# What is going on??? Opinions please!



## Scotty Yamamoto (May 27, 2004)

I have hunted the past 2 days (medina county) and haven't seen any deer. Over the weekend I had night time pics of 4 different bucks ( 2 really good ones) all rubbing the same tree for about a week also no pics the last 2 days as well. your thoughts


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Welcome to my world! On my hunting club I've set a stand in a funnel with an absolute TON of deer sign around and seen absolutely NOTHING! A couple of guys who are retired, and hunt every day, have said they haven't seen deer movement like they normally do. It's been a weird year! 

That being said, I was at the club this afternoon to stock pheasant, a euphemism if there ever was one! Those things fly where they will! Anyway, I got there a little early, and decided to drive around. On a dirt track off one of the main roads I saw a little buck. I thought he might be the "4 point" a buddy of mine told me he'd seen up there. As it turned out he was a 7 point, 3x4, that would be legal here in our WMU with the antler restrictions! But, I needed my binoculars to see that, even at 25 yards. Nice body, dinky antlers! 

Anyway, we stared at each other for nearly 10 minutes. The buck kept looking into a thicket near him, and I wondered if he might be tending a doe in there. Eventually he got antsy, and decided to move off into the thicket. I gave him an URRRPP! out of my mouth, and he doubled back onto the dirt track and stared at me for 5 more minutes! As it turns out, there was a doe in that thicket and eventually she got up, trotted out onto the dirt track and then, up the hill. The buck followed shortly. 

Besides being a ton of fun, that showed me that rut activity is, indeed, going on around here. I just wish more of it was going on near my stand. I'm thinking I may need another scouting trip to see if I might need to move. I don't want to do that. Early bow goes out here on the 15th. Well, we'll see what the future brings!


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## Reel Bad Habit (Feb 9, 2007)

Just be in the (undisturbed) woods as much as possible. Most years the deer don't move until just before the rut. Keep your kool and when you least expect it he will be in front of you. I have been hunting 50 years and this is one lesson I have learned. SIT STILL. Good Luck.


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## rangerpig250 (Apr 10, 2011)

You posted my situation!!! Early season deer everywhere! I recently went 5 times straight without seeing a damn thing. My feelings are starting to get hurt!


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

rangerpig250 said:


> You posted my situation!!! Early season deer everywhere! I recently went 5 times straight without seeing a damn thing. My feelings are starting to get hurt!


I know your pain! What! I can't see deer tracks in the mud! I can't see the rubs on the trees? WTF!


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

I have observed this most years past. There have been discussions before on this. From what I can tell, there are some factors that combine to slow deer movement this time of year. The stage of the rut, and moon phase being some strong factors. When the deer are actually breeding they don't seem to move much?


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> I have observed this most years past. There have been discussions before on this. From what I can tell, there are some factors that combine to slow deer movement this time of year. The stage of the rut, and moon phase being some strong factors. When the deer are actually breeding they don't seem to move much?


That's what some guys call "lockdown". That's when a buck finds a doe that is on the verge of actually being able to breed. As I understand it, that's a very small window in the overall scheme of the rut. Mind you, he's not "chasing" or pushing the doe in any way. He's just following, as long as she'll abide his company. If she beds down, the buck will too. If she doesn't move, neither will he. This is when all the bucks you saw in the early season seem to disappear! 

My buddy's mechanic has a bunch of great bucks mounted on the walls of his shop office. He claims that nearly all of them were taken in the late, late season. His reasoning is this. Once the primary rut is done, most of the mature (1 1/2 and older) does have been bred. You have a few of them that haven't been caught, plus you have some yearling does coming into their first season. So the bucks start ranging far & wide again trying to find as many available does as possible. According to the mechanic, bucks are more responsive to calls and scents than even during the primary rut!

I guess it's like closing time at the local watering hole. How many targets are left and how objectionable are they? Although I suppose that last part doesn't matter a whit to a buck deer! Wham, bam, thank you ma'am! 

I don't know for certain, but it kinda makes sense to me!


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

Full moon maybe


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## Ted Dressel (Dec 16, 2006)

I haven't seen a deer since I shot a doe last weekend. I been out every day after work this past week.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

It seems to me that deer seems to rotate core areas and they may just be absent from that specific area for a little while. When I lived in the city I would have deer in my yard every day for several weeks then they would just disappear. Several weeks later, they would be back. I put a camera up to see if they just went nocturnal and normally they just weren't there. I've noticed the same thing out hunting. The deer just moved around the area. 
Be patient, they will be back.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I'd say they are locked bown. A whle bunch of big deer hit the dirt the 31-4....and its been slow since then except for scattered report here and there. When peak breeding is taking place its a horrible time to try and kill a big deer.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> Orig. posted by *buckeyebowman*:
> 
> My buddy's mechanic has a bunch of great bucks mounted on the walls of his shop office. He claims that nearly all of them were taken in the late, late season. His reasoning is this. Once the primary rut is done, most of the mature (1 1/2 and older) does have been bred. You have a few of them that haven't been caught, plus you have some yearling does coming into their first season. So the bucks start ranging far & wide again trying to find as many available does as possible. According to the mechanic, bucks are more responsive to calls and scents than even during the primary rut!


