Deer overharvest

Many deer hunter friends report a decline in deer numbers in recent years in southern ON. Personally I notice less road kills and sightings throughout the year.
Although there are various reasons for deer population declines, I suspect that the extended season is partially responsible. With the addition of lengthy bow and black powder seasons hunters have more than 2 months to fill tags. IMO there is really no difference in the killing effectiveness of a scoped black powder gun and a rifle if you are selective in your shot. Do we require an additional gun season? Furthermore, cross bows are more accurate and lethal than ever. We're not hunting prairie deer!
Any comments?

Not to be a dik...................but if you really believe there aren't that many deer in your area, don't hunt them.

Crossbows and muzzleloaders are only tools to help manage our wildlife. Filling our tags with these tools only makes it more cool if you ask me.

I’ll grab the popcorn !!

Additional tags are issued with the idea of reducing a population that is in over abundance. Thats the whole point of them. Southern ON saw unprecedented deer populations over the past twenty years due to intensive agriculture giving deer an excellent food source and tag quotas were increased to bring that population down. It worked.

While we as hunters may want a deer behind every tree in the forest, its not ideal for the population as a whole.

We had a three month archery season before additional tags came and went. One tag is one tag regardless of what you use to fill it. I don't see the problem.

Are you complaining that deer hunting has become too much like hunting in your area?

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Originally Posted by GW11

We had a three month archery season before additional tags came and went. One tag is one tag regardless of what you use to fill it. I don't see the problem.

Are you complaining that deer hunting has become too much like hunting in your area?

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Are seasons too long? I don't want to limit tags for everyone just control the harvest so we sustain the population

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Originally Posted by rick_iles

I’ll grab the popcorn !!

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Grab me a bag to eh? This one is likely to get good.

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Don't be a s spectator join the discussion

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Originally Posted by fratri

Not to be a dik...................but if you really believe there aren't that many deer in your area, don't hunt them

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^^This.

Personally I have seen more deer this season than ever in the 35 years I have spent hunting them. In 6 sits with the crossbow this season I have seen 17 different does and 3 different bucks live - not on camera. I am also seeing deer on roads where I have never seen them before and these are roads that I have driven daily for 20+ years. No shortage in southern Ontario - got tags - fill em any way legal.

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Originally Posted by seedoc

Are seasons too long? I don't want to limit tags for everyone just control the harvest so we sustain the population

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Who says the current population is not sustainable?

Id hazard a guess we couldnt wipe out deer from southern ON if we tried.