Hows your deer season?

[bearbait]

This was my first year out in 7 years, felt good to sit in the blind again really didn't care if I got one or not just great to be able to go again. I managed to take a nice doe and I have to tell you there's nothing like a having a couple deer burgers on the grill and a cold beer.

 

[skeets]

Just remember boys, every doe you kill is 3 less deer next year, and theres a 50% chance that one of them is a buck, maybe a world record,,, just sayin

 

[lugbolt]

Just remember boys, every doe you kill is 3 less deer next year, and theres a 50% chance that one of them is a buck, maybe a world record,,, just sayin

Very true. BUT, out here there are WAY too many does running around. Fish and game commission says we can kill 6 deer a piece this season. That's how badly overpopulated it is here. You can't drive anywhere without seeing them, and I've usually got 1 or 2 in the yard in the evenings. Not tonight though for some reason. They tear up the gardens so bad that I don't bother planting anymore. I don't care for venison, so I let the neighbor guy go after 'em with his cross bow. I can remember many years ago, during deer season, you was lucky to see a deer in an entire season. Now it's changed to you're lucky if you see less than a dozen, so pick the nicest one. I went the opening day of modern gun season and saw about 40. Let most of them walk because most were slick-heads with a button and a half spike mixed in. Next day my boss occupied the same stand and brought back a nice 5 pt, nothing special, but the biggest news was that first thing in the morning the bobcats were everywhere.

I'd personally just as soon kill a bear than deer. Better meat. Or better yet a wild sow; and those are a plenty around here too. Last time I got a boar, it really wasn't too good eating. Ok but not great.

CWD is running rampant here and that's another reason for 6 deer a piece, controls population and helps slow the spread of the disease. It's also been found in some of the Elk population.

 

[bearbait]

When it comes to this area Skeets is right, lucky if I see a couple different tracks a year. I actually had to put in for the doe draw which is a 3 hour drive away from where I live, just lucky my friend has a camp in that zone. What really bothered me was seeing 3 good size does and all were dry, no fawns with them. More than a couple evenings sitting in my blind the coyotes were all around me no more than 20 or 30 yards away when they first opened up. We figure the fawns are easy pickin's in the spring for the yotes, not good. Next year we decided no does will be taken by us in that camp.

 

[skeets]

I agree with you lugbolt, we had a ton of deer around here for the longest time. Then the EHD hit maybe 10 years ago, and I couldnt even ride the bike on the back roads thats how bad it smelled from the dead deer. After that, it has been a long haul for the herd to come back, and the PA game comm had a couple seasons of ,,,IF IT'S BROWN PUT IT DOWN. The doe kill was a freekin slaughter, Lil Brother had a hand held radio and we listened to the locals, telling each other where the deer where, and were killing every doe, and button buck that moved. We also have the CWD in parts of the state, and that is a big concern, and again this year the EHD hit and that really killed off the herd.
I don't have a problem with any one taking a doe, I know that over population is a really bad thing. Like I said I took one years ago for meat when the mines were closing and you do what you have to for the family, I just felt really bad about it, she was the first one and the last one for me.

 

[jmf78]

I agree with you lugbolt, we had a ton of deer around here for the longest time. Then the EHD hit maybe 10 years ago, and I couldnt even ride the bike on the back roads thats how bad it smelled from the dead deer. After that, it has been a long haul for the herd to come back, and the PA game comm had a couple seasons of ,,,IF IT'S BROWN PUT IT DOWN. The doe kill was a freekin slaughter, Lil Brother had a hand held radio and we listened to the locals, telling each other where the deer where, and were killing every doe, and button buck that moved. We also have the CWD in parts of the state, and that is a big concern, and again this year the EHD hit and that really killed off the herd.
I don't have a problem with any one taking a doe, I know that over population is a really bad thing. Like I said I took one years ago for meat when the mines were closing and you do what you have to for the family, I just felt really bad about it, she was the first one and the last one for me.

It's pretty amazing the differences being 100 miles or so apart. I rarely go a day without seeing deer in a field (or near the road) on my commutes to and from work. I'll typically see 3-5 deer....mostly doe. That doesn't include the ones seen along the side of the road. I've heard EHD or CWD discussed around here. Sorry to hear that is such a problem down in that area skeets.

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[RCW]

We’re almost over-run here. Just saw a doe and fawns behind house.
It’s to the point where forest regeneration is a problem because of winter browse.
We have a decent coyote population, but I’m guessing that’s up and down some also. Just heard yelping this summer for the first time in a couple years.

