Excluding dates between Oct 20th - Nov30th - POLL Question

[Edcyclopedia]

2 to be exact, but the amount of deer that show up after the rut on a food source here in OH is amazing.
Ive had some amazing encounters with animals that I didnt have a shot at or was already tagged out and couldnt kill.
Dec.-Jan. has shown some absolute giants on my small suburban spots!

That's funny - I did TWO Jan. Muzzleloader hunts w/Zero success.
Well... Not really funny now that I think about it - kind of Sad actually...
As Jeff Beck Wrote --> I'm a Loser Baby.... So why don't ya kill me...

I SHOULD Have Called You - LOL

[GRFox]

1. 3.5yo on October 15th, morning hunt.

[ Post made via Android ]

[JV NC]

Here's my results.....from 8 yrs hunting the woods I hunt.

I won't get into the number of 3.5's+ I've taken. It's irrelevant. What I will share is my sightings.

I saw one 3.5yr old on 9/12/2006. I know this because I shot at him, and didn't recover him. I killed him, later that year.......my only 3.5 killed outside the dates you mention. Besides that one (which was spotted in the evening), I've never seen a 3.5-3.5+ before 10/25. The second one (spotted on 10/25) was seen in the evening, also.

First time I've ever seen a 3.5+ in the AM (earliest) is Halloween morning.

Because of my personal findings, I RARELY hunt the early season any more. I've grown to have zero desire to kill does (and, I wish I felt differently about that). So, I just don't see the need.....and, I think I'd only be doing harm if I went out.

I have been out 3X this year, already. The last two seasons, my 1st time out was near mid-Oct.. We open in early Sept.. Each time out, this year, was with a friend who just wanted to get in the woods, locally. His hunting land is an hour away, and he lives close. I've had does in range each time, but I've yet to see a buck. I've only hunted one place where I expected to maybe see a buck, though.

[Buckfever]

Good thread Ed. It seams to be a consensus that pattering a buck during the rut is very difficult (not impossible). And pattering a buck before the rut is much easier (not improbable). I then see a lot of posts, that rut hunting is considered less admirable. So if a guy gets his target buck before the rut, is this a greater accomplishment, than killing a target buck during the rut? I hope you get a good response and hunters don't hold back from peer pressure. I have killed bucks on opening day and the last day of the season. When working, I could only hunt after work until I took vacation in November. So I have taken more bucks in November than October. Our season didn't used to start until the 15th Of October. So on your poll that would give me 5 days compared to 41 days. Our season now starts October 1st. I think it would be safe to say the odds are against scoring more out of the window (Oct. 20-Nov.30th) on the poll.

I've had opportunities late season on mature bucks but didn't have tags or I've blown it. No question in my mind those were tougher opportunities to come by than during the rut. That said with limited time now and fewer properties to pursue limited to public land, I make a focused effort during the rut and have no doubt that it helps my odds.

But it's still really, really, really hard to pull a mature buck off public land. IMO

[Edcyclopedia]

Here's my results.....from 8 yrs hunting the woods I hunt.

I won't get into the number of 3.5's+ I've taken. It's irrelevant. What I will share is my sightings.

I saw one 3.5yr old on 9/12/2006. I know this because I shot at him, and didn't recover him. I killed him, later that year.......my only 3.5 killed outside the dates you mention. Besides that one (which was spotted in the evening), I've never seen a 3.5-3.5+ before 10/25. The second one (spotted on 10/25) was seen in the evening, also.

First time I've ever seen a 3.5+ in the AM (earliest) is Halloween morning.

Because of my personal findings, I RARELY hunt the early season any more. I've grown to have zero desire to kill does (and, I wish I felt differently about that). So, I just don't see the need.....and, I think I'd only be doing harm if I went out.

I have been out 3X this year, already. The last two seasons, my 1st time out was near mid-Oct.. We open in early Sept.. Each time out, this year, was with a friend who just wanted to get in the woods, locally. His hunting land is an hour away, and he lives close. I've had does in range each time, but I've yet to see a buck. I've only hunted one place where I expected to maybe see a buck, though.

Good read Jeff!
Just curious - When is your rut period?

[JV NC]

Good read Jeff!
Just curious - When is your rut period?

I start seeing 2.5's on their feet a little earlier in the PM's (based on my journals) around 10/20. I've actually watched doe groups hide from them (stage in a different area and bed down). I think of this time as the bucks out doing a little scouting...lol.

Halloween seems to be the time when I see an older buck or three on their feet a little later in the AM's. From that point until the end of our season (1/1), anything goes.....with a taper of AM buck movement during the last 2-3wks of the season.

[metropig]

Shot my biggest and oldest on Sept 24th a few years ago. Missed a big 3.5 to 4.5 year old on January 1st a couple years before that.

[jlh42581]

I have one but it should be three. Ive blown the opportunities on what wouldve been my two biggest bucks the opening week. 95% of my deer have come in the month of December.

[Ridgerunner7]

I've taken 8 outside of those dates that were 3.5 or older. I also took one on October 21, just out of that range.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Haus86]

I've taken just two outside those dates. One was Sept. 18th and the other one was in January. This site should help me improve that.

[U.P. MAN]

ONe 4.5 and one 3.5 early october here in the UP

[wibowhntr]

Zero for me. Hopefully this year

[Edcyclopedia]

I've taken just two outside those dates. One was Sept. 18th and the other one was in January. This site should help me improve that.

You go Boy!
I wish it upon you!

[Mike.E]

Just 2 for me, opening morning 2007 and Oct 18th maybe, cant remember the exact date haha but mid Oct i know. Shoulda had one this year opening morning but... Thats the way it goes.

[moondoondude]

I believe it was 8, but I am not quite sure. It could be one more or one less, but I would say at least 7 and no more than 9 have been taken outside of those dates over the last 10 years for me.