Odd question

[BSK]

Has anyone noticed deer being considerably less wary of hunters this year than in past years?

 

[kaizen leader]

Not where I hunt in both public and private in middle Tn.

 

[LenS]

Bucks I could say probably, but definitely not on the does. The does are as wary as always. I've got a couple that know to check out stands when they come through and they have been particularly irritating this year. Concerning the bucks I think I've seen more 2.5 and older bucks than usual. The pre-rut chasing and seeking behavior seemed to stretch out longer this season as well.

The biggest surprise to me this year was the sheer number of deer we saw. Usually a bumper acorn crop means that our sightings are way down but that has not been the case at all this season.

 

[Topshelf]

Negative on that note sir

 

[TDW05]

Nope, same as always where I hunt.

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

Has anyone noticed deer being considerably less wary of hunters this year than in past years?

I did have a 4 pt walk up on and all around me mz hunting while hunting on the ground. Maybe its long term covid brain fog that has them dumbfounded.....lol. But kinda serious too, they said deer tested positive for covid so who knows on these crazy times we are living in.

 

[WTNBowHunter]

I haven't noticed anything unusual where I hunt but thought this picture was funny. This deer walked by a set I hung a week or so after I hung it. Just hung a 20' stick ladder with a rapid rail above it, a millenium block, and a life line. Not even a stand in the tree and it has cover as well. Typical old doe just walking around looking for a hunter haha!

 

[Flintlocksforme]

Maybe the abundance of food has put them at ease.

 

[Lost Lake]

They are as wary as they've ever been on our place. We've had the weirdest rut that I can ever remember too.

 

[deerhunter10]

Haven't noticed one way or another. Pressure overall on most of our places aren't bad so our deer aren't as crazy as some.

 

[BSK]

Must be the rapidly declining number of deer hunters and deer hunting pressure in my area. All of Muzzleloader, I think we heard four shots that were not ours. Opening weekend of gun, only 3 shots not ours.

I specifically mention deer hunters/pressure because the area is now crawling with duck hunters. But hardly a deer hunter to be found.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Nope does still busting my a$$ like always....

 

[Ski]

Just as spooky as ever in the places I hunt.

 

[megalomaniac]

Must be the rapidly declining number of deer hunters and deer hunting pressure in my area. All of Muzzleloader, I think we heard four shots that were not ours. Opening weekend of gun, only 3 shots not ours.

I specifically mention deer hunters/pressure because the area is now crawling with duck hunters. But hardly a deer hunter to be found.

I think you are correct... deer negatively reacting to human pressure is directly related to the amount of human pressure placed on the deer by hunting.

Our deer behaved the same as always... 4.5yo's walking around in wide open fields at daylight the first few days of hunting, then holding tight to cover unless they were with an estrus doe. After the 2 weeks of intense pressure, completely nocturnal.

As an aside, I heard WAY more shots in ML this year than ever before. Like 10-15 a day on weekends. Sounded like WW3. Bunches in gun season as well, but more ML shots than gun this year.

 

[LenS]

On opening day of rifle season I was thinking of how quiet it was. Seems to me like 20 years ago opening morning sounded like WW3. This year, counting the 2 weeks of ML and last week, I suspect I didn't hear 20 shots combined, and half of those were a ways off. But this past Saturday.....even though I am not close to any real duck hunting, that was crazy to hear!

 

[cbhunter]

The 10 pt I killed came in and got directly down wind. Threw his nose up but instead of getting the heck out of dodge, he slightly altered his course and continued on to his death

I've only hunted 3-4 times so that's literally my only encounter

 

[DoubleRidge]

Concerning the bucks I think I've seen more 2.5 and older bucks than usual. The pre-rut chasing and seeking behavior seemed to stretch out longer this season as well.

The biggest surprise to me this year was the sheer number of deer we saw.

LenS description is almost identical to how I would describe muzzleloader and the first week of rifle...have deer been less wary? Not sure? But no doubt I know we have seen more 2.5 and older bucks than usual this year...and several days the total number of deer sightings has seemed above average. Also from our trail cam pictures we had developed a list of the more mature bucks that we hoped to have an encounter with (trying not to say "hitlist" and trigger anyone)...and from that list...of the top four bucks...we were fortunate to kill #2 in muzzleloader followed by #1 opening of rifle...and #1 we had seen twice before during muzzleloader in the daylight (out of range both times) Note: both #1 & #2 were both chasing or tending a hot doe when killed.....then from the list...I saw buck #3 three times and videoed him twice inside 70 yards...then saw and collected video of buck #4 from 80 to 100yards away twice....also....I can not recall a season where we have seen so many different "good" up and comers on camera....very encouraged.
Honestly its backwards from what i expected following last years terrible mast crop and hard drought? We expected to see more deer in poor condition and that has not been the case...but in the same breath I can say I've talked to a couple of other hunters in our region who have not had an above average season? So I'm not sure what to make of it all?...Interesting to chew on though.

 

[lafn96]

On opening day of rifle season I was thinking of how quiet it was. Seems to me like 20 years ago opening morning sounded like WW3. This year, counting the 2 weeks of ML and last week, I suspect I didn't hear 20 shots combined, and half of those were a ways off. But this past Saturday.....even though I am not close to any real duck hunting, that was crazy to hear!

