Hunting in VA this past week......

VA5326 · 10-06-2008, 03:36 PM

I don't know what it was but this past Saturday (opening day). I hunted in my normal place in Fluvanna county and saw only one deer the whole day. I normally see all kinds of deer activity early in the season. I'm thinking it is because the acorns are falling like rain in the woods and in turn the deer don't have to move that far from their bedding to feed. I am perplexed about this past weekend. Anyone experience the same thing Saturday or not. Sorry for the rant but I probably would have had better luck had I stayed in NOVA, but I love hunting central Virginia because I can get away from everything in the DC area. Ok I'm done. Thanks for listening guys and gals.

virginiashadow · 10-06-2008, 05:27 PM

Best of luck VA--I will be in the woods the next couple of days here at Quantico and will let you know how it is going. Please do the same. BEST of luck to you, I hope you get to loose an arrow!

swvmutt · 10-06-2008, 06:06 PM

I had just the opposite experience this past Saturday during my first ever day of bow hunting.

Saturday morning I had an entire group of 9 bucks walk right under my stand. Ranging from a spike to a 10 pointer. But, the deer got lucky and I missed at 13 yards.

tourangeaud · 10-07-2008, 08:57 AM

Tweaked my knee the night before. So I decided not to treck deep into the woods for opening day. I ended up going to a stand that is typically not archery worthly. I had action all morning long. However, mother nature and myself spoiled every decent opportunity for a shot. There is always tomorrow. Lots and lots of acorns on the ground and falling from the trees, every second. The deer don't have to travel far to find a snack.Water and white oaksmay be the perfered set up this season.

o2bebowhunting · 10-07-2008, 09:29 AM

took a doe in loudoun in the pm. saw nothing in the morning at a different farm. my friend also took a doe w/ me. his girlfriend took a whopper in fairfax 10minutes after it got light. a 19.5" 11 pt--prob scores 145-150. dressed 170lbs. i will try to post a pic

crenshaw · 10-07-2008, 09:44 AM

I hunted NOVA. Saw between 20-30 deer, kinda lost track, passed up all of them. Mainly does and small bucks. They were hitting the acrons. I hunt a private ridge line on a creek, there are about 20 white oaks with in a 100yard diameter, they fed late until 11, then there were back at it by 3pm. I would focus on funnels and oaks, My friend sat by a field and saw nothing, i chose a stand on the oaks, and was covered. No shooter bucks, but they will be there soon enough, as long as i dont my self overly present.

virginiashadow · 10-07-2008, 03:17 PM

Hunted Quantico until 10am this morning. Saw a spike and a 5 pointer..both within range so it was cool. Will be back at it tomorrow morning. I took a hit or miss approach this morning, hitting a ditch leading into a bedding area. I am gonna go more general tomorrow and sit by a food source. Good luck guys.

UFunny2 · 10-07-2008, 05:54 PM

I thought Saturday was a pretty good day. Hunted in the mountains of Rockbridge county. Hunted high in the morning, but didn't see a thing...heard one, but that's it. I moved from that stand at 9a and went lower near the fields. Within 5 minutes of being in my stand, I had 5 does within 15 yards. I planned on harvesting a doe, but didn't even have a arrow nocked. So, they passed. At 11a I shot a mature doe and watch her disappear. 11:05 shot another doe and watched her drop. Found the first doe within 50 yards. So, not a bad start...2 does by noon. Got them two hung and hunted the evening. Had 8 does with 20 yards at various times, but nothing mature. Passed by the fields on my way back to the farmhouse and could count 43 deer in one field and about 40 in another. Fields planted with clover and orchard grass. This particular property managed for QDM and we have 50 dmap tags for it. The past 3 years we've taken between 40-50 does, but doesn't seem to be bringing the numbers down.

Just finished stuffing 40 pounds of salami and ready to put it in the smokers in the morning.

Good luck everyone....

vadeer · 10-07-2008, 06:05 PM

I was in Loudoun on Friday and saw nothing. Same place last year on opening dayI took adoe. On Saturday, I went to two different NOVA locations and collectively sawten deer - all does or fawns. They never gave me a high quality shot. Notmuch mast where I am hunting.

VA5326 · 10-07-2008, 06:58 PM

I've been seeing plenty of deer where I hunt herein NOVA at all times of the day. However, inFluvanna, where I hunted this past weekend I set up in the white oaks(that were dropping them like rain)on a known watering holein the evening and saw onlyone doe in four hours. I guess maybe I need to move deeper into the woods where the whites meet the bedding areas. I imagine they willinitiallybe sticking to the white oaks within secure cover. Like I said Iwas perplexed as I usually see a ton of deer in this one areaduring the years when these particular whites are dropping.Oh well I've got to change something. On a side note, I decided to do a little light tickling here in NOVA(rattling)with the rattle bag this evening and two smaller bucks came rolling in about 10 minutes later I couldn't believe they came in so quick.