NY deer hunters

[Shawn Leonard]

I meant 10 times the 11 I saw and yes it did have those high numbers. It may be 1000 acres as the area i am talikng encompasses a few other properties, but I could drive the four roads that connect the pieces I am talking about on an evening in August about two square miles and see 100-125 deer regularly, this last august 25-30. Numbers are way, way down. Lots to blame, but DEC has to be smarter when it comes to the yote problem and the issueing of doe permits. Shawn

[Shawn Leonard]

I also must say I am lucky as I have roughly 175 acres available to me in 4J a bow only area so I can bow hunt almost until X-Mas in an area not disturbed by anyone but me and my son-in-law! Shawn

[Boneyard Bowhunter]

Saw 4 deer all season in Broom County. One buck three does. The only sign was two small scrapes and one rub. Good thing there is plenty of stumps to shoot the rest of the year.

[Wapiti Chaser]

I saw less than average numbers this year. I hunted both 8A and 8W. My partners all said the same.

[Adirondack Bowman]

I'm in 5J. Overall deer hunting here is a  joke.Actually  it's not really hunting, it.s more like sitting in the woods looking at trees.

[Bowsey Wails]

I've only been out 3 times for a total of about 10 hours. I have seen only does, although I'm fairly certain I chased a buck out the other night (one deer heading the opposite direction of all the others.)

I seem to have less and less time to hunt every season. I teach at community college, so my time off is always between semesters. It would really be great if NY's late archery season ran until 12/31; the season ends a week or two before I get a vacation. At least we have a nice long small game season.

Tim

[ghost rob]

Hey Boneyard Bowhunter sounds like your season was about like mine... saw two bucks and three does and I hunted every day but four for at least 2-3 hours each time. Last year saw about five times as many. I guess I'll have to put that tree at Silver Lake in the freezer! Rob

[BobW]

I saw something like 200 squirrels, a beaver, turkeys, turkeys, turkeys, couple fox, ducks, geese, herons, hawks, and maybe 10 deer (one button at 10 paces who got a pass, and missed a doe at 25 yards in my last hour, all others 50+ yards, only one was a antlered buck).  Hunted both days of every weekend of season.

Did I mention turkeys?  Man were they everywhere this year.

No food on the land (acorn crop failed), lots of food around us (corn), major changes to the landscape (drained swamp took away normal pinch points), and heat really messed things up.

Not a good year to take up the stick and string, but looking forward to next year already!!!!!

[ishiwannabe]

So this closes the early archery, no deer for me. I hunted trad only, and could have shot a few does and one tiny little buck. I never did see turkey, or I would have tried for one.
All in all, a great season, even though diaper duty kept me home more than usual. It is nice to have the exhileration back from when I first started bowhunting.
The morning brings the army of orange...good luck to those heading out.

[Stone Knife]

I was able to hunt from 1:00 pm on today, I saw 12 deer must be the snow and cold weather we had today.

[Shawn Leonard]

I saw 8 deer tonight and missed a shot at a very nice buck. It was one I should not of taken but instinct took over and I shot. I was walking and setting up and calling every 200 yards or so. I had just turned on to a logging road and a doe busted across in front of me. I had an arrow nocked and when a nice buck come out behind her, moving pretty quick I drew and shot, I shot an inch over his back, perfect line just high 6-8"s lower and dead deer. I will head out with the army in the morning until 10am. and than eat and back to my bow only area. Sorry guys I get to bow hunt until a week before X-Mas!! Good Luck all and hope are numbers get better! Shawn

[R. Combs]

I'm in 6G and just like last year I am not seeing as many deer as in previous years. I took a doe during archery season but have only seen one spike buck all year.

Rick

[NYRON]

I hunt in Tioga and Tompkins counties. In 41 hunts throuhout the season I saw 19 fawns, 20 does, 14 1.5-year-old bucks, 4 2.5-year-old bucks, and 5 3.5-year-old bucks, equaling a total of 62 deer.

I typically see between 100 and 130 deer per season, so my sightings were down by about 50%. That said, I'm not sure that it had anything to do with the overall population. My best property had a lot of disturbance from forest cutting and I was hunting on several new properties that I didn't know very well. In general there seemed to be abundant deer sign, but little day-time movement. Also, the number of 2.5-year-old bucks seemed to be way down.

I'm looking forward to the late season.

Best of luck to everyone.

Ron

[Puma Tom]

Well I finally started seeing some bucks.
 Unfortunatly it was the last two days of the season.
 I saw more bucks the last 2 days of archery, than I had the whole season.
 However just a little spike offered me a shot, and I let him pass-by.
 Could not get a shot at any of the others.
 Proberly could have gone out this morning, and smoked one with the rifle.
 Could not bring myself to do it, after coming so close the with the bow.
 Next year for me.