How your deer hunting going??

So far in my area if has been a poor year. Been to warm and to windy. So for out of all the people I have hunt with me we have gotten 4 deer. One 11 point but a small rack. One big rack 8 point and one small rack 8 point and one doe. Only have 3.5 days left of any deer season then it will start into antler-less season. Last year by this time we had at least twice this many deer . Oh well such is life.
So hows your season so far??

Hunted last week out in West River country. COuld have shot 4 different big bull elk. But no tag. Didn't find a WT buck worth shooting.
East River season started this am. I hunted family farm and watched two very large bucks bed down in the crp about 500 yards from me. I'll be out there this afternoon hoping they take the same route out as they took in. A bunch of does were in the field and these two bucks totally ignored them. Have seen one buck in rut at the home palce and that was 18 Nov.

Gordo

I was the only person with permission to hunt a neighbor's small woods. I saw 3 does every day, out of range, but that was it. 4 days before gun season, had someone come in during the millde of the day and set out 2 lawn chairs within 20 yards of my stand. I moved over to another area and opening morning of gun season, 3 more slip in uninvited. If we call the DNR officer or any police, they do not want to come out and get involved. A few years ago, we had a trespasser arrested for hunting on our place. He got a lawyer and a fake letter from a "surveyor" that said he was within 50' of the center of the road so he was legal hunting anywhere he wanted. Stupid judge dismissed charges. Now days, most of the hunting around the neighborhood happens late at night with a spotlight. I have never done it but I know some regulars.

I would really like to find a place to hunt with a few more deer. I prefer a doe or young deer as they are better eating, but I have shot a few slightly larger bucks over the years.

I thought we had nice weather in the BOCOMO area. Not too hot , not too cold and a little rain on the eve of the opener. That settled the dust we'd been dealing with. I did not shoot one but had many chances to shoot a deer. My friend and I were looking for Mr. Big and he never showed. We usually wait until after this main rifle season to potshot them bonus deer . We had a good time though. A lot of hunting, a lot of socializing and a little strong drink. I needed to get away from work for awhile. Wish I could've hunted through next Tues. but I had to return to my responsibilities.It's a little warm this weekend but hopefully you get some more deer by Sundown Tuesday. At least we weren't freezing. Don't like warm weather deere hunting but it's brutal when it's 20 degrees and high winds.My bad back can't abide endless cold. The quality of cold weather clothes is sure a great deal better these days though than it was in my youth. I have some real nice boot blankets. Didn't need them so far. We'll be back after the deer on Friday.No shame in shooting a doe , but I get much more excited during the Buck season. Good Luck Old. Maybe you'll get a Boone and Crockett Buck this weekend. I thought last year was lousy. Hardly saw any deer the first day. Shot a Monster in the rain Sunday morning in the rain. Then I thouht it was the best season ever. I almost hit one on the road Monday night and nearly ruined the hunt but narrowly avoided her. Hope your remaining hunting goes well. Happy Thanksgiving.

Opening day of rifle season, believe the rut is in full swing, seem em chasing does, but any decent bucks have been elusive, so best thing is to size up decent sized one, fill the doe tag, I've been watching over about 20-25 since september, only saw 2 this morning, have some incredible rubs on the alders, and other similar brush around and right next to my stand, one problem is when it is windy they have easily picked up onto my scent, I used to climb up into a crows nest of a stand, easily 50'-0", old black cherry tree, they rarely picked up on me, but now I am much lower, have 3 sections of scaffold built within a big ole double poplar, much more comfortable. Season will probably go as usual, fortunate to have ideal conditions for whitetail, plenty of food, water and cover with no pressure, they kind of like this place since some of the fields have become overgrown, will head out for part 2 of opening day right after some lunch.

I put two small ones "buck & doe" it the freezer and looking for # 3. You can keep the big ones, I'll take the tender ones any day.

I have taken a cow horn and a 7 point so far. I passed on a nice doe day before yesterday. 3 is about all we can eat in a year and I was waiting for My son to have a chance but he has not had much interest. Curious about why other places have such short seasons. Ours starts August 15 and runs till Jan. 1st. Doe days every sat. after Sept. 15.
Ron

Very slow around here, SW MIchigan. Saw lots before the seaon opened, but now it's like they've disapeared. I haven't seen a deer. Often you'll see them out in the larger fields, out of shotgun range, but haven't seen any in my travels.

Consumers widened and brush hogged all the thickets and brush from beneath the lines. I think it changed their travel patterns. They feed at night and lay low all day.

Larry

On October 16 I killed a nice 6 pt with my bow. Seen 2 good bucks on Halloween and through the first week in November but now that gun season opened I havent seen too much.

6 point here in Missouri will get you a $250 plus fine. We have a 4 point on one side min. so if you shoot one that has less then 4 on one side and those 4 have to be more then 1 inch

A 6 pt is legal in Arkansas so is a 5 pt. Just got to have 3 points on one side.

This is the common sight in my area. Not real big and the hunters keep them harvested and in good shape with selective shooting (in most cases)
They'll always kill the smallest or the one with the abnormal antlers. If one doesn't have a healthy appearance or is colored a little different that normal, it ends up on a plate in a resteraunt. Hunters have an area that they are responsible for. They report an animal count and are told how many has to be killed. They are also responsible for crop damage by wildlife in their areas to a certain extent.

Ya sounds like your antler point count is one less then ours is here. You can shoot a 7 point or for that matter a 4 point as long as it has 4 points on one side. I have a rack hanging on the fence that has one point on one side and 5 on the other side. sure wish I had seen the one that broke off that one side on him bet it was a lot bigger and this on was not small by any means. Probably would have been a 10 pointer if it had both sides of his rack

Are you guys serious?!?!?!?! I have never heard of such a thing. Here in Clinton Co. Il if you see one with more than 3 on a side you found a monster (not really bu you get the idea).

Around here you normally see herds of deere.You can shoot does and deer of any size.Don't seem to hurt the population at all.

Yep Missouri does in fact in almost all county's has a 4 point rule so it has to have at least 4 points on one side or it could cost you $250 or more plus you loose the meat. Now 3 or 4 years ago it was not that way but is now

Two nice ones SAT AM standing beside each other.

> Are you guys serious?!?!?!?!

Yeah, they started it here in SE MN this year too. Needs to have 4pts on one side or a doe. I think it's stupid because I don't eat the antlers anyway and don't fancy eating old deer. Trophy hunters make the rules though. Just like sport fishing. It's illegal to keep a bass or walleye that's small enough to eat anymore.