Deer Season 2021

[Mgderf]

Just curious where you hit the doe? Last year I took 2 does with my 6.5 creedmoor, both 100-125 yard double lung shots and both deer still ran over 100 yards.

Hit her high in the chest, but still caught the top of both lungs.
At first I wondered if I had hit her but I knew I had a good sight picture when the trigger broke.
I think I rushed the shot a bit when I saw her start walking again.
I was amazed she was able to run that far with both lungs blown out.

 

[yote hunter]

 

[yote hunter]

Never seen a deer opening day & had a hunter on the other side of the fence at 148yds on Sunday.
So nothing good to report .

 

[yote hunter]

Never seen a deer opening day & had a hunter on the other side of the fence at 148yds on Sunday.
So nothing good to report .

Only heard about 8 shots opening day & maybe 4 Sunday

 

[roscott]

Had a great opening weekend with the gang. My buddy Tony got a nice 9 point (one broken tine) Friday evening with a crossbow hunting over a decoy. His best buck to date.

Saturday morning I took out a new hunter. He passed on a fork buck and a couple yearlings, but learned the hard way about passing on deer. He could only hunt Saturday and didn’t get another good opportunity that day.

Another buddy brought his 12 year old son, and it was so dang cool to see him get hooked. He missed a small fork, but will be back out next weekend, hopefully after a little more range time.

We figured out how to team up on a small woods that the deer bed down in. They can generally see any approaching hunters, as the woods sits atop a small rise. We positioned a couple shooters, and sent Tony way upwind to walk back and forth and scent bump the area. Worked like a charm and I got a doe.

Also saw the big cabelas buck I’ve been chasing, but the only shot he gave me was the Texas heart shot. Hopefully he survives the season, because due to work and travel I might not be able to get back out this season.

 

[Mongo59]

The grandson got sick on Sunday so I didn't go out without him. My son-in-law took a basket rack (his first) out of my front field.

My Dr buddy has passed on countless does looking for the one he wants. He found out last year it takes about as long to process a small one as a big one...

 

[DEC]

Not Indiana ... but I took last week and went to Missouri to bow hunt. The weather was hot and hunting was rough. Hunted a combination of public and private ground. Spent the first full day just boots on the ground scouting public and knocking on doors for private. Then hunted hard sun up to sun down for three days. I never saw a single deer ... until the last evening, the last sit, the last 20 minutes of legal time and this nice buck stepped out into a small food plot on private, basically in a sub-division that two neighboring land owners let me hunt ... 6 to 7 acres total ground. 22 yard shot, 100 yard recovery. He shrunk a little on me, but I didn't care after not seeing a single deer up to that point. I was very happy to take this buck.

 

[1nderbeard]

Nothing for me Sunday. But I did have the opportunity to take a young one with me interested in hunting. I answered prob 100 questions over the 90 minutes we were in the blind. Didn't sneak in until 4:15. But I did get a glimpse of a doe sneaking back in to the woods about 260 yards away from me a little after 5pm. Had I been ready I could have made the shot, but she slipped in and out of view in about 15 seconds.
Gonna give it another go maybe tonight and Tues/Thursday this week. Hoping with the wind dying down I'll see more movement. Told the young one I'd take him out again Tuesday afternoon.

 

[phatgemi]

I think its a slow season here in my part of franklin county. While I was fortunate to get a small 6 last week of bow season and two does saturday, not much other success with our party. Heard very few shots morning or evening where we normally hear a lot of activity. I know its not scientific but I'm hearing same reports from neighbors. Very limited success. Since I'm tagged out I do count that as successful season and my son will hit it hard this coming weekend.

 

[ACC]

My BIL and I both picked up 8 pointers on Saturday at my property in SE Parke County. Got mine (left) about 5:30pm when he approached from about 25 yards behind my stand. He turned broadside and I got him. Dropped him where he stood. Suppressed 300BLK Ruger American Ranch with AAC Cyclone shooting Winchester Deer Season XP 150grn.

