Tom Thornton, game program manager for ODFW, said hunting seasons are not driving the black-tailed deer population in western Oregon. However, hunter success and buck-to-doe ratios have declined over the past 20 years. In addition, deer hair-loss syndrome and changes in land management practices have affected black-tailed deer populations.
Thornton presented the following options for consideration:
· Shorten the rifle season, especially the late season;
· Reduce or eliminate spike deer harvest;
· Reduce antlerless deer tags;
· Shorten antlerless deer hunts;
· Reduce the number of unit-wide hunts;
· Shorten the early archery season;
· Reduce or eliminate late archery season;
· Change archery bag limit to two-point or better;
· Reduce or eliminate late archery harvest;
· Reduce or eliminate antlerless harvest through bag limit restrictions;
· Reduce number of leftover tags for sale; and
· Offer leftover tags only to hunters with no tag.
The Commission will consider the options at their October meeting in Roseburg.
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