Originally posted by pav:
Originally posted by jjas:
[b]IMO for anyone to make a legitimate case for the firearms seasons to be shortened, the archery hunters (and yes that includes crossbow hunters) need to step up and become more of a management tool instead of a recreational tool and 25% of the total harvest doesn't reach that criteria.
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Shorten gun season significantly and the archery/crossbow harvest percentage will climb. The two absolutely go hand in hand. A short gun season is the reason Ohio archery/crossbow hunters account for roughly 45% of the total harvest(yes, Ohio archery/crossbow hunters are killing more deer annually than Indiana gun hunters are killing during firearms season).
When gun season doesn't offer enough recreational opportunity to keep hunters satisfied, they pick up other weapons and keep hunting. [/b]Shortening firearms season or moving it to a later date will not affect the total harvest numbers. Lowering bag limits will. Opening weekend of firearms season is the deadliest two days there is for being a deer. Many "hunters" will never step foot in the woods again until opening weekend next season.
