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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Dec 10, 2012 11:23:18 GMT -5
Yup me too. 14 sits and haven't seen a deer since sit #1. First time in 20+ years I did not kill a deer in firearms.
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Post by ridgerunner on Dec 10, 2012 11:31:07 GMT -5
I had my best season in 30 yrs hunting!,GoFigure
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2012 11:35:15 GMT -5
Must side with Timex's & a few other's post & opinion on this subject. I seriously doubt if leasing had anything to do with the lack of Deer. Most likely issues would be: EHD, Poaching, Development, Lack of proper habitat, as well as too many Hunters in that area.
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Post by tenring on Dec 10, 2012 11:57:10 GMT -5
Two does, one button buck, one female fawn, and a 10 point buck down in Throbak's stomping grounds and the landowner stated that "there is five deer that won't be bothering me any more." Before I decided to go home, I went out on my last morning and watched 3 bucks walk by, two 8's and a 10. Here's hoping for no more drought, and a lowering of the "8" counties.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2012 12:48:20 GMT -5
I think Deer numbers are down in many counties in Indiana, and Kentucky.
People are still harvesting Deer, even though many of them are seeing less Deer.
I used to see 10 to 15 deer per day back about 5 to 10 years ago, today I see about half that each day, however I still am able to harvest a few Deer each Season.
I think a lot of other hunters are doing the same thing. I think the harvest is steady or even increasing even though a lot of people are seeing less deer.
For example Kentucky has around 150,000 less Deer today than it did 10 years ago according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. However the KY harvest is increasing every year.
Many people are seeing less Deer, but they are still harvesting the Deer they do see.
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Post by bart1533 on Dec 10, 2012 13:30:28 GMT -5
I agree....worst I did in a long time...just havnt seem the deer like I have in the years past....I hunt here on Owen co... Just was wondering if hunter in my area feel the same
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Post by goosepondmonster on Dec 10, 2012 13:37:28 GMT -5
I agree....worst I did in a long time...just havnt seem the deer like I have in the years past....I hunt here on Owen co... Just was wondering if hunter in my area feel the same What part of Owen County? I have a spot near Patricksburg and a spot near Whitehall. I've seen deer the times I have been at both spots.
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Post by bart1533 on Dec 10, 2012 13:41:00 GMT -5
My property is between patricksburg and coal city...over of of Stephenville rd.
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Post by bart1533 on Dec 10, 2012 13:44:00 GMT -5
Where abouts around patricksburg....
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Post by goosepondmonster on Dec 10, 2012 13:52:40 GMT -5
On Patricksburg Rd about a mile or so east of 246.
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Post by bart1533 on Dec 10, 2012 14:02:46 GMT -5
Know exactly where ur at....good area....hopefully I fill my muzzleloader tag...
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Post by dbd870 on Dec 10, 2012 14:14:13 GMT -5
I have seen more does in archery season in IN than I have in a long time; both Brown and Morgan Co's. I agree with quite a bit of what timex said. How many people take 8 does in your Co.? I'd bet very, very few. How many take even 4 - again I'd bet very few. You could drop those 8 Co's to four and it would make no real difference. EHD - could certainly cause a local issue but they seem to rebound in a few years when that happens so if that's the case you should recover. The last few weeks have been slow but with the full moon at the end of Nov and the warm temps and having been pressured from gun season that doesn't surprise me; before that numbers I was seeing were pretty good. Last time I talked to the local processor was the second weekend of gun season and he said his numbers were good at that point. Seems to really depend on where you are this year.
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Post by boonechaser on Dec 10, 2012 14:30:14 GMT -5
I'm gonna agree with Hornharvester on this. We were seeing less doe's 3 year's ago so we limited what we shot on our 150 acre's the last 2 season's. This year I saw more doe's than ever and so we took a few more. You can manage small acreage for deer. It's pretty amazing how quick deer learn where it is safe to stay. On one bowhunt this Nov I had 15 antlerless deer within 20 yard's of my treestand....
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 10, 2012 15:50:09 GMT -5
I'm gonna agree with Hornharvester on this. We were seeing less doe's 3 year's ago so we limited what we shot on our 150 acre's the last 2 season's. This year I saw more doe's than ever and so we took a few more. You can manage small acreage for deer. It's pretty amazing how quick deer learn where it is safe to stay. On one bowhunt this Nov I had 15 antlerless deer within 20 yard's of my treestand.... Oh so true...now of course if surrounded by other lots that don't follow your approach it can seem futile...but with 150 acres you most definitely are good.
