ORIGINAL: ben673
Deer drives can be productive, especially after a week or so of rifle season. But I would rather not do them, especially during the rut because the deer tend to go nocturnal. My Dad always wants to do them, but over time we got him to limit them to the second weekend of rifle season, for the most part. I think over all you will be a lot more productive if hunt the deer with them knowing they are being hunted, especially the big bucks we all want to kill.
I have been givin people a hard time on this forum, but I do understand this reasoning. And honestly, don't look down on people who drive the last weekend of the season.
I am not a tree hugger by any stretch, but when I see deer drove, they look haggard. I have been hunting in WV in the early 90's and PA drivers come down first morning on public land, and I see does foaming at the mouth, wounded (can't shoot does that time), and find other does left because they accidentally shot them. Also hear bullets whizzing thru the air.Yea, it put a permenant bad taste in my mouth for driving.
In fact, I won't hunt GW forest in WV anymore because of the Pa hunters who drive down there.