During the 10 day early muzzleloader season here in Maryland I only saw 3 deer all at one moment,on one day,during the whole season,and I hunted every day of it.The deer tracks,that are usually numerous,were practically nonexistant.So after the season I decided to put some corn out,which is legal on private property here,to try to atract some deer to the area of my stand.I put a small amount (250 lbs.) out a couple of weeks ago.I went last week to check on it and put out some corn on the cob I picked up off the ground after the harvest.There was at least half of what I originally put out still on the ground.Anyway,I went back today to freshen up the pile with another 120 lbs..It's a good thing I did.The original 250 lbs. was all but gone with a number of tracks around it.The thing that has me pumped is the scrape line.Within an 80 yard shooting distance from my stand there are 6 scapes.This guy has really been buisy.Hopefully if I can keep the does there eating corn he will stay there too.Shotgun season opens this Saturday and runs for 2 weeks with leagal hunting on the first sunday.I have both of those weeks off from work and plan to use my newly scoped 870 for the first kill.If that happens then I will probably return to my true love,the sport of hunting with a muzzleloader.We'll see.I don't like to count my chickens before they hatch.
What are your thoughts on lack of deer sign/ sightings early in your season?
I ask because in my area it was the same story. There was abundant food including mast crops and corn fields; weather was a bit erratic but that's not so unusual. I think the "herd" here was nocturnal early for some reason. I've heard the blame lain on coyotes though to be honest, I've seen a "normal" amount of them.
I just wonder was has been different this Fall in the cervid world?...
The temperature stayed in the 70's the whole season and it was windy every day.I believe they just were not coming out of the woods.Unfortunately I am set up on the edge of a harvested corn field with a bad view of the wooded area behind me because of all the leaves.That view should improve with the leaves falling though.
I sat in a stand Friday morning (dawn to 10:30 a.m) and evening (3:00 p.m. to dark) and didn't see a deer. Same thing Saturday. Same thing Sunday morning. Morning temperatures were in the high 40's with mid 70's by noon. Full moon all night.
I pulled the SD cards on three cameras I had out on three different food plots. All three had exactly the same pattern. There were deer on the plots during shooting hours every morning and evening up until last Wednesday morning. After that there were no daylight pictures at all, but lots between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.
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My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
In Tennessee, if you bait deer - private land or not, and you're caught you forfeit your privileges to hunt for at least 3 years. PLUS your rifle is confiscated.
Here's a link to a case. http://www.fwoa.org/TN%20Baiting%20Case.html
I think hunting over bait is a personal decision. For me - I won't do it - not because of the law - It's a personal decision.
__________________ Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. — Mark Twain
In Tennessee, if you bait deer - private land or not, and you're caught you forfeit your privileges to hunt for at least 3 years. PLUS your rifle is confiscated.
Here's a link to a case. http://www.fwoa.org/TN%20Baiting%20Case.html
I think hunting over bait is a personal decision. For me - I won't do it - not because of the law - It's a personal decision.
Thom, he ain't talking about TN, so what does this have to do with anything? If it's a personal choice and you don't have a problem with it, why are you bringing your personal view into it when baiting ain't the subject?
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"Well if it ain't loaded and c0cked, it don't shoot." -Rooster Cogburn
7.62-As long as baiting is not the subject.I would like to know the difference between a bait site and a food plot.Same objective,same result.I am not trying to start a war,it is just a mystery to me.
Charlie
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"Fathom the hypocrisy of a Government
that requires every citizen to prove
they are insured.... but not everyone
must prove they are a citizen"
Or hunting a fruit tree, oak tree, bean field, corn field, etc., etc.
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My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
The Weather here in NY this Oct-Nov has been on the Warmer side most of the time. The Deer are here but kept most of there movement especially through the RUT limited to the cooler nights. So daytime movement has been very limited to mostly Fawns, plus we have a-lot of Coyotes and the Deer are always on Red Aleart and it seems to over the years made them a little more Nocturnal.
A good Cold Snap with Snow and as our Season progresses the Deer will start to feed heavy for the upcomming Winter.
Plus over the years Bohunting Pressure has made the Deer Herd a Hell of a lot Smarter and it does'nt take much for the Smarter Adult Deer to pic up on this and go Nocturnal.
There's so many variables involved it could be any of them, if there's Deer Tracks there out there, if there's no tracks they either found a better safer place to hang out or there not there.
On the Subject of Corn, I also feed the Deer Corn in the Hard Cold Winters we have here, in My Back Yard the Deer will eat 2 50lb Bags of Corn in one night sometimes. I'll check it the next day and I cant believe it sometimes that there's not even one Kernal left.
Hang on there you'll see your Deer, Good Luck!
(BP)
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Those who hammer their Guns into plows will plow for those who do not. Thomas Jefferson
Good Sign
