How many deer do you see to consider it a good day?

[cschwanz]

For us this year, less 3 or 4 is a slow day. 5-8 is a decent hunt and 10 plus is a really good day. I remember years ago when we would see dozens per sit. Partly due to food sources changing in our area and I'm sure partly due to declining deer herds too.

 

[mom45]

I have 11 outside my window currently.

 

[ChrisK1977]

one.

 

[bartonmd]

I think it's a decent day if I see one. Opening day this year, I saw 16 deer. Because of the brush and/or distance, I could have only shot 4 of them. One of them was in the morning, and was one of those 75lb does that taste great, but you get like 20lbs of meat out of them. 3 of them were in the evening and my Dad had gotten two deer, one of which I was going to process that night, and I didn't want to process 2 deer that night, so I passed.

Hunted the second weekend and didn't see a thing, with the snow, except the one standing right behind my truck, when I was in for lunch. I couldn't/wouldn't have shot her, even if my rifle wasn't in the back of my truck, because she was licking the ground where the salt block was, this summer.

Mike

 

[ghitch75]

when i first moved to where i live now it is very common to see 10 to 30 deer every time i drove down the road or went out to hunt.......now you might see one or 2 from the road and hunting maybe 2 or 3 if that many........

some have bee taken from hunt but i don't know what happen to the rest of them......sad very sad....

 

[Max Volume]

That kind of thinking is what makes public hunting land a frickin' zoo. Deer, deer, gotta kill, gotta kill, so I can look like a mighty hunter because of small penis syndrome. I have spent many a day without seeing any deer and had an incredible time. Like the times I have observed an owl attacking a squirrel, which got away, the time I had a squirrel stepping on my boot, the bird on my shoulder or the time I stared into the eyes of an owl not ten feet away. Yeah, I have taken quite a few deer but to me it is more than just the kill.

 

[phylodog]

Perhaps someone needs to read the title of the thread again.

 

[AGarbers]

Perhaps someone needs to read the title of the thread again.

Yes, I think some have mistaken my intent. I wanted to know how long you kept a stand in a location before deciding it was the wrong spot. How many deer is considered a good spot, and how many is considered a not so good spot? Just like fishing. Yes, it's great to enjoy the scenery, the sun, and fellowship, but how long do you sit without catching a fish before seeing if they're biting somewhere else? (I don't expect you to answer that.)

 

[jjohnson]

If I see any deer while hunting or otherwise I consider it a good day.

 

[Mark 1911]

It's always good to see any deer from the stand, I think even one makes for a good day. Occasionally I will see more than that. During the last weekend of firearms season I experienced a record day for my 26 years of deer hunting. I counted 27 deer from my stand, 16 of those 27 were within comfortable range. However, none of them had antlers so I watched them all go their way. But an exciting day nonetheless.

Based on that experience I figured I bag a doe no problem on first day of muzzle loader. I went out Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning. Never saw one deer all three days. Sometimes I swear those critters have a sixth sense.

As far as whether to go to a different spot, if you can see them moving its easier to judge. If you can't see them its hard to know where to go. In deer hunting there are just going to be a lot of days that you don't see them, just part of the sport. And sometimes, just when you think there are no deer in the woods, that's when they start showing up. The mental challenge, which can get pretty tough, is trying to remain alert and ready for them to show up when you haven't see one in hours or even days.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I work at Crane and don't really have anywhere else to hunt that's convenient. It takes a great deal of perseverance to hunt here. The logging practices of the last 10 years or so has just about every mature tree down so the woods are nearly un-navigable. It forces you to hunt fire trails and bunkers. The woods are so thick with briars it's difficult to see anything. If I see one deer I feel privileged. Sunday I was hunting muzzy and had a nice 10 in range, but no shot due to the brush. Last night I was bow hunting and had a shooter 8 at 30 yards - easily a makeable shot - but, too much brush for an ethical shot. I'd say, in the last 10 years hunting at Crane, the most I've ever counted in one sit was either 6 or 7...saw two last night, one Sunday, One opening bow day, two the second sit of bow season, nothing inbetween.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Opening day if I don't see 12 or more it's bad. I have seen none and I have also seen over 80. Seeing zero sucks.

