Discouraging deer season

[Batesy]

yeah, i figured there would be a few Will

[3006 deerslayer]

    Always a few comments floating around here. 

[castnblast]

Boy, I gotta say, I didn't figure this post would spark up this much dialogue.

I have hunted in the state since I was a young boy. I remember my grandfather handing me a double barrel shotgun and a couple slugs when I was just barely strong enough to lug it around, never mind fire it! I have had years where I have seen deer in the double digits and years (like this one) where I have seen nothing. I have been skunked many times during deer season. As some of you have said. It doesn't matter to me if I shoot a deer or not. I love just getting out there. I love going to camp for a week. I love the fact that my boys now want to continue the hunting traditions that my family started a long time ago. I don't worry that the hunting was bad this year or that maybe it won't be so good next year. It will come back eventually. I just enjoy the time that I have out there while I can, there will come a day when I may not have that.

[Johunter]

Yes, This Newbe struck it on the head fer sure.....Castnblast, just my thoughts also. Been out the couple days W/ my 16 y/o daughter hunting, w/this new snow on the ground & seeing fresh tracks has kept her going, even if she doesn't get one she is having fun in the woods!

[BigRedDodge1500]

Hunting in New England is Hard. And anyone that has never done it and considerdes themselves a trophy hunter should give it a whurl.  Deer densities are low, winters are tough and predidation is high.  Deer that are located in massive stands of timber and mountains have learned to adapt to the struggles they face and become virtually nocturnal or difficult to locate even during the rut.  I've had many years in mass wiht promising sign and many trail cam pictures from great deer that were between dusk and dawn to never even see so much as a flag in a whole season.  On the contrary i have been living in MD for the past 2 yrs and the deer population is out of control.  In the last 10 years sub burban areas that used to be wildnerness have turned in to small pockets of land that lay within nutrient rich farm land producing some incredible animals. I've seen more deer in the past two years here then i have 10 years of hunting the berkshires of MA.  However, it takes away from the sport.  I would much rather harvest a spike or doe in MA or NH where i hunt then shoot a 120" 8pt in MD.  Becuase it is too common place.  I would rather hunt in New england put in the time and effort in, spend as much time on stand as possible and kill one deer then sit in my climber here and watch multiple 60lb does feed in front of my stand.  Moral of my long rant is when hunitng in New England it takes a lot of time and patient to connect but when you finally do hook up with one it is a more the rewarding trophy. 

[bogmanjr]

Hunting in New England is Hard. And anyone that has never done it and considerdes themselves a trophy hunter should give it a whurl.  Deer densities are low, winters are tough and predidation is high.  Deer that are located in massive stands of timber and mountains have learned to adapt to the struggles they face and become virtually nocturnal or difficult to locate even during the rut.  I've had many years in mass wiht promising sign and many trail cam pictures from great deer that were between dusk and dawn to never even see so much as a flag in a whole season.  On the contrary i have been living in MD for the past 2 yrs and the deer population is out of control.  In the last 10 years sub burban areas that used to be wildnerness have turned in to small pockets of land that lay within nutrient rich farm land producing some incredible animals. I've seen more deer in the past two years here then i have 10 years of hunting the berkshires of MA.  However, it takes away from the sport.  I would much rather harvest a spike or doe in MA or NH where i hunt then shoot a 120" 8pt in MD.  Becuase it is too common place.  I would rather hunt in New england put in the time and effort in, spend as much time on stand as possible and kill one deer then sit in my climber here and watch multiple 60lb does feed in front of my stand.  Moral of my long rant is when hunitng in New England it takes a lot of time and patient to connect but when you finally do hook up with one it is a more the rewarding trophy.

I Love all aspects of the "Hunt" Being at deer camp,etc.I have gone several years between harvest in the north country. It's about the time spent as stated above. But a bunch of 60# doe's sounds like she would be all backstraps and i would love to shoot a pile of em.   I get just as excited for a skipper as i do a Buckasarus!

