[BassCatBates]

worst season on record for me.... killed 1 doe.... on a buddies lease in Bradley county... I have averaged less than 3 deer sightings per hunt.... several hunts that produced ZERO deer. I have only been running one trail cam this year and have been rotating it between 2 of my 4 hunting areas so I don't have as accurate of a population survey as I might normally have but i can tell you there just doesn't seem to be many deer. I have seen 1 legal buck while sitting on stand... and it was a brief sighting on the Bradley county hunt (couldn't even tell if he was a "shooter").

So my question is, did I suddenly become awful or is this a trend that others are seeing too? If so what is our next step as hunters? Will the AGFC actually listen to us anyway?

I know this much.... I'm booking an out-of-state hunt somewhere and am open to suggestions as to where (thinking Texas or Missouri at the moment).

How do we fix the problem?

 

[tmeredith]

Prolly just a heavy acorn crop. But really hunters will have to start making some noise with the agfc and demand that they increase our herd numbers.

 

[SwampCat]

worst season on record for me.... killed 1 doe.... on a buddies lease in Bradley county... I have averaged less than 3 deer sightings per hunt.... several hunts that produced ZERO deer. I have only been running one trail cam this year and have been rotating it between 2 of my 4 hunting areas so I don't have as accurate of a population survey as I might normally have but i can tell you there just doesn't seem to be many deer. I have seen 1 legal buck while sitting on stand... and it was a brief sighting on the Bradley county hunt (couldn't even tell if he was a "shooter").

So my question is, did I suddenly become awful or is this a trend that others are seeing too? If so what is our next step as hunters? Will the AGFC actually listen to us anyway?

I know this much.... I'm booking an out-of-state hunt somewhere and am open to suggestions as to where (thinking Texas or Missouri at the moment).

How do we fix the problem?

Too hot and too many acorns, hogs displaced them (G&F excuses). I have been bow hunting about 15 times this year and seen a 5 pt and one un-identifiable deer - that is it. G&F will listen - wont necessarily do anything. They may even admit your little corner of the world does have a problem - but they cant micromanage. Now, if folks from all over the zone were complaining - that would not be micro-managing. But, very few folks actually voice official complaints. Complaints on this forum do not count. I also wonder if emailing/communicating with all the commissioners would get faster action than just emailing the biologists?

 

[juleo]

I have put a lot of time in a stand this year and can't remember seeing so few deer as this year. I have been fortunate and took my best buck ever with a bow and a doe with a ML. But other than those two hunts, I have had more hunts with zero sightings than I have seeing deer. I whole heartedly believe the bumper crop of acorns and browse available this year has aided the deer in not having to move as much where I hunt. I'm looking forwards to these next few weeks because the acorns and browse are disappearing and I plan on capitalizing.

 

[droc]

No doubt that my lease in zone 3 is way down on number of deer.

 

[4hunting]

G&F says 185,000 other folks got it figured out. And be for sure with ALL this season remaining that amount will grow. Who knows maybe ANOTHER record harvest coming down the pipes!!!!!!!!

 

[mikebri]

Deer have definitely moved to less pressure areas and nocturnal.:head:

They will be hitting feeders heavy come the end of December, January and February,:up:

 

[10pointman]

I've seen a lot less deer this year.I think the numbers are still good, but the deer went nocturnal earlier than usual.the few deer I've seen are really spooky this year.

 

[archeryman.501]

this is the first year in a LONG time that i have not killed a deer. I have set on a stand NUMEROUS times this year and not seen a single deer where in the past years, i would always see a doe or two. dont know what the problem is but i am getting discouraged.

 

[BassCatBates]

I've hunted hardwood bottoms a lot this year and I don't buy the too many acorns theory..... at least not where I hunt.....

It's time to back off the number of tags in zone 12 at least for a year or two and see if the population grows or if there is another problem.

 

[MOGO]

I've hunted hardwood bottoms a lot this year and I don't buy the too many acorns theory..... at least not where I hunt.....

It's time to back off the number of tags in zone 12 at least for a year or two and see if the population grows or if there is another problem.

There wasnt any acorns were I hunt either. Deer had them cleaned up in day or two. They have been hammering corn, and rice bran ever since. I think zone 12 needs to cut back on some doe tags as well.

 

[stickslinger48]

Terrible year in pope county

 

[BassCatBates]

Would most people be ok with cutting the number of tags down to 1 buck and 1 doe? I'd be all for it personally....
I think it's important for us to look at states that manage the deer herd well like Iowa and Kansas..... limited harvest and limited out of state tags as well.

Even in Texas which has the largest herd in the US they have very strict management practices and tons of deer. I think it's time for the AGFC to move into the modern era of deer management..... btw anyone have email addresses for the AGFC other than the generic one on the website?

 

[10pointman]

I might start chasing some ducks soon!

 

[browning_gold_12]

You've sucked all along... You just got lucky a few times in the past....:fit::fit::fit: J/K brother! It has been a little weird. I went from seeing 9 bucks at one feeder in Sept to next to nothing. Then saw 14 opening day at that stand, and then next to nothing the next couple weeks. Sat a stand in a big thicket this past Saturday that has lanes about like a wagon wheel. 2 good bucks killed there opening morning, and hasn't been hunted since. Saw 16, all doe and yearlings. Carried the wife back that evening and saw 1. If I hadn't have been there that morning I'd swear we didn't have any deer on the lease.

 

[Wildcat1983]

Obama claims fewer deer due to global warming.

 

[boomer]

I have seen deer almost every sit this year. Last year, after the youth hunt I saw one deer through the rest of the year. Last year there were three deer killed on my lease. As of today there have been 20 killed and nine wounded. There are some poor shooting members this year. I feel that the high harvest this year will hurt us in the next couple.

Boom

 

[TooTall69]

Beside a coyote problem where I'm located!!! I have seen deer, half and half of the time...I do beleive the acorn crop definitely kept them in the woods and from moving as much to other sources! I have seen little movement, rut wise this year but I did see it just not as many running as normal! I beleive the Temps and the food played a huge factor in my area to seeing less activity! You just have to change your normal tactics and play the hunt harder and smarter and that's the challenge that we all love!

 

[xforce-deathstick]

The absolute worst year I've seen. I work swing shift, I have hunted every single morning of season from bow season til today. Seen a few small bucks around muzzle loader season killed a decent 3.5 yr old 8pt, I've only saw 1 legal buck since opening weekend of gun season (zone 13).

 

[Whiskey River]

I agree with BG12... This suckage of yours is not just a sudden thing. We've been noticing it for years now. oke: