Where are the deer?

[Bone Collector]

Just an observation but not many kill pics on the forum this year. I know it has definitely been a slower than average year for me. There are a bunch of acorns, but spots that have continually produced for me for the past 10 years are not producing hardly any sightings and when I do see a deer it is a fawn (like last years deer), so I am not shooting that. Especially when it has spikes that may or may not be 3" long.

The last 3 sits in 3 high producing spots have netted me with 0 deer seen. Is everyone else not seeing deer or has it been business as usual?

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I think the aliens came and got them all. My spots have produced zero sightings, so I've gone back to fishing while the weather stays warm. I'll get back to chasing them in a couple of weeks when the T gets the bucks moving some.

 

[BubbaGoneWild]

Well 2019 season 130k deer were killed, last season almost 160k deer were killed. And I'm sure the numbers will rise higher this year. I like looking at the books and lot of other states had record number of harvests to last year

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I've only seen one deer locally, including the velvet hunt. I did see several on a travel hunt. Our deer population here in my area gets lower each year. Lots and lots of acorns in an 90% forested area makes it much tougher. I've resorted to bow hunting hogs until I can travel.

 

[Specializedjon]

BC, I've asked the deer to wait until I'm done moving to come out. It's my fault. Sorry bro.

 

[TnKen]

I think they are very spread out due to the great mast crop this year. I'm seeing less deer when hunting, but the trail cam pics are up.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I haven't even been hunting yet. I plan to this weekend with the cooler temperatures. With the amount of acorns we have this year, the hunting right now will be hard. Bed to food, food to bed....and they don't have to go far at all. I wouldn't either in this heat.

 

[Wrangler95]

I guess I have been lucky,I have seen 27 in 5 sets!!!

 

[catman529]

I've killed 4 does so far, sat and watched my two shooter bucks in the backyard quite a few times but still haven't got a shot at either of them. Hunting was slow at the start of season for me, but once I started finding hot acorn trees I started seeing a lot more deer in the past week. Just found a spot yesterday that got potential to shoot a buck, just don't know how big a buck is in the area yet.

 

[tellico4x4]

Have hunted one afternoon & saw 11. 5 does, 3 fawns & 3 bucks. Will start going more after this next front passes.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I haven't been seeing many when I am driving this past week. Probably changing patterns a bit. Only got to sit one morning so far and 0 sightings. I had planned to go this Saturday but to many projects to finish before moving. So it will be juvi before I hit the woods again. Hopefully Carleigh can get a buck. That's all she wants now that she has taken a doe.

 

[Specializedjon]

Have hunted one afternoon & saw 11. 5 does, 3 fawns & 3 bucks. Will start going more after this next front passes.

When I first read that I thought you said 11.5 does, 3 fawns & 3 bucks "how the heck do you see a 1/2 a doe?" haha.

 

[30-06 type of guy]

I've seen deer every hunt except for 2 but it's only been does and fawns that I can confirm. I've shot 3 so far so it'll probably just be horn hunting for a while. Found a rub and bedding in a thicket last Friday evening and got deer coming thru it but no buck before dark. The one I shot yesterday was in persimmons.

 

[ZachMarkus]

I've made 2 sits and seen 6 bucks and a few does. They are hammering the acorns right now and aren't having to move very far from their bed to find any.

 

[Ladys man]

I've sat 5 times so far, 2 different county's in different regions. only 1 deer seen on stand another seen while walking in, I'm not finding any acorns in any of the areas I hunt, just a few here and there, maybe there eating them as they hit but no fresh sign anywhere. Hopefully it will start changing soon.

 

[NAjoe]

just need some cooler weather. I cant sit in 85° weather, bow huntin, in my old age

 

[Gravey]

Too hot for me which is why I typically don't bow hunt but will be in the woods this weekend fir the PI hunt.

 

[UTGrad]

The heat has kept some hunters out of the woods. Also the mosquitoes are the absolute worst I've ever seen them at our lease this year.

 

[redblood]

Just early. But its about to get rolling

 

[Knothead]

The heat has kept some hunters out of the woods. Also the mosquitoes are the absolute worst I've ever seen them at our lease this year.

Heat, mosquitoes, AND grandparent duty.
I'd rather keep grandkids than hunt, when it comes right down to it. Before long, I'll be able to take them with me and enjoy the best of both worlds!