Early Antlerless Season

[AlleganBowhunter]

Curious what everyones thoughts are on the EAS.  This is the 2nd year (I think, been a long night) of the early season.  Anyone have any good, bad or indifferent thoughts on the season?

I like it because it gets me out earlier than the bow opener, and any time in the woods is good time.   I only have a small (approx 8-10 acre wooded lot ) I can hunt on, so its hard to read the deer population off it.  My sightings seem to vary with what crops are planted around the wood lot.

[MI_bowhunter]

Personally, I'm not a fan.  Only because I hunt public land and have a nice buck patterned.  My only hope is that no early season hunters push him out of his summer routine.  Kind of destroys all of my hard work in hopes of actually being able to pattern a mature whitetail.  You never know though.
 
On the flip side, we do need to harvest more does in this state....which I'm all for. 

[4khorn]

ORIGINAL: AlleganBowhunter

I only have a small (approx 8-10 acre wooded lot ) I can hunt on, so its hard to read the deer population off it.  My sightings seem to vary with what crops are planted around the wood lot.

Sounds a lot like my hunting situation. My hunting has always been better in the years when corn surrounded my lot.

[DeerCamp]

I really like it..I went out for one night, I missed a doe, but saw a few bucks.. Feels good to get in the woods again.

[skeatus]

I got a doe this early sesaon. I liked it cause I was able to get out and hunt deer. Last year where I hunt I saw 30-50 does a night, no bucks. had buck sign but small. All the does were 500 yards away. Still had fun. Maybe put antlerless season at the beginning of Janurary.

[AlleganBowhunter]

Maybe put antlerless season at the beginning of Janurary.

I have seen this mentioned in the past.  I am not sure if it would be good or bad.  I recall late last season reading a forum (not here, can't recall where though) where some stated the bucks were dropping antlers (in December).  I was sicker than a dog and missed the late season not to mention shed hunting is something I never got into anyway.  I have read in several places the big bucks drop antlers before the smaller bucks.  And the bigger boys come out of the rut needing energy (I am thinking left over Ag crops or baiting plots)...  seems to be a bad combination to me. 

Can someone with knowledge comment?  Would holding a January doe only season run the risk of shooting bucks who have already dropped their antlers?  Or am I blowing it out of proportion?

Any other pros/cons?

Happy Hunting!

[MI Hunter]

There may be a few bucks that lose their antlers that early but most won't.  The earliest I personally saw a buck without his antlers was IIRC, late Feb/early March.  An EAS is better from a biological standpoint than a LAS anyway.  In overpopulated areas like the SLP, antlerless deer are taken out before they utilize food resources which can help remaining deer as the winter gets worse.  

[AlleganBowhunter]

Thanks MI Hunter.  I agree the EAS is better but most don't seem to get out and shoot the deer.   You eased my main concern about a late(r) hunt.  I would just like more to get out and shoot some does in the EAS or the current late season.   With so much private land in the SLP I am not sure what we can do to get the herd more balanced.

Thanks again, Happy Hunting!