Tough Weekend for Deer?

[beachpeaz]

I know Thanksgiving weekend is usually a big hunting weekend, but this year seemed pretty tough on the deer.

 

For whatever reason (at least by me), deer activity went up quite a bit this past weekend.  Then, throw in the massive amount of hunters in the "desperate" hunt mode (IE:  usually the last weekend a lot of guys hunt so they push every part of the properties and shoot at anything that even resembles a deer).

 

I had a @#$@ Ton of gun shots by me and saw several deer down (and strapped to roof racks of cars, which I didn't know people still did).

 

What did everyone else see? 

 

Seemed like a very tough weekend for deer this year, possiblly almost as bad opening weekend.

[Jeremy K]

I haven't seen deer the last 4 times out, and that was between 2 different places

[RangerClay]

With the snow and cold the deer seemed to start bunching up.  Never saw deer in groups of 3-4, most were 10+.  Combine that with peak rut and the bucks are there also.  One group of deer (about 15) that went by me Friday had 3 bucks, a spike, an 8, and a 12.  Unfortunately my buck tag was spent or I would have had the buck of a lifetime.

[dbHunterNY]

many bucks where I am got shot before.  I had a wide buck with great potential in front of me for over a half an hour.  it was just needed another year or two.  others in the area wanted me to shoot it but it got a pass.  only buck I saw all weekend.

[dbHunterNY]

With the snow and cold the deer seemed to start bunching up.  Never saw deer in groups of 3-4, most were 10+.  Combine that with peak rut and the bucks are there also.  One group of deer (about 15) that went by me Friday had 3 bucks, a spike, an 8, and a 12.  Unfortunately my buck tag was spent or I would have had the buck of a lifetime.

 

sounds promising.  hope he lives and comes back next year joe.  there's been some nice ones where you're hunting this year.  good to hear it.

 

[First-light]

We saw 1 deer Sunday on the back of a truck. That was 5 hours on Rt 17, we usually see in the teens. In area 8P very little gun shots and no deer movement. Saturday morning was 7 degrees...........

[WNYBuckHunter]

Over the actual weekend, only 1 deer hit the ground on the two farms I hunt. Between last Tuesday and Friday there were 8 more.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Cold single digit low teen  temps at camp to start Friday and Saturday. almost no shooting around. We saw quite a few tracks from Thursday. But only 2 deer were seen between 6 guys. I shot one of them.

[beachpeaz]

Interesting.  Must be more localized.

[BizCT]

Didn't see deer, didn't hear shots. The worst season ever in 3N continues.

[Five Seasons]

My neighbors did their typical clown hunter push and shot at least a dozen or more times. It's a wonder any deer ever come back or one of them doesn't shoot another. Our property is to small to push but they do it anyhow...

[gastrodoc]

No shooting in 8N at all on Sat am.  A small amount on Sunday.  Deer movement has been minimal.  I sat from first light to 1pm Sat and noon to dark Sun and saw nothing.  I think most movement is at night as there are tracks galore

[TeeBugg]

My area of 8f was pretty quiet this weekend. Heard maybe 5 shots. Went out this morning and heard one. Tracks show the deer are there, as do fresh rubs, but havent seen a deer since i shot my doe last monday. Giving it a rest til the weekend. Got meat i need to grind and that wonderful 4 letter word...WORK

[the blur]

IT's warming up now, I wonder if the deer will stop moving.

[BackWoods Hunter]

And that's what I've been wondering. It seems like half the time people say it's too hot. And then recently the other half have been saying it's too cold. So which is it? At what temperature is it just right?

[the blur]

It's only too cold for us human species. 

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Sort of the same thing were I live. Bow season theres steady amounts of deer being taken and I always see deer around. As soon as gun season hits and the shots start flying the deer wait until night to move it seems.

 

 

[IRL]

Very slow in 7R compared to previous seasons. Deer appear to be feeding at night and hanging near standing corn. During archery they were feeding in the oaks.

[First-light]

And that's what I've been wondering. It seems like half the time people say it's too hot. And then recently the other half have been saying it's too cold. So which is it? At what temperature is it just right?

 

 

This cracks me up.....We read into the deer too much. Actually I was thinking the same thing coming home. If its above 45 the deer stop moving down below 20 the deer stop moving. Someone should take the posts on this site and do a correlation with the weather. Honestly as I get older I truly believe if you get the opportunity to harvest a deer and waste it, it will bite you in the arse more times than not in the end. extremely  true for us weekend warriors.

[genesee_mohican]

Here in 8M I hunted all day Saturday and heard very few shots. I had a doe come by at 10 and passed, then had a limping doe come by at 11:30 and decided to take her with my 54 cal Thompson. Starting to see deer out in the fields well before sun down again.

[Five Seasons]

And that's what I've been wondering. It seems like half the time people say it's too hot. And then recently the other half have been saying it's too cold. So which is it? At what temperature is it just right?

Hi 20's, low 30's. The key is no or little wind.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

. Our property is to small to push but they do it anyhow...

Small out of the way spots are just the right kind to do drives or controlled still hunts to watchers. Those out of the way spots are where the big bucks find relief from pressure.

[beachpeaz]

My neighbors did their typical clown hunter push and shot at least a dozen or more times. It's a wonder any deer ever come back or one of them doesn't shoot another. Our property is to small to push but they do it anyhow...

 

you must have my @#$# neighbors Belo!  lmao.  I can walk out my back door and hunt.  I love to bow hunt back there because it is quiet, but come gun season, you won't catch me anywhere in the woods behind my  house (other than patrolling to constantly kick people off).

 

they push the crap out of every square inch of the woods and mow down anything that tries to escape.  Thanksgiving weekend is WAY worse than opening weekend because of the "desperation" factor.

 

I think I have said this a few times in here, but I HATE PEOPLE!   lol

[BackWoods Hunter]

Hi 20's, low 30's. The key is no or little wind.

That was my feeling also. Just wanted to hear someone else say it...

[BKhunter]

It was my last weekend for regualr season so I filled my regular season tag and my DMP. Not the deer I would typicall shoot but I wanted meat for my freezer so punched my tags sat and spent Sunday and Monday butchering and making sausage and Jerky. Hopefully I can find a good buck during black powder. If not, I guess I'm done for this deer season.