After hiking back out to the Polaris to go get my deer, my BIL spotted his 8 point about 100 yards across the pasture under a tree. He saw us and started to head to the tree line. I called him, he stopped and my BIL dropped him with is Browning A-Bolt .308. He never moved an inch. (right)

My first ever deer & my BIL's 2nd. Great weekend!

 

[hps]

Got this buck yesterday morning about 830am at my place in Jefferson County. 10 point with a broken tine, field dressed 160 lbs. He came in quick and I only had a few seconds to decide if I wanted him. 25 yard shot, double lung and he still ran 150 yards before I found him. I got 3 grandsons hunting this weekend to take care of. Good luck to all still hunting.

I believe i would hide that beard of yours!! there are idiots that will shoot at ANYTHING white!

 

[paintman]

View attachment 167940
Well I didn’t see a thing but dad got this guy in the woods next to me. Popped him as he was walking out of the woods when we were leaving.
The little guy next to him is a friend of mine. He got it this morning. It’s his first deer.

 

[JimH]

Daughter in law got this one this evening...

 

[1nderbeard]

So quick question...

I've been looking to find decent spots the last 3 years. This year I was somewhat optimistic because a friend had a 15 acre hay field in the middle of bean fields and told me I could hunt it. Scouting the property with him we bumped a doe and a fawn from a strip of woods behind the field. Woods are about 30 yards deep with a creek. I knew the place could be a good transition zone for deer, and banked on seeing at least that doe and her fawn there bedded down consistently.

So opening morning/afternoon saw absolutely nothing. Wind was blowing, so my expectations were low. Sunday I did see a small doe (the fawn from earlier) walking alone 260 yards out but didn't have a good shot opportunity, and it left after about 15 seconds. That was it all afternoon. Nothing Monday, and nothing Tuesday morning.

I found out Sunday that the owner's grandson has "beaver traps" in the creek and has been "checking his traps" fairly often. Don't know how often, but the young one told me I'd left some gloves in the blind Saturday afternoon. So I'm guessing very frequently. The kid is 10 and doesn't know what he's doing. The friend should probably know enough to tell his grandson to stay out, but he's not a hunter at all so he probably doesn't. I'm not even mad, since the guy is just being nice to me letting me hunt there.

Is the place a lost cause for this year? I took out my hunting gear this morning out of frustration. I just don't have the time to invest in sitting by myself another 8-12 hours this year with nothing to show except some character.

 

[two70]

So quick question...

I've been looking to find decent spots the last 3 years. This year I was somewhat optimistic because a friend had a 15 acre hay field in the middle of bean fields and told me I could hunt it. Scouting the property with him we bumped a doe and a fawn from a strip of woods behind the field. Woods are about 30 yards deep with a creek. I knew the place could be a good transition zone for deer, and banked on seeing at least that doe and her fawn there bedded down consistently.

So opening morning/afternoon saw absolutely nothing. Wind was blowing, so my expectations were low. Sunday I did see a small doe (the fawn from earlier) walking alone 260 yards out but didn't have a good shot opportunity, and it left after about 15 seconds. That was it all afternoon. Nothing Monday, and nothing Tuesday morning.

I found out Sunday that the owner's grandson has "beaver traps" in the creek and has been "checking his traps" fairly often. Don't know how often, but the young one told me I'd left some gloves in the blind Saturday afternoon. So I'm guessing very frequently. The kid is 10 and doesn't know what he's doing. The friend should probably know enough to tell his grandson to stay out, but he's not a hunter at all so he probably doesn't. I'm not even mad, since the guy is just being nice to me letting me hunt there.

Is the place a lost cause for this year? I took out my hunting gear this morning out of frustration. I just don't have the time to invest in sitting by myself another 8-12 hours this year with nothing to show except some character.

