It seems like 07/08 was a very productive year across the country for big bucks being killed...I myself had the best season as far killing good bucks with a bow and gun and I know many others laid some down all over this great land....then 08/09 hit and while some brutes were killed, it just didn't seem to be as many as the previous season...anyone with me on this? and what can you attribute it to if so?
My best season was in 2006. The season of 2007 was productive. 2008 season, seems everything went wrong each trip out. Oh well, going again these last two weekends coming up too just close out the season an be in the woods.
In the South we had a pretty good year last year... I didnt notice much difference except for weather and what not, seems like everytime I went to the woods it was a full moon all night... Anyway, still a productive year just a harder one to hunt (for me)....
I agree with you Vabowman, 2007 was the most productive year on our farm, that is for harvesting bucks we killed 3 bucks all going at least 120 and for WV that is pretty good. 2008 we had just a bunch of year and a half's and two and a half's.
I hunted new property that has had no pressure for about 8 years. One guy pays to hunt there but he only makes it out about 5 or 6 times a season so I dont consider him as pressure. I saw alot of bucks this year and some were dandys. In previous years on the property I used to hunt there was a steady incline in buck activity. The spring of 07 there were alot of bucks born in comparison to does. I think in 08 the numbers were more on the doe side of things from what ive seen of the fawns. With the 07 high buck birth rate Im anxious to see what the 2010 deer has in store for us bowhunters. Anybody else see alot more button bucks in 07 and 1 yr old bucks in 08??
Totally agree with you. I feel the main reason for this where I hunted was the thousands of acres of corn still in the fields till Thanksgiving. But here are a few of my other ideas. http://www.bowhunting.com/blog/post/2008/11/19/What-happened-to-the-rut.aspx
My most frustrating and toughest season to date. Poor natural mast real screeched deer movement and the rutting moon fell two weeks later than usual. Just a hard, hard season no doubt.
In PA I saw less deer than and particularly less bucks than previous years. I didn't put in any less time though. I was fortunate enough to tag a 3.5 year old on Halloween. I don't need to see a lot of deer if I'm fortunate enough to see the one I want in range. My first trip to IL was overwhelming both on private ground and guided ground. What an experience.
I totally agree with your cornfield theory. Most of the fields around here didnt get picked until mid-late Nov. That put a hurting on things for alot of people. I noticed alot of fall plowing this year too in comparison to before. This was definately a year to hunt early season over the beans!!
it seemed to be a lot more big bucks taken across the board last fall 07..maybe not, maybe it was less pics????
That was my year. 99.999% of it sucked. 5 seconds of it didn't.:d I saw very few deer this year, bow and gun seasons.
While I did manage to take 2 bucks, I considered 2008 to be a pretty poor season. I put in 110 hours and saw 34 deer from the stand. That sucks.
It was my best season ever, and one of the best for a lot of people I know. It was a weird season, very unpredictable, but more AND bigger bucks than usual.
