Anybody have plans for hunting this last weekend?
I haven't hunted at all in January, but hope to get out one last time on Saturday / Sunday. Although I haven't been hunting, I've been watching, and I'm surprised by the absence of deer I'm seeing. We have more snow on the ground than usual in NE Ohio this year (there's about a foot on the ground here now and there's been several inches all month long). I always thought snow would make the deer more visible, and in the past few years when there was no snow I wished for it, thinking it would help. But no matter where I look, or when (even at night with the moon illuminating the snow like daylight), I see no deer.
So help me out on this last weekend. Where do deer go when it gets really cold and deep snow? I don't see them in the ag fields like usual... any thoughts where they might be?
Thanks!
BillJ
They have been eating brows and pine bark. Not going to the fields much around here. Seem to be staying in the woods eating whats left of the brows. At least thats what I have been seeing. Don't get me wrong, still seeing some in the fields but alot more in the woods. I'll be out again tonight. Good luck!
Mike
I miss hunting at home in Ohio.
I have been seeing alot of deer hitting corn fields around hear. Seen 18-20 deer on Monday afternoon, all looked to be doe and fawns. It was 2:30pm and they were already out in the middle of the cut corn, a few hundred yards away from the woods.
I find hunting from 9am untill 3pm to be good times to be out. The deer seem to get up and eat/drink and enjoy the sun if out. Also check out south faceing hillsides. Deer bed on the south side to soak up the heat of the sun.
Just some ideas that have worked for me in the past.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Raven >>>>--------> :thumbsup:
Young pines are a favorite. They'll browse the branches and dig up the goodies underneath as there is much less snow there. Any trees that may have come down that still have leaves on them will draw them in especially with the deep snow. Personally, I don't waste my time on ag fields this time of year. Rarely see them out there until after dark around here. Set up as close to bedding as you can to catch them moving in the morning and evening. I only hunt early in the afternoon if its a warm sunny day following a hearty front. Other than that, the first three hours of daylight and the last two are when I'm out there. You can't get away with moving and looking around in the stand this time of year so I just hunt the high percentage hours.
I love the late season. Once you find them, you can be in for some of the most exciting hunting of the year. Sunday looks really good.
Bill where you at in NE Ohio?
Hunted last sunday in the evening, as usual running late headed to some private woods not knowing what to expect but some much needed fresh air. Ended up jumping at least eight, does and yearlings, so hope to get lucky this weekend. Late season is tough, there just hearded up. Good luck.
I will be hitting it hard in ohio this weekend also.its going to warm up alittle on sunday.should have the deer up and moving.
We've seen them in the hardwoods and in the fields. I have a spot for Saturday that looks decent. It's a heavily used trail (fresh snow is your buddy) with deadfalls all around it so I ought to be able to find a downwind hiding spot one way or another.
Good luck to you this weekend.
Thanks for the advice, guys.
Molson, I'm just a little east of Akron.
BillJ
After one of the toughest seasons I have ever had, I have thrown in the towel. The deer win this year.
Next year I will seek my revenge.
heydeerman, don't give up yet! I still have a tag to fill myself :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl: Can't wait for G.O.R.H 2009, have been out a few time with Oldschool. Have seen a ton of rabbits, they just won't hold still long for a good shot. Oldschool shot one on monday walking the RR tracks. :wavey:
Raven >>>>-------->
Any of you Ohio fellers sittin in a tree tomorrow morning are much stronger men than I am.
Well,
I went out this evening. Saw 10 does about 10 miles away.
Raven,
This is the first season in 10 years I haven't killed at least 3. I did take a doe back in the first week. I had a chance at a possible B&C buck so after he got in my head I passed up on quite a few. I had my chances but blew it this year. A couple years ago I could not hunt with a busted shoulder so i was very grateful to be out there.
Now... time to get that B&C wabbit. I got a pic of one on the GORH site.
BTW, I believe tomorrow is the last day. Better check the regs before you go out Sunday.
Went squirrel hunting this afternoon and had a nice doe walk past me while still hunting at 8 feet. EIGHT FEET!!!........and no clue I was there. :knothead:
Fat lady aint singing yet.
Was in a stand last saturday am at 6.Temp was 9 degrees.I sat there for 3 hours.Nothing but squirrels moving around.
2 Degrees this morning at my house. What did you boys see while I was laying under 6 blankets in bed????
I was dreaming of a pig in texas that has my tag on it. :bigsmyl:
Oddly enough Ben so was I. :biglaugh:
sunday is the last day feb.1st
Headed out this afternoon about 3:00 so Hope to have a tag filled (yeah right). Well at least hope to see some.
26 does walked past me this morning from 7:15 til about 9 am. It was a great show! I have my buck tag left so I've been holding out shooting another doe for one of the good boys I've been seeing. I was at Kzoo last night while a friend was in my stand trying to fill his last doe tag. He called all worked up because a 160 class 11pt walked right up and stood broadside at 10yds oblivious to everything while the does walked by just out of range. I've had him come by me twice in two weeks just out of range while does were standing all around me. Life just isn't fair... :banghead:
That sucks :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
Here's my edited entry from my hunting journal for today...
31-Jan-09
Today was the last day of deer season for us. Once again, it was very cold and crunchy. My son hunted the corner again and I sat next to a tree and ambushed the heavy trail I had spotted the previous week. I lasted until about 10.30 and had to get up and walk to shake (literally) off the cold.
Up until this point, I had seen woodpeckers and crows but no game. Moving down the middle ridge back towards the road, I immediately started seeing better deer tracks. Just beyond my field of view from the morning, I saw several deer beds and loads of tracks, poo and so forth.
Beyond this, in an area that I've ambushed before, I noticed tracks of an apparent tap dancing contest for whitetail. I've never seen so much sign in one area in my life.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff187/GingivitisKahn/deer_stampeed.jpg)
Crunching up the trail from this, I startled a group of does. As loud as the footing was, there was no question of attempting to sneak after them.
Later, my son and I decided to try to work a pincer move on a group of does he had seen in the area where he took his buck earlier in the year. He came in from the bottom and I moved down from the top seeing three or four does almost immediately. I played cat and mouse with them for a while (and with a last moment fox squirrel – which I missed) as I tried to drive them to my son.
Following his's tracks from earlier in the day, I saw where he had laid his bow down to mess with his hat. All too soon, he and I met up and that was all she wrote for this deer season. It was a blast.
Next – bunnies.
Sounds great Jim! I didn't get out this weekend. I saw a really nice buck while driving in the car today. I guess I'll hav to wait for next season.
-Charlie
:-D
So are you going to GORH?
Well, no deer. :bigsmyl:
So it's time to home in on some B@C rabbits. COME ON G.O.R.H.!!!!! :thumbsup: :jumper:
Raven >>>>-------->
I woke up at 330 am saturday and the wife says "you going hunting?" I said I wish I was. I was headin to the throne with rotovirus. Not the way I pictured ending the season. I thought I would be freezing my butt off in a treestand watching woodpeckers. :bigsmyl:
Passed on 3 does Sunday morning and didn't see a thing the rest of the day. Time to start getting ready for pigs in May!
:bigsmyl: