What hunts are better today than 10 years ago?

[Chad Gus]

Goose and bobcat are definitely better in my part of Wisconsin. Deer is a little better on private and about the same on public. Turkey down a little on private and way down in public. Bear quality is down from 10 years ago, numbers are about the same though. Coyote numbers are up, nobody is really trapping around me anymore and the dog hunters just don't seem to be very effective.

 

[bigsky2]

Goose, Duck, coyote, black bears, wolfs lol, upland game has its ups and downs, mule deer where I grew up, used to be all whitetail now you see more mule deer than whitetail on our farm/ranch.
Matt

That's an interesting point. I've often heard whitetail are more aggressive and will push mule deer out of their habitat. They have even blamed for the decrease in mule deer in some areas. That doesn't seem to add up though from what is happening in some of the traditional whitetail areas in eastern MT.

 

[Mallardsx2]

GA HOGS....

 

[Trap]

Idaho wolves and turkeys unfortunately. Deer,elk mountain lions have all gone down hill last 20 years. In terms of success and opportunities spring bear hunting is better than 20 years ago just due to extended season and the timing. I don’t think that will last as already noticing more small bears and seems like less numbers. But if you just want to kill a bear it’s better than it was 20 years ago with new seasons near me.

 

[geetar]

NC reported record bear harvest in 2020 and range is filling in between coastal and mountain ranges.

 

[Shangobango]

Only hogs and furbearers are better here. Maybe frogs the last few years too. Deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even small game such as squirells and rabbits are down on the public ground I hunt compared to 10 years ago.

 

[Hem]

Idaho wolves and turkeys unfortunately. Deer,elk mountain lions have all gone down hill last 20 years. In terms of success and opportunities spring bear hunting is better than 20 years ago just due to extended season and the timing. I don’t think that will last as already noticing more small bears and seems like less numbers. But if you just want to kill a bear it’s better than it was 20 years ago with new seasons near me.

Last I heard turkeys aren't killing fawns/calves.

 

[manitou1]

Sadly, the only increase I have seen are skunks, raccoon, opossum and coyote.
Fewer turkey, upland birds, rabbits and deer IMO.

 

[Trap]

Last I heard turkeys aren't killing fawns/calves.

What ? I have no issues with turkey’s lol it’s unfortunate that the only thing that’s actually increased in population is wolves and turkey. I like turkey hunting and we are polluted with turkeys here but I would rather see big game increase like that. Not sure where you’re going with that one

 

[Hem]

What ? I have no issues with turkey’s lol it’s unfortunate that the only thing that’s actually increased in population is wolves and turkey. I like turkey hunting and we are polluted with turkeys here but I would rather see big game increase like that. Not sure where you’re going with that one

Lol...nowhere really.
Fan of turkeys anyway.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

I didn't pay attention to it years ago, so I don't have an accurate frame of reference. But, moose numbers in Wyoming look great.

 

[Jason73]

If I live to hunt another year it's a great hunt!

 

[ccc23454]

I didn't pay attention to it years ago, so I don't have an accurate frame of reference. But, moose numbers in Wyoming look great.

I am not sure what numbers your seeing but if i am not mistaken moose tags in wyoming are about half what they were in 2010! i can tell you that grizzly numbers are way up and so are new homes in moose country....

Added later: 2010: 110 random moose tags to residents, 2021: 67 random tags to residents. There may be pockets but generally speaking wyoming moose have been going downhill.

 

[Bluffgruff]

This chart of moose harvest shows Wyoming harvest going from around 1200 animals in 2000 to about

400 animals in 2015 . View attachment 185561

Harvest is a function of tags, not of herd numbers directly. Looking at JCRs from WGFD, moose are stable to increasing in most areas, despite lower tag numbers overall.

 

[HowieNH]

I can't say that I've read anywhere in the last 20 years, that hunt conditions actually improved. Is that because we only focus on the doom and gloom? Seems like all you hear is more hunting pressure, shorter seasons, fewer animals, tags are harder to draw, etc etc.

Are there actually any bright spots in public land hunting today as compared to say, 10 years ago? I'm not interested in status quo, but maybe those are the only bright spots we have? I'm interested in actual meaningful improvements to public lands hunting that have occured in the last 10 years.

Im from New Hampshire and the Bear hunting is better now then when I was young the f&g keep tabs on the numbers and issue tags accordingly same with other predators. Our turkey hunting is exceptional,

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Duck hunting is better now in interior Alaska due to an extended season before the marshes freeze up.
Climate warming has been substantial in the fall.
In the 1990s they were typically frozen by the end of September, now sometime in later October.
Still a short "unfrozen season" starting Sept. 1. Bag limit is 10 ducks, possession 30 ducks.

Some caribou herds (Mulchatna for example) have crashed,
others have grown (40-mile herd for example)

 

[Panda Bear]

Polar Bear, Whale, Muskox have increased their numbers

We also have more hunters with nearly 6100 applying this year compared to 4750 last year. These applications were for elk, sheep, moose, deer, goat and caribou. Some caribou herds have increased in numbers and some have decreased depending on the herd location and breed of

the aforementioned is still true--plus the last count/estimate of thinhorn sheep ( dall, stone, fannin) looked good, with possibly as many as 25000. The Porcupine caribou herd is doing very well. The one thing we have noticed is the grizzly is moving further north and breeding with the polar, so we have a few more grolars. Other population increases are Elk, Wood Bison, and Wolf.

I am trying to contact someone in the U.S. that will arrange to take some of our wolfs for your "reintroduction" program. Can anyone provide names and contact information in the states of Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado please

 

[Sytes]

Dec 3rd 2020. Good thread.
I'd say The Nature Conservancy, RMEF, etc have been instrumental in filling the void for loss of public hunter opportunities of past private access to/through.

Thinning projects by TNC has shown the value of open access and better flora/fauna.

 

[MarvB]

Only speaking from my own experience....turkey, dove, some waterfowl, bear, cougar, wolf. Unfortunately where we live NOT deer, elk, or antelope.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

I am not sure what numbers your seeing but if i am not mistaken moose tags in wyoming are about half what they were in 2010! i can tell you that grizzly numbers are way up and so are new homes in moose country....

Added later: 2010: 110 random moose tags to residents, 2021: 67 random tags to residents. There may be pockets but generally speaking wyoming moose have been going downhill.

I haven't seen any tags Tags are a difficult/separate matter. However, I sometimes see over eight moose in under two hours. At times, I've had to make an effort to get away from them to get to elk, deer, pronghorn...

They're doing great from what I've seen.