Where's all the deer in South East Wisconsin

[peteherbst]

I should add that this is my first year on the beast, so I'm very early in the learning process. But do we ever stop learning???? Have yet to see a buck in the stand on public, but it takes a lot to crush my hopes. Remaining optimistic on just connecting a dot once in a while.

[greenhorndave]

You guys need to take notes on where you find all of the high water