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Where do the deer go?

hickslawns

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Not being a smart aleck here. This time of the year, it seems the deer just vanish. I understand there are does ready to birth. I am sure they are not moving as much. I would assume they have been feeding heavily at night close to where they bed. What about the yearlings though? What about the bucks? Button bucks?

Just seems weird. I realize there isn't any corn or beans out there yet. There are still plenty of grassy fields though which are visible from the road. The temps are not as severe as they will be in a month or two or three. Takes away high temperatures as an excuse. Do they just stay in the woods more? It isn't like there are acorns dropping.

Someone clue me in. This is always something I have been curious about. I will admit to seeing two groups of 5 last Sunday morning while turkey scouting from a distance. Outside of those 10 deer, I don't think I have seen 10 deer total in the last month or so.
 

JD Boyd

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Urbana
I've been seeing deer out all over the place. Especially between 9-12. All the bucks are grouped up together...
 

moundhill

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Hebbardsville..
IMO i think that they're just bedding during daylight hours, mixed with the fact that you really dont pay much attention to them this time of year. Now, if it was July-February, you would be looking for them and try to see them, but this time of year it seems i lose interest and dont really at much attention to the deer.
 

Gordo

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5,515
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Athens County
I was thinking the same thing as you recently, and sure enough I saw shit tons of deer today. It made me think I just haven't been looking.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Phil, I just think our ares get so pounded during gun and Muzzy season that they find those safe havens and hideout til feb March ad start to work their way back to their normal range. I know for a fact that deer in my are end upin 2 major areas by the endofmuzzy season. It's not uncommon to see a couple hundred in the field at night. These areas are 3-4 miles away
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
Moundy- I look for deer all year bud. Always have. Even prior to ever taking up hunting.

Thanks for the input guys. I find this interesting. It just seems like they always disappear around Mar-Apr (or later) every year. Any other theories?
 

Jackalope

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Don't forget also that if you accept the DNR numbers of pre season est at 750,000 as fact, the herd is about 1/4 smaller than at the beginning of season when we do all of our scouting.

If you believe their estimates are high and we only have about 500,000 pre season, then we're about 40% low compared to when we do most of our scouting in the fall.
 

LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,503
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The woods
My deer sightings are not down. I hardly saw any during the fall and winter months and still hardly seeing any now. I saw three the other morning and three the other evening somewhere else. That's about it for the spring. I've just learned the last couple years not to expect to see any, that way I am not let down.
 

hickslawns

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Jackalope- You make a very good and valid point in my opinion. I am not buying 750k herd. If you figure 500k and subtract the harvest, then I do see another factor as to low sightings in the spring. Great point!
 

brock ratcliff

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I think Cotty nailed it. BTW, I always see a lot of deer during turkey season while I'm in the woods. They have more fresh food right now than any other time of year.
 

jagermeister

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Ohio
I usually see more deer this time of year than during hunting season. Phil, are you running any cams right now? I haven't put any out yet, but usually this time of year my memory cards fill up rather quickly. I agree with Cotty... The deer are there, you're just not seeing them because they have absolutely no reason to be out in the open fields. Succulent browse is EVERYWHERE in the woods right now.
 

Big H

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Medina
You guys aren't looking in the right places, they are in the acorns.............................................................just sayin..........................................:smiley_coolpeace:
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
I usually see more deer this time of year than during hunting season. Phil, are you running any cams right now? I haven't put any out yet, but usually this time of year my memory cards fill up rather quickly. I agree with Cotty... The deer are there, you're just not seeing them because they have absolutely no reason to be out in the open fields. Succulent browse is EVERYWHERE in the woods right now.

I have one out year round on a mineral lick. Haven't checked it in a good long while. I am sure it is full. Placed 2 on another property this week when I put a turkey blind out. Generally this time of the year we get the same does showing up at the mineral lick daily. Sometimes twice a day. You can usually pick them out and it is the same couple of groups of does. Occasionally see some bucks hitting it as well. Nice to check the antler growth progress this way.
 

Mountaineer

Banned
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WV
hicks..

The reason is because they are in groups this time of year. The bucks are all together and the doe's are in large groups. You either see alot or zero.

Come fall they spread out and when winter comes they group up again.
 

hickslawns

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hicks..

The reason is because they are in groups this time of year. The bucks are all together and the doe's are in large groups. You either see alot or zero.

Come fall they spread out and when winter comes they group up again.

I don't know about this year though Mounty. Never did see the huge groups this past winter like the several prior. It just never got very harsh this winter. I don't normally see big groups in the spring around here either. I mean, maybe groups of 6-8 instead of groups of 2-4, but not massive groups. Just curious because I haven't been seeing many at all.
 

JD Boyd

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Urbana
I sat in our woods this morning watching turkeys and had a group of 21 walk by me at 50 yards. One doe was even playing with the hens...
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
I did happen to see 4 tonight when you could barely see. Still a bit disappointing not seeing much deer activity.