ORIGINAL: DougE
It is unrealistic and insane to expect to kill a deer by noone every time you hunt.To expect deer densities that high certainly labels one as a whiner and expecting the hunting to be way too easy.
I haven't killed a deer from the same standsite in consequtiveseasons in over 25 years.I don't and never have had a problem selecting stand sites that produce deer on public lands in 2G.I guess that's why you don't hear me complain.
I didn't say every time you hunt. I said opening day. The fact that more deer are killed on opening day than any other day, and the greatest percentage in the morning is a no brainer. Deer movement and hunter particiaption is at its highest. Deer caught in feeding areas or in transition are suddenly hightailing it to dense cover. Findthe right funnelfor a stand and you should be able to kill a deer by noon, no problem. Heavy HR has changed that in many areas. That same funnel produces two yearling doe and no buck sighted in 10 hours on stand. Common sense dictated that I let those does walk. If the deer were there, they would have traveled that ridgetop funnel as in years past, so I ate tag soup at that stand on a SGL. Archery it showed some prioomise of atleast one mature buck frequenting the travel corridor, but he got himself shot before he made it to me. That was the only close shooting all day on that ridge and there were plenty of guys hunting it. Hot stands gone cold...not from the habitat...but from TOO MANY DOE KILLED!