Possible Reasons for a Bad Gun Season?

[nyantler]

Just an opinion but where I am it seems the deer have turned mainly nocturnal as the season progressed. I have a small piece of property that I own and hunt. I got two deer early season and have seen few since in woods or on cam in daylight hours. I attribute this to the early season pressure on them. I wish the answer was as simple as some claim to just go where the deer have moved, but I will not trespass or hunt public land as my foremost concern is safety. I have enough on my plate just keeping idiots off my piece.

 

Unfortunately for most hunters that's the way it will always be... the problem really is after opening weekend there is very little pressure on the deer... the amount of hunters in the woods on any given day is dramatically reduced... without many hunters moving deer it makes it easy for bucks and does to hide in more secluded areas without worry of being bumped by a hunter... sitters will always have a tougher time later in the year unless there are some does that come into a 2nd estrus near there hunting spot... so those that aren't willing to change up their tactics late season are going to have nothing more than a nice sit in the woods. We all make choices and with those choices come consequences.. its really that simple.

[upstate]

I went and sat this morning in almost 2 feet of snow and never cut a track. Started walking around and bumped deer all day, I'm exhausted. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I still don't understand the idea that on State land there is a hunter behind every tree. (Especially after the first week). I would think that big block State land, late season and snow would make for an ideal hunt. I have hunted state land in 6 and 7 and the hunting pressure is nothing like it used to be and very low after the first week. (you downstaters and your public land is a whole nuther story...lol)

[ELMER J. FUDD]

And the survey says!

 

 

[Doc]

I still don't understand the idea that on State land there is a hunter behind every tree. (Especially after the first week). I would think that big block State land, late season and snow would make for an ideal hunt. I have hunted state land in 6 and 7 and the hunting pressure is nothing like it used to be and very low after the first week. (you downstaters and your public land is a whole nuther story...lol)

Sh-h-h-h....... Right now people are convinced that the state lands run red with hunter's blood. They all believe that proper attire on public lands is blaze orange body armor. And word has it that there is not a deer left in those areas. I think that mentality is why the pressure has diminished considerably. It's a notion that may be the only thing that is saving state land and keeping it a viable hunting alternative for those that know the secret of the myths of killer state lands.

 

You are absolutely correct. Get those first two days of gun season behind you and it gets to the point where you are hearing almost no shooting. Yes there is significant trauma throughout the opening weekend, and after that it doesn't take a whole lot of hunters to keep the deer in their super-survival mode. But by that time, they are in super-survival mode on private land too. In terms of real hunter population, I think they pretty much call it quits. I like it!

[Stagger Lee]

I wasn't implying that I thought there were too many hunters on state land. I just choose not to hunt it because it only takes one jackass to create a really bad situation, happens every year. With 2 little ones under 5 at home, it is just a choice I have made. I know it limits my oppurtunities and I am ok with that. This is why I hunt early and often to ensure at least one in the freezer. Maybe someday I will get a hanger, maybe not, but my choice for now suits me well.

[upstate]

I walked 5 miles on state land today, never saw a hunter or tracks of a hunter. Saw deer all day. They sure can get through 2-3 feet of snow easier than me, but I think they knew their lives depended on it. 

[Doc]

Here is another deer season phenomenon that always causes some people to claim feast or famine with every season. Shortly after opening day, the deer seem to bunch up. All of a sudden, if you see any deer at all, they are glumped together in some pretty big herds. If one of these big herds happens to be somewhere that you happened to be, you will come out of the woods claiming that deer were popping up all around you. But if these bunches happened to be a few hundred yards away or over the rise where you didn't see them, you will come out of the woods swearing there isn't a deer anywhere in the woods. They're all dead.

