ADVWannabee

Today ends early black powder season in VA and tomorrow starts rifle season. I really wanted to get a shot with my newly scoped Knight and I was really hoping my wife would get her first deer ever with her TC Encore. She will continue to use the Encore. I will probably stick with the Knight around my home but will use a rifle when I go to hunt with my father-in-law. But then again, I may use the rifle at home too. For me, it is hard to go to the woods with anything less than the maximum allowable weapon in season.

Another reason it is a sad day is because bow and black powder season has come and gone and I haven't even fired a shot. I drew on one doe in bow season and saw others but couldn't get a shot. I haven't even seen the first deer since black powder season started. Last year I shot 3 deer around the house and passed on several others. This year something has changed as there are NO deer around my house right now. I am hoping the season will get better, but I am not sure it will.

falcon

Good luck to you and your wife in deer gun season.

Breechplug

Could be a (Lack) of Food, was the Crops Damaged this year By Frost like they were here? Or like for me the Farmers Rotate the Soybeans and Corn Fields each year. I like the Corn as the Combines leaves more Corn and usually the Corn stands longer to dry out so it's there throughout Hunting Season. But when they cut the Soybeans the Combine does such a good job of Harvesting it that there's nothing left so the Deer move and go to where there's Standing Corn. So a good spot one year is'nt that great the next, Im seeing that in one of My Favorite spots this year, the numbers are down. It also could be the Weather, it's been a little Warmer than expected, the Deer move at night more when it's warm out.
One question, since you have a early ML Season there followed by Rifle Season, dont the Deer go Nocturnal on you there as they have been shot at with Mlers and by the time Rifle Season starts all the Big Boys and most of the Mature Deer know what's going on by now so they go Nocturnal. So is your Rifle Season a Bust by having the Early ML Season?
They were trying to get a Earl ML Season here, have our Bow Season, then a Early ML Season (Antlerless Deer Only) for a week then back to Bow Season, then our Regular Gun Season followed by Late ML Season. But the Hunters are trying to stop it as they figure having the Early ML Season in the Middle of Archery Season would put all the Deer on Red Aleart and they'd go Nocturnal. Then to continue Archery Season the Hunters figured the Deer would'nt move during the Day. Do they were you live?
We like our Bow Season then Gun Season followed by Late ML Season.
(BP)

Roger46982

Sad day here also, Archery season ends and the Orange Army takes to the field tomorrow for 15 days, then a six day repreve and Muzzleloader comes in

hometheaterman

In the area I hunt, yes they do. I like to hunt muzzle loader season as much as I can, because it seems like the deer still come out to you when it's light out and you can get a shot. Often that's when you see the biggest ones too. Once rifle season starts and get going good it's my experience that I rarely see them during the day. I will sit an a stand a bunch. I probably sat in a stand 30 times last year and didn't see anything. A buddy that hunted with me fairly often saw a few deer out of his stand, but not a ton.

Now In another area where it's not hunt hard or by as many people, a buddy hunts there and he stills see deer during rifle season, but I don't know that it's as common.

In the area I hunt, hunting with dogs is also very big. I'm sure the dogs scare the deer even more. I sit in the stand quite a bit during rifles season, but I also hunt with the guys with the dogs quite a bit, and that's how I usually see the deer. I know some guys here don't agree with it, but it's actually fun, and when you your options are hunt with everyone else and at least see deer, or sit in a stand and see nothing it becomes even more fun. I have to say though, I seldom get a shot when the dogs are running a deer, because it usually is something like the deer crossing a path or something and running full speed so it's gone before I can get my gun up.

hometheaterman

All that being said, I'm ready to use my rifle and put the muzzle loaders away. I like my muzzle loader, but I love my rifle.

gman57

I hope things get better in rifle season for you ADV ,seems like here in NY Im seeing less deer while bow hunting then previous years .At least I got a shot at a 5ptr last week upstate and lost my 2nd deer to string catching on binoculars during shot youd think Id learn. 1 more week then its rifle season here may use my smoker during it otherwise I have to wait till 2nd wk in Dec for muzzle season upstate or Jan here in Suffolk Cty. Good Luck

Krypt Keeper

i will be in the stand tomorrow and still be carrying my .50 Hawkens with me. Bow or blackpowder is all i use to hunt.

Yes the orange army and dogs will be running but hopefully they will be somewhere else than around me. I don't mind people using dogs, just hate the fact that the locals around me think once regular gun season comes in that the laws dont apply to them and like to park halfway in the road and even shot across roads.

I will only wear blaze orange while hunting, wont wear it at all while driving my truck or in public, fear people might think I actually hunt with the locals.

Chasam60

Breech,Pa runs an early MZ season for 1 week during archery(doe only).We just finished up today,and killed as many after MZ as before.They did not go nocturnal,and we killed more bucks in the last 2 weeks.Mostly due to the rut.

Charlie

MountainDevil54

i hear you! 3rd rifle season ends tomorrow and in the first 8 days we saw ONE deer. No elk.

What a drag