 

[Willie]

Like most on here I really enjoy seeing and watching deer every time in the stand. The more the merrier, but having deer hunted since 1968 I know it is sometimes feast and sometimes famine in sightings. First year deer hunting I saw six deer all season. It was tough hunting but if you killed one you really did something. A friend of mine bow killed a buck back in the early sixties and they put him on TV.

Just seeing any deer keeps me going. One is enough.

The DNR has built the herd to a point where if a person has a halfway decent spot to hunt and puts in a fair amount of time they are most likely to kill a deer, if they are hunting any deer. and not being super selective.

This year I hunted about 3 dozen times and saw deer every time out except 2 times. It was anywhere from 1 deer to 9 deer. Most were within crossbow range. I ended up killing a pretty good 11 pointer on November 9 with my crossbow.

Personally I believe that a LOT of the present day deer hunters have become VERY spoiled in deer hunting.

Reading some comments on Face Book I am amazed to read comments such as - " The deer herd is way down. I'm lucky to see more than 2 or 3 deer a sit". One even posted -" I used to see 20 deer a sit and now I'm lucky to see 20 deer all day". REALLY?

A couple folks said - "If we keep killing over 100,00 deer a year there wont be any deer left for next year". Never mind that we have been killing over 100,000 for the last 22 years (except 1999 and 2000 when it was very close to 100,000).

I fully understand some folks are not seeing deer like they did a few years ago, but the DNR has been in a reduction mode. The EHD hit in 2012 did not help matters and threw a monkey wrench in their plans. EHD hit my area hard in 2007 and I went to the stand 17 straight times without seeing a deer. It was like the clock was turned back to the early seventies. But I did not quit. Two years later the population had bounced back and we could not tell if there had ever been a problem.

 

[mom45]

Like most on here I really enjoy seeing and watching deer every time in the stand. The more the merrier, but having deer hunted since 1968 I know it is sometimes feast and sometimes famine in sightings. First year deer hunting I saw six deer all season. It was tough hunting but if you killed one you really did something. A friend of mine bow killed a buck back in the early sixties and they put him on TV.

Just seeing any deer keeps me going. One is enough.

The DNR has built the herd to a point where if a person has a halfway decent spot to hunt and puts in a fair amount of time they are most likely to kill a deer, if they are hunting any deer. and not being super selective.

This year I hunted about 3 dozen times and saw deer every time out except 2 times. It was anywhere from 1 deer to 9 deer. Most were within crossbow range. I ended up killing a pretty good 11 pointer on November 9 with my crossbow.

Personally I believe that a LOT of the present day deer hunters have become VERY spoiled in deer hunting.

Reading some comments on Face Book I am amazed to read comments such as - " The deer herd is way down. I'm lucky to see more than 2 or 3 deer a sit". One even posted -" I used to see 20 deer a sit and now I'm lucky to see 20 deer all day". REALLY?

A couple folks said - "If we keep killing over 100,00 deer a year there wont be any deer left for next year". Never mind that we have been killing over 100,000 for the last 22 years (except 1999 and 2000 when it was very close to 100,000).

I fully understand some folks are not seeing deer like they did a few years ago, but the DNR has been in a reduction mode. The EHD hit in 2012 did not help matters and threw a monkey wrench in their plans. EHD hit my area hard in 2007 and I went to the stand 17 straight times without seeing a deer. It was like the clock was turned back to the early seventies. But I did not quit. Two years later the population had bounced back and we could not tell if there had ever been a problem.

Is there a report somewhere that tells how many are killed each year using depredation tags? I'd be curious as to how many that adds to the numbers. I know one farmer near me that claims to get 50 of those tags a year. That is just one farmer...if that number is true...so that number could be quite large too.

 

[Willie]

I do not have the report at hand but as I recall that the number reported taken has been around 2,500 a year. The DNR told me that they only issued permits that accounted for a little less than 1,500 deer.

We all hear about the farmer that gets tons of permits, fills those and kills more and doesn't report them. That may or may not be true.. The truth, like so many other things, probably lies somewhere in the middle.

