deer hunting

just wondering were are all the deer hunting reports .It seems that we are not hearing very much from all the deer hunters this year .very few reports from the controlled hunts as well as only a few from the northern rifle hunts ,Are guys just not hunting this year or are thy just not getting any deer or are thy just not reporting in on the internet anymore .things have changed over the years with negative comments about blood and tags in photos .who knows " I enjoy reading about all the great hunts that we see hear over the years but this year thy seem to be lacking .anybody have any ideas Dutch

i have seen probably about 75 doe an 4 bucks this year im only bow hunting and only could have shot at one but it was a frontal chest shot.

I don't want to talk about it!!:madman:

4 pter good size, in big game

Will this year was a bust for bucks in my gang. There are 10 if us and not one buck seen let alone shot at. Saw some doe and 4 taken 3 mature and 1 yearling. I personally saw 9 deer over 5 days which is a little low for our area but the weather wasn't cooperating very well. Great to get out and walk the bushes tho. I would post some pics but never had any luck doing it.

I will get to my report some day

Its been slow for me. Only seen 9 deer total. Took a shot at a doe in the controlled and missed high. Have had over 20 sits with the bow, closest ive come is having a 6 pt at about 10 ft to my right, but no shot through the thick brush around me.

4 deer for 6 hunters, taken opening morning. Didn't see much after that, but saw nocturnal sign.

I was able to take 2 does about 45 seconds apart... my first and second deer ever.

I was out last night 3-530....set up on a hardwood ridge in between a bedding area and a standing corn field. Had a doe and fawn come trotting by me at about 75 yds heading to the corn around 4:35...around 4:40 the big boy showed up falling the does tracks, he came as close as 58 yds to me, i got a great look at him, but he never came closer then that. 8 more yards and i might have taken the shot with the Excalibur, tough to make out how many points since it was snowing and windy, but man he was a shooter for sure...going back out tonight, hopefully he stays with the doe cause she beds down in the same area almost every night (see her and others lots this fall) , also the snow hasn't changed much in my area, the rut seems to be on still!

We also got 3 bucks up north in the rifle hunt in November, 1st week. a spike, a 8 point and a 10 point.

1 doe within range, in my freezer

3 deer out of range during legal shooting

2 deer snorted about 50 yards away

Fiancee saw 2 small does within range but an unsafe direction


That is all for us, lucky to get that one doe I think, luckier to get it ourselves, mmm venison

I'm honestly not very good at articulating remembered details into a nice, easily readable story. I've tried a couple times and it more so just reads like a list of events. After reading hundreds of reports over the years, I've read some great ones that rival some of the ones in magazines and I almost feel embarrassed at the crap I get written down compared to those. Writing stories is definitely a skill I need to work on as I've been on some great hunts over the years but can't get it to sound right.

I'll try coming up with something later this year when I get the chance. Definitely an eventful, uneventful, but successful hunt.

For the two of us bow hunting only: 1 spike down, some doe sightings and a six point came by behind some thick stuff but did not present a shot opportunity. I set up 50 yrds from my son and did some rattling, he was set up over looking a trail the buck uses (same one he saw the 6 point on). We had two deer respond but neither came close enough for a shot, was a fun hunt working together on a plan though.

Coyotes are back after being gone for a few years, and the neighbours corn is still up by me, I will be hitting the swamps hard when it comes down.

We saw nearly as many coyotes as deer and shot nearly as many too. I wrote up a lengthy report in the Big Game section. From what I've been reading and hearing, it's been a pretty lean year in most places.

nice to see some guys out hunting .the weather has been good for some bad for others .I have had some great hunts with one spike down to the bow .I lost a big buck three weeks ago to a bad shot with the crossbow he came running in to the rattle bag and gunt tube but I hit him real high never got my arrow back . .looking forward to are controlled hunt next month and was hoping to have some snow .I love hunting deer in the snow .it is the next best thing to hunting deer with the hounds ,if you have gullys and swamp this is the weather to hunt them .we have a big group of deer using the gullys behind my dads place .I he is seeing them almost every day ..good luck to everybody out trying to fill tags Dutch

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Originally Posted by huntitall

I was out last night 3-530....set up on a hardwood ridge in between a bedding area and a standing corn field. Had a doe and fawn come trotting by me at about 75 yds heading to the corn around 4:35...around 4:40 the big boy showed up falling the does tracks, he came as close as 58 yds to me, i got a great look at him, but he never came closer then that. 8 more yards and i might have taken the shot with the Excalibur, tough to make out how many points since it was snowing and windy, but man he was a shooter for sure...going back out tonight, hopefully he stays with the doe cause she beds down in the same area almost every night (see her and others lots this fall) , also the snow hasn't changed much in my area, the rut seems to be on still!

