Worst Opening weekend ever

[Sea-IV]

OK so here my buddy and I are all excited to finally be able to get the guns out and get some of these deer that just seem to stay out of bow range. Get to camp early Saturday and we head into the woods by 6 to be set by daylight. Well on my way to my stand I get a call gramps drove truck into a ditch. OK so out I go get in my truck head down the hill to pull him out, took 10 minutes all set. Get back to camp and as I am getting gear back on 3 does run across road into my woods. Great I think to myself, if he wouldn't have been stuck I would have a deer or 2. My buddy calls me and says Tom where are I can see 3 deer standing right next to your stand whats up. I tell him what happened and he notices the deer walking into brush between him and I so I quiey make my way to stand get set up. He calls me and tells me they are coming back toward me a 1 of them is a tank, so I ready myself keeping a close eye out and nothing. 15 minutes later I look to my right and there they are about 120 yards off right next to gramps stand. Huh where is gramps? He still at camp getting ready. As I am watching a shot rings out across the road and off they go running.

Needless to say those were the only deer I managed to see all weekend an that single shot was the only shot within hearing range. Where the heck are all the hunters? All weekend not a single shot within a good mile and its all woods where we are at. We cover about 200 acres between 6 of us and no deer even naturally walking through cmon really. Now there are only 2 things that come to mind, poaching all year or there isn't the amount of deer in that area the Dec states there is. What's the opinion of everyone else? Now keep in mind we have hunters this place for 40 years so we do know the area pretty well.

[Guppy35]

It's possible that a lot of doe are being bred right now, which would make very little movement unless you're out pushing them around.  The last 2 weeks have been crazy with a lot of bucks chasing does all over the place, which means a lot of them might be in the breeding stage of the rut right now.

[iceman05]

I think after hearing form friends across western ny that in general it was slow weekend. Most camps that usually get 5-6 deer opening day only had 1-2 on the ground and some none at all. I'm not sure what to attribute that to.

Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United

[Sea-IV]

Well I was thinking they might have been in lockdown mode also but the hunters from surrounding properties were there and didn't see any deer at all. Now a group did a drive in the afternoon next to us and none of them even shot. Very discouraging when they are doing drives on opening day and get no results.

[BSmaster]

I saw one solitaire mature doe Saturday morning and the gunshots seem to end around 9.  These were a fraction of what they normally are.  Sunday, I saw a couple more, however, I did run up on a hot doe.  I could smell her - very strong.  Makes me believe that they are still locked up for the most part but I am totally unsure right now.

 

Not as many people seemed to be out and I think basicall nobody pushes deer anymore.  So if nobody moves deer than you have lower odds of seeing deer and add that to the weather pattern and maybe they just weren't moving Saturday.

 

A lot of season left - don't panic. 

[dvdegeorge]

It's possible that a lot of doe are being bred right now, which would make very little movement unless you're out pushing them around.  The last 2 weeks have been crazy with a lot of bucks chasing does all over the place, which means a lot of them might be in the breeding stage of the rut right now.

Exactly whats happening right now

[Lunchbox]

I would give anything to hunt with my grandfather just one more day, sounds like your weekend was a success to me.

[Sea-IV]

Don't get me wrong I love him to death but he is 86 and had a stroke 2 years ago with me by his side, so to say the least I wish he would just stay at camp and let us fill his tags. I know he wants to be out there but its keeps me on edge when he is in a stand.

[BSmaster]

My grandfather had killed a lot of deer in his life and when the end was near I worked my @ss off to make sure he had shooting.  If he couldn't drive his car (subaru) there he couldn't hunt.  I never even had the chance with my Dad.  Hid the fact he was failing until it was too late.  Every deer season I miss all the old timers no longer here.  My Mom fell asleep sitting agains a down tree yesterday and two doe just about run her over before she wakes up.  We laugh about it.  My brother and I are glad she will get up and get out.

 

 

On the original topic...  Talked to another guy today who said opening day was fantastic - no wind and saw many deer moving.  I guess it depends solely on region.

