I would say the 1/2 year olds, buck or doe. I've jumped many going to and from my stand and more often than not they come back my direction to see what I am.

It's funny when we get threads like these because it just goes to show that WHERE you hunt has a lot to do with how you view hunting in general.

I am not saying 1 1/2 year old bucks aren't easy to kill around here just to argue with someone........They really aren't........not where I hunt anyways. If they were I would agree 100% I'm sure in places where guys lay off the smaller bucks and they aren't running for their life 24/7 it may be different.....I just don't hunt in places like that so all I can offer is my personal experience and opinion.

On to my point about land.

I hunted a small farm this year with my bow and saw MANY deer. No wall hangers but that is not something I lose sleep over. I was thrilled with the deer numbers and sightings at first and then I killed a 6 pt and saw 4 more bucks 2 days after that (3 I could have killed)........during that day on my stand I actually thought to myself that "This is too easy" I hunted much of the remainder of the archery season on state lands and saw NOTHING. Not one deer and I hunted the entire rut in a couple different areas. I did see another buck I could have killed but it was on a private farm that lets the DEC give controlled hunting access.

So, public battlefields I saw NOTHING with my bow.......private farms I saw many deer and plenty of bucks one of which I killed. Now if you were to ask me about deer hunting in NY what should I say??? The private farm I hunted was the polar opposite of the state forests. Someone could live right next door to me and have an exact opposite opinion about hunting in my area as I do.........and we would both be right.

It's all perspective.

I would tell anyone that gained access to the farm I was at that they should see a lot of deer and have a good chance to kill one with their bow........most likely more then one.....and with a gun it is just slam dunk city........only way you come home empty handed is if you forget your gun.

That same person heading out to the state war zones I would offer two kind words.


GOOD LUCK

Where I hunt, we have shot opportunities(bow) on lots of 1.5 year old bucks but not as many on the other deer. They seem to be the most curious during the 3 stages of the rut than the other deer.

1 1/2 year old buck. the fawns usually have does with them. even if momma dies, they'll join another group. i've grunted in several 1 1/2 year old bucks, most of them off a field they were feeding in. i grunted to a buck once and pulled him in to 15 yards, but it was too dark. i missed him later in the season one morning and that was teh only arrow i was carrying. i grunted just to get a reaction from him and he came marching back in at 10 yards. i was on the ground too, sitting on a log. and this was after i sent an arrow skimming over his back. couldnt have had too much up there in the smarts category. he fell for teh grunting twice more druing the sesaon, but i never killed him.

slayer

[quote]ORIGINAL: BOWFANATIC


Flattery will get you nowhere!

I have thought about this question for awhile and have a different answer than most. The easiest deer to kill in my area is any deer that crosses a trail over a deep woods creek. Even mature deer are totally distracted within 5 yards either side of the creek then are extremely susceptible when they take that momentary walk or short leap over the gurgling water. The dense woods make them feel very secure in the first place. Set up overlooking a deep woods creek crossing and you may never hunt anywhere else again.

Any yearling deer.........whether it be doe or buck.

I have to agree.

Any yearling buck or doe.

Yeah hard to say, a button buck or 1 1/2 year old buck seem to be the easiest to have in range. They seem to travel alone more often and have less eyes watching as a herd of does can be the most weary.