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Deer numbers/sightings

bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
edited December 2008 in Bow Hunting and Target Archery
In reading on other forums and from my own experience this season it appears deer numbers and or sightings in general are way down. Anyone else notice this in their area? I saw where our first gun season totals are down by like 13,000. I wonder if EHD hit harder than we realize.
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    taco413taco413 Member Posts: 2,504 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Never heard anyone talk about EHD this year like they did last year. I've talked to guys that said they've seen as many deer as any other year and guys who say they haven't seen but a couple. Weird ain't it?



    quote:Originally posted by bang250
    In reading on other forums and from my own experience this season it appears deer numbers and or sightings in general are way down. Anyone else notice this in their area? I saw where our first gun season totals are down by like 13,000. I wonder if EHD hit harder than we realize.
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    westernMDhunterwesternMDhunter Member Posts: 2,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Normal year so far in Maryland, seeing does, button bucks, but no big bucks. Not as much buck sign as normal with buck rubs, scrapes, etc. No bucks chasing does around but there are plenty of does and their little ones running around.
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    Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,196 ******
    edited November -1
    It has been different this year. The places I usually see them on my "nightly drives" I'm not seeing them. These are places where they have been every year. I'm still seeing them though. Saw about 25 tonight.
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    JimmyJackJimmyJack Member Posts: 5,397 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My experience in Wis. is that the DNR way overestimated the size of the deer herd. Personally I see a fraction of the deer I saw a decade ago. I think baiting plays a part as much as I hate to say it. one person told me he saw 2 deer in 30 hours of hunting, but he shot one, a spike buck. Wolves also are playing a signiificant role in my area. When the wolves move in the deer move out. Their estimation of the number of wolves is off about as much as their estimation on deer.
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    bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by taco413
    Never heard anyone talk about EHD this year like they did last year. I've talked to guys that said they've seen as many deer as any other year and guys who say they haven't seen but a couple. Weird ain't it?



    quote:Originally posted by bang250
    In reading on other forums and from my own experience this season it appears deer numbers and or sightings in general are way down. Anyone else notice this in their area? I saw where our first gun season totals are down by like 13,000. I wonder if EHD hit harder than we realize.



    I meant EHD from last year, we wouldn't see the repercussions til this year.
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    headzilla97headzilla97 Member Posts: 6,445
    edited November -1
    I have only been out 7 times not counting deer drives and I have seen deer on 5 out of 7 hunts which is higher than normal. I did very little scouting compared to years past and hunted where i have seen deer before on my farm and it has worked, the freezer is full.
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    tcleartclear Member Posts: 132 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Herd was grossly overestimated in PA where I am at. I had a great archery season and was into some nice buck, but we then got hit with 24-30 inches of snow and that has really made the rifle hunts difficult. The antler restrictions are doing a nice job here of finally producing some nice trophy buck, at least where I am at on the western side of the state, but the number of deer is way down from what it has been.
    My three rifle hunts have consisted of two small year old buck and 4 doe, not a single one of those doe being over 80 pounds. I won't pull the trigger on a doe that small.
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    dakotashooter2dakotashooter2 Member Posts: 6,186
    edited November -1
    In my state the recent growth of corn as a major crop has affected deer visibility. The combination of a late planting and late harvest due to extremly wet conditions left most of the corn standing throughout the gun season. Should also not that there are fewer hunters "off road" than usual.
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