HUNTING NOTICE 2026

Fellow Hunters,

We all share a passion for this land and the tradition of the hunt. However, to ensure that tradition continues for our children and grandchildren, we need to have a serious conversation about the current state of our deer herd.

Our recent data and trail camera surveys show two undeniable facts: our recovery from the blue tongue outbreak is slower than expected, and we have a critical shortage of mature bucks surviving past the rifle season.

The Hard Truth

The committee recently discussed closing the season entirely to allow the herd to rebound. While we ultimately rejected that idea to preserve our traditions, we can only remain open if every hunter commits to a higher standard of voluntary selectivity.

To see the quality of bucks we all want, we must change our approach immediately:

Let the Young Bucks Walk: If we keep harvesting 1.5 and 2.5-year-old bucks, we will never have a healthy age structure. A "trophy" is a personal choice, but a "mature" buck is a biological necessity for a healthy herd.

Focus on the Strategy: We are doing our part by expanding food plots for better nutrition and aggressively targeting coyotes to protect fawns. We need you to do your part by being disciplined in the stand.

Think Long-Term: Every young buck passed this year is a potential wall-hanger and a dominant breeder next year.

Our New Standard

We are asking everyone to practice "Hard Coaching" in the field. Ask yourself before you pull the trigger: Does this harvest help the herd grow, or does it set us back another year?

We don't want to enforce rigid, mandatory rules that feel like government overreach. We want a community of hunters who care enough about the resource to police themselves.

Let’s work together to bring this herd back to its full potential. See you at the annual meeting to discuss our path forward.

Best regards,

The Hunting Committee