Totally agree with this and have for many years. Have killed a lot of bucks during early post rut. Not so much rattling, but grunting and estrous bleat calling. IMO, it's kinda like that dominant buck is in competition with the smaller bucks to breed the few 'late session' does and runs non-stop to do so. 
FWIW, this time to hunt big bucks ranks right up there with the mid to late pre season rut time.

Also, from what I'm seeing in this area, I don't think we are in the 'lockdown' phase just yet. But I think we are very close(within a couple days) of it starting. I've watched a couple bucks trailing does very hard as if the does were getting ready to come in season. Watched an 8pt'er that would absolutely not let a particular doe out of his sight yesterday. 
Watching the forecast, with a front moving in tomorrow afternoon, I'd say tomorrow will be an excellent day for movement.

Getting a late start this morning...gotta run. Have doe bedding areas to post up on.


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## howdog (Oct 15, 2006)

I had activity this morning in Medina county. Had a small 6 walk by my stand around 715. Then I had a really cool encounter with a small 4 point. He actually attempted to flank me as I walked back from my stand. He got to about 35 yards of me. We had a brief stare down, and he eventually retreated. I didn't want want to shoot him, so I was glad he never presented me with a decent shot. All and all an exciting morning. Otherwise it's been very slow for me. 


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

My guess is that the bucks were on your property because of a hot doe last week. You probably got there after they left for another doe. Also, with the full moon last week, most of the deer activity was at night. This time of year, they are moving to different food sources and the bucks are going from woodlot to woodlot and sticking with the hot doe. Saw evidence yesterday at my grandma's property of a big buck fight. Usually only does out there, but now one much be in heat. 

You'll probably see deer the next 2 times out. Never know what's going to happen out there, just need to put the time in until your hunting luck changes.


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

What kind of evidence dawg? I think I ran across some myself. Got it done Saturday behind my house. Deer all over the cameras up until yesterday. Kinda died. I figured locked down or hot doe left. My 13 yr old has been hunting since I shot mine with no luck , just a few does. Man I thought for sure he'd get it done today or yesterday. Getting out before and after school. Ambitious. I catalog all my pics from years previous. And I can say this. Plus or minus 3-4 days on either end of the lockdown. There is always a couple days that activity bottoms for my woods, like right now. The good news is that most of the bigger bucks come after this recess. Sounds like they lockdown, tend, get it done and look for more. Like right before the bar closes. Lol. Younger days


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## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

I'm trying to figure out why I see fewer deer every year recently in the property I hunt in Columbiana County. I'm not even getting many on my camera at night and none during shooting hours. This place has great cover, water and nearby food. I used to see lots of deer, but for some reason they are no longer there. Coyotes? There is very limited hunting on the property so we only take a deer or two and then stop.

Any idea what's up? Have we done like PA and reduced the herd too much?


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

You never know. you might be in an area where the deer herd got whacked particularly hard. Hard to know what goes on on neighboring properties. But then, my buddies been hunting the back corner of his property in a blind. It's at the corner of a thicket (his) bordering a cornfield, pasture (empty), and fenceline with a bedding area about 150 yards away. He thought it was ideal. He's seen one decent 8 point, and wound up shooting his blind. But that's another story! About 3 weeks ago he took his Granddaughter down there to sit with him. He had 9 doe come in, including some big heifers! He aimed his Xbow at one of the big ones, only to have a fawn walk up beside it and cut him off. No way he was shooting a fawn in front of his Granddaughter! Hasn't seen a single deer there since! All the field corn is still up around here, and it's making things very difficult!


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## beetlebailey (May 26, 2009)

theres not as many deer as there used to be. 5-10 yrs ago used to see behind my house 12-15 deer, anymore 2-5 in a herd! that's my opion!!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

AFAIK...According to ODNR stats, Ohio's deer herd has been declining for the last couple years.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

The evidence that I saw was scattered deer hair in a field. 

The rut is definitely on right now! I was picking up some firewood in my back woods yesterday. I paused for a 2nd and looked down the hill and saw a nice 8 point walking up the hill towards me. It ignored me and went straight for the briar patch 20 yds away. He jumped a doe out of there and proceeded to follow it out of sight! I could have shot that buck at 30 yards if I had my gun.

