OT; Got My Deer

[JDGreenGrass]

Shot a healthy #100 doe yesterday at 4:30 in the afternoon.

To keep it on topic....she's hanging nicely off the JD bucket with the temperature hanging around 35-40 degree's.

Browning 308.

[EddieWalker]

Congrats.

Season opens here on Saturday. Bucks only and it has to be either a spike or wider then it's ears to be legal.

Eddie

[Lunk]

Congrats.

WI Gun Hunting Season opens on the 21st.

I think we are ready. Some nice ones around. Too bad the DNR has us in a "Herd Reduction Zone" due to the emergence of CWD in WI. We are seeing fewer deer every year. If the DNR had their way - There'd be none in about 1/3 of the state (of which I'm a part).

Frustrating, to say the least...

[ChuckinNH]

Gosh, for a moment there I thought you got mine! Season opens here next week for rifles, muzzleloader is open now. Saw a nice buck in the back of a truck downtown night before last... There are some really good bucks around here, some well over 200 lbs. but this is the nicest one I've seen hanging around my place. Last year I saw a really nice bull moose while on a stand, and that was fun too. Junior was behind him, and looked about half his size with little antlers.

[JDGreenGrass]

Here in Maine we normally kill about 30,000 deer in a season. 1,000 of those are 200+ pounds.

This year, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are predicting a kill of 19,000. Waay down.

The state sort of ticks me off. They manage the heard with a Doe Permit system. The past 2 winters have been hard on the deer. With those 2 winters I feel they have lost total control over the deer numbers here in Maine.

You would think their permit system could maintain a healthy population of deer through just 2 deep winters. NOT.!!!

Deer are now scarce in Maine and don't let anyone tell you different.

[ChuckinNH]

Yes, three years ago, I commonly had 10, or 12 deer feeding in the fringes of my yard while I was out there sometimes. Each winter, I would check the beds on the ridge, and find 13-14 beds in one area usually. This year, I put up a game camera, and can only be certain that three different deer have been hanging around. A doe with a fawn, and this buck. The guy up the road logged off a good sized area of mature hemlock which didn't help, coyotes are a problem, and I think one guy a mile, or so from me was feeding them, but then he moved. Just shows you how fragile the situation can be here in the northeast.

I went to PA some years ago, and some friends took me out to show me some deer. We saw just over 200 before we were done, and they wanted to know if I thought the hunting looked better there. I said "No, the hunting is very good indeed in NH! You can hunt to your hearts content in some really nice country. Of course if you want to find, you better stay home".

[Thomas]

Looks like you may have another use for you Kubota Chuck...fingers cross for you.

[ToadHill]

Only bow season right now, but gun season opens the saturday before Thanksgiving. I've gort mine tied to a tree waiting for gun season to open. (don't I wish)

[RalphVa]

Hooved rats seem to be attracted to diesel noise. Had two does and a faun a couple years ago that I'd been trying to dispose of, but every time I saw them they'd skedaddle. One day, I was backing the tractor out and saw the 2 does just down the hill. I just lifted up my 410 shotgun with a slug in it and took one down. The other one just stood there looking at her friend. I didn't have a spare slug; so, I put the tractor in park, jumped off and went into the other garage and got another slug. Loaded it and backed up and proceeded to go downhill. The other one was still there!

So, I lifted the shotgun again and shot it. Didn't get it as solid as the other; so it ran away. Only a little bit though. Found the bones and all from it a week or so later not too far away.

Over 3 years time, I took out 7, 6 and then 2. Been trying to get one last pesky does who seems to be eating everything this year. Have seen her about 3 times without gun in hand. Can't even get a shot at her.

Oh, you're probably wondering about the faun. Saw it near my veggie garden the next day. Took it down with a shot at about 80 yards (410 with slug again). It went down but not dead. I put another slug into its head. Something always drags the fauns away. Have to make sure to drag any bigger rats to areas where the vulturs can easily fly in and out. Within 48 hours, there are only bones.

Ralph

[Jstpssng]

Originally Posted by JDGreenGrass

Here in Maine we normally kill about 30,000 deer in a season. 1,000 of those are 200+ pounds.

This year, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are predicting a kill of 19,000. Waay down.

The state sort of ticks me off. They manage the heard with a Doe Permit system. The past 2 winters have been hard on the deer. With those 2 winters I feel they have lost total control over the deer numbers here in Maine.

You would think their permit system could maintain a healthy population of deer through just 2 deep winters. NOT.!!!

Deer are now scarce in Maine and don't let anyone tell you different.

What part of the state are you in? I'm working up in the Ashland area right now, and got mildly excited today when I saw 1 pile of very old deer pellets.

Ironically I got my first "anydeer" permit this year. I'll be wandering around in the Athens area later on this fall.

Congrats on your deer.