According to the Illinois DNR, hunters killed a preliminary total of 74,191 deer during the seven-day firearm deer season (first season was Nov. 22-24, second season was Dec. 5-8). Compare that to the 2012 when hunters shot 99,546 deer during the two gun hunts. What caused the big harvest drop? This article speculates that recent outbreaks of EHD the last two summers were worse than thought, and that coyotes are taking a measurable toll on the state’s herd (something we have been monitoring big time on the blog, plus we did a full BIG DEER TV episode on coyote-deer predation last year). But the story goes on to imply that the DNR might be mismanaging the deer herd by permitting [...]

Developing Story: Green Score by Official Boone Scorer, 208 gross 194 1/8" net. New Kansas State Record Archery Typical ( Pending Drying ), it'll be close to current state record which is currently193 7/8".

A recent study by Responsive Management asked people, “Why do you hunt?” Of those polled, 35 percent said “for the meat.” That’s up 13 percent from a similar 2006 survey, when 22 percent of hunters said their primary motivation was for meat to eat. The people who conducted the survey said the ongoing slow economy is the primary reason for the uptick in meat hunting: “As households…started to feel the effects of significant financial pressures several years ago (including frozen or reduced salaries and/or prolonged unemployment) more Americans likely turned to hunting as a way of obtaining relatively inexpensive venison…to put food on the family table.” Another school of thought believes the recent increase in meat hunters (and hunting license [...]