Unread postby Rich M » Fri Dec 02, 2016 12:01 pm
ED, I hope you can get out there and make it happy. Congratulations on making it to 50, too. I've got 3 years to go.
Back in 96 I moved from CT to FL. CT had deer but we hunted more in VT, NH, ME with normal results - a deer every couple of years for the camp, I think I shot 2 mountain deer (doe in 1985 & spike in 1996) in 11 years of trying.
Moved to FL - got 2 spikes and a doe in 13 years of floundering around in the swamps, skeeters, and water moccasins. I could kill wild hogs at will, just not deer.
Decided to hunt GA. Suddenly I'm a better hunter - see more deer in some areas. Get on a good 500-acre lease with very light pressure and suddenly I'm passing bucks - 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 pointers! One weekend seen 40+ deer from the stand. Had a mature buck show up with a busted beam - let him walk! Goodness gracious!
Decide to change spots and hunt with a forum personality who seemed like a real nice guy (I was wrong - micro-manager & saboteur). Headed to SC. Now I'm on two 45-acre leases. Can see deer at a whim - get my best buck (a velvet buck) and settle in, waiting for the crazy wild rut that was supposed to happen. Did see a mature 8 pt chase a doe, that was cool. No really big bucks on trail cams during the deer season and few decent bucks at other times. Stepson saw 25+ does and young bucks in 2 days of hunting a select doe spot.
Anyway - took my dad to SC. He lives in VT. He said the deer were small and there were so many of them it wasn't hunting. He saw 15 does/yearlings in a weekend hunt.
It will blow your mind when you see double digit deer in a day from stand. Enjoy it.