RE: What was your best year for deer? (quantity)
6 does in one hunting season (shotgun) and all within a 2 day period. I felt I was dragging and field dressing longer than I was actually in the stand! Great memories.
Let me explain. Here in NJ we are allowed to take unlimited number of does and we can shoot two at a time. Then, dress 'em and tag 'em and get your new tags. One morning about 6 years ago I had 3 deer come on by and I dropped 2 on the spot. Later that afternoon on my way out of the woods making all kinds of noise I saw 2 deer off about 40 yards or so. My buddy shot and missed. I decided to take a try and dropped her. Upon approaching the fallen deer I saw another one standing only about 20 yards away looking at us. I dropped her to save the gene pool from her stupidity. So, 4 deer in one day. Next morning at 7AM a heard grazed right beneath my stand an i dropped 2 out of the 11.
Now, we weren't doing any drives and I wasn't baiting. I was simply in an awesome spot! All deer came thru naturally. Kept some meat for myself and donated the rest to helping the hungry and to my local fire department.
My hunting buddy and I still laugh about those two days. Thats econd morning when I got 2 by 7AM, he called me on my cell as he heard the shots. He could not believe that it wasn't even sun-up yet and I already had two. But to be honest, hunted that same area this season and nothing.