IMO, it doesn't sound like the best spot but I doubt the kid had anything to do with the absence of the doe. Deer learn to pattern and avoid people that appear to be threats really easily. I doubt they would even consider the kid a threat and could easily avoid him without leaving the property if they did. It is right around the peak of the rut, chances are good the adult doe was either being chased by bucks or locked down with one as indicated by the fawn remaining by itself in the area. If, the doe is not killed and if the area continues to provide a good food source and sufficient cover, the doe will likely return eventually. Food availability and hunting pressure tends to change movement patterns though.

 

[1nderbeard]

Thanks for your insights. I realized it wasn't going to be a prime spot, but was hopeful for some more traffic.

I assumed any human traffic would disperse any deer activity.

IMO, it doesn't sound like the best spot but I doubt the kid had anything to do with the absence of the doe. Deer learn to pattern and avoid people that appear to be threats really easily. I doubt they would even consider the kid a threat and could easily avoid him without leaving the property if they did. It is right around the peak of the rut, chances are good the adult doe was either being chased by bucks or locked down with one as indicated by the fawn remaining by itself in the area. If, the doe is not killed and if the area continues to provide a good food source and sufficient cover, the doe will likely return eventually. Food availability and hunting pressure tends to change movement patterns though.

 

[two70]

Human activity alone won't necessarily disperse deer activity. Deer put up with a lot of farm activity on farms, urban activity in the suburbs, and hikers/joggers in some areas with little or no change in behavior. Human activity different from the norm (ie. a sudden influx of human activity in the deep woods) though will cause a reaction in short order. Even then, deer will rarely leave their home ranges. instead they will simply change how and/or when they use their home range.

I wouldn't give up on the spot completely, if nothing else it's a chance to possibly observe and learn.

 

[Maverick30]

Got my first deer Saturday morning at about 7:40am, not even an hour after the start of legal hunting hours. Needless to say I'm gonna hang onto this new lease I've got!

 

[Mgderf]

So quick question...

I've been looking to find decent spots the last 3 years. This year I was somewhat optimistic because a friend had a 15 acre hay field in the middle of bean fields and told me I could hunt it. Scouting the property with him we bumped a doe and a fawn from a strip of woods behind the field. Woods are about 30 yards deep with a creek. I knew the place could be a good transition zone for deer, and banked on seeing at least that doe and her fawn there bedded down consistently.

So opening morning/afternoon saw absolutely nothing. Wind was blowing, so my expectations were low. Sunday I did see a small doe (the fawn from earlier) walking alone 260 yards out but didn't have a good shot opportunity, and it left after about 15 seconds. That was it all afternoon. Nothing Monday, and nothing Tuesday morning.

I found out Sunday that the owner's grandson has "beaver traps" in the creek and has been "checking his traps" fairly often. Don't know how often, but the young one told me I'd left some gloves in the blind Saturday afternoon. So I'm guessing very frequently. The kid is 10 and doesn't know what he's doing. The friend should probably know enough to tell his grandson to stay out, but he's not a hunter at all so he probably doesn't. I'm not even mad, since the guy is just being nice to me letting me hunt there.

Is the place a lost cause for this year? I took out my hunting gear this morning out of frustration. I just don't have the time to invest in sitting by myself another 8-12 hours this year with nothing to show except some character.

Please understand something.
If those traps are set, they are to be checked at least once every 24 hours by DNR regulations, unless something has changed.

I shot a buck on Sunday morning at 11:30.
I shot a doe Sunday afternoon at about 2:15.
The doe was standing less than 20 feet from the bucks gut pile when I shot her, and I had not been out of the woods more than 1 hour after dragging the buck out.

Hell, when I shot my 8 pointer there was a spike buck standing about 20 yards from him.
I shot and the 8 pointer fell and flopped a bit.
The spike just watched the 8 pointer flop and went back to grazing!
I chased the spike away when I entered the woods to get my buck.

Stay persistent.
You'll see something sooner or later.

 

[1nderbeard]

Please understand something.
If those traps are set, they are to be checked at least once every 24 hours by DNR regulations, unless something has changed.

These aren't actual traps, the child is just playing in the creek. I used quotes to try to convey that idea.

Thanks for the encouragement. Trying another spot tomorrow where I've had success 3 years ago.