Tough season
 

This has been one tough season for me this year, the toughest in many years. Have seen very few bucks let alone any mature bucks. I did manage to shoot a 15 inch 8pt with a muzzleloader in middle oct., but he was a 2 1/2 yr old. I have several pics on game cams of mature bucks but so far I havent seen a glimpse of them. Heck i cant seem to find any does lol. The rut should be in full swing here in Arkansas now, but i cant seem to find any sign of it. The white and red oaks hit a bumper crop this year, but I have hunted years with lots of acorns and have not had this much problem seeing deer. Just finshed the a week vacation hunting the first week of gun season and seen a total of 12 deer. Button bucks, spikes and one 14" 8pt and a few small does, never seen it this bad. Oh well reckon i was just wanting to vent, I'll get back after them friday, however I think I will try some different tactics this next weekend. Like I heard before the thing that constitutes insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.

RE: Tough season
 

I agree, try something new, even if it is only to change stand locations slightly.I believe big deer figure them out.50 - 100 yds can make all the difference.

RE: Tough season
 

It's got to count for something having pics on your trail cam. At least you know they're there. And like Norby said, deer aren't dumb - even a small change might help.

Vince

RE: Tough season
 

We used to be in deer heaven in Northern Wisconsin. The DNR did their best to shoot the herd off. And they have accomplished that. So I can understand your concern at seeing less number of deer. There are years where now I might see one or two legal deer, and nothing to get too excited about.

Yet I was reading out State Rag (paper) and they DNR is telling about record deer herds and how they count is way up. Yet everyone I talk to around here are saying the same thing.. where are the deer.

RE: Tough season
 

I'm in PA and we are the same as WI. The game commission descimated the herd with all the anterless allotments.
Greg - you call that a bad year? I saw a total of 1 deer in 4 weeks of hunting with the bow. Fortunately he is now in my freezer. Then during the past 2 weeks of hunting turkey I saw 2 more deer. So that's a grand totaly of 3 deer in about 6 weeks, hunting on the average of every other day (or approximately 21 days).

RE: Tough season
 

+1, I would count my blessings. Chap

RE: Tough season
 

Just as you said Dave, Everyone around here {N.E. WI., UNIT 64} says they aren't seeing deer this year. This is the second year of

earn a buck, and it really is beginning to show. Haven't even seen any roadkills. I haven't even had a chance to shoot an adult doe if I wanted to. Had a doe sticker from last year but I used that on a buck that came too close, so now what, if I want to shoot a legal deer with the gun it has to be antlerless. I just don't want to contribute to the problem. Just don't know where the DNR is coming up with these numbers.

RE: Tough season
 

dphobby-
I had a chance last week to talk to the registration station (local gas station in town) where they have been counting bow and early youth hunts. She said the number of deer they registered is down over 50% from last year. So where are these huge herds? Then when everyone gets a license, and no one gets a deer, like last year, the DNR always blames the low deer harvest on the weather. Wisconsin hunters in some areas are being taken for a ride. The DNR has been playing games with the deer and the fish. And it is starting to show big time up north here.

RE: Tough season
 

Pretty soon they are going to start wondering why hunter numbers, license sales,are going down. DAH !!!. Leave it to the people behind the desk, crunching their numbers.

RE: Tough season
 

Our game and fish says Arkansas has over a million deer in the state, however it sure didnt look like it last week. Bronko, I would start squirrel or coyote hunting or something. Your right my week wasnt that bad compared to your 6 weeks. Whew 3 deer in 6 weeks man thats bad. I go to Ohio every year hunting with my cousin, we hunt in Jefferson county, thats right on the Ohio river next to Weirton WV. PA is just a hop skip and jump from there. We always see lots of deer in Ohio hunting,they have a great deer herd there. This is gonna be the first year that I wont be going in several years. My wife is having her finals in her RN school that week and I promised to stay home and help her study. Oh well theres always next year lol.