 

Like I said - don't panic. plenty of season left.  Good luck.

[Sea-IV]

I never panic, as a matter fact on road heading to camp for the afternoon with fresh snow should be easy to see if any are in area. Worked last year for me so I am hoping it will work today. Even if I don't shoot one it would be nice to a deer in the woods.

[Frogger]

Man Im not sure about all this "There chasing does and tied up bit" Although there is indeed a lot of time left, and boy do I ever want to connect on a 3 1/2yr old or better this year but I personally feel theres some truth to be had about populations by region could be entirely different from each other.  Ive let a ton of 4-6 pntrs (yearlings walk) over the past few days and they sure were not in search mode for does.  They were in finding cover mode.  Two of them actually bedded next to me by 6:10am in the dark and stayed there for the majority of the morning.   The swamp I hunted this past week, didnt seem to have the chasing rutting etc than it did the prior week of Nov 3 - 8th.  With that said, if the belief is out there that the rut is in full swing, and that once its over in the next few days or so all of these deer are going to sprout out of the woodwork.......I got to tell ya, I think you have one awesome piece of property to hunt, and I need to find another place to hunt. Personaly in my opinion, unless you have a tremndous amount of unpressured property, deer are in lock down mode whether hes with a doe or not, if she aint movin, he aint movin.  If thats what makes them feel safe, then guess what he aint movin unless pressured.  But, its like the in the ground, you have to be in it.......

 

Other factors that I see out there that may influence areas ecpecially mine, freaken corn is still up. Yikes.  not good.  Nuicence permits?? I hate to hear about these as I think they can crush an area especially if the landowner who applys for them does not allow hunting on his land.  Go figure.  So yes I think theres some truth to the populations in specific areas being screwed up. 

 

On the topic, though, I think you did the right thing about your grand father and whats already been mentioned cherish it for as long as you can!

[RUNNIN REBEL]

Snow and deer cams will  UPDATE you on a specific piece of property Instantly. 1 camera had 5 pics and another had 40 pics all in 5 day stretch. Showed doe moving to food source (with only small bucks tailing) and bedding in high & dry areas near food source. Mature bucks all nocturnal using thick/WET bedding area. We also had 2-3 inches snow to map out CURRENT trails. Scout and Know the property you hunt will increase odds of seeing deer.

 

Jerry

[Fish Hunter]

We did not fire a round, yet, but let small bucks walk on Saturday, with one chasing. No visual on any antlered bucks on Sunday.

Saw 17 total deer, on the opener, 16 on Sunday, and almost hit one on the way home last night.

Last night saw a button buck TRYING to mount an adult doe.

She was basically prancing in and out of this thick cover below one of our blinds, with Jr. in tow.

Her tail never went down, flopping from side to side, almost saying come and get some of this, and as soon as she'd stop, he'd try to climb on. Wasn't working......

Her fawns were also blasting in and out of that tag-alder bottom, trying to figure what the hell mom was doing. Quite comical.

I found it odd that with her smell blowing into more thick stuff, that a shooter didn't surface.

I can see up the hill for a looooooooong ways from that one blind, and saw chasing(with the binoculars) up there also, but too dim, and too far to make the call on what he was.

[dvdegeorge]

Its plain and simple every thing peaked last week and after Tues -Weds. it's lock down time it goes from feast to famine just like that!

You would swear the deer caught a flight to Florida or got sucked up into a big hole in the ground. They are there but the hunting gets tough the rest of the way,Hunting pressure and guns a blazin adds fuel to the fire.Stay patient,they will move again but the days of dumb crazy bucks wandering around are pasted us.You can still catch a straggler Brute cruising for a hot doe.  Once things settle food and cover will be key. The deer are still there when I start to doubt this I go down memory lane to a few years back. Had close encounters with a big buck right near end of archery never could get a clean shot. Opening day of gun came and I saw 2 small buck. He was no where to be seen.Hell for that matter I didn't see a buck the rest of gun season and all the way through muzzleloader season....almost.The last day and last 5 minutes of shooting light,I'm about to fill a doe tag hammer cocked and crosshairs resting on her shoulder.Then I hear horns cracking to my left.I say "who the hell is in here rattling" My brain then realizes nobody I look to find 2 buck 110 yds away clicking horns on a dirt mount  . My shot was free hand and perfect! Yup same buck from archery season,I gave the Fat Lady the finger that day!

