Even in the thick of
the rut, Ohio’s archery hunters are still lagging behind when laid
next to the respective to-date 2016 numbers.
The current to-date
deer kill – as of November 7th – stands at 37,861
animals. That figure is up 10,184 deer from the October 31st
to-date kill of 27,677 animals, or an increase of about 27 percent.
By comparison –
and comparison is the only way that statistics can be assessed as
being meaningful – the November 6th 2016 to-date deer
kill was 42,268 animals.
Thus the current
to-date tally is down 4,407 animals and when it is laid alongside the
respective 2017 figure.
Dimming the lamp a
bit more as well, Ohio’s November 8th 2016 to-date
weekly deer kill count was 33 percent higher than was its previous
(November 1st 2016) to-date weekly deer kill count. Which
is another way of saying that last year’s to-date deer kill pace
was quicker than it is for the (so-far, anyway) 2017 to-date deer
kill.
Which is why
baseball statistics and deer kill statistics are so much fun for
their respective wonks to follow and to digest. But I digress.
In other news
regarding the current to-date deer taken numbers, we see five of
Ohio’s 88 counties with reported to-date kills of 1,000 or more
animals each. They include in alphabetical order (with their
respective 2016 to-date numbers in parentheses): Ashtabula County –
1,171 (1,192); Coshocton County – 1,305 (1,371); Licking County –
1,101 (1,324); Trumbull County – 1,040 (1,146); and Tuscarawas
County – 1,031 (1,000).
The only current
2017 to-date county not yet in the “One-Thousand Club” that was a
member in 2016 is Knox. Knox has seen a serious drop in its
respective to-date/year-to-year deer kill, too – 894 animals
currently verses 1,067 to-date in 2016, or a decline of 173 deer.
Ohio does have
several counties that likely – almost certainly, in fact – will
assume a membership in the One Thousand Club. Those candidates with
to-date kills of at least 750 animals each (with their respective
to-date 2016 figures in parentheses) are: Guernsey County – 766
(773); Holmes County – 972 (991); Knox County – 894 (1,067);
Muskingum County – 859 (926); Richland County – 788 (818).
It is perhaps
telling to note that every county mentioned so far – with the
exception of Tuscarawas County – has seen a decline in their
respective 2016 verses 2017 to-date deer kills. They are not alone.
Among some of Ohio’s other counties with notable to-date deer kill
declines (with their respective 2016 to-date numbers on parentheses)
are: Adams – 676 (811); Brown – 466 (543); Carroll – 560 (680);
Columbiana – 560 (729); Highland – 483 (618); Hocking – 538
(605); Jefferson – 254 (489); Lorain – 582 (755); Perry – 408
(500); Ross – 504 (645); Scioto – 377 (502); and Williams -382
(485).
In all, only 12 of
Ohio’s 88 counties have posted to-date 2017 deer kill gains when
compared to their comparable and respective 2016 to-date deer kill
numbers. They are: Auglaize County – 220 (198); Butler County –
410 (404); Clinton County – 179 (152); Erie County - 255 (235);
Huron County – 478 (465); Montgomery County – 224 (215); Morgan
County – 494 (486); Morrow County – 358 (348); Noble County –
452 (427); Ottawa County – 118 (112); Tuscarawas County – 1,031
(1,000); and Union County – 249 (233).
Crawford County has
posted identical to-date 2016 and 2017 deer kill numbers – 239.
Lastly, only one of
Ohio’s 88 counties has yet to see a 2017 to-date kill that hasn’t
crossed over into the three-figure tally. Fayette County’s 2017
to-date deer kill stands at 68 animals. Last year this time Fayette
County had achieved the same piece of statistical notoriety only in
2016 its to-date kill number was 81 animals.
Of course, all of
these figures will change and perhaps markedly so as Ohio’s two-day
youth-only firearms deer hunting season is scheduled for this
weekend, November 18th and 19th. The weather will unquestionably
determine the deer kill, just as it did in 2016 when rain, cold and
wind hit much of the state during the youth-only deer gun season.
Unfortunately, the
weather forecast is calling for breezy conditions along with
unseasonably cooler than average temperatures as well as a strong
chance of rain and then a rain-snot mix followed by a chance of all
snow in some locations and for both days. Ugh and double ugh.
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
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