I dropped two deer off at walker's in Lebanon and he said normally they get 150 deer opening weekend and they got 30 this year.
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I'm banking on that, Ski. I'm sure there is sign in some of those spots we have, but I'm staying out of there until the weekend / next week when everything is right. I have a pretty good idea where they'll travel - my main thing is just knowing which ones are there. Usually they'll venture out SOME and I'll at least know whose in the neighborhood. Not this year. There will be a lot of quick evaluations whenever a buck makes an appearance while on stand this year - that can be good or bad. Basically, not knowing my expectations is killing me
I think they'll be in the open soon enough. I'm hoping I don't regret it later, but I passed a real nice up & coming 3.5yr old yesterday morning. He made it tough. Passed by at close range & clear shots twice, then stood broadside still in the field 40yds away for what seemed an eternity. He was sticking close to a group of four does. Tough as this season has been so far I thought about it, but he just didn't excite me.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Those encounters make me feel overwhelmingly good. You won't regret it. That's kind of what's killing me - I passed up a superb 3.5yo 10pt last year twice and I REALLY want to know if he'll make an appearance this year. Passing really good bucks really make me proud. My hunting buddies think I'm crazy after I show them videos on my phone. We laugh - to each their own
BSK
Well-Known Member
That is what we are seeing in Humphreys County. 10 hunters on two properties and one 2 1/2 year-old buck seen in the first 4 days of MZ season. Few older bucks on camera, and no sign until just the last day or two. Lots of yearling bucks in food plots, but that's it.
We haven't had anybody in the woods at our place in Hickman county. Going down tonight or in the morning depending on the rain but hopefully with the cold snap they'll get going.
Mr.Bro
Well-Known Member
1 very small buck and 10 does. 4 and a half days in Christian and Trigg Co KY. Unbelievable!
Going back this evening for another week. Got to get better.
Going back this evening for another week. Got to get better.
DeerWhisperer
Well-Known Member
Good Luck, I Have heard of two decent deer being taken the past two weeks. Everyone I am talking to are seeing no deer or very few young deer. It is terrible right now, hope the cold front brings some improvement.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Seeing tons of deer, all does/fawns/yearling bucks. 2.5 and older bucks are almost non-existent. 2 new bucks showed up on camera - one 2.5 and one 3.5
Swampster
Well-Known Member
Was seeing a lot of deer in late Spring through mid Summer. I'm not noticing hardly any out in the fields on my morning drives to work anymore.
348Winchester
Well-Known Member
I have hunted every day since opener. 13 deer seen, three spikes and a six point, the remainder does/fawns. Morgan/Scott Counties.
I'm not seeing any bucks on my cameras. I'm hoping with this cold snap that'll change. We typically have does hanging around but the past couple weeks they haven't been seen either. No one hunts on the farms around mine so there is no pressure.
Here in the Western side I've seen plenty of deer just nothing mature. Very few scrapes so far. Should crank up soon.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Still not much in my area. I believe they are all in the bottomlands. Only luck I've had is hunting the closest thick cover in the hills to the bottomlands.
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Odd behavior all around this year. No 2 farms alike but the one constant is lower numbers of mature deer. Western KY is a little ahead of TN so thinking a very active opener but it's anybodies guess as to who shows up.
I have a theory that the drought and lack of acorns in many areas have them ranging further than normal.
I have a theory that the drought and lack of acorns in many areas have them ranging further than normal.
Swampster
Well-Known Member
Took a doe on Sunday. I thought it odd that as I went to get her, the ground was covered with swamp chestnut acorns in that area. I thought by now, between the squirrels and the deer, they would have been pretty much cleaned up. The deer had plenty of fat, so they are eating something.
On my commute to and from work I've been seeing lots of deer (mostly does) in hay fields in the afternoons, but zero deer in the mornings. I've heard before that deer don't like to eat the grass while there's frost still on it?
I think this is partly my issue in KY as well, I also discovered that the farm that ALWAYS leaves corn standing until December actually harvested it in October this year. That removed about 50 acres of food and cover.
SES
Well-Known Member
Saw a bunch of does this morning, but no bucks. I should still be sitting at my honey hole, but being the boss blows. Crap hits the fan, I have to go to work.
M T Pockets 000
Well-Known Member
Saw some doe and fawns all spring and summer. A couple of young buck with them late summer into fall. Did see one good buck . Then "Poof" gone. Plenty of acorns and water from creek and pond. Property sits between two farms where there is no hunting. I usually see rubs,scrapes and runs. Nothing now. This is in Anderson
Hunted Christian county KY for the gun opener last Saturday and got back home last night.
Saturday saw multiple mature bucks chasing does and took a 12 point around 8:30 Saturday morning. Hunted Saturday afternoon and all day Saturday saw 19 mature bucks either cruising or actively chasing. Had two 130-140 inch 8 points fighting in a field at 60 yards.
From Sunday to Wednesday morning saw nothing but young bucks cruising and bumping does and very few does at all were moving. It's like they went into lockdown overnight. The two guys hunting with me managed to kill a couple of does and a decent buck the last day.
Saturday was just a wild day with the nonstop deer activity then boom...go all day and maybe see one young buck or small doe.
Saturday saw multiple mature bucks chasing does and took a 12 point around 8:30 Saturday morning. Hunted Saturday afternoon and all day Saturday saw 19 mature bucks either cruising or actively chasing. Had two 130-140 inch 8 points fighting in a field at 60 yards.
From Sunday to Wednesday morning saw nothing but young bucks cruising and bumping does and very few does at all were moving. It's like they went into lockdown overnight. The two guys hunting with me managed to kill a couple of does and a decent buck the last day.
Saturday was just a wild day with the nonstop deer activity then boom...go all day and maybe see one young buck or small doe.
