Climate Change

While I do not believe in man made global warming, I do believe that our planet (or at least North America is in a warming trend). I'm 52 and can remember waiting on the school bus in northeast Louisiana and skating around on ice covered mud puddles at the end of our gravel drive.

And it seems to have picked up steam over the last 20 years.

I've been hunting southern Illinois for about 15 years now and have witnessed changes in the whitetail rut as well as duck numbers early in the season. When I first began hunting that area, prime deer hunting was the first week of November. Over the years, I've seen this become later and later. Now I understand that biologist will tell us that rutting activity isn't based on the weather, rather the amount of daylight. And while I'm sure these folks know what they're speaking about, I will also tell you that I see more deer activity during cooler or cold weather versus warm weather.

It takes longer each year for our ducks to make it down (just like Louisiana), which in my opinion is a direct result of the lack of ice out conditions up north.

So my question is this.....is it time for Wildlife Agencies to begin moving hunting seasons later into the year? Instead of deer season opening on October 1, move it to October 15 or later? It just seems that by moving the seasons, we may all be able to enjoy better hunting.