VA Hunters, How is Blackpowder Season Going?
 

Just checking in to see how blackpowder season is going. I hunt along the VA/NC border near Danville. I can't remember a year like this one so far. There are zero acorns and the deer are only moving near agricultural fields. No sign of any rutting activity either. Got the rest of this week and first week of rifle season off. Hopefully it will pick up some. How does it look in other parts of the state?

I'm up in the northwestern part. Ditto what you said. No acorns here either, and zippo rutting activity. Heck, I haven't even seen a deer my last 3 trips out. I haven't found any scrapes yet, and very few rubs. I sure hope it picks up soon. I thought for sure things would be rolling by now, especially with this cold weather.

Im a couple countys over from you in Patrick Co. About the same here no acorns and no rutting activity yet usually it will start about the 12th of Nov here.

Same here in Amelia county area. Been very slow this year. Usually our club has had 10-12 deer by now. We have a total of 3 so far. Nothing moving and very little rubs.

I'm hunting in Louisa....no acorns and that's due to the cicadas and the inch worms we had this summer.......they really hurt the acorn production.....I haven't seen any deer the four times i'v been out with the muzzle loader....and only four deer one time during bow season....and i'v walked the woods looking for scrapes and rubs and haven't found any....even my camera only has a few deer pics on it and only late at night....hope things turn on soon......

Suffolk. Similar results as the rest of yall. Poor at best. Have seen some scrub bucks and button heads, but its been a poor year. I have hardwoods and ag fields to hunt. Only seeing deer out in the ag fields after dark... and 80% are small bucks. I did let a pretty 7pt go on Tuesday. Took my step son Jesse in there last night... no luck.. heard one sneak past after dark.

I hunt in wakefield and half the land i hunt is sussex and the other half is southampton. I have bow hunted several times so far this year and everytime i hunt i have seen deer. Most the time its doe's or small buck, but in about 6-7 hunts i have seen 3 really nice bucks. Last saturday was opening day of blackpoweder but i hunted in southampton in a swamp and used my bow and shot a small 8pt at about 7:20am then at 8 i had a really really nice 8pt come right to me and shot him as well, but he ran off and left a great blood trail for about 250yds but it came to a haulting stop in some pines and lost him. I looked for 4hrs saturday and nothing. Went back sunday and looked for almost 3hrs and still nothing, Its like he just dissapeared in the mid-air. Was hoping to see some buzzards this week but the weather hasnt been ideal to find him. Hopefully i will come across him soon, would atleast like to get the rack now since nothing else is good. I'd like to see how nice he really was. Im planning on getting back out there this saturday and hunt all day with the powder gun and hope to see something chasing. I will have my decoy up to see if that will help me out any also.
Good luck to everyone and hope to see some success.

UPDATE**** Saw a nailer today while out scouting around.... too bad it was in someones front yard. Had a doe and a half horn spike with it. Very pretty 10pt. Got within 20 yards of him... he could have cared less. I was in my boat.... thought about throwing the anchor at him to spite myself... oh well. Maybe I should start carrying a camera.

Its been slow here in the NOVA area. Acorns a scarce. Have seen a few scrapes and 1 small rub. Deer movement has been very slow. Its just still to warm to make the deer have to get up and move.

If you follow or believe Charles Alsiemer(sp), he says it will be a late rut this year due to the late rutting moon. His "can't miss week" pretty much coincides with our opening week of rifle season.