[castnblast]

Got this link in an email from IF&W today.

http://inlandtracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/dear-deer-hunters-some-facts-about-maines-whitetail-deer-population/

[Aziscohosbuck]

Magoo42;  Let me say first and foremost that I apologize and stand corrected. I tip my hat to you sir for 30 seasons in the Maine woods hunting the elusive whitetail deer, that in and of itself speaks volumes of your dedication to this sport. Actually we agree on the most important issues by far in reading your posts and responses. My comments regarding the up and down swings in the deer herd/population were more specifically directed at the situation in Central and Southern Maine and after two severe winters in a row, yes I am concerned but feel the herd is strong enough to make a reletively quick recovery especially given the chance to with more moderate winter conditions in the next five years or so. The situation in Northern Maine is quite a different matter, companies like Great Northern in the big woods north of Moosehead Lake back in the mid 80's to mid 90's clearcut vast woodlands with no regard to protecting the deers wintering yards, this practice continued unabated throughout Northern Maine during this time frame, it's effect on the big woods deer population was not at first apparent, over time we now see the devastating results. In other areas of northern Maine such as the Western Maine Mountains, forest cutting operations were conducted in a much more reasonable practice, smaller cuttings, leaving tree growth particularly along natural brooks, wetlands and traditional deer wintering grounds. Having hunted in the Western Maine Mountains for trophy class bucks only for the last ten years my experience has been that the standard issue buck is an
8 pointer field dressing 165lbs, when you hunt as hard as it takes in this region that is a trophy buck in my experience, you always have the opportunity of taking one well in excess of 200lbs. I have seen numerous spikehorns and 4 pointers tagged in Oquossoc that field dressed over 200 lbs. These nothern Maine bucks take extreme hard work to harvest in extremely bad years as well as in very good years, from my personal experience a 3 point minimum per side while hunting northern Maine bucks is too extreme of a regulation and would rather see that type of restriction in southern to central Maine for a very short term, like maybe two years. Yes I agree with you as I am a very slow staulk hunter and stand hunter so picking out a deer for minimum 3 points per side is no problem for me. I passed on four small does and a forkhorn in the past two years with doe permit in the pocket, holding out for the big buck hunt out of camp in western Maine mountains during the last week. So I feel that is being responsible and having taken a nice buck over 200lbs I no longer feel the need to shoot a legal deer just for bragging rights, those days are in the past.

[upstatehunter]

I'm not from your great state, and I mean great, the bucks I've seen on here from Maine are healthy trophies. I am just wondering if deer are transition area animals, why wouldn't clear cut areas do well for them. They do in areas of Canada that clear cut. The new growth is just what they need to eat and they like being on the edge of areas they can see well in. Areas in the south also clear cut and then burn to expedite the new growth. They have deer populations we only dream about. Yes they don't have the extreme weather we do but, they harvest alot of doe in areas and keep ratios in check. I'm all for logging of any kind, as here in NY where I am they don't allow it at all, and if you really want a discouraging season try hunting a forever wild area in the adirondacks!!

[bogmanjr]

I'm not from your great state, and I mean great, the bucks I've seen on here from Maine are healthy trophies. I am just wondering if deer are transition area animals, why wouldn't clear cut areas do well for them. They do in areas of Canada that clear cut. The new growth is just what they need to eat and they like being on the edge of areas they can see well in. Areas in the south also clear cut and then burn to expedite the new growth. They have deer populations we only dream about. Yes they don't have the extreme weather we do but, they harvest alot of doe in areas and keep ratios in check. I'm all for logging of any kind, as here in NY where I am they don't allow it at all, and if you really want a discouraging season try hunting a forever wild area in the adirondacks!!

In my opinion,and no one has mentioned it. The moose tend to clean the prime browse up pretty quick to a level that the deer can't
 reach.Not to say that's the problem but it contribute's. Also the cover that the typical winter yard provides from the element's and predation is not there.The food is there for the most part just a few of the other pieces of the puzzle are missing.I agree if done right logging is a great thing for wildlife but some of the clear cutting that has gone on is with only $$$$ in mind.

[upstatehunter]

We are starting to see the results of moose presences here. My brother works for DEC and in the moose river plains area this fall he saw alot more moose sign than deer. He did say the moose have cleaned areas up of browse. And that the deer had seemed to moved northwest to more suburban areas to find food.(more private property so logging going on)

[holden222]

anyone notice a correlation between the number of trappers in your area and the number of coyotes that are running around?