 

[Willie]

This was in 2013... Abstract: In 2013, district wildlife biologists issued 479deer control permits for out of season use, resulting in the reported removalof 2,419 deer statewide. Of the deer killed,77% were female. Primary crops implicatedin damage were soybeans (44.1%) and corn (35.6%), with nearly 63% of complaintsoccurring during June and July. Ninety-nine(99%) of landowners utilize hunting during the regular season on theirproperty, though damage is often associated with habitat on adjacent privateand governmental properties. Deer damagecomplaints have proven to be a valid secondary indicator for the state’s deerherd level, though precautions should be taken to use the statistic for localtrends.


Indianahas a tiered approach when dealing with deer damage occurring on commercial ornon-commercial property. Landowners experiencing deer damage in Indiana first contactthe IDNR and report the damage. Of land exhibiting deer damage, most complaints are observed onagricultural properties. A landownercomplaint may result in an inspection by a biologist who will discussnon-lethal and lethal options. Based on the inspection, the biologistprovides technical advicetailored to meet the needs of the landowner. Except in cases where sport hunting is not feasible, district biologistsrecommend hunting as the most important step a landowner can take toreduce deer damage. Biologists provideguidelines for the landowner on a harvest strategy to optimize herdcontrol. Recommendations for non-lethalcontrol, such as fences and repellents, are made when appropriate. Iflethal options are deemed appropriate, Deer Damage Control Permits forout-of-season removal of deer may then be issued. During 2013, 492 damage reports were filed,with soybeans and corn being the most frequently damaged crop. The number of control permits issued and deerremoved on those permits in 2013 are 479 and 2,419, respectively

 

[mom45]

This was in 2013... Abstract: In 2013, district wildlife biologists issued 479deer control permits for out of season use, resulting in the reported removalof 2,419 deer statewide. Of the deer killed,77% were female. Primary crops implicatedin damage were soybeans (44.1%) and corn (35.6%), with nearly 63% of complaintsoccurring during June and July. Ninety-nine(99%) of landowners utilize hunting during the regular season on theirproperty, though damage is often associated with habitat on adjacent privateand governmental properties. Deer damagecomplaints have proven to be a valid secondary indicator for the state’s deerherd level, though precautions should be taken to use the statistic for localtrends.


Indianahas a tiered approach when dealing with deer damage occurring on commercial ornon-commercial property. Landowners experiencing deer damage in Indiana first contactthe IDNR and report the damage. Of land exhibiting deer damage, most complaints are observed onagricultural properties. A landownercomplaint may result in an inspection by a biologist who will discussnon-lethal and lethal options. Based on the inspection, the biologistprovides technical advicetailored to meet the needs of the landowner. Except in cases where sport hunting is not feasible, district biologistsrecommend hunting as the most important step a landowner can take toreduce deer damage. Biologists provideguidelines for the landowner on a harvest strategy to optimize herdcontrol. Recommendations for non-lethalcontrol, such as fences and repellents, are made when appropriate. Iflethal options are deemed appropriate, Deer Damage Control Permits forout-of-season removal of deer may then be issued. During 2013, 492 damage reports were filed,with soybeans and corn being the most frequently damaged crop. The number of control permits issued and deerremoved on those permits in 2013 are 479 and 2,419, respectively

Thanks for the info. That is interesting as I would have expected the number to be MUCH higher based on what I have been told by the guys this farmer allows to hunt. Of course, at least one of them has been known to poach and so he may be just using the tags as an excuse to do what he does.

 

[Hardscrable]

Somewhat unusual deer sighting at dusk today. While driving noticed 6 deer crossing field headed toward the road. They ran across the road single file about 50 yards ahead of me...doe, buck, doe, buck, doe, buck. Not sure if I have ever seen 3 bucks together like that before.

 

[ghitch75]

Somewhat unusual deer sighting at dusk today. While driving noticed 6 deer crossing field headed toward the road. They ran across the road single file about 50 yards ahead of me...doe, buck, doe, buck, doe, buck. Not sure if I have ever seen 3 bucks together like that before.

rut is over.....herding up for the cold winter to come...... if it comes.....

 

[wildcatfan.62]

As many have said, any day in the stand is a good day. Seeing 1 to 4 or 5 is a better day. A great day is one 20 yards or so broadside and no tree limbs or branches in the way and an arrow nocked......

My 15 year old son took his first deer ever this year (with his bow), it was a rite of passage for both of us. That was the BEST DAY!