not the dogs

My first year bow hunting was great. I seen deer everyday until gun season started. Now they are few and far between. I'm not ripping on gun hunting because like i've said before , I still hunt with a gun too, but I'm just not seeing many deer now. Is this normal or am I in the wrong place now? I hunt thick stuff, thin stuff, food plots, and everything in between. Just can't seem to find the numbers that I was seeing during bow season. Is there still places that they are gathering that I just haven't found or is this just normal? Thinking back on the last few years of gun season, this may be the norm. Anyone else feel the same? Sure hope that I can find em soon. I need one more to top the freezer off.

jkoch89

Your not alone. Around where I hunt, if you dont get a buck before gun season, your chances are slim to none afterwards. The deer become spooked easier and move a ton more at dark than during the day.

not the dogs

I think you are right. I had a friend that use to try to get me to bow hunt a few years ago. He told me that he seen more deer in a weeks time bow hunting than the entire gun season. Now I believe him. I'm still enjoying being in the woods with my bow and gun now. Since I've started this year with a bow, I just can't seem to leave it at home. Oh well maybe we'll get lucky!

TeamWiscoUNIT61

Combination of added pressure with more gun hunters in the woods, and rut/doe estrus cycle. The rut falls during bow (at least around here) and thats when they move the most. After that, movement slows, then added pressure = nocturnal. Same case everywhere.. they go back to earlier season patterns. Hunt food/water sources in the evenings, and bedding areas in the morning.

sdhunter11

That does seem to be the norm up north here too. Our archery season runs from late september to the last day of the year. The rifle season ends the end of november/early december. By late december the deer, especially bucks, are feeding alot and trying to put the fat back on that they lost getting chased and rutting. But from mid november to early december they seem to go dark and the few you do see are very wary.

BuckI380

i've hunted and have taken whitetail with my bow in three different states. and it aways seems after gun season deer are harder to find.

not the dogs

I'm glad its not just me. I mean I hate that ya'll have trouble too but sometimes I get the feeling that I'm doing something wrong. As far as hunting bedding areas, I must not be in the right places. I've done just about everything that I can think of. But I'm still enjoying being out in the woods.

larry_073

That sounds right. I see way more deer before any other seasons come in. Usually you have to change up your methods to keep on the deer. Where I hunt here in PA we have a late bow season after Christmas and its like hunting in early season again just WAY colder.

not the dogs

I sure wish that we had a late bow season. After gun season its all over for us in North Carolina. Sad thing is, that's only 3 weeks away.

Krypt Keeper

No. 1 on my hit list vanished when blackpowder came it. He never moved in my area during the day time. Hadn't seen him for almost a month on my trail cam until this past weekend. Was walking past my stand at 210am.

I was super pumped. Might not get him this yr but excited to see him still walking.