Its been quiet....too quiet.

[Brujah12]

I dont know about the rest of you...but the opening of this season has been unusually dead. Opening day was the quietest I've ever heard. I did hear a number of shots Sunday evening though I didn't see anything come through my 60 acres. Monday and Tuesday were also extremely quiet. This morning I hunted a funnel that connects the property across the road with mine and almost always has some either bedded down in the brush or moving through....but nothing. I only heard 1 distant shot the whole morning. My property is usually packed with deer. I've kicked up a few still-hunting but the cover is so thick it's extremely difficult to find a safe shot.

How are the rest of you doing? The only explanation I can think of is that I've either over-pressured my land (which also has people hunting the properties bordering 3 of the sides) which has caused the deer to go deep into hiding, or they've simply moved off the property.

There are a lot of rubs out in the bush but it's hard to tell how fresh they are. The last few days I've seen very few fresh tracks...which is surprising as some of my trails usually look like 4 lane highways. All I can say is that it's been a real bummer so far.

[Cabin Fever]

Pretty much the same for me... Pathetic! I kind of expected it though, as I usually don't see squat a few days before and after a full moon.

[rutstrut]

Very quiet just alot of does very little shooting.

[fasteddie]

I haerd a lot of shooting opening day in Geneseo . Kinda hard to relate to your situation since you list being in the United States . A bit difficult to help sometimes when folks post Upstate , Western NY , Central NY , etc .. Makes me wonder if they are ashamed of where they are from !  :

[132 eight pointer]

Yesterday afternoon I hunted Letchworth State Park in 8M. I had two small antlerless deer 15 yds. from my stand and a nice looking 4 pt. at about 25 yds. Can't shoot anything with less than 3 pts. on one side though. On the way out after dark I saw 19 deer.Most were in the no hunting zone by the Mt. Morris Dam.Also saw one there at noon on my way in.So in the 10 miles of park I travelled I saw about 25 deer.Also saw 4 hanging up in one of the cabin areas.Most all of these deer were antlerless.

[Doc]

Every year lately, it gets quieter and quieter (both the opener and the other major deer hunting days). This Thanksgiving was ridiculous. Thanksgiving morning used to be one of the more active deer hunting days. A lot of guys would just start the day with huge drives, and deer would be running everywhere. This year I heard a total of three shots all morning. I don't know what to make of it, but in my hunting area, it sure isn't a lack of deer.

Doc

[Gthphtm]

Just about every house after mine are owned by the down or out of state weekenders.They were up for opening day and the few days after that.More then last year.A good amount of deer came down the road on the back of there cars and trucks. It seems as  most of them went back home for the holiday.We will see how many are back up for the rest of the week.

[biggamefish]

I hunt albany county and it has been super slow yesterday 6 shots. No deer moving. I sat 5 hours and nothing but two squirrels.

[fasteddie]

I'll give it a try again tomorrow . With it being Saturday , maybe some hunters will be out and getting the deer to move . I can hunt any time during the week but ..... not seeing anything until it is almost dark . Gets pretty boring sitting in a blind for a long time . I have the blind by a fence next to a pasture and bare crop field . Beyond the crop field is a very went thik area that doesn't drain and then a woods that has water about shin deep ( or more ) . Soooooo , walking / stalking doesn't work here . Therefore , it's the boring blind !

[JPP]

Western NY hunting is really getting bad in 8N. It is feast or famine, one day I see  a few deer, then can go 8 days without seeing one.

[132 eight pointer]

I have to wonder if too many hunters today sit. If most of us are in blinds or treestands, it would make sense that deer are not moving.I have not witnessed or been a part of a group of hunters pushing deer in years.It is tiring pushing thickets,hills,swamps etc. combine that with less hunters and it is no wonder deer don't have to move or can move without being seen.

[bubba]

or the moon phase has changed their patterns or they have went nocturnal.  You guys describe my typical hunting. See a few deer then go days without seeing any or hearign any shots.  On that note, I am off to camp for the weekend.

[the blur]

2 days in the woods,  NOTHING.

But I saw 9 in a field driving home.  Just off the road.  9 doe.

Opening day, I almost ran over 4 driving up.

There are more deer on the roads, than in the woods.

[skyzmine]

WOW...... I must have a Goldmine here, I have been out everyday and seen deer everytime out.

[Doc]

WOW...... I must have a Goldmine here, I have been out everyday and seen deer everytime out.

Lol ..... Yes you have a gold mine there  ;D

[gjs4]

Orange Army Pressure (imo)

[Chef]

i hunted sterling forest on thanksgiving day i saw 3 other hunters and heard about 7 shots. when i went back to my car at around noon all the other cars that were in the parking area that morning were gone. i felt like i was the only person that didnt see or get a deer. oh well ill be out there trying again tommrow

[the blur]

I thought sterling forest is only open on opening weekend ?

20/21

[Chef]

its open all season long but besides their regular permit u only get to hunt there opening weekend if you apply early

[Brushbuster]

Not much moon light last night and with the weather, I thought they would have the feedbag on today.  I had lots of turkey and squirrel active till 9:30 but not one deer.

They are in the woods and one scrape was still tended- I  just dont know why they are not moving.

[damore81]

I hunt 4A on the border of Montgomery county and Schoharie. I hunted Saturday and Sunday of the gun opener and then came back and hunted Thanksgiving to Sunday and heard a total of maybe 10-15 shots total. I saw 2 does on opening day and took one of them. After that I did not see one deer. In my area I will usually see at a minimum of 2-4 does a day but this year it was like all the deer left the region. While out on a still hunt I found a orange wool hat and it did not belong to any one that hunts with me. Came to find out after speaking to one of my neighbors yesterday before going home that a lot of night poaching has been occurring before the season opened and there has been a lot of trespassing hunters coming on my land and his. I am so disgusted I dont know what to do. I dont live there so I cant catch them.  It is making me not to even bother going up for the rest of the season. I am afraid they might have put a real dent in the herd. Also this same neighbor shot a 4 pointer on opening day and went to skin it and found the whole front leg and shoulder rotten and infected because someone shot it with bird shot. He called the DEC and they came and took it and gave him another tag. Then 2 days later he went back to that same spot to hunt again and  found a gorgeous  130-140 class 8 pointer dead 10 ft from his tree stand and it was gut shot. Now who in their right mind shoots a deer of that caliber and doesnt try tracking it. My guess is the deer was shot at night hence the bad shot then they couldnt find it or bother asking for permission to go look for it because they know they shot it illegally.  >

[rutstrut]

I had a similar problem but I setup trail cameras.than I called the warden. Than I approached the gun club.so far problem solved

[Brushbuster]

Mixed reports about the Pa opener too.

http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1998608&fpart=1

I hope the warm weather and split rut might be the problem.

[damore81]

With my luck they will steal my cameras too!

[LI-BROWNING]

i hunt ulster county...talked to a few locals and they said it has been the worst hunting in years.. they hunt all week... i was up opening weekend and last saturday.. i saw 3 small does and that was day 2....i have a lot of scrapes and rubs throughout property..so they are around... it seems they are doing all the moving at night..i even tried still hunting a few times and kicked up nothing. where in the past i always kick up a few....heard PA opener is so so from reports...my buddy however did get a 12 pointer in PA this morning..