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[RCW]

Brother-in-law got a very nice 10 last week! Not nearby though, and they grow some big racks in his neck of the woods.

Saw a picture of a HUGE 10 harvested near here. Guessing spread nearing/over 28”, and heavy/tall rack. The buck’s head looked tiny, the rack was so big.
Never saw a whitetail that big in this part of the state.




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[skeets]

Thats a wall hanger to be sure

 

[bearbait]

Yep, that's a beauty.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Location Location Location.........

Here in eastern NC we have a healthy deer population, I run 3 cameras on our lease and when I checked them last we had 20 different bucks and countless doe groups on each.

We are taking 10 does on our lease this year of 450 acres as we do not even see a rut due to # of does. Second rut underway now and season ends for us January 1st.

Our mild winters allow most all deer to survive, last night down to 26 coldest night of year so far.

We live in the country not way deep but off beatin path. I do not hunt deer on our 13 acres though I could but I do have enough that I am putting up a electric fence around my garden which has 8 100' rows and 8 90' rows and 8 25' rows of asparagus. The deer destroyed 800' of peas and beans in the summer resulting in no legumes to freeze or can.

 

[jryser]

Location Location Location.........



Here in eastern NC we have a healthy deer population, I run 3 cameras on our lease and when I checked them last we had 20 different bucks and countless doe groups on each.



We are taking 10 does on our lease this year of 450 acres as we do not even see a rut due to # of does. Second rut underway now and season ends for us January 1st.



Our mild winters allow most all deer to survive, last night down to 26 coldest night of year so far.



We live in the country not way deep but off beatin path. I do not hunt deer on our 13 acres though I could but I do have enough that I am putting up a electric fence around my garden which has 8 100' rows and 8 90' rows and 8 25' rows of asparagus. The deer destroyed 800' of peas and beans in the summer resulting in no legumes to freeze or can.

If you are truly not seeing buck activity I might suggest taking every doe you can this year! I have one lease at 110 acres and I took 11 between me and 4 guests; the following year I took 8, and FINALLY saw amazing rut activity (and have with at least 4-6 does a year) ever since. I also have a 450 that I share with a great friend - we brought some guests and we took 20 between all of us last year and this year's rut was amazing. As Skeets pointed out, Mother Nature does her job at deer reduction more efficiently than we do with EHD; we can at least do the best we can to help and make her job less "cruel." Good luck and keep us all informed!!!


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[Creature Meadow]

We do see bucks saw 5 one day week before last we just don't see the mature bucks 4 1/2 and older chasing only the 3 1/2 and younger.

We do manage the does like posted looking to take 10 mature does this year, half way there now.

You are right, keeping herd balanced is key to seeing a good rut.

Been hunting lease for 6 years guys in it with me this year first time are more in tuned with QDM than previous guys.

Balancing act though some like to see deer each sitting while others and the group with me now rather see couple of does and mature bucks.

Herd is healthy as most of our mature does have twins even have one with 3 don't know if all 3 are hers or she adopted one.

In short yes we need to shoot some does. When you look at deer in the plots and see 2 distinct groups of fawns ages you know some does were bred in November and others in December indicating the mature bucks could not make it to each doe in first rut in November.

Good hunting.

Jay

 

[jmf78]

Yesterday was our last day. Had seen plenty of deer through the season, just not many good shots available. Mine was the only deer taken between the three of us.

As we were leaving the game lands last night, we decided to see how many hunters were leaving the other side of the state game lands. That's where we were planning on hunting but there were too many hunters there already. We passed the entry of that spot and in the field immediately following we saw no less than 18 deer. Looked like there were some buck but couldn't really tell.

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[helomech]

Shot this one in my back yard while I was working on the house.

 

[B2R]

Shot this one in my back yard while I was working on the house.

Nice buck, congrats



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[B2R]

I managed to kill a nice one on the cattle farm this year. Over all we have been really blessed, one of the best years we've had as far as quality of bucks and the number of deer taken.


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[bearbait]

Some very nice bucks taken, congrats to you all.

 

[Wildan]

Our late muzzle-loader season just closed Dec.10;I have been deer hunting since Sept.27,early archery.Saw a new record for me;horns 37 times.Small bucks for the most part,shot a decent six/155# with the rifle and saw a monster first day of late MZ season.My last nine bucks had been 8 points or better and thought this one was a 8 also.
Family had a good year seeing bucks ,just none big enough to shoot.We are in Northern NY,right on the Canadian border.

 

[skeets]

Bearbait said it all, good on each of you