Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Slow Year Question/thoughts

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
So if your deer count is way down, why are you still trying to kill deer? That makes no sense to me. You guys have killed the only deer you've seen this year, I personally wouldn't be looking to kill anything.

Because that's no fun.

Seriously though, I've seen some buck sign and doe runs in parts that I hadn't traveled through in years.

I also surprisingly ran into the son of the farmer who has standing corn up. He has a stand 30 yds from the makeshift blind I put in yesterday. He had seen some deer moving between my property and his standing corn the last few nights. He was nice enough to move to another stand once he realized I was already there and setup. His father is taking the corn down this week so that accompanied with getting a little bait on my property hopefully will bring some back my way.

I also purchased 2 Primos cams for 40$ each (after rebates) to setup on a few parts were I can't see.

Moved a stand before I left by a trail with this rub so we'll see.



 

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
I have a feeling those bucks and does have left the property and are spending most of there time up in the standing corn.

I guess it will make it all sweeter when I put one down on this property.


 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,772
248
Ohio
Don't rule out the liberal bag limits. If you are seeing less deer, it very well could be . . . because there are less deer. Not trying to be a smart aleck. I think many are noticing the reduced herd size. Seems like it sneaks up on you when it hits your property. It has for me. I was very selective about where I harvested my doe this year. I took it off a property I have been seeing a handful of them.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Don't rule out the liberal bag limits. If you are seeing less deer, it very well could be . . . because there are less deer. Not trying to be a smart aleck. I think many are noticing the reduced herd size. Seems like it sneaks up on you when it hits your property. It has for me. I was very selective about where I harvested my doe this year. I took it off a property I have been seeing a handful of them.

No way, they are in the corn...lol. I hope we are wrong, but this story is all to common.
 

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
Spoke to the landowners son next to our 20 acres and he said they had been doing 15+ man deer drives every muzzleloader, youth gun, and gun season for the past 5 years. He also mentioned they had been driving our 20 acres every year also because they knew it was owned by a couple in there 80's and they figured it wasn't hunted. I told them not to drive our piece anymore but it really isn't my property and it's not posted.

I'm going to talk to the landowner and ask if they minded If we post no trespassing but we'll see.

I have a feeling this is only the beginning of our issues with them.

My father said he saw them do a drive last year and stood on the front edge of the property but he isn't the landowner and there was a bunch of them so he just left. I guess they must of drove our piece right after that.

I always thought our property was the sanctuary because EVERYONE around us gun hunts and does deer drives besides us.

I'm pissed but we'll see what the landowner thinks.

I guess I know where all my deer went...in the back of there trucks the last 5 years!

Pissed.


 

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
So...what are you going to do? Please don't say "kill more deer before they do".

Haha. No.

I just hope the genetics are still in the herd. My first ever cam placement gave me this photo about 5 years ago.


Deer quality and numbers have dramatically dropped every year since.

We won't shoot another doe out of this property for the next 2-3 years and the landowner gave us permission to post no trespassing.

Only time will tell.


 

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
Went out and put 4 no trespassing signs and a couple game cams. One of the no trespassing signs is strung across the only opening to the property on a chain.

With youth gun season in 2 days I was cutting it close.

Also, the standing corn is finally all down.

Feeling a little better about the situation.




 

gpb1111

Junior Member
92
12
Standing corn being down means deer have nowhere to hide once those drives start.

Hopefully the drivers stay off our property and the deer can use our property as a place to hide. I have a feeling it isn't going to stop them though and I don't have the time to be out there all weekend or obviously the full gun week.


 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Hopefully the drivers stay off our property and the deer can use our property as a place to hide. I have a feeling it isn't going to stop them though and I don't have the time to be out there all weekend or obviously the full gun week.
Hopefully they do. Good luck man