This has been by far the worst season i had at my lease in 4 years. Only have seen 5 deer while in the stand and have put in at least 40-45 sits. Normally i have 2 to 3 on the ground by now and have yet to put one down. Only thing i see different the last 2 years is the Hog population growing on our place, this is the only thing i can put together that makes sence. Does anyone else have this issue on there place? Its a little aggravating. Granted i'm use to not seeing deer every hunt but never has it been this bad lol. Our lease of 6 people normally harvest about 15 deer a year and we currently only have 2 to count for!!
Slow season for me in RI. I put down a doe on opening day...and didnt see a shooter buck on stand in RI all season. (110" or higher) my season goes till the end of january, but i lost all and every ounce of motivation to go out. The large acorn crop was the culprit I believe for me in my area. Wish i could put food plots in this upcoming season, but I'm lucky to be able to pay my mortgage now. my wife got layed off on haloween and she was the bread winner. sorry for the life story...lol been a crappy few months!
Ay the Wisconsin deer camp there were 0 deer taken that is a first and I never thought I would live to see the day. Here in Minnesota the DNR tells us the deer population is so down, but I am seeing as many deer as ever.
The butcher and taxidermist said it was a good year in north central IL(for them). But the farm I hunted was quite slow,we got very lucky and had someone walk the neighbors land which sent 2 bucks and a few does our way. I'm kinda glad I don't hunt WI because it sounds very poor these days.
Awful for me, I believe as swamp said acorns are the culprit here too. Spoke with local butcher (small side operations) said they were way down this year.
I have had horrible season at my place here on the river bottom, 114 ac As we flooded three times which wiped out the woods and we didn't get our corn out until just a few days before the gun opener. Also this year I had packs of dogs on my cams and they run all day every day.
I would start shooting hogs, I like Bacon. I have not seen the amount of Deer I normally do either this year. I contribute that to all the corn that was still standing. It is coming down now and seeing a few more deer but with only 9 days left its getting tight. Beefie
I saw a lot of deer for the time I was out.. Seemed there has been a lot of nice buck shot around my area of PA as well. I've seen 4 shooters so far this year on my property alone, along with 5 young buck and a dozen or more doe and yearlings. Unfortunately when it came around to rifle season and I took my girlfriend out there wasn't a deer to be found, but all in all it's probably been the best season I've had in the 4 years I've archery hunted. What's funny is the one day I went to set up a blind by myself in the middle of rifle season for my girlfriend, I jumped a nice buck but I was tagged out and wasn't carrying a gun (I should have known better lol). After scouting here in the past couple days for late Archery season for my girlfriend I've seen a lot of promising fresh deer sign. I've set up a few game cams in the past couple days to see if I can pattern anything, hopefully I get some good pictures of some of the mature buck I seen this year still hanging around the area.
One of my worst so far too. Even though I shot a bear and 8pt I have hardly seen anything else while in stand.
Been the worse the season I have had in years! The GAZILLION acorns didn't help, but I learned a lot because of it. I have seen maybe 7 deer this when in years past I have had at least that many come in at one time. EHD hit us hard his this year. Not to mention that Dumb @ss Dog Hunters and thieves ruined my hunting at my #2 Property. With that being said, I take the good with the bad. My scouting skills went way up this year and I got to spend a lot of time setting up and learning my video equipment.
Yea the acorns i'm sure had a big role to but normally this time of year the does hit the flood plots pretty good. Trust me if i could see the hogs in the day time i'd shoot them in a heart beat but they all at night right along with the deer. I'm just thanking God i made that trip to Kansas because i'd be pretty upset and without meat lol
we have always taken a few nice bucks a year off our place, this year we are lucky to kill a doe. But 5miles down the road they are slaughting deer.
had one last year was stuck hunting over crowded public land.. this year I leased a good farm and between the wife and I we have 5 in the freezer...
Put in 107 hrs in stands on heavy pressure public land and saw 3 shooter bucks! the 140" stayed 100 yrds away. A heavy 5x5 came in chasin a doe at 25 yrds directly behind my stand. The wide 4 point came as close as 60yrds. Had a 120" 4x5 at 15 yrds early December but passed. I was obsessed with this buck, but never saw him all season!
