Harvest statistics and how to interpret

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Bwhit16
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Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bwhit16 » Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:29 am

So I am seeing the writing on the wall development around where I live is eating up all of the places I grew up hunting.

Next year it looks like I will have to focus my efforts on game lands, Now this isn't something I am not used to as I hunt public in other states a few times a year. However, I was digging in to harvest reports for my states gameland and have some questions as to how you would interpret the stats. I figure it might be useful for knowing both hunting pressure and deer populations.

For example some areas have 12 deer total killed with an even buck to doe ratio

others have 700 deer killed but a lot more bucks due to the nature of having to have a permit to kill antlerless on that property (its also the largest game land in the state encompassing 6 counties)

Then there are some skewed the other way heavy on doe and button buck harvests but not as many antlered bucks.

One particular game land had two bucks no does and no button bucks on it I am very interested in researching this game land as it might only have one guy hunting it and it may be a little honey hole.

Just looking for some thoughts as to how you would view the stats. I know nothing beats boots on the ground but I am trying to focus my efforts based on statistics and land types for the best outcome. As there is only so much time in the day and I am a full time professional who is also in college at nights I have to hunt smarter.


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Bio1
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bio1 » Thu Oct 07, 2021 2:52 am

Does it show total hunter attempts and acre per deer killed? I would be very interested in those two things. Hunter attempts will give you an idea on pressure and the acres will give you an idea on age structure. Let’s say it is 200 acres per deer killed - that would be low and you could expect that there are some older deer around. If it’s 50 acres per deer or less it is getting pounded and the age structure likely stinks. Even if they don’t give you this info it should list total huntable acres and the harvest and you can figure it out yourself.

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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bwhit16 » Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:51 am

Yeah I thought making a spreadsheet and logging kill data by acre of land as well as buck to doe ratio over years would tell me a lot about a the deer heard and hunting pressure. There are some areas the number look like the area gets hammered but maybe broken down into by acre situation those areas aren't as bad as it seems.


I will build this and see what I find maybe focusing on only the land within a couple hours of the house and then focusing my initial scouting efforts there.
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bio1 » Thu Oct 07, 2021 8:56 am

A low per acre kill is where I would start. The buck/doe ratio may not tell you much as a lot of public kills are as they come - meaning not much hets passed. Low hunter trips is also good. You can divide that into the acreage as well.
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bwhit16 » Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:29 am

I ended up doing the spreadsheet in acres per deer kill and found some very interesting numbers. I did deer per acre but the values were not easy to interpret.

I found a place close to home that is 1 deer harvested per 676 acres. I think I will start here.
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:44 am

I’ve never found a way to interpret any kill numbers into a plan to benefit me. I mean the numbers never reflect the type hunter that provided the numbers. It’s a lot easier to be successful if u don’t care what u shoot.

I prefer to put my time into researching restrictions that eliminate most of the competition. Find a bow only property and you removed 75% of it right out the gate. Find one with some type barrier most don’t wanna deal with crossing even better. Find one with very low deer numbers that most don’t have the stomach for. Find one with all the above…. Sign me up!
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Bwhit16 » Fri Oct 08, 2021 5:41 am

Boogieman,

I have been focusing my research or internet based scouting on places with swamps or limited access. I have also focused on some very treacherous mountain regions that limit both deer population and willingness of hunters to leave the main road.

I plan on picking a few areas for next year and hitting them all hard in January-march gathering intel for next season. I may slide in for a hunt or two this season just to see what hunting pressure is like in the few areas I decide to focus on.

I have some suspicions of the places I am interested in targeting but the data I found kind of supports what I assumed. Deer hunters are killing the most deer on the properties with the easiest access. The mountain land parcels that make up a hug percentage of public here seem to get less deer killed per acre probably due to the treacherous nature of the hunting and the swamp areas see a ton of pressure from duck hunters with few deer killed.

I plan to focus my efforts in the roughest mountain terrain and the nasty swamps.

It is a shame that I grew up always having access to private and never did any research to the public in my home state. Even though I hunt public every year in other states and I hunt the private I have access to very mobile it is just how I was raised. Climber on the back and go where the deer are. I have missed a huge opportunity and am looking forward to not being isolated to one piece of ground. Its as much about the journey as it is about the result.
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Re: Harvest statistics and how to interpret

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:40 am

Bwhit16 wrote:Boogieman,

I have been focusing my research or internet based scouting on places with swamps or limited access. I have also focused on some very treacherous mountain regions that limit both deer population and willingness of hunters to leave the main road.

I plan on picking a few areas for next year and hitting them all hard in January-march gathering intel for next season. I may slide in for a hunt or two this season just to see what hunting pressure is like in the few areas I decide to focus on.

I have some suspicions of the places I am interested in targeting but the data I found kind of supports what I assumed. Deer hunters are killing the most deer on the properties with the easiest access. The mountain land parcels that make up a hug percentage of public here seem to get less deer killed per acre probably due to the treacherous nature of the hunting and the swamp areas see a ton of pressure from duck hunters with few deer killed.

I plan to focus my efforts in the roughest mountain terrain and the nasty swamps.

It is a shame that I grew up always having access to private and never did any research to the public in my home state. Even though I hunt public every year in other states and I hunt the private I have access to very mobile it is just how I was raised. Climber on the back and go where the deer are. I have missed a huge opportunity and am looking forward to not being isolated to one piece of ground. Its as much about the journey as it is about the result.

Ain’t gotta explain to me brotha. Sounds like you got a good plan. That’s what matters. I used to spend a lot of time searching areas where Boone & Crockett bucks were killed. As years went by I came to realize those bucks are dead. Gotta find a system that works for you. Sounds like your on the right track. Good luck!
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-


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