[A Sportsman]

Agree with most of what's being said here. However Sometimes the herd really does take a beating. And those of us who hunt a large enough area, and have for many years, we can tell when numbers are down. For me it's just part of the game. Some years are more challenging than others. I love it all. And just about every yr have my chance at a buck either way. But just saying it's not always all in hunters minds.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

The PEAK of the breeding season Is winding down after the first week of gun season,, opening day of gun is the tail end of the rut ,, that is why bow hunting the two weeks before gun is such a great time to be in the woods,,

Of course that is MHO...

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

The PEAK of the breeding season Is winding down after the first week of gun season,, opening day of gun is the tail end of the rut ,, that is why bow hunting the two weeks before gun is such a great time to be in the woods,,

Of course that is MHO...

Opening day always opens on a Saturday this year was the 15th ,, 2011 was the 19th it changes every year shifting a day with the calendar ,, this year was early IMO a good year for me just not connecting with what I was looking for

The rut doesn't change IMO it is driven by the amount of daylight which triggers it,, based on the dates around the moon phase.. Not the Saturday date of opening day of gun season...

[gjs4]

Threads on here are about as useful as many of the members having a seminar on how to successfully hunt anything beyond a keyboard fist pump.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[turkeyfeathers]

Season went from 14 deer seen on opener, 2 on  opener Monday to only 2 seen in last 4-5 outings and spending many hours in stand. Deer seem to have gone nocturnal but don't get that as nobody hunts within a mile or more of where I am, These deer aren't getting shoved around the woods but yet they aren't moving freely either. Every year it's the same scenario. Don't get it. 

[Nomad]

Nyantler and Docs answer are spot on, in fact I sent them to one of my hunters. The there are no deer here guy with one stand no thought of wind or scent control....

It doesn't take much to put them I hiding . As I told my friend in 6 weeks of bow I walked in and out 14 times, rotated stands by the wind mostly, paid attention to scent control as well, no extra walking no talking seldom bumped deer.

Saw deer in 12 of those hunts.

Now gun, OD 4 of us walked in then out in the AM and 3 in the PM . That's 7 hunts or half of my bow season walking around in ONE day! Same next day, add in some talked loudly on cell phone next to sanctuary , have one stand and do zero scent control or pay attention to the wind, 3 cars pulling in not just one, couple talking as they go on and out.

Well it's no wonder the deer stay put in the heavy cover even after a few day "break".

[nyantler]

Agree with most of what's being said here. However Sometimes the herd really does take a beating. And those of us who hunt a large enough area, and have for many years, we can tell when numbers are down. For me it's just part of the game. Some years are more challenging than others. I love it all. And just about every yr have my chance at a buck either way. But just saying it's not always all in hunters minds.

 

Even with that... if deer numbers were way down and you hunted down one deer all season and it was a 150 class bruiser and you killed it... the bad season just went out the window. Deer numbers being lower might keep sightings down, but doesn't have to make for a bad season... depends on how you handle low population years. Like you said... it's all part of the game, but also how you play the game.

[A Sportsman]

Agree but if you strike out on the 150 class deer and have to eat your tag it doesn't necessarily mean you hunted poorly. Maybe it just wasn't in the cards. This is probably samantics. Some hunters may complain about the hunting, some guys don't and just say striking out is part of the game sometimes, and some guys I guess never ever fail. I'm personally the middle guy.

[nyantler]

Agree but if you strike out on the 150 class deer and have to eat your tag it doesn't necessarily mean you hunted poorly. Maybe it just wasn't in the cards. This is probably samantics. Some hunters may complain about the hunting, some guys don't and just say striking out is part of the game sometimes, and some guys I guess never ever fail. I'm personally the middle guy.

 

I guess my point was that the hunter is the only one that can change a bad season to good... as hunters it is for us to try and find the deer, not the deer to find us. Those who play that in reverse will usually be sadly disappointed.

[Terry]

I guess my point was that the hunter is the only one that can change a bad season to good... as hunters it is for us to try and find the deer, not the deer to find us. Those who play that in reverse will usually be sadly disappointed.