Lots of deer movement right now. I walk the dog in the woods every day. I see different deer in there every day. Sometimes though, I go 2 days without seeing one. Over the summer I had a doe and 2 fawns hanging out for 2 months straight and would occasionally see some different deer.


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

As I mentioned in another thread I sat in the woods for near 3 weeks seeing little action until last saturday morning when starting at dawn until 8 am I saw 9 doe running everywhere , I tagged 2 ... sit tight


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

beetlebailey said:


> theres not as many deer as there used to be. 5-10 yrs ago used to see behind my house 12-15 deer, anymore 2-5 in a herd! that's my opion!!





fastwater said:


> AFAIK...According to ODNR stats, Ohio's deer herd has been declining for the last couple years.


Both of your statements are true, but I don't think you can employ them as a blanket statement that covers every situation. 

The farm that borders my buddy's property has plenty of deer frequenting it. They don't all live there 24/7/365. Some of them do, but we've come to the conclusion that a lot of deer around here make a "circuit". This is an area that is, slowly but surely, becoming more urbanized, but the majority of the acreage is still devoted to farming. Another local farming family has permission to hunt this farm during gun season. They do drives, and bring an army along to do it! Last season they pushed it mid-week. My buddy got the report. Two doe seen, no deer taken. They also pushed the farm the last day of the season. No deer seen or taken. That night I was at my buddy's house watching football or something, and we decided to take the portable spotlight out just to see what was going on. We walked to the back of his property and shone the light into the picked cornfield on the farm that was pushed earlier that day. There were ten deer in the field! 

We also belong to a game club just across the state line in PA. It's comprised of old limestone quarries, the associated spoil piles, and some old farm land that are now food plots. The place is polluted with deer. I found a spot where the deer trail looked like an elongated hog wallow! My buddy saw the set up ad pronounced with confidence, "You are going to kill a deer in here!" Yeah, right! Sat there every chance I got and have seen nothing! The deer are there, they're just not moving. there's too much sign. It can't be just a few deer traipsing all over 2,200 acres of property!


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## beetlebailey (May 26, 2009)

buckeyebowman you are correct!!!! deer do travel... you have to be at the right place at the right time!! that's why I bait, but im competing with the accorns this year!!!!


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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

Week of 11/4 thru 11/10 deer were moving with bucks seen every day and last 2 days no deer seen. Cold morning in stand today and not a twig cracked. Tough go, because somewhere on the farm they are active. I'd say they are locking in on a few does the latter part of this week and hanging tight. SE Ohio where I am hunting, i have not been seeing many though but, have seen a couple of shooters cruising. Lot of mast and most of the deer are spread out. They also make local back yard feeders a priority in the evenings. They don't get too far from those.


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## the czar (Aug 14, 2008)

Depends on your area. I was in Athens 11/6,7,8,9 and only saw 2 deer and no activity so I'm probably missing it now was in erie county Thursday night saw nothing

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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

the czar said:


> Depends on your area. I was in Athens 11/6,7,8,9 and only saw 2 deer and no activity so I'm probably missing it now was in erie county Thursday night saw nothing
> Sent from my SPH-L900 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


My friend was in a stand on the other end of a farm we hunt election day and he said it sounded like a herd of pigs were running around. I saw one average buck from my stand that day. He was in that stand this morning and zilch. May be in there the next day and bingo they come in there after another hot doe. Crap shoot some days. Since there is so much more food this year, those does do not have to drag a tending buck far for her to feed.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

beetlebailey said:


> buckeyebowman you are correct!!!! deer do travel... you have to be at the right place at the right time!! that's why I bait, but im competing with the accorns this year!!!!


Well, when acorns are heavy in your area, that's a problem! For deer hunters, not the deer! The deer could be anywhere that there's acorns! 

The only reason I wrote what I did is that on the farm behind my buddy's place, we'd find major deer trails with all the hoof prints pointing in one direction! What other conclusion can you reach but that the deer are making a circuit?


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## beetlebailey (May 26, 2009)

buckeyebowman said:


> Well, when acorns are heavy in your area, that's a problem! For deer hunters, not the deer! The deer could be anywhere that there's acorns!
> 
> The only reason I wrote what I did is that on the farm behind my buddy's place, we'd find major deer trails with all the hoof prints pointing in one direction! What other conclusion can you reach but that the deer are making a circuit?


you got it!!! the bucks r in a area with the does!! that's why I don't uses scent till LATE season, early season I bait to attract the does then the bucks follow!! ive killed several bucks this way..


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