Originally Posted by
livbucks
I agree BTB. We have had to adjust more to decreased hunting pressure than lower deer numbers. The deer must be hunted, as they are not being pushed because there are very few hunters in the woods. If we want a deer in 2F, we must go find them, because they simply lay all day from no hunting pressure. I know that some people base their entire strategy on pushed deer. Pushed by someone else, that is.
I think theres a lot of evidence to support your idea of the effect of less hunting pressure in the gun season Greg.
We just spent the weekend traveling all over and around the ANF hunting fox, coyote and in between we harassed some crows. We covered a lot of miles in Forest, Elk and a bit of north Clarion County and every place we stepped off the road was loaded with deer or sign and plenty of it. Good habitat and bad all had good to excellent sign or deer.
Rifle season up that way isnt what it used to be if you talk about deer sightings but there's also been a consistent pattern in the off season as well as archery and early muzzy of us seeing deer in pretty good numbers. When we get out there and hunt the deer on their terms, we see plenty. When it comes around to gun season, it seems theres enough human activity to let the deer know somethings up but not enough for the deer pinball we used to see. The deer hole up tighter than ticks till the orange horde dwindles and then the hunting gets good again.
Sure theres less deer but that aint the whole story. At least not in and around the southwestern ANF.