Went out for some catch and release hunting yesterday AM.  1B public land, sat until 11:00 AM.  Counted just over 40 shots by noon.  Wanted to stay until 1:00 but had other obligations.  Zero deer.  Oh well, wasn't going to shoot an extra doe anyway unless it was wounded.  Guess it's time to pull stands.
 
On the thought of hardcore hunters changing their tactics, I probably fit that description.  The youthful fun of gun season is completely gone for me.  Many factors at play but reduced deer numbers is one of the lowest.  I'm a bit introverted and never really liked hunting in a crowd.  Rather pursue deer by myself most of the time with natural movement.  Between aging and passing family members, other annoying family members, the social aspect of gun season is gone.
 
With ever increasing year-round archery hunting preparation I see way more deer in Oct / early Nov then I ever did in gun season.  Sure it's pretty tough and very time consuming to consistently tag a 2.5+ yr old buck with a vertical bow.  I think I've improved year over year to where the gun season continually has lower and lower value to me.  Plus I'm usually able to get my doe early in the year.
 
So now I use nearly all of my hunting vacation in archery and simply save 2 days for gun as contingency (I needed it this year!).  But I would still identify myself as a gun and archery hunter.  I doubt my personal time expenditure for hunting related activity is average, so my change in deer hunting habit is probably not the best example, just one example.

Hunted Greenville area...saw 8 total...2 half racks, 2 6 points 4 doe. Never filled tags...my choice. 3 doe tags in pocket. Keep whacking does and BB and you,ll see less and less deer. just sayin....

Hunted Greenville area...saw 8 total...2 half racks, 2 6 points 4 doe. Never filled tags...my choice. 3 doe tags in pocket. Keep whacking does and BB and you,ll see less and less deer. just sayin....~Mikastorm.
 
 
Amen.........  Amen......... Amen!
 
I do use my antlerless tags in late season archery; I can't tell you how many years I hunted second season and saw antlerless that use to be antlered.  Funny, we can't shoot less then a '3-up' until they lose their antlers.   The weather this year just might allow the bucks to retain their antlers longer; I better not laugh, just yet.
 
PS. I still have popcorn so, you late season dudes best be posting some pictures and that includes the small gamers too.

S-10
Interesting, I spent 4-5 times the hours on stand in archery and saw 1/3 the doe you did. I did see 4 legal bucks and 5-6 small ones.

S-10,


Location, location, location . I should tell you as a disclaimer though the owner of the property were I saw the does doesn't allow anyone but women and children to shoot does in rifle season. The rest of us have to wait until smoke pole season,
When I hunted my other spots during gun I saw a zilch, nada, nothing like everyone else in the state.
Mike

Better last day for out crew. No deer taken but two of the guys did pass the same buck. Had 5 one one side and the other side was busted at the base. I think it is the big 10 I have on trail camera that lost a scuffle somewhere along the way. 
 
We saw quite a few does and a spike. Same story on the outskirts. Few hunters and even less shooting. 

I knew my hearing was getting bad, but I didn't know how bad.

I spent before dawn to dark and only heard 5 shots, none within a mile.

Keep mind that this was the last day of antlerless in a CWD permit zone. I was one of two hunters on 500 private acres, but the two other private tracks had driving going on all day. The Amish and the Mennonite groups had driving going on. And both the mountain ridge in front, which is private, but open to hunting and the one to the rear which is SGL are within easy earshot.

So unless I am going deaf, no one was seeing anything. I know that I did not.

I actually talked to a number of friends and coworkers that hunted more than one day (one hunted nine) and they reported seeing from high of two deer to zero. In fact one guy told me he is done and asked about ne buying his guns. He has gone from killing a deer every other season to not having seen a deer in THREE years.

I guess just being out there needs to be good enough unless on wants to work at recreation.

.
 

Congrats!

Good job and congratulations--
 
Missed a nice one today-- far out and not getting any closer- he looked back over a blow down- took a high neck shot as that was all I could see-
 Drop him on the spot or clean miss.
Wellll- I'm home and the truck bed is clean 
 A rest woulda been nice-
Was a bit long for me offhand and I dont take iffy shots but with the hole body hidden by the  down tree and only the upper neck showing gave it a try.. 
Actually thought I dropped him as when the smoke cleared he was gone--yea right- wayyyyyy gone.
 The memory is just as good though--

Yep, congrats.
 
Envious of the "white stuff" in your background there.   We haven't been getting it much for hunting season over the last many years down this way.
 
We usually make up for it when its most miserable to have it.    March and April. lol

wayne c
 
Envious of the "white stuff" in your background there.   We haven't been getting it much for hunting season over the last many years down this way.

 
Yep. We had none this year for rifle season. I am hoping for some for late flintlock. One of my favorite seasons. The are calling for a skiff on Christmas day.