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Post by boonechaser on Dec 10, 2012 16:13:52 GMT -5
I even have become good friend's with couple neighbor's that hunt limited and have them pretty much on same page., we don't shoot buck's unless 8 pt and spread to ear tip's. And shoot doe's based on what we are seeing in wood's while hunting. It's amazing the number of deer we are seeing and number of buck's just get's better and better every year. Of course I have some other neighbor's that shoot anything that come's by. I know once gun season open's because deer sighting's on my property go through the roof. We do the food plot's as well and betwwen 4 local neighbor's control around 1000 acre's. I'm working on some other neighbor's trying to get on board with the rest of us, would be nice to get another 500 acre's to join us.
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Post by subzero350 on Dec 10, 2012 19:20:39 GMT -5
I hit the woods yesterday with the wife and we saw 14 does (half of which were BIG) standing and eating on the opposite side of the pond from where we hunt. They weren't moving (again) and we never saw them come onto our property all morning. The wind and rain picked up so we left before noon and there was no sign of them as we drove out.
On another note: It cracks me up to hear guys say "we won't shoot bucks with less than X points" or whatever. Then, this year, we had the drought and EHD which killed many mature bucks (and does). I wonder how many guys "practicing mature herd management" (or whatever it is called) lost the big one to disease.
The point I'm trying to make is this: you have no control over mother nature nor that buck unless he's on caged property. There's no telling where that buck you don't want to shoot this time will end up next week, let alone next year; nor what next year's weather will bring. Do some research on "The Dust Bowl". The drought that caused it went on for YEARS. If the drought in our state continues, the "mature" herd will suffer - and there's nothing you can do about it. So passing some of them up this time might not pay off for you.
I hunt to fill my freezer and I do my own processing. One thing I know is you can't eat antlers. But if a nice buck comes along, that's a bonus. Would I pass up a small buck? Probably, but for the same reason why I would pass up a small doe - just because it requires pretty much the same effort to process a small deer as it does a larger one.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 10, 2012 21:10:00 GMT -5
I hit the woods yesterday with the wife and we saw 14 does (half of which were BIG) standing and eating on the opposite side of the pond from where we hunt. They weren't moving (again) and we never saw them come onto our property all morning. The wind and rain picked up so we left before noon and there was no sign of them as we drove out. On another note: It cracks me up to hear guys say "we won't shoot bucks with less than X points" or whatever. Then, this year, we had the drought and EHD which killed many mature bucks (and does). I wonder how many guys "practicing mature herd management" (or whatever it is called) lost the big one to disease. The point I'm trying to make is this: you have no control over mother nature nor that buck unless he's on caged property. There's no telling where that buck you don't want to shoot this time will end up next week, let alone next year; nor what next year's weather will bring. Do some research on "The Dust Bowl". The drought that caused it went on for YEARS. If the drought in our state continues, the "mature" herd will suffer - and there's nothing you can do about it. So passing some of them up this time might not pay off for you. I hunt to fill my freezer and I do my own processing. One thing I know is you can't eat antlers. But if a nice buck comes along, that's a bonus. Would I pass up a small buck? Probably, but for the same reason why I would pass up a small doe - just because it requires pretty much the same effort to process a small deer as it does a larger one. Um...by passing up younger bucks or whatever someone's standard is adds one more buck into a pool of bucks that "may survive". Each time a young buck is not killed that's one more buck that might make it. So yeah some of us did lose target bucks to the drought or EHD I know I lost one at least...still not changing any of my approach. I fill my freezer with does (and obviously mature buck if I get blessed with one). But I do wonder what you meant by passing a young buck is like passing a young doe? A yearling buck can be as big body wise as a 3 or 4 year old doe a lot of times just by their body structure and genetics at least up here I'd say that's the case. Shoot we've got a fawn button buck this year that is a freaking beast body wise.
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Post by subzero350 on Dec 11, 2012 14:13:36 GMT -5
I should have been more clear what I meant by "small". Something I would consider to be "small" would be something that has about a 100 lb or so hanging weight. Basically if it's only the size of a big dog (body wise), I'm not going to shoot it.
The IDNR report I read on this year's EHD stated that it impacted older/mature deer the most while (they claimed) it had little impact on the younger herd. FWIW...
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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 11, 2012 14:34:37 GMT -5
........... The IDNR report I read on this year's EHD stated that it impacted older/mature deer the most while (they claimed) it had little impact on the younger herd. FWIW... I didn't know that Chad had an EHD report out yet. Can you link to it? Thanks..
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2012 15:04:15 GMT -5
Fawns are generally immune to EHD, and those that have survived EHD in a prior year and their offspring.
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