Slowest year ever in the Alabama Swamps

[Gill-T]

23 hours ago, Gator said:

Hey, I'm not knocking crossbows!! I hunt with one. I'm simply saying that crossbows have an impact by increasing the number of people in the woods. It's not rocket science. More boots on the ground equates to more scent and spookier deer. The same thing happens during gun season, undeniably...we all see the results. Back in the day, before scent control was a "thing", lots of folks wandered around mid-day and pushed deer to each other.  With all of us stand-sitting these days, it happens less. So, do I "blame" crossbows? No, of course not. But i acknowledge that they have changed and are likely to continue to change deer patterns. Just like weather and food and access and all the other things that we try to use to predict whitetail behavior. One more part of the equation. And we will adapt. And deer will hit the dirt. But not today, for me at least. I hope that this front gets things stirred up.

 

And posting twice doesn't make you twice as wise, Gambler .

There will be some potential rule changes coming to NY. Mandatory hunter orange and no deer drives allowed from what I am hearing. 

[garrymny]

Well I finally saw two deer today. Passed on a medium doe. Kicked a buck up in goldenrod redbrush and missed. 

[garrymny]

On 11/27/2019 at 4:25 PM, BLOCKHEAD said:

I pushed a lot of deer during  this  duck and pheasant season .  Saw plenty of kooks and poachers. Guys walking around with rifles weeks before season opener. Deer were bedding in flooded timber . Cant tell u how many carcasses my dog found with just the head cut off. Or just the backstraps removed.  Almost every parking area had deer dumped within 50 yds.  REAL HUNTERS , with basic knowledge/ skills were in short supply.  I cover miles and miles, running a ridiculously conditioned gun dog . To be blunt, I could write tickets sun up ,to. Sun down if I was DEC. Carlton hill and iroquois were dumpster fires in my opinion.  Crossbow hunters aren't the problem.  

Blockhead, just wondering if you were hunting near the Tonawanda reservation? I think the Indians deer season comes in before ours. Could this explain folks walking around with rifles early? As for the dead deer, heads cut off, disgusting. I've hunted the Iroquois Wildlife refuge for 14 or 15 years and I've never seen a game warden! I think you May be onto something, poachers and  I believe coyotes (from the tracks I see) are taking a toll. Without a dog , we have no idea these dead deer are out there. With your dog, you are finding them. I love the swamp. So diverse. But if I had an alternative, I would not hunt it as much. Tried Carlton Hill and it is hunted heavier than the Refuge, so I gave that up.

[Gill-T]

I believe they start deer hunting on the reservation in September. They are known to cross over the border of their sovereign nation onto the WMA and even private land with their AR rifles. Guys I know sitting in treestands during bow season have had native hunters walk under them and flip them the bird. Kind of scary facing someone with an AR while you have a bow. 

[garrymny]

On 11/28/2019 at 7:52 PM, Gill-T said:

I believe they start deer hunting on the reservation in September. They are known to cross over the border of their sovereign nation onto the WMA and even private land with their AR rifles. Guys I know sitting in treestands during bow season have had native hunters walk under them and flip them the bird. Kind of scary facing someone with an AR while you have a bow. 

I don't  hunt near the reservation anymore. My reason though is that off judge road it sounds like Armageddon on the first day of pheasant season! The attraction to me was the huge alfalfa fields. But trail cameras didn't reveal that many deer visiting them.