[b]either completely end the late Dec. kill all the Doe's season or drastically cut back the counties in it, drop more counties to 3 AL bonus's or less
I've read similar comments on this forum (and others) plus on facebook, so I went back and looked @ the data from 2009/16 and what I found I think some will find surprising.
From 2009/2011 (the last seasons I have data for before the late antlerless season was implemented), antlerless deer killed with a firearm (firearms and muzzleloader seasons) made up (on average) 74% of the total antlerless harvest or 59,000 antlerless deer per season.
From 2012/2016 (after the late antlerless season was implemented), antlerless deer killed with a firearm (firearms, muzzleloader and late antlerless season) made up (on average) 70% of the total antlerless harvest or 54,000 antlerless deer per season.
In other words....on a statewide basis, the late antlerless season hasn't increased the antlerless harvest (on average) by either percentage or number of deer with a firearm.
In actuality, the antlerless harvest with a firearm has just been spread out among the firearms, muzzleloader and late antlerless seasons and that has actually resulted in lower percentages and actual numbers (on average) since the late antlerless season was implemented. [/b]
A new weapon (crossbow) was also added in 2012. More weapon choices will make the harvest percentages by weapon drop by default.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
