Deer Hunting Evolution

One of the great success stories in Louisiana conservation is the 1949-1969 deer restocking program (see “The Great Deer Comeback,” January 2018). Deer hunting, which had all but disappeared in most areas, was resurrected as a result and quickly became one of the state’s most popular outdoor activities.

In the 1960s, only bucks could be harvested and running dogs was the most common way to hunt. Dog hunting, in fact, was an important community social event as men and boys spanning several generations spent the day making drives, visiting, and reminiscing.  

Nearly everyone used shotguns loaded with buckshot, although most hunters carried a couple of “bear balls” with them in case a long shot presented itself.

There was no hunter’s orange, camouflage clothing, insulated boots, waterproof GORE-TEX ® jackets, or ATVs. Work coveralls, leather boots pulled over several layers of socks, and cotton gloves kept hunters warm, and hunting vehicles were often the family car.

As deer became more prevalent in the 1970s, one or two doe days became common in most parishes, and still hunting gained in popularity.

In my youth, still hunting meant creeping through the woods trying to spot a buck before he spotted me. Through trial and error, I learned how to recognize feeding and bedding areas, travel corridors, and transition zones. Hours afield taught me patience, how to slip silently through the forest, and how to pick out a deer’s horizontal body amidst the vertical trees.

Sadly, such skills are now largely lost. Today, most hunters sit in a box or climbing stand and keep one eye on their phone and the other on a food plot or corn feeder.

[Read this: Deer Ridge Farm: Deer urine is the trick tucked into many a hunter's orange vest.]

Technology has had a great impact on the deer hunting tradition. By the 1970s, metal leaning stands, deer calls, cover scents, and camouflage clothing became standard, and scoped rifles began to replace shotguns as the preferred weapon. Some hunters looking for a greater challenge even turned to black powder rifles and archery equipment. 

This technological change has continued. Recurve bows became compounds, and compounds led to crossbows. Traditional Hawken-style black powder rifles gave way to scoped muzzleloaders with synthetic stocks, and today even some centerfire rifles have been approved for the “primitive” weapons season.  

Deer hunting in Louisiana began to change fundamentally in the 1980s when the large timber companies started leasing their property to private hunting clubs. This was a traumatic development for hunters who were used to having free access to huge tracts of timber company land.

[You might like: Hungarians came to Louisiana to work at lumber mills and build on cut-over land.]  

Leasing also led to a decline in the number of hunters and the popularity of dog hunting. Some people who could not afford club dues simply put away their guns, and those who continued the sport discovered that many leases were simply not large enough to accommodate the running of dogs. 

Harvest records indicate that the 1990s were the golden age of Louisiana deer hunting. In each of the 1997-98 and 1999-2000 seasons, approximately 180,000 hunters bagged about 270,000 deer. Those are the best years on record. 

Harvest records indicate that the 1990s were the golden age of Louisiana deer hunting.

While many hunters have reported seeing fewer deer over the last decade, David Moreland believes the numbers will eventually rebound. The retired state deer program manager says, “The Baby Boomer generation killed a lot of deer, but many Boomers have slowed down with the harvest and it seems most are interested in only shooting a good buck. So I see deer numbers increasing down the road.”

Despite that optimistic opinion, there are still some threats on the horizon that could affect our sport. For example, people over sixty make up one-third of the state’s deer hunters, and Moreland sees that as a potential problem.

“One day we will be gone and what was important to us does not appear to be that important to the next generation. When we hang it up, the strong support for hunting will be gone.”

Other potential threats are the growing number of feral hogs and diseases. Hogs compete with deer for food, and an unchecked hog population can mean trouble.

[It's true—feral hogs have upstaged nutria as Louisiana's number-one nuisance.]

So far, diseases have not greatly affected the herd, but in 2012-2013 there were 182 anecdotal or confirmed cases of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHDV) in Louisiana, with most reports coming from the south-central and southeastern river parishes. 

Chronic Wasting Disease is another threat but fortunately no cases have been discovered in Louisiana, although it has been found in Mississippi.

For dog hunters, the future looks particularly bleak. Because of complaints about dogs running on adjoining clubs and private property, the federal government banned dog hunting on Kisatchie National Forest in 2013, and some timber companies have followed suit.

Despite these concerns, it is still a great time to be a Louisiana hunter. Deer are found all over the state, hunting licenses are reasonably priced, and we have a lengthy season with liberal bag limits. One could argue that we are, in fact, enjoying the good old days.

Dr. Terry L. Jones is professor emeritus of history at the University of Louisiana at Monroe who has received numerous awards for his books and outdoor articles.