I believe the difference between guys who consistently kill mature bucks and those who don't is their level of aggressiveness. Constantly doing the same thing is only going to give you the same results. You need to go to the animal to kill it, whether that is tracking, still hunting, our simply setting up dangerously close to their bed, it's all the same idea.

[nyantler]

I believe the difference between guys who consistently kill mature bucks and those who don't is their level of aggressiveness. Constantly doing the same thing is only going to give you the same results. You need to go to the animal to kill it, whether that is tracking, still hunting, our simply setting up dangerously close to their bed, it's all the same idea.

 

Yup.. the old  "WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE"  approach.

[gjs4]

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Edited February 1, 2015 by gjs4

[upstate]

: /

 

Why would you edit that?? 

 

You know that email alerts sent that out to those that follow? 

[Archer1]

WOW...... First off I want to say that i've been hunting for over 30 years and know how to read sign and the woods. With that said I can comfortably say there isnt much of a deer population left in the southern zone. Yes there are pockets of deer mostly near human habitation but for the most part the population is way down. The bottom line is if you can't find an abundance of droppings there isnt many deer... I cannot believe that some "hunters" are going to make igronant statements blaming the two day youth season and crossbows.... REALLY!!! First off the youth hunters are the future of our sport and actually thinking a percentage of children hunting for two days is the cause of the population decline for over tens years is obsurd! And let's leave the archers alone..... I strongly feel that novice archers with a crossbow is more ethical and humane being accuracy is greatly improved and would result in less wounded deer. The problem is simple. PREDATORS!!!!  Coyotes....Humans...and how about Bears.... No one in this thread has mentioned bears... Bears kill just as many fawns as coyotes... 20 years ago no one ever saw bears in the souther zone and now there all over. Hell, I have harvested three bears in the last six years. And the DEC issueing doe tags like candy on halloween for the last 20 years is probably the largest factor. My father taught me when I was a child not to shoot does because by shooting one doe you just killed up to four deer for the following season. Do this math.... how many deer would one doe be able to create over three years including the deer her offspring would create..... The number is between 20 and 30 deer. By killing one doe one hunter just removed 20-30 deer over a three year span. Just because you have a doe tag dosnt mean you have to fill it... Throw them away! Also the harsh winters don't help but we cannot control the weather.... We can stop shooting does.... and we can start shooting every predator we see. Buckle up boys... the good ole days are gone.

[WNYBuckHunter]

You realize that this thread is from last year, right?

 

 

[Doc]

Well, it's official. The DEC and certain deer processors are telling us that all this "bad season" talk is ridiculous. The deer take is down only slightly as was predicted by the "wonder-stats" of the DEC. If we think we heard fewer shots, it is obviously a product of aging and worn-out ear-drums. If we thought we saw fewer deer, it is simply because of the failing eyesight of the aging hunter population. Even though we are all getting more experienced each year and using superior equipment every year, somehow our hunter prowess is deteriorating ..... apparently. Perhaps the processors that are claiming this to be an average to better year for them, may be some creative cherry-picking, I don't know. But according to the article in the NY Outdoor News, we don't have to worry about the reasons for fewer deer because there is no such shortage.

 

Need further proof? Well consider that bowhunters and muzzleloaders were punished this year in some key areas for passing on does and only harvesting bucks. Obviously the DEC wouldn't do that if it wasn't true ..... right?

[damore81]

I hunt 2 properties in sloansville. The first is a 70 acre hardwoods/swamp which is usually a very active area. I have only seen 3 deer the entire gun season and they were all on opening day. I even did two all-day sits and nothing. The second property I hunt is less than 10 minutes away and is 50 acres which is where our camp is and there has been no activity at all there either. I give my neighbor, who is a very close friend, permission to hunt and he went to our camp property and found 10 trespassers doing a deer drive led by one of the low-life locals who knows we usually only come up on the weekend or week of thanksgiving. So now I know why we are not seeing any deer. A call to encon was made and they told me if the property is not posted then it is hard to press charges. So pissed!