 

Keep the faith your season can change in 1 second and at any second

 

 

[W.W.IV.]

Well I started the day well, I missed a little 4 pt about 5:45am, he walked out in frount of my truck, that was a good miss. I made my way to my stand and got comfy and waited, about an hour in and I thought I saw red about 75yds to the east of me, I'd see it and it was gone must be a hunter there, about 8"30 I look over there and there's to the man and his son about 4yrs old standing there,they were in one of those popup blindes.They need to have some red on them during gun season.

 About 11:00 a doe came out of the goldenrod and went back in, the rod was over head high, you could'nt see anything in there. A little after noon I spoted a doe across the revain 110yds broadside

I missed.She ran up hill, after about 5min. all hell broke lose, there must have been 20 shots fired. there was no shooting that way all morning, everything was north and west of me, that was it till about 4:30 pm till dark.I saw three more deer but I'm not carying a rifle. It seemed like a good opening day to me in 8M.

 Lets hear from some of you state land hunters, how did the hunting go for you.

 

                                 Good luck and be SAFE. .

[Chas0218]

I had just the opposite.  On our 230 acres I saw 17 doe, 3 bucks. The one buck was a 130" 10 point, he wasn't the one I was looking for so passed him up.  Deer were everywhere.

 

Now 2 things can attribute to not seeing deer. 1st predators in the area people or not, 2nd human scent.  I hunt the wind and do it religously, I will pass on spots I know the wind won't work.  If your wind swirls (likely if hunting on a hill) then you won't probably see a thing on an all day sit.

 

I found the best part of gun season to be in the woods is actually the 2nd day and the weekend following.  Deer are skittish but not nocturnal yet. Not to mention people in my area shoot the first thing that walks in front of them just to say they filled their tags. Opening day was like WW3 but sunday I heard maybe 25 shots all day.  10 were from the same guy.

[Fish Hunter]

It ain't over, 'till it's over, and we all certainly like to smack a wall-hanger on the opener, but there is some mighty good deer hunting ahead,  to be had.

The walls of our living room show that evidence.........

[Frogger]

Dan, thats what I needed to hear, thanks for that.  Good stuff!

[Creekrun]

Sea-iv

Two things pop into my head as I read your posts.

A) I don't know about New York but in Pa it is illegal to use cell phones or walkie talkies to assist in a big game hunt.

B) the fact that you wish your grandfather would stay in the cabin and let us "fill his tags" speaks to a lack of concern for the rules. If every camp adopted this attitude there would be no deer to hunt and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Maybe your lack of deer has something to do with over harvesting in years past. If everyone plays by the same rules, everyone has an equal chance to fill their own tags.

Good luck and be safe!

[Sea-IV]

I wasn't speaking of any illegal terms. In NY you can sign your doe tags over to another person. I love him dearly but since his stroke he can't walk right won't stay on the ground and doesn't have the arm strength to hold a gun up long enough to get the shot. As for the over harvesting well it surely isn't from the 6 guys who are allowed to hunt our property cause we are meat hunters, I love it and eat it as much as possible but in the same hand I usually get a deer during bow on another property and 2 from down at camp. There are 1000's of acres down there that are all wooded and hundreds of deer down there. I usually take a drive the first warm night we get in spring and the proof is standing by the dozens in the fields, roads and wherever they can be so I know the deer are here jus never had it so tough.

[Creekrun]

That's interesting about signing your doe tags over. I'm glad you clarified that for me. In Pa that would be a major infraction and would get you a quick appointment with the Game Commission! I'm all for filling the freezer since the camp I belong to are a bunch of meat hunters as well. It sounds like you're doing it right, maybe the next time you're out they'll be dancing all around you! Let's hope--