We also got 3 bucks up north in the rifle hunt in November, 1st week. a spike, a 8 point and a 10 point.

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I wasn't there but doesn't sound like something that should be considered given the conditions...
Hope you get him a lot closer
Best of luck

I didnt hunt much so far this year still managed to get an 8 pointer,,,,,,,,,,,big bodied buck
still got 88 doe tag,,,,,,,,,if I get in the mood will go out again

I've posted somewhere else, but back in October (just love hunting in more comfy October), I hunted a small parcel around Bolsover for several sits. I saw just as many yotes as deer. If there wasn't that rule about having a yote gun with you while hunting deer with a bow, I'd have tried to get them, but as it was, they just trotted through the property. I did try to draw one close with a mouth call, and he approached a bit but kept on his way.

One morning, had a Doe and yearling circle around in front of me, then wander back into the bush only to return about 10 minutes later with a young small-racked 8 point following them. They circled around but he went back into the bush without presenting a shot. A couple of sits later, he came by at 7:30AM by himself and I took him.

I still have a seal to use with the bow and a controlled hunt tag for 78A during the first week of December that I'll use the muzzleloader for even though I don't expect to even see a deer there.

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Originally Posted by fratri

I wasn't there but doesn't sound like something that should be considered given the conditions...
Hope you get him a lot closer
Best of luck

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These are the types of comments that keep people from posting. Why shouldn't he consider shooting at 50 yards? he must be comfortable shooting at that distance or he would not have made such a comment.

I think it was the next sentence that Frank was talking about "Hard to make out how many points since it was snowy and windy "
Not a high percentage shot at 50 yards with archery equipment imho. But if he was able to dope the wind correctly and adjust for arrow drop then ...

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Originally Posted by BPR 30-06

These are the types of comments that keep people from posting. Why shouldn't he consider shooting at 50 yards? he must be comfortable shooting at that distance or he would not have made such a comment.

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A 50 yard shot is fine at a stationary target (ie. a block). It's too far for a quality shot at a deer even if you know you can hit what you're aiming at. The deer has time to move significantly. I'm on the Excalibur Board all the time and the diehards on there all agree a 50 yard shot isn't a good idea.

I'm in the 50 yards is too far school too...but if a guy can make the shot on a regular basis - that's hard to argue with. 25 yards is too far for some. My big issue for the longer shots is - how accurately can you estimate the range +/- 5 yards @50 is a big deal.

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Originally Posted by BPR 30-06

These are the types of comments that keep people from posting. Why shouldn't he consider shooting at 50 yards? he must be comfortable shooting at that distance or he would not have made such a comment.

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I hope you're wrong.... dialog is a good thing...

I wasn't there but.... A 50 yds shot in the bush with wind and falling snow don't make for a high percentage shot.... It certainly can be done but probably won't be attempted by most and for good reason....

PS....I think you're just looking to stir the pot...

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Originally Posted by DanO

A 50 yard shot is fine at a stationary target (ie. a block). It's too far for a quality shot at a deer even if you know you can hit what you're aiming at. The deer has time to move significantly. I'm on the Excalibur Board all the time and the diehards on there all agree a 50 yard shot isn't a good idea.

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This is my thoughts too. Used to hunt with a rather large fella. He showed me just how slow 275fps is. At forty yards from me he stood a safe distance away but beside the target that I was shooting at. When I shot he could be flat on the ground before my arrow made it the 40 yards. Keep in mind that this man was 350lbs and 65 years old.

A hunter I admire who has harvested more game than many/most once said to me "I hunt to kill 30 yards is my limit, 40 yards is hoping to kill".

