Through 9 hunts, this year......I've seen 27 deer from stand.

Through 9 hunts, last year....I saw 46 deer from stand.

Last year....I'd seen 3 bucks after 9 hunts.

This year.....I've seen 2 bucks.

So....there are some things to consider, if you're inclined to want to compare the seasons, so far:

1. They actually began one calendar day apart (9/9, in '06 vs. 9/8 in '07). BUT....my 9th hunt of the '06 season didn't come until 9/26 (was in Cancun for 9 days, last year!)

2. CROP ROTATION!! I think they're on the beans a LOT harder than they are in the corn.

3. Am I pressuring the deer, too much?

4. the farmer to my South has been killing does via depredation permit....so I might be reaping those benefits....though my sightings are down (which is not necessarily a BAD thing).

I know a lot of you will look at my sightings numbers and wish you had it so "bad". I'm aware of how fortunate I am to hunt the herd I do on the gorunds I hunt.....and I just wanted to show that there are several factors that have to be looked at. Weather has been MUCH hotter this year, too. I'm sure that's a factor, as well.

In '06....September.....I saw 80 deer.....30 in one sitting (last day of sept. in '06). I won't see that many, this year, and that's FINE. Things are working to my benefit. I KNOW of 12 deer that will never be sighted again . AGAIN......GREAT! ALL does!

Oct. of '06 had me sight only 16 deer in 7 sittings. I know I'm in for a lull. November, though......and my '06 sightings were 133...in 19 hunts. When the leaves drop....and the acorns do, too.....THEN I will be in my element. I have a WONDERFUL area to hunt them when they're on the acorns.

Just ramblings.....

I have never kept a detailed journal for whitetail season. I do for trips I take, but that is more memory based than data based. You have convinced me that it would be a good idea though. Especially weather conditions and not only how many deer I see but what they are doing and how they are acting. Could be interesting to look at a compilation of data over time.

What my mental journal has always told me is HUNT IN NOVEMBER

Huntingson:

I agree that it will tell me MORE, over time. It'll be interesting to compare seasons 4-5 yrs down the road.....and see what, if any, my management "attempts" are doing.....as well as what effects crop rotation, weather, etc... do to the herd I hunt.

That's why I'm doing it.

I don't keep a hunting journal, but I do keep a shooting journal. I've done that for years. It's great to have as a refference when I can't figure out something I'm doing wrong. It also re-emphesises the memory.

In twelve years of bowhunting I have 7 full seasons in the books. I keep a very detailed journal.

One thing I have seen in my own journal is a great descrease in deer sightings in general. But in doing so I have also seen far more "shooter" deer... interesting....

Definately things to consider Jeff.

I have only hunted 5 days so far this year. Ive seen 26 deer (20 does and 6 bucks) 9 of which were in shooting range.

I lost my journal from last year so i cant compare the numbers, but i would say that the deer movement has been about the same. Im hunting a lot of different pieces of property so crop rotation, over-hunting, and other factors dont apply a whole lot.

I will tell you one thing though, im interested to see the numbers in November!