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Post by cambygsp on Nov 17, 2008 4:20:08 GMT -5
We checked our deer Sunday at Tollivers, on the Muscatatuck right off 135 in Washington County.
We were the 71st & 72nd deer checked for the weekend, they said they were down well over 100 deer for the weekend plus they were down over 30 deer for early archery.
There were trucks pulling in as we left but I don't think they will make up the deer they are down. It is either going to be a great entire gun season.......or we are gonna see a big decline in harvest.
The fella at Tollivers (heavy set guy, I beleive one of the owners) said he beleives there are more deer than ever, just not enough folks hunting/killing them. He said archery season has been declining for several years.
I know we heard record low shots both Saturday and Sunday morning, we hunted a patch of public ground close to Delaney Park and there wasn't near the amount of folks hunting this year.
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Post by mrfixit on Nov 17, 2008 6:05:53 GMT -5
I dunno if there is more deer as everyone I've talked to hasn't been seeing as many as they used to, me included. Perhaps the indiscriminate killing of does is beginning to take it's toll. Couple that with ridiculously priced tags and a outrageously short gun season and it's no surprise. With the economy in the tank some people I talk to are finding it hard to justify $25 dollars to go deer hunting once or twice and expecially with the deer herd down in a lot of spots they might not even see a deer. It doesn't affect old die hards like me with lifetime licenses but it really affects the younger generation with kids and a lot of expenses us old farts don't have.
/endrant
lol
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Post by danf on Nov 17, 2008 7:49:19 GMT -5
The weather on Saturday had a LOT to do with it.
In the area that I was hunting on Saturday, hearing 20-30 shots in the first hour or so of firearms season used to be common. This time it was more like 10.... Deer weren't moving as much as they normally would have and there were fewer people in the woods- all due to the weather.
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Post by parrothead on Nov 17, 2008 8:51:28 GMT -5
Sat. I only heard 85 shots from 7-11 and usually hear 320-400. Sunday morning I didnt hear that many either.
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 17, 2008 9:31:52 GMT -5
Check in Boonvile was down big time.
My taxidermist had not taken in a "mounter" by 3:30 in the afternoon of the opener.
I think weather had a BIG play in it.
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Post by snakeeye on Nov 17, 2008 18:36:53 GMT -5
At my check station, they were down on the day but up overall for the season because a lot were previously killed with bows. I heard less shots than usual, probably due to cold, wind and rain. The deer I shot was the 16th (and biggest) I had seen up to that point, probably saw that many more after killing mine. The action on Saturday definitely picked up after the weather settled behind the front and rain/sleet.
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Post by duff on Nov 17, 2008 20:06:43 GMT -5
Saturday I saw lots of deer, heard a good number of shots too. Sunday I saw no deer and heard very few shots. But both guys I was hunting with Sunday shot nice bucks. I am waiting for a picture of the biggest one. I guess it was just a flat pig, but I left about 5 min. before he shot it...
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Post by bonehunter on Nov 17, 2008 20:34:55 GMT -5
"outrageously short gun season" 2 weeks during the rut is quite liberal in my opinion!!!! Its not surprising to me that reduced harvest and amount of shooting given how bow season went this year. In general, deer sightings were way down from personal observation, friends, and reading some forums online.
factors: weather and standing corn. I cant remember this much corn still being unharvested.
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Post by duff on Nov 17, 2008 21:31:04 GMT -5
Bow season was pretty lean around here too, at least the guys I talk with. Most blamed it on weather and such...who knows. Still lots of deer though.
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Post by snakeeye on Nov 18, 2008 17:08:00 GMT -5
The farm where I hunt got the corn out last week but promptly chisel plowed everything under before the opener. : (
As I said earlier, my checker (same guy 3 years running) said archery harvest was up.
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Post by dbd870 on Nov 19, 2008 4:14:12 GMT -5
Overheard a guy where I work talking about missing opening day due to the weather; said he didn't know if he'd go out this weekend or not. If the orange army is thinking this way in general then the harvest is going to be down this year.
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Post by johnc911 on Nov 19, 2008 12:59:02 GMT -5
I dunno if there is more deer as everyone I've talked to hasn't been seeing as many as they used to, me included. Perhaps the indiscriminate killing of does is beginning to take it's toll. Couple that with ridiculously priced tags and a outrageously short gun season and it's no surprise. With the economy in the tank some people I talk to are finding it hard to justify $25 dollars to go deer hunting once or twice and expecially with the deer herd down in a lot of spots they might not even see a deer. It doesn't affect old die hards like me with lifetime licenses but it really affects the younger generation with kids and a lot of expenses us old farts don't have. /endrant lol Outraguously long gun season ?  its way to long |
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Post by boltaction on Nov 20, 2008 21:43:10 GMT -5
Believe me, the herds stronger than ever! Wait until the harvest numbers are in. You'll see!
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Post by tickman1961 on Nov 21, 2008 11:09:35 GMT -5
Weather plays a major role in hunter numbers, the colder and wetter it is, the less shots you will hear. Saturday morning was for extreme hunters, I even stayed indoors until the rain quit about 2:00 pm.
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Post by hountzmj on Nov 21, 2008 12:30:07 GMT -5
I think the kill is going to be WAY down this year due to the weather. Wet and rainy last weekend... and it's going to be COLD this weekend.
I think that most of the Orange Army will just stay in doors and watch football.
That said... my opener is tomorrow... I can't hardly wait!
--hountzmj
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Post by boltaction on Nov 21, 2008 19:31:13 GMT -5
When's the last time the kill was "WAY DOWN"? We've had bad weather in the past and it's never really aaffected it that much. Mark my word, the kill may not be a record kill but it will be up there with the totals of the past 3-5 years. The weather does play a roll for sure. The check station we check our deer in at said they were running about the same as past years. We hunt Vermillion County but checked our deer in Parke County.
Car deer accidents are up 25% this year!
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Post by cambygsp on Nov 25, 2008 4:54:39 GMT -5
We were at the Gatesville General Store on Sunday for breakfast; Robin said she was up for early bow season but WAY down for gun season so far.
Last year on opening weekend of gun she checked almost 100 deer, this year she checked 40
It may pick up this weekend? who knows!
We hunted Sunday, and I heard maybe 6 shots all day.........I think with the economy and opening weekend weather, there just aint the amount of folks hunting.
Should be a whole bunch of deer to shoot at this weekend and the three weekends of M/L
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