worst deer hunting season ever

[jlbjr210]

Is it just me or did anyone else have no luck at all this year? I personally think all the rain had something to do with it. I have been down at the deer camp in Meriwether County every weekend for the past 2 months and I have only seen maybe 3 does and no bucks. Except a few small bucks on trail camera in the middle of the night.

 

[buckpasser]

I had my “year in review” conversation with my neighbor tonight. The club across the river usually kills 15 to 18 bucks and a few does on their 1200 acres. This year they took 5. The big protein feeder guys up river from us killed 0 bucks and unknown does on a combined 2500 +acres. The doctor across the road is usually good for a half dozen bucks and does and killed 0. I took a nice buck early over there on my place so that makes 1 buck and 1 doe for our combined 600 acres. Odd year for our block.

 

[Tadder]

Been odd in NEGA this year also. Think all the new corn locations that are now legal in northern zone have the deer moving a lot different this season, mostly night movement even in non corn locations, but all night on corn locations. We stop put corn out and I'm just started too get daytime pics around christmas on an off , but daytime is good. Deer # are ok but still low compared too nearby co. in NEGA. I've heard some say it's been the best yr. in the last 10 yrs. for them and others 0 worst yr. in 20 plus yrs. for them, so has corn changed deer movement that much ? Some with best yr ever had no corn at all out on there land.

 

[antharper]

I hunt in both zones, 4,000 ac lease in south ga and 200 ac lease in northern zone and have been hunting for 35 years, and for my little group of 3 I’d have to rate this year in the top 5

 

[BIGABOW]

A few of our members got skunked this year, I seen 3 the few days I was home for R&R and got to hunt. 1 was real nice, just came in fast to my right 10 yrds from me and bounced off before I could get turned on him, the others was a doe and a small guy at CC. I enjoyed the time with the fellas at camp. The time I spend in the woods is what is most important to me these days but I COMPLETELY understand the frustration when your not seeing/harvesting deer.

 

[Lilly001]

My groups harvest was down. But the water issue was only part of it. Most of us had family issues that took some big chunks of time away from hunting.
But we all got at least one for the freezer and had some good memories.
What more should you expect?

 

[kmckinnie]

I only got 2 deer ? this year 8pt & a 9
My wife only got one. A 8 pt
Daughter got her 1st and only deer ever a 9 pt.
The grand kids only got 3 & they hunted a bit. 2 does and a spike.
Other than that, that’s about all for us.

 

[godogs57]

It was tough hunting this year with all the hurricane damage on my two spots. On one spot it took me two Solid days of chainsaw work to cut myself in my entrance to assess the damage! Two days so I could just get in there...I’ll have a year or better’s work to make it huntable again. Zero deer killed there. My other spot is so flooded out that I can only hunt one of my stands. I’ve been fortunate though with that stand.

 

[knightcustomworks]

Saw two deer the whole season. Worst by far. Saw the most deer ever on camera over the summer, then they all just disappeared

 

[davidhelmly]

We are in Meriwether and remained a bait free property this year and I really wondered how it would affect us, to be honest it didn’t at all. We killed a few good bucks as always and some does, I think everyone that hunted much saw at least 1 shooter buck and lots of does and small bucks. I think all of the rainy weekends cut down on the amount of hunting since the rut but didn’t seem to bother the deer, I’ve only hunted 3 times since Thanksgiving and averaged seeing 10-15 does and fawns and 3-4 bucks per hunt.

 

[brownhounds]

Next year will be a banner year. A lot of deer survived because of all the rainy weekends.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

We had a average year I would say. Killed several nice bucks. Our overall deer sightings were down, but we lost our main lease this last year which we had managed for 6 years and limited doe kills, so we always saw lots of doe and young bucks there. We did not bait on my main club and I think some of the deer migrated over to the neighbors as well. Only a guess as we did see less deer for sure on the property. Still had a great time in the woods and in deer camp with friends and family. As I age, it is no longer about the harvest, but just having a good time.

 

[tbrown913]

This year was way off for me, but that has to do with the situations. My wife's grandfather owned the land but passed away. His sons live on the land and allowed a friend to hunt starting this year. He took november and december off work to hunt every single day. He came out for lunch, then went back "sneakin" as he calls it. We hunt an 80 acre property that about 50 is huxtable. Then at night after a couple beers he would ride around the property to "check somethin" and keep all the deer disturbed. The one brother who got 90% of the land so it wouldn't get lost in the eventual divorce the other brother was gonna get has said that boy ain't hunting next year.

 

[Ruger15]

Had quite a few deerless sits myself . Tried some new things this year and stayed on the move hunting out of my climber mostly. Saw a bunch of deer early in the season then after the first week in November the sightings became rare. Ended up killing 3 deer 1 real nice 10 then a decent 11 last weekend and a doe during bow season. I find it now that I’m getting older it’s harder to pull the trigger on one. I just enjoy being out there whether or not I’m seeing deer. Always tell myself the does are in trouble if I see one then I see 5-6 and get caught up just watching them and enjoying them being there . Really enjoyed the season and wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

 

[NoOne]

Deer hunting has gotten worse every year since the dnr implimented a 10 doe limit.

 

[LEON MANLEY]

Saw plenty of deer without putting forth hardly any effort in hunting.
I don't bait either. I just slip through the woods until I find the deer, then wait on a nice buck.

I only "hunted" 3 times, I don't sit in stands. Saw 20 the first 2 hour hunt, saw 12 the second 1 hour hunt, and saw 10 the last 20 minute hunt and shot an 8 point.
If I get a chance I might go kill 8 or 10 does before season closes.

 

[LT6767]

So far I've only seen 3 deer this season, one of which is in the freezer. Comparing years past, there's not as many deer on our land as there used to be. Me thinks the increased presence of coyotes has something to do with it....

 

[Jim Boyd]

I think I had an average year.

Only took one deer and that is about perfect for me.

Thinking back, I am not sure I had a single hunt where I did not at least see some deer, if I did, that was most assuredly in the minority.

This was true for SC and Illinois.

Did not hunt hard in SC at all in spite of all the work and $$ I invested.

Illinois trip was great but I tagged out way too early and ended up being the camp witch for about a week.

Here’s to a great 2019!

 

[ribber]

We ended up having a decent season. We have 3 hardwood creek drains on our small lease that are the best areas most years, but they were full of water most of the season and no acorn production. So, most of us switched to higher ground after 1st few weeks, put out more corn than usual, and saw plenty of deer. The poor weather almost every weekend didn't help either.
The one thing that has me a puzzled though is they have not hammered the food plots. And we had by far the prettiest, green plots we have ever had.
I guess their patterns changed up this year.

 

[flatsbroke22]

Saw two deer the whole season. Worst by far. Saw the most deer ever on camera over the summer, then they all just disappeared

Bout the same for me. Had some really nice pics before season including a very wide 13 point. Season comes in and they all hit the high road. Only buck I’ve seen all year was a small basket 8. I saw him three times. Even the does have been hard to come by. I did manage to kill one doe for the freezer. Hopefully I can add to it either today or tomorrow.