Upload
others
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Big Game Information Meeting
December 2018
DEER PRONGHORN ELK
Deer Management Goal
• “Provide quality hunting and viewing opportunities within the limits of the deer resource while maintaining deer numbers at a level that is within the limits of social and ecological tolerance.”
Whitetail Deer
• Statewide distribution
• Exist in a wide range of habitats
• High productivity
– Many breed as fawns
– Twins or sometimes triplets
Mule Deer
Western 2/3 of state
Primarily a grassland or coniferous forest specie
Less Productive
Rarely breed as fawns
Single or twin fawns
Input to Deer Management Comes from 4 primary sources
• Landowners
• Hunters
• Public
• NGPC– Production, mortality, disease, age structure, harvest
data, trends, etc.
NGPC Responsibility
Develop permits & seasons to manage deer in a responsible and biologically sound manner.
Provide regulation and policy to assist landowners in controlling deer within tolerable limits.
Provide equal opportunities for hunters within the framework of management goals and strategies
Landowner Responsibility:• Estimate deer population
• If population is too high increase antlerless harvest
• Give access to hunters who you can trust
• If you lease your property to hunters, require an antlerless harvest quota if population is too high
• Work with neighbors in achieving common deer management goals
Hunter Responsibility:
• Work with the landowner to manage deer numbers and quality
• Harvest antlerless deer if population reduction is desired
• Harvest deer ethically and responsibly
• Donate harvested deer if they are surplus to your needs: Deer exchange, HHH, needy families, etc.
• Mentor & Recruit New Hunters
NGPC Deer Damage Policy
Hunting is the preferred method to reduce damage Fencing Habitat modification Scare devices DAMAGE PERMIT Rules
Landowner must allow reasonable harvest of antlerless deer
Kill permits not issued for property leased exclusively for buck hunting
Outside of 123 day deer season (July & Aug. best) Shooters must be approved by NGPC Deer must be utilized (eaten) No Fee permit
Deer “refuges” are the source of many deer depredation problems.
Considerations for Season Setting:
• Harvest Information/data
• Hunter/Landowner Surveys
• Public Comments at information meetings
• Crop Damage Complaints
• Disease Occurrences
• Weather Conditions
• Vehicle Accidents
Population Trend IndicatorsHarvest Data:
• Adult Male Harvest
• Antlerless Harvest
• % 1 ½ and 2 1/2+ year old Bucks in Harvest
• % Success by permit type
Harvest Summary
• Overall down 5% over last year as of end of November
• Whitetail – Buck harvest up slightly
– 41% 3.5 or older bucks
• Mule Deer – Buck harvest down slightly
– 2nd highest harvest
– 59% 3.5 or older bucks
DEER
MANAGEMENT UNIT
SUMMARIES
2018
2018 Season Changes
• Missouri- added AOWT bonus tags; removed antlerless mule deer restriction
• Elkhorn – removed antlerless mule deer restriction; reduced season choice permits by 800
• Calamus East – increased permits by 150 and added AOWT bonus tag; added 200 season choice permits
• Loup East – increased permits by 300
All Seasons2146 vs 2208
All Seasons907 vs 965
All Seasons2233 vs 2311
2018 Harvest
% Success on November Firearm, Either Sex
Permits:
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Elkhorn Unit: 39% 44% 42% 45% 42%
Cal. East Unit: 45% 50% 49% 55% 65%*
Missouri Unit: 47% 49% 61%* 49% 66%*
Loup East Unit: 47% 69%* 67%* 74%* 69%*
*indicates bonus tags on permits
Missouri Unit
Elkhorn Unit
Calamus East Unit
Loup East Unit
Archery Success
Archery Season:
2013 – 21% success
2014 – 23% success
2015 – 24% success
2016 - 23% success
2017 – 24% success
2018* - 21.5% success
Muzzleloader Success
• Muzzleloader Season:
• 2013 – 20% success
• 2014 – 22% success
• 2015 – 25% success
• 2016-- 24% success
• 2017-- 24% success
• 2018* - 18% success
Disease – 2018
EHD – None confirmed or reported
CWD – 131 positives of 1208 tested. First reported cases in
Valley and Keya Paha Co.
http://outdoornebraska.gov/cwd/
MENINGIAL BRAIN WORM – 5 confirmations in Mule
Deer – Knox, Brown, and Boyd Co.
Road Killed Deer Nebraska and Other States (Nebraska figures are from Dept. of Roads)
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
NE KS IA OH WI PA
Other Items
Continue Deer Exchange Program
Encourage participation in Hunters Helping the Hungry Program.
Need monetary contributions
Need deer contributions
Need locker participation
PRONGHORN HARVESTEAST SANDHILLS UNIT
FIREARM% % %Age
1.5
Year Reg LL Type Harvest Success Adult Buck
2009 20 4 BO 19 79 100 0
2010 20 10 BO 20 67 100 0
2011 20 10 BO 16 53 100 0
2012 20 10 BO 10 33 100 10
2013 14 7 BO 12 57 100 10
2014 14 7 BO 8 38 100 25
2015 10 5 BO 12 80 92 9
2016 10 5 ES 7 47 100 0
2017 10 5 ES 8 53 100
2018 16 8 ES 16 67 100
• The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission would like to hear your thoughts on Landowner Pronghorn permits. Do you have any thoughts on restructuring the pronghorn permit in regards to what lands a pronghorn permit holder may hunt on. Currently one is restricted to land he or she owns. Another option may be any private land within the unit the permit is valid? Other thoughts?
STATE ELK HARVEST -2018
Elk Unit Permits Harvest % Success Total 2017 Harvest 2017 Success
Bull Cow Total Bull Cow Calf Total Bull AO Total Bull Cow/calf Bull Cow
Ash Creek 12 27 39 12 7 19 100% 10 16 0.83 0.59
Bordeaux 24 51 75 16 9 1 26 67% 21 37 0.88 0.73
Box Elder 15 36 51 15 6 21 100% 10 11 0.83 0.31
Boyd 3 3 6 3 3 0% 2 3 0.67 1
Hat Creek 21 39 60 21 10 31 100% 17 26 0.81 0.67
Niobrara 9 30 39 9 11 20 100% 6 15 1 0.63
North Platte Riv 30 45 75 26 12 1 39 87% 31 14 0.94 0.14
*Auction/Supertags 5 5 5 5 100% 6 1 0
All Units 119 231 350 104 58 2 164 87% 103 122 87.0% 58.1%
Questions?
Comments?