sits in trees

i've been walking state and private land for the last 2 days looking for deer tracks in the snow, i'm not seeing any???my wifes aunt who has been feeding birds for years say she is not seeing any oronly onedeer at her feeder this year, is anyone else seeing this?

salty444

Where in Ulster county are you? I have seen deer everywhere in Ulster County except my camp in Phoenecia. I hunt Marlboro and Kingston/Hurley areas also.

sits in trees

i'm down in the southern part of ulster in the town of shawangunk, 3m and 3jthe biggest deer kill DMU in lower NY, or so it used to be, the deer pops are drastically down here but thet still gave out a record number of doe permits this season?? i dont get it we used to be crawling with deer and in my last 10 or so outings i havent seen a thing. thought i would once again verify it with the new snow and where i used to see tracks b-lining all over now i see nothing?? ite been this way for the last 4 years....i just dont get it, i cover more ground then the average hunter and hunt to the last day of the season and don't like what i'm seeing.

Warren

Sits in Trees;

I have been hunting state land in Ulster (Minniwaska State Park) for over 20 years and yourfinding are the similar tomine. The place wasn't crawling with deer and the hunting wasn't easy but I almost always saw deer on opening day. The last 2 seasons we have seen zero. I too head out as soon as there is snow to looks for tracks. Last year all I found were coyote tracks. I expected the antler restriction to help with the buck numbers but we saw 1 buck rub in areas that use to be allrubbed up.
This opening day I heard 3 shots by noon and thoses were miles away.
Either the numbers are down or the deer have moved to better areas.
Very disapointing.
I have been walking Sterling Forest this season and last Sat. I jumped a buck, the only deer I've seen this season.
Last year, out of frustration, I took my son to an outfitter in S.C. andmy sontook his first buck (a 7 pointer) and I saw over 45 deer in 3 days including several nice bucks.

sits in trees

exactly Warren, the areas which i have seen all rubbed up in the past are not being touched. i have seen very little in scrape activity also. and your so right about the yote tracks, thats all i have seen on my snow outings. i spoke to a DEC bioligist after finding the same results last year and he didnt seem to alarmed about it?

tsoc

The experiences you guy's are having are similar to mine.I hunt 3a and 3c primarily.I saw 5 bucks in my shortened archery season,I hunt out west every year (thankfully).I stopped archery hunting 11/3.I have 9 tree stands out and I hunted all of them,all of them being in traditionally productive area's.5 small bucks and the same 3 or 4 doe's over and over in these spots.Deer numbers are way down.I have always hunted locally because of convenience and area's where I have had permission,but I am seriously considering driving much further to find better area's.