Whats Been Your Hunting Experience?

[woodseye]

What has been everyones hunting experience up this way this year? New Hampshire and Maine hunters what do you think the deer herd condition is like in the areas you hunt? Bearhunters post got me thinking that maybe we could all give some info and experience from the individual areas we each hunt.Hawk called me last night and him and his brother just got up here for the week,it snowed last night about 5-6 inches here and its starting to snow again now.He goes by Cooper on this forum and we will be hearing from him in about a week on his experiences in central Maine.


woods

[DLuke]

Hey woodseye...a few observations.

It seemed like there was more posted land out my way in Corinna and Dexter. It also seemed like more hunters were in the zone. I think a lot of guys follow the deer kill, and Corinna is always a top 3 or 4 town in the state. It really didn't feel like past seasons over there...it felt like I was hunting in other peoples boot tracks. The deer were there...moreso than last year, but it still didn't feel right. We'll be moving a wee bit north for next year into some slightly bigger areas.

We had one spot in which we've hunted for 20 years that was positively cut up with big buck sign this year. He's (they?) still there.

I think week three may be in order for next year also...maybe less hunters and a better chance of catching a bit more buck movement. And snow....I haven't hunted on a bit of snow since '99. It's only good for a day, but it is a great day!

[woodseye]

We're hunting the third week now and hardly hearing any shots or seeing any hunters.I like the third week the best and have shot the most bucks in it. The forth week gets real heavy again with Thanksgiving days off putting a lot of locals in the woods.I think the odd weather and fact the herd is still bouncing back from winter 2000-2001 has caused a lot of difference in sucess rates among hunters.Living up here and spotting and camming all late summer and fall has caused us to move all but two of our operations to areas with more deer.Three of our best areas are new this year.The posted land gets to be more of a problem every year and can take away a prime spot overnight. If I were hunting on the move like you DLuke I would move out where there are less hunters to avoid being in anybodies sights even for a second.Thats why I like treestands.

woods

[JDK]

I believe our herd is up here in northern Maine. Seems to be a lot more younger deer and does around than the past several years. Last week basically stunk however. Not sure what went on but movement was pretty minimal. I went through one of the gates to the North Maine Woods late Saturday evening and the attendent hadn't seen a deer in 2 days. Only one of the sporting camps had a deer hanging and it was a spike.

People tell me the rut is at its peak but you can't prove it by our group. We haven't seen much buck sign and what it do see is rather old. However, we have 8 inches to a foot of new snow and I know things will change now. Leave for 10 days on the 21st. My holy week.

[woodseye]

I see too many bucks still cruisin for the rut to be to advanced yet. They all get to following breeding parties when the does really start to breed. I think its still not in full swing yet just like last year was. They were breeding like crazy the last week last year and there was still a good bit happening the first week of ML.This year looks like a repeat.Glad to hear your seeing some young deer up north,thats a good sign.


woods

[JDK]

woods,

I agree. I think the peak is yet to come. I had some friends kill 4 bucks (they were 4 for 6) last week and none looked to be heavily rutting.