Frustrating Season

completesportsman · Dec 14, 2010

Our season is almost over in NC. I have not shot a deer yet. Deer numbers seem to be way down here and there have been very few big bucks taken. I'm not sure what is going on? There still seems to be several deer getting hit on the roads but no has had a good year hunting around here. Its the same story with everyone I talk to, they just are not seeing deer like normal.

I've been holding out for a nice buck but don't look like I'm gonna see one this year. I think I'll shoot a couple does here at the end and start looking forward to next year.

What has it been like in other parts of the country?

WVHUNTER · Dec 17, 2010

The 2010 West Virginia firearms buck season harvest was down 31% from 2009 and 57% from the peak harvest of ten years ago. The WV DNR had spent several years of reducing whitetail numbers and then last winter there was severe winter kill. It started snowing before Thanksgiving and snowed until March with accumulations of two to three feet.

It's rare for this state to have significant winter kill but it happened last year. It will be years before the deer herd recovers.

YZF_88 · Dec 17, 2010

Wisconsin had a great year for very nice bucks taken. I shot a nice 5x5 with my bow in November and passed on a big 4x4 during the gun season (his rack was busted up)

I think part of substantial numbers of big bucks shot was due to a combination of poor hunting conditions the year before (corn up everywhere and dense fog statewide during the gun opener). The overall harvest was down because the DNR didn't hamstring us with earn-a-buck for most of the state.

Keep your head down and keep at it. It ain't over until the last second of the last day.

completesportsman · Dec 18, 2010

WVHUNTER,
I think the winter hurt the deer here last year too. I live within a stones throw of the VA state line in NW NC and we had snow on the ground last year from Dec 16 until the 1st of March, and extreme cold weather, way colder than normal.

bergy · Dec 19, 2010

I live in Northern Va. We had a tough Winter last year with 3-4ft of snow and cold temps for several weeks It was the first time I can remember ever having winter kill in these parts. When I went out shed hunting after the snow melts I found a few dead but nothing like I thought I would find. The hunting has been great this year. Have you had a big increase in coyotes in your parts?