I saw the thread with the guys still driving the WMAs and I got to thinking to myself I haven't been in the tree in over a month now, January 2nd to be exact. I saw another post where a guy says if you are not finding deer in one spot (wiped out already) you need to move to another spot (to wipe them out) because their are still deer walking and I need to fill my freezer. I usually hang it up by mid January as most of the bucks I was after were either killed or shed their antlers. Usually killed. If I have a nice one around, I will stay in the game until he drops his antlers or the season is over. Not necessarily hunt, but watch cameras for an opportunity. I think our season is way too long. My property out of state ends on the 15th of January which I think is a good time as most of the deer are still holding and not getting shot as does in late season. I hope the state makes some changes to the bag limits and upcoming seasons, but I will to continue to hunt as I have been with taking one , maybe two does per season and holding out for one decent buck. Hopefully after this season, with a lot of guys seeing a dramatic drop in the deer numbers, start to adjust their harvests on their own instead of waiting for the state to put the brakes on. Usually when a state makes a change, its a few years too late. Any how, the season goes on for a few more days in my area, but Im done. I had a good season with one buck and one doe here in NJ and two bucks out of state.
When do you stop hunting?
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tcook8296
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In NJ I usually wait until the last week in January to take 1 or 2 does for the freezer because I like to hang them for a period of time.
Shooting a early season doe or a doe the last week of the season will result in the same deer numbers the following year. If you think differently please explain.
Shooting a early season doe or a doe the last week of the season will result in the same deer numbers the following year. If you think differently please explain.
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Typically I stop in January. However, the season is still open until Feb 20 in zone 9 (private), got two studs holding their antlers, & a buddy needs a deer. Therefore, I will go out one or two more times. Wish the ice was safer for fishing. BTW, I've never killed a deer this late before.
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Play to the whistle!
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Aside from one morning hunt during winter bow, I haven't been out for deer since 6 day. Freezers have been full since the beginning of December. Most seasons I am usually done by 1/15 at the latest and that's only if I haven't shot what I need by then. Ideally, I like to have shot what I need for meat by 6 day and small game hunt through the rest of the winter.
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I quit deer hunting when my freezer has meat in it, not before, most years that happens during permit bow, with all that I had going on the last few years I haven't been getting out much, this year I hunted in September and October in a new spot and didn't score, did not hunt permit bow or six day, so it was winter bow, my zone 2 spot I shot a spike, the new spot delivered a doe just before the storm, so now I have plenty of meat to get me into this fall season, now that I have the new spot dialed in I should be set by the end of regular season. I personally don't like going late into February, but will if im out of meat.
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I stop early January. If I didn't get done what I was trying to do by then, the deer won.
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I loose my steam first or second week of January or if it gets scary cold. If there is not a ton of snow on the ground like now Ill turn my attention to post season scouting / shed hunting. I leaned many years ago that post season scouting has helped my bag more big bucks in the fall than anything else.
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Sounds like you had a good season, Congrats. I will hunt till 2/13/16 end of season Zone 17 where I was hoping to get a chance to hunt private area.
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When you get married.
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In NJ I'm done before opening day. I hunt a solid 30 to 35 days a year in the mid west and that's really not enough to satisfy me, but I'm way beyond wasting my time chasing the local 100" pencil rack buck here at home. Still trying to figure out how to up my quality time in a tree, but haven't figured out how to do that yet. I want to do Texas in January this year, or maybe another late season hunt somewhere but it's difficult finding someone that can break away for a week in January.
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I guess I am one of the few that hunt until the whistle blows! I love the late season,no one else is hunting and their are more quality bucks holding antlers then people think. Just because I hunt everyday doesn't mean I shoot many(only 3 this season out of the 894 I have seen)! And yes I keep a log of all deer I see every season! The last week alone I had average sightings of 21 a day an didn't even consider shooting any! I have 2 buck tags left and will eat both of them unless something big shows up!
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If more guys behaved like you we would all be hunting the late season for monster bucks.
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Similar response for me as the comments above. I let the freezer and bucks tell me. This year I hung it up on my B-day Jan 22. I was only hunting for bucks by that time as the freezer was well off. I love hunting in the cold weather and snow. I would have given it another shot for a good buck but have been really sick so I called it quits. I will admit that we need to do away with Sept and Feb for deer. I wont hunt in FEB no matter what.
Really, the season never ends for me but above is talking about in the act of hunting. Now its time to go through gear, keep shooting the bow and 3-D shoots, scouting, shed hunting, re locating stands now from what I learned during the season, getting mineral sites going soon etc. I can never get enough
Really, the season never ends for me but above is talking about in the act of hunting. Now its time to go through gear, keep shooting the bow and 3-D shoots, scouting, shed hunting, re locating stands now from what I learned during the season, getting mineral sites going soon etc. I can never get enough
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Made the same mistake. Finally got a doe last month. Next year, I will take an early doe and pass later. Hit one of my spots in Z51 last week to try and get a buck. Pulled camera. All bucks dropped, so I am done. I will be doing some scouting, that's about it.
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When freezers full I'm kinda done , I have to many other obligations that I'm usually rushing around and not sitting tight like I should, I call it surving the stand not hunting it. I know a lot of guys feel the same way. I went down to NC shot a bunch and took 3 in NJ with the help of my pal MegaVites . I haven't been out since Late December. It's time to start making some "Tails" for upcoming fishing season
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