I started out this season having gained access to new lands....and trying to get away from seeing so many does. So far....it seems to be working.

I sat my 48th sit, this morning. That matches last year's total (hunts)..and I thought I'd give a comparison to the change up in what I was looking for (new strategy).

'07 - Through 48 sits - I had seen, from stand -- 207 deer; 132 does; 17 bucks; 48 fawns (these numbers are based on total sightings....knowing that the same deer were sighted multiple times in many instances)

'08 - Through 48 sits - I have seen, from stand -- 111 deer; 46 does; 21 bucks; 43 fawns (same criteria as '07 for sightings)

Couple things this brings to mind....

Early season....I target does. If I choose to abandon this next year....I expect even these reduced doe/fawn sightings to go down, drastically. I also have to wonder if the dent we took out in doe harvests last year aided in these reduced sightings. It'll be interesting to see how this goes.

In '06 I averaged seeing abaout > 7 deer per sit. That lowered to < 4.5 in '08. So far, this year, it's about < 2.5. I'm fine with seeing less "deer".....but I'd still like for my buck sightings to go up. I think I can make that happen....."if" the state doesn't throw us NC bowhunters a BIG, HUGE curveball, nest year. The proposal on the table for '09 is to have only a FOUR WEEK "bow only" season...followed by ML for 2 weeks.....and then to open rifle season until the season is over. My initial shock and response is.....I may hunt WAYYYyyyy less next year. I just don't have it in me to hunt deer that have been pressured to no end basically from the get-go. It might be over for bowhunting as I have known it to be, here.

If you're from NC.....and you've heard the same rumblings from the NCWRC.....I'd like to hear your thoughts on the proposal and what you've "heard".