What Are You Seeing?

[SongDoghunter]

Just wondering what you guys are seeing on your hunts. We have taken a ton of nice pictures on my lease but so far, only average 2 and 1/2 year olds showing up at stands. No nice sightings in daylight. The big does are not being seen either. Everyone is seeing plenty of small bucks and yearling does. The 4 bucks taken last week were all morning hunts!

[buckhunter]

only got to hunt the morning of opening day,every other time i have been is in the afternoons and that is not paying off to well.only seen a couple does and have yet to see a buck while in the stand.i need to get out of here and get to sampson or greene county but i have not had a chance to go yet.

[RenegadeRN]

Must be the way things are rolling in Onslow coz on my lease basically the same thing Doghunter. Smallish 2yo, not bigger bucks and no does. I dunno....

[RenegadeRN]

Just like we talked today. Same things. I saw seven this morning on my way into the stand to put some corn out. A small cowhorn, a forked horn and 5 small does that if they had spots you'd say they were fawns. I think you are right. I think the young bucks are chasing does and making them skittish. Plus, as you said...it is a full moon and they are feeding my the moonlight. It's the rut and maybe something will change soon....

[fmrleatherneck]

I've started seeing does out behind my house where I've been going. Hadn't seen any until Saturday evening.

I had 2 does step out of the brush about 100 yards away. The larger was about 120 +/-, she crossed right back out of sight. The smaller one was probably 80 - 90 lbs., browsed around for a bit, but kept looking back the way the 2 had come from. She seemed in no rush so I held off to see what might step out behind them. It was like I blinked once too often... She was walking away from me, kind of steep, but still a quartering away shot I was going to take. She turned her head to look back again, I looked where she was looking and she turned a 90 (the opposite way!), into the brush and disappeared on me! Needless to say; nothing followed them!

Later I had a glimpse at a bigger bodied deer as it leapt across my opening at about 150 yards, but couldn't see horns so I'm calling it a doe. No chance at a shot at my current speed... (Which is pretty darn slow!)

Last night I had a half a dozen coming across in front of me. Of course they came from my right (wrong) side. Wind was good so I was waiting 'til they gave me an easy shot that I wouldn't have to move too much for (too many eyes). Dogs were nearby. They started yelping at whatever they were on and all of mine jumped sideways into the brush! All I saw were zig-zagging tails!

Tonight I had two; too far away and too quick! A lot more dogs around tonight, too. And guys yelling.

Maybe tomorrow!

[Mustang]

First day out this season. Saw a gray fox walk within 25 yards of my ground blind. Had my middle son (almost 5) with me and he saw it and thought that was the coolest thing.

[fmrleatherneck]

Good for you both, USMC-Mustang!!!

I always just LOVED it when one of the kids I've taken out had a first experience like that! I can imagine him shaking with excitement and trying to stay quiet (like I'm sure you told him to!) meanwhile, he must've been ready to burst!

Congratulations on the experience!

[Mustang]

Went out this evening with my oldest son (7 years old) and we saw a spike at around 4:40. At around 5:15 a small doe came out only to be run off by a fox. Then right at the end of legal hunting time 3-4 came out to the corn pile. Didn't see a shooter but it was rewarding watching my son get excited about seeing the deer.


Gonna be chilly in the morning...

[SongDoghunter]

This past week has to be one of the crappiest I have ever hunted. We have taken pictures of a couple dozen nice bucks on my lease and no one is seeing them during daylight hours. The moon also had a big role in the deer movement last week with most of it being at night. I killed a decent 7 pointer Saturday ahead of the neighboring club's dogs. I don't like to dog hunt but am not about to sit in my stand while a bunch of dogs run deer off my lease and back to the other club for them to kill. I'm thinking things will break for us this week with the moon getting back into position that favors morning and late afternoon hunting.

[buckhunter]

i,ve been in the stand 10 times now and i will tell you it stinks!!!!1 morning hunt and 9 evening hunts for a total of 2 does one evening,returned and killed one of the does a couple days later,and 1 messed up buck that i couldn't get rite to shoot,i wanted too!!!!everyone i have talked to from here to snow hill to clinton is doing the same thing=NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SongDoghunter]

I still think things will break for us between now and Thanksgiving!

[RenegadeRN]

Welll...not so much not nothing...just not nothing of substance. Wonder if the overpopulation of does has anything to do with this? It seems to be harder this year. I agree...the moon has been full with crystal clear nites and they are feeding by the moonlite. No need to expose themselves.

[buckhunter]

well got up and was in the stand before 5am. i sat in this stand last night till dark seeing nothing and sat till 8am this morning seeing the same! just bad timing rite now i guess,plenty of corn on the ground last night when i left with not so much there this morning !!!!! maybe this evening,suppose to rain and be bad for a couple days might make em move a lil.lets hope so!!!

[SongDoghunter]

I like hunting in a slow rain or drizzle but have never had alot of success in heavy rain.

[RenegadeRN]

Hmm...here's a question for ya. Why is it you get out of your vehicle, look all over the ground and see no sign within 20 yds of your vehicle....then you cover yourself with scent, walk steathily to your stand with Fox urine on your rubber boots AN HOUR before light, climb up in the stand, sit for hours on end chilled to the bone, damp in a drizzle and come back skunked? BUT when you get back to your vehicle every single square foot within those 20 yards are torn up with tracks like they was havin' a huge party.

And contrary to popular belief, deer do not drink beer. However, funny how you find that single lone beer can out in the middle of the woods where no person has walked in years.

Just some things in life do not make sense... and neither does this.

[buckhunter]

I like hunting in a slow rain or drizzle but have never had alot of success in heavy rain.
i will assume this today classifies as a "heavy rain"?man what a mess!you see one today he'll be swimming!!!

[buckhunter]

was looking at another forum page,couple nice bucks killed around rich square,at least thats what the bottom of the sign says.check them out if you get a chance at carolinaoutdoors.com.click on the forum that says "good weekend". i'd definetly be making some room on the wall!

[buckhunter]

hunted yesterday evening,thursday,got in the stand later than i wanted,in settled down by 3:30pm.slow misty drizzling rain,my kind of evening!at 4:30 had a big doe step out,she spooked and went back in the woods within a minute.caught a glimpse of another deer behind her and never got to see what it was,then she went to blowin!!i know she didn't see me,i believe with the way the wind was whirling around she caught a wiff of me.almost got out of the stand and went home but i decided to stick it out.just before dark i was thinking about that doe,man she ruined my hunt i thought!and then as i was looking down the lane i saw a big bodied deer step from the woods and into the corn,here we go!!hoping it was the big doe that busted me i shouldered the 20ga slug gun and was getting ready to take the shot.as i found the deer in the scope he picked his head up and i noticed the rack,settled in on his shoulder,squeezed the trigger and watched the imfamous jump they do!got him!!! got down and walked over to make sure of where he went in the woods before it got to dark.quick recovery,deer went 20yds maybe,and upon approach i was amazed at the body size of the buck and the horns!!! pretty 9point[no wall hanger or anything like that] but he made my evening! got deer home,hung him up,deer weighed 152lbs whole,definetly one of the nicer bodied deer i have killed in the last couple years.

[Mustang]

Nice. I was out last evening as well but didn't see anything.

[RenegadeRN]

NICE Buckhunter. Gives me renewed hope that there is still something out there.