What year was it?

[BSK]

I'm trying to remember, what year was it that the leaves had hardly started to change color when MZ opened, and the leaves hung on really late? Was it 2005?

 

[KENBOB10]

I remember it happening, but can't remember when. Now where did I put my glasses?

 

[Winchester]

2007 it was the yr they got killed when we had the super warm temps early, then the hard freeze during Turkey season. Trees had to start over in April, which put them not dropping leaves until Thanksgiving that yr. 2007 was the worst yr I remember for several reasons. Started with the late freeze, terrible drought, terrible EHD outbreak, complete mast failure, very late leaf drop, etc.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

^^^^^^^^I was thinking 07 as well

 

[woodsman87]

I am not sure, I remember the 2007 April 7th freeze, when the leaves turned black and had to start over. Zero mast that year. I don't think there was one nut or fruit anywhere. I do not recall how long the leaves stayed on the trees.
2005 was probably my best year as far as killing deer. So that means it was probably good weather wise.

 

[Wrangler]

wow that was my best year since I been hunting and I've logged almost thirty years of hunting. I miss those days seemed like every time I stepped into the woods I killed a deer. I'm a meet hunter but I took a 128 in 8 pointer and was first year that I tagged out in bucks. this year has been very hard on me not seeing near the deer that I usually do. I mostly do doe management for a local industrial park so that is mostly what I kill don't have any good places to hunt for trophy deer.

 

[W.Seay]

2007 it was the yr they got killed when we had the super warm temps early, then the hard freeze during Turkey season. Trees had to start over in April, which put them not dropping leaves until Thanksgiving that yr. 2007 was the worst yr I remember for several reasons. Started with the late freeze, terrible drought, terrible EHD outbreak, complete mast failure, very late leaf drop, etc.

X2!

 

[Kevin]

It was 07. That was my first season in TN.

 

[Wrangler]

wow that was my best year since I been hunting and I've logged almost thirty years of hunting. I miss those days seemed like every time I stepped into the woods I killed a deer. I'm a meet hunter but I took a 128 in 8 pointer and was first year that I tagged out in bucks. this year has been very hard on me not seeing near the deer that I usually do. I mostly do doe management for a local industrial park so that is mostly what I kill don't have any good places to hunt for trophy deer. in 2007 I took 12 deer in three states and four of them was bucks

 

[KENBOB10]

It was a good hunting year. Deer were moving like crazy.

 

[Winchester]

It was a good hunting year. Deer were moving like crazy.

I suspect it may be similar here in East Tn this yr overall due to food or lack of it. I just hope the Rut is a good visible one?

 

[Lost Lake]

I was on a rifle hunt in November of 08 at LBL and the leaves were still on the trees and very few had fallen. Got lucky enough to tag an eleven point.

 

[KENBOB10]

It was a good hunting year. Deer were moving like crazy.

I suspect it may be similar here in East Tn this yr overall due to food or lack of it. I just hope the Rut is a good visible one?

On one of our leases we have a decent acorn crop. The o the one is a select cut pine forest. Very thick with cover. The bad crop year it was the place to be!

 

[Bone Collector]

I'm thinking 07 too. 05 I shot an 8 pt on November 22nd or 23rd and there were no leaves on the trees.

 

[BSK]

Thanks guys. Yes, I think it was both 07 and 08 that had late leaves. I have a picture from MZ in 08 and there are maples still with fully green leaves in the background.

 

[Todd Bell]

think this rain shower tomorrow will knock off a lot more leaves? still couldn't see very far in the big woods this evening

 

[Nacho]

I hope the rain does knock more of the leaves off.

 

[156p&y]

BSK are you thinking of investigating the rut along with the foliage?

I was thinking the other day about all the leaves and was wondering if they helped trigger something in the deer to start rutting; along with the decrease in daylight.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

BSK are you thinking of investigating the rut along with the foliage?

I was thinking the other day about all the leaves and was wondering if they helped trigger something in the deer to start rutting; along with the decrease in daylight.

I have always wondered the same thing. It seems at a certain point throughout every year, the more bucks I see cruising and chasing is relative to the leaf falling process. Havent looked at it thoroughly in relation to temps, etc....but it seems at a certain time when the leaves have fallen, thats when the action is turned up a notch. Maybe its coincidence, but the last few years it seems that I can look at the leaves at a certain point and know it is time to be in the woods....narrowed down to within several days and been fairly accurate.

 

[BSK]

BSK are you thinking of investigating the rut along with the foliage?

I was thinking the other day about all the leaves and was wondering if they helped trigger something in the deer to start rutting; along with the decrease in daylight.

Not so much the late leaves effecting the rut, but that some natural process has delayed many biological processes. Perhaps the late acorn drop and late leaf drop are symptoms of some unknown process that could delay other biological processes, and delay observed rutting activity.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Not to hijack the thread and perhaps I should start another, but are you guys suggesting maybe the rut is running behind this year (along with some other aspects of Ma'Nature's clock like foliage)?

 

[BSK]

Not to hijack the thread and perhaps I should start another, but are you guys suggesting maybe the rut is running behind this year (along with some other aspects of Ma'Nature's clock like foliage)?

Suggesting that that is an interesting POTENTIAL possibility this year. Although I'm not even sure if I would believe in such a thing. Just thinking out loud more than anything...

 

[156p&y]

That is what I was suggesting Weevil, but as of right now I still think we have a little time before I'm convinced the rut is going to be late. Last year the bucks went pretty bonkers around the tenth, but I also had lots of scrapes and the deer were aggressive. This year they aren't aggressive at all and we have had no new bucks show up to encourage aggression just yet. Either they are going to go bananas when this cool weather hits or they are going to remain relaxed another week or so. I'm gonna get a chance to sit in the morning. So I'm excited to try to piece the puzzle together a little more. I generally have 3 days to get a shot at shooter before they lock down, so I'm always freaking out about missing it.

 

[BSK]

156p&y,

I was getting a crazy number of buck pictures on scrapes Nov. 1-3, but things seemed to have calmed down in the last few days. I'm perplexed. I hope this is a very short-term lull.

 

[Snake]

I remember it happening, but can't remember when. Now where did I put my glasses?

:grin: Let's see I need to do something ... oh yeah off to the toilet . Remember , ha .