I will agree there are less deer. There are also less hunters. We heard almost no shooting at all the first day.
The older hunters are either hanging it up or not walking far off of the dirt roads. There are no young kids out there so it will stay with the trend. Seems a shame but we have a better hunting experience with fewer hunters. I am beginning to enjoy rifle season again up at camp. I still feel nostalgic about the old days of full camps up there, but times change and I can do nothing but change with it. It's not all bad, just different.