ORIGINAL: jms485
Hi All,
I just moved to NOVA from Philly just before hunting season started. I haven't hunted that much this year as in past year due mostly to my crazy schedule, but I have been hunting about 3 times per week. That's been all over NOVA. Coming from Philly were giant bucks are all over the places, I figured on a little let down, but now I'm really starting to get disappointed, considering all of my friend in phily are tagged out. The past 5 years in philly i've killed a buck every that scored over 135" & my all of my friends have also the biggest just a tad over 208", archery or crossbow only.
I'm definitely looking for some advice....in all of the days a field spent down here I've only seen one buck that's been pushing 110", which is respectable, but where are all the big bucks???? I've been out scouting, searching online, talking to folks....The habitat is similar philly &the hunting pressure is seems to be less, i just can't figure it out.
Here are my stats for the last 5 times I went out & this is hunting out of 3 different stands
11/10 am 1-spike 4-doe
11/8 am 3-spike 1-3 pt 1-half rack 4pt 2-4 pts 5 doe
11/6 am 3-spike 1-4 pt 1-110" 8 pt
11/3 am 8-doe
11/1 am 1-5pt 8-doe
I also saw 6 red fox & 1 of the doe is a 1.5 yr old piebald (which is pretty cool, it's 3/4's white & I haven't seen one of those since the one I got in 2006)
I need some serious help before I sell all of my hunting equipment & start playing golf!!!!
WHY AREN'T THE BUCK WITH THE DOE?????
I also have not seen a shooter while hunting. It seems like a lot of people are getting into some action, and some have yet to see any rut activity. Don't give up just yet, I think you are gonna see some better action in the next few days. Hunt tomorrow if possible(Wed.).
It's possiblethe mature bucks are still held up somewhere until the action heats up a little more. A lot of them will do thier pre-rut actvity at night until they absolutley have to be out during the day.
I think you will see a good one soon. NOVA is known to produce.