But he applies "I hunt to kill" to all hunting be it WF, be it Bear be it X Y or Z. He won't for example hunt bear with anything but the most efficient rifle. When he put a 2nd round into a sow, that fell flat on the first then tried to rise………….I understood…crystal clear.

Did he need the 2nd? Nope, the first was lethal, he knew it..So why the 2nd?

I personally won't question a 50 yard shot. Im consistent at 50 and I wasn't there. My limit is 40, and for me I want it "gift wrapped". Aka zero question on range, broadside and standing stock still.

I might wonder if things I can't really control might introduce some chance ( gust of wind, a step, jumping the string etc)…And it goes from "knowing" to "hoping".

I have likely killed less deer with archery equipment ( all crossbow , excal exocet) than many other forum members here but its safe to say its likely just over 20 animals. Nock on wood I have not lost one yet and I hope I never do. The farthest was 29 yards and the closest ( and the biggest buck I ever shot a mature 10 point). Was at 8 yards while I was leaning against a tree.

I shoot my bow a fair bit even out to 50 yards, there is a visible difference in arrrow flight on breezy days as aposed to calm days. Under ideal conditions would i take a shot at a 50 yard deer? Possibly. The bow is definately capable of the job but throw in windy conditions and I will wait for a closer shot.

Nov.3, a spike horn came to check out my calling. Dropped him at 18 yds. with a lung shot. Nov.4, only saw a group of 3 does with 3 fawns at about 70 yds. and decided to let them go. Nov. 5, called in a 6 pointer, 20 yd. lung shot again while he was looking for the doe. About 30 mins. later, mister yote showed up at about 100 yds. A 50 cal. does a lot of damage on them. A little later, 2 does with their fawns came to see what all the fuss was about. Came to about 20 yds. Spooked them while trying to get my camera out of my pack. On Nov.6, an 8 pointer answered my call. This one on the cut corn field. I waited for him to turn broadside and got another lung shot at about 50 yds. This filled our tags so we were done. We only hunted in the mornings this year until around 10. Saw a total of 13 deer. The butcher liked our kills as he said no waste. The spike was 146 lbs., the 6 pointer 230 lbs. and the 8 pointer 200 lbs. This weight before gutting. All from my tree stand. I practiced a lot of 200 yd. shots this summer and have been in a consistent 4'' group at that distance so these close shots were no challenge and I have enough patience to wait for the right position. Buck fever does not exist for me anymore.

My report is in, that's the only one that counts, right? Lol

Went out this morning there where a lot of tracks but did not see any deer.

50 yards is not too far if you know your equipment and practice with it.

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Originally Posted by northernontario

4 deer for 6 hunters, taken opening morning. Didn't see much after that, but saw nocturnal sign.

I was able to take 2 does about 45 seconds apart... my first and second deer ever.

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Awesome. Congrats!

My report is up in the Big Game section

I have seen 8 deer on my outings and shot one. Just last night duck hunting I had two does come out into the bean field 20 yards away and ate for 30 minutes before winding us. Then we saw a buck crushing the bush line

We had 15 in our group...but only had about 7 guys each day in the Nov. controlled hunt..as guys had different days off..
We ended up with 11 for the week...6 bucks ( no brusiers...4 and 6 )...the rest were does..
One guy had the hot spot as they were all shot out of tree stands...He planted 5 of them..
I seen one big guy..10 er..running threw the bush..busted out the side of the bush..ran across the road to the next bush on the other side of the field..and BANG..The group over there got him..lol,,,thats hunting..

Fantastic deer movement in October. Above average. Deer seemed calm and willing to move through open fields at all hours of the day. Right up until the November shotgun week. 1 week of the woods flooded with orange, and daytime deer movement has decreased dramatically since.

october was fantastic! woudln't have even thought that it was a harsh winter in my woods except for the lack of turkey. deer seemed to be alright compared to the previous years. but thats only my spots i can account for.

I made it out for 1 full day and two half days of hunting and saw 11 deer. 2 were spikes and one was a fork 4 pointer. I had another buck grunt at me from out of sight but did not get a look at him. Hunting from the ground with no blind. This was in the firest week and a half of rifle which is good because I usually don't get any action on that property until late bow season in early December.