Heard 20+ shots just the morning of the 2nd Saturday of ML. Didn't hear near that many day of the rifle opener.

 

[DoubleRidge]

On opening day of rifle season I was thinking of how quiet it was. Seems to me like 20 years ago opening morning sounded like WW3. This year, counting the 2 weeks of ML and last week, I suspect I didn't hear 20 shots combined, and half of those were a ways off. But this past Saturday.....even though I am not close to any real duck hunting, that was crazy to hear!

Again....LenS observations and ours are very similar....the number of shots I heard the two weeks of muzzleloader plus first week of rifle was absolutely down in our area...in years past we would see how many shots we could count in a day...and it was amazing...this year not near as many....less people hunting? More people being selective in what they kill? Not sure? It wasnt bad weather...been some beautiful days to hunt.

 

[DaveTN]

Has anyone noticed deer being considerably less wary of hunters this year than in past years?

I don't know if you would call it being less weary but there sure seems to be more stories of deer attacking people.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

All y'all with above average deer sightings, send some to Hickman County. I hunted 9 out of 10 days starting the second weekend of muzzleloader. I saw 5 does, a six point, two small 8 points and 576 spikes. Very odd for the lack of deer movement during that time period. Additionally being very odd, we only had ONE 4.5+ buck range-shift onto us. As far as their spookiness, same as usual.

 

[BSK]

All y'all with above average deer sightings, send some to Hickman County. I hunted 9 out of 10 days starting the second weekend of muzzleloader. I saw 5 does, a six point, two small 8 points and 576 spikes. Very odd for the lack of deer movement during that time period. Additionally being very odd, we only had ONE 4.5+ buck range-shift onto us. As far as their spookiness, same as usual.

We have certainly seen some odd things herd-wise this year. But I won't know if it was just a "weird" year or we're seeing some new trend until I see what happens next year. Maybe this year was just a fluke.

 

[Popcorn]

Nothing far out of the norm in western Ky. Cept the unimaginable acorn crop. The rut was great for my guys also.
In Stewart county I have a doe that comes to my UTV when I am in her area! lol. Someone near there must be or have fed her from a UTV.

 

[deerhunter10]

All y'all with above average deer sightings, send some to Hickman County. I hunted 9 out of 10 days starting the second weekend of muzzleloader. I saw 5 does, a six point, two small 8 points and 576 spikes. Very odd for the lack of deer movement during that time period. Additionally being very odd, we only had ONE 4.5+ buck range-shift onto us. As far as their spookiness, same as usual.

We are also noticing a crazy amount of spikes as well. Seems like way more then normal. We probably have 10 to 12 different spikes right now.

 

[JeepKuntry]

On the private I hunt in West Tn I have noticed the does tend to not be frightened. Maybe they know I only trophy hunt cwd areas. On the public in East Tn they don't stop running till they hit the next county over.

 

[backyardtndeer]

No. They are the same as always around here.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

We are also noticing a crazy amount of spikes as well. Seems like way more then normal. We probably have 10 to 12 different spikes right now.

Same here. EVERY time I went in the woods, I saw atleast 1 spike. At first, I was excited to see a lonesome doe, but as time went on, 95% of those encounters turned out to be spikes. It may have to do with the very poor nutrition from last year (ZERO acorns) - they were really stressed last year and I think this a ripple effect from that. Hopefully it will just be a one-generational thing. Theoretically, I would think next year's yearlings, we will see a much higher jump in antler size for their age class - due to the biggest acorn crop I can ever remember.

 

[BSK]

We are also noticing a crazy amount of spikes as well. Seems like way more then normal. We probably have 10 to 12 different spikes right now.

In the areas hit hardest by the 2022 drought, I'm seeing a very high spike incidence this year. But that makes perfect sense, as these yearlings this year were fawns last year, and suffered the consequences of the very poor food sources in summer, fall, and winter 2022/23. These fawns becoming yearlings simply didn't enough resources left over after body growth requirements to grow anything beyond spikes this last summer. On properties that normally average 40-50% of yearlings being spikes, I've seen it as high as 80% spikes this year.

I honestly expected to see VERY poor antler growth for all age-classes this year, but that was not the case. The only age-class that really seemed to be affected was the yearlings. Now body growth, that's another story for another thread...

 

[JCDEERMAN]

In the areas hit hardest by the 2022 drought, I'm seeing a very high spike incidence this year. But that makes perfect sense, as these yearlings this year were fawns last year, and suffered the consequences of the very poor food sources in summer, fall, and winter 2022/23. These fawns becoming yearlings simply didn't enough resources left over after body growth requirements to grow anything beyond spikes this last summer. On properties that normally average 40-50% of yearlings being spikes, I've seen it as high as 80% spikes this year.

I honestly expected to see VERY poor antler growth for all age-classes this year, but that was not the case. The only age-class that really seemed to be affected was the yearlings. Now body growth, that's another story for another thread...

We are definitely in that 80 percentile.

 

[DMD]

Has anyone noticed deer being considerably less wary of hunters this year than in past years?

Nope. Pretty dadgum wary where I've been hunting. Unfortunately.