the kids enjoy the less pressure. Poachers and thiefs will always be just that and that is on their minds not mine.
Frank
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
All in all, I like it the way it is, 'cept for starting on a Monday instead of a weekend.
If there were a longer season, there'd be a lot less deer I'm thinking (bad thing).
I will say this - many has been the times I've been afield during early bow season and said "Man, if it were only gun season, I'd be tagged out by now..."
It's a good thing the seasons are the way they are now.

Good thread MB
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I would be ok with it starting the weekend of Thanksgiving and running straight through for nine days, instead of seven now and two later.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
I know that one of the primary reasons that the MZ season was moved back to it's original January dates was because hunters complained when it was between the holidays that those dates interfered too much with family holiday activities.

I personally don't want it to start on the Thanksgiving weekend, that is family time for a lot of hunters, especially those that travel away from home to visit family or travel to hunt and camp or stay in hotels for the first few days or even all week like I do.

If you want to start the season on a Saturday start it the 2nd Saturday in November and run it for 9 days, providing two weekends and eliminate the 2 day.. We all know how well that would be supported:smiley_crocodile:

Be careful what you wish for if you are looking for a Saturday start. I just don't think they will ever mess with Thanksgiving weekend.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Personally I wish they would just condense it some. This game of youth season / week off / gun season / two weeks off / bonus gun / two weeks off / and then muzzy. Really screws up a month and a half of bowhunting. While you can still bow hunt deer during the middle periods. It never allows the deer a chance to get back to normal behaviors or patterns. Just when they start to relax here comes the orange army again.

No reason youth season can't be the weekend before shotgun starts on a Monday. Besides adults may shoot deer and tag them Monday. But they do that anyway. And it was the dnr when defending tellecheck who said they aren't going to not pass law based on what poachers might do.

And no reason bonus gun can't be the weekend after normal gun.

Sat-sun youth. Mon - sun gun. Mon -fri off. Sat - sun bonus gun.
 

Curran

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,971
172
Central Ohio
Personally I wish they would just condense it some. This game of youth season / week off / gun season / two weeks off / bonus gun / two weeks off / and then muzzy. Really screws up a month and a half of bowhunting. While you can still bow hunt deer during the middle periods. It never allows the deer a chance to get back to normal behaviors or patterns. Just when they start to relax here comes the orange army again.

My thoughts exactly.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Personally I wish they would just condense it some. This game of youth season / week off / gun season / two weeks off / bonus gun / two weeks off / and then muzzy. Really screws up a month and a half of bowhunting. While you can still bow hunt deer during the middle periods. It never allows the deer a chance to get back to normal behaviors or patterns. Just when they start to relax here comes the orange army again.

No reason youth season can't be the weekend before shotgun starts on a Monday. Besides adults may shoot deer and tag them Monday. But they do that anyway. And it was the dnr when defending tellecheck who said they aren't going to not pass law based on what poachers might do.

And no reason bonus gun can't be the weekend after normal gun.

Sat-sun youth. Mon - sun gun. Mon -fri off. Sat - sun bonus gun.

I would support that as well. I personally like muzzleloader where it is at right now and hope it stays there...