NW Ontario deer hunting
 

I'm new to the forum so greetings folks. Most of the deer hunting threads for Ontario are older so thought I'd try to get an update.

What are folks opinions of the quality of the hunt in NW Ontario these days, what are you finding? I've been hunting up there for 9 years and noticeably in the last 3 there is a distinct lack of big bucks or even their sign. Now I'm not one to expect an easy hunt with a big buck behind every tree. I get into the back country where I don't see other hunters. I cant stand hunting around others. Even in those areas there just aren't the bucks that once were there. I'm not talking about someone going across the border and coming home with a filled tag with a 2.5 or 3.5 yr old buck, I'm talking the bucks in their prime 4.5+ years old.

I just got back and it was a tough hunt to locate anything worth spending some time going after. I know a couple of winters were deer killers recently so that is a factor.

Guess my main question is...is anyone finding Ontario still worth it?

I hunted north of Sioux Narrows in 2014. Saw a fair amount of deer but they were in pockets. The winters of 2012 and 2013 were really bad and the deer took it hard. I think last winter was "normal" so they have rebounded some.

In 2014 4 of us took 3 bucks. They all scored between 114" and 118". We pulled teeth and had them aged. Left to right, 6.5, 6.5, and 5.5 years old. Mature deer coming off a hard winter.

2015 my 2 friends hunted there and didn't see much.