Controlled hunt

86 was poor as well. Running 10 trail cams on multiple properties I can confidently say the deer numbers are down 75% of what they were 15yrs ago. Small pockets of higher densities here and there but on average it’s nowhere near levels of the past. On average according to mnrf stats 700-900 deer are taken annually in 86 and it’s finally caught up….

future in my opinion looks bleak unless the herd is managed based on the carrying capacity of the land versus whacky formulas based on deer-car collisions. Vehicular traffic has grown year over year and that correlates to an increase in collisions, it does not though mean there is an abundance of deer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by biggamer

86 was poor as well. Running 10 trail cams on multiple properties I can confidently say the deer numbers are down 75% of what they were 15yrs ago. Small pockets of higher densities here and there but on average it’s nowhere near levels of the past. On average according to mnrf stats 700-900 deer are taken annually in 86 and it’s finally caught up….

future in my opinion looks bleak unless the herd is managed based on the carrying capacity of the land versus whacky formulas based on deer-car collisions. Vehicular traffic has grown year over year and that correlates to an increase in collisions, it does not though mean there is an abundance of deer.

---

Do not put a lot of hope then in the future-not bashing the MNRF,but as far we can see in the past 20 years-they ARE always 5 years behind anything happening in the woods, they do not see comprehensively,there is minimal initiative and next to no listening to hunters.......and to a great degree-i think,they focus elsewhere(just do not know,where).

No offence to anyone in MNRF.
Just stating what we can see,with a hope in improvement.

Congrats Sam on the buck and glad your dog found it

Tale of two hunts for me. 3 days at our camp in 84. 8 guys saw no deer. Worst hunting I’ve seen there since the early 80’s

Next 3 days in the controlled hunt near home (WMU 87 near Dundas) 16 deer seen hunting by myself. Deer seen every hunt.

Not sure the difference, but snow load up north off the lake over the last 5 winters is part of it I think


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We saw 9 nine deer in 3 days of hunting. Totally messed up opening morning. Had an absolute monster walk in at 7:40 am. Let him walk in about 50 yards. Decided to use my smooth bore this year, which I'm generally very good with. Anyways, as he turned I pulled the first shot and the buck spun and fired the second. He put his head down butt and up and ran. Didn't see where he went because of the cover. Ten minutes later a second buck followed his same path, and because I'm party hunting with my brother, I decided to get greedy! This buck stood about 60 yards quartering on top of the hill. This buck was being smart trying to wind me. I had in my sights so I shot! He dropped and stumbled! He then got up and ran and I fired two more and he disappeared into the cedars!!
So I'm sitting there shaking like a leaf! I called my brother to tell him we potentially got 2 deer down at 8:05 am opening day! He comes to me at about 8:35 am
F@$K ME!!! No blood no nothing!!! For either deer! We searched all morning till about 12PM. I was devestated. What makes this story worse is that two more bucks, one being another absolute giant walked in at about 25 yards after I shot at the second deer, and I just watched as I was so confident that my season was done! I have no clue what happened with the first buck!! I for sure blew over him! The second buck, I found where the slug pierced the ground, and that must of knocked the buck down . It haunts me every night since!
Our property is not easy to hunt! We are the only hunters in the area, and we don't have permission to bush behind us. That is a plan for the off season. We have small shooting lanes. We hunt a valley, and the deer use the cover of the valley to get from one end to the other. Bed to feed and vice versa.
My brother saw 5 does the next morning! No shot as they stuck to the cover of tag alders at about 85-90 yards. Crazy hunt! We made a plan to scout this property to have more success in the off season. Our work schedules have an impact on our scouting opportunities.

controlled hunt deer. test
https://farm66.staticflickr.com/6553...cfa3a65a_m.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sabmgb

controlled hunt deer. test
https://farm66.staticflickr.com/6553...cfa3a65a_m.jpg

---

Nice buck !

Great pic!

not really rick, it is smaller than the Doe I got up north in November bow hunting. So big Doe and smallish buck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sabmgb

not really rick, it is smaller than the Doe I got up north in November bow hunting. So big Doe and smallish buck.

---

But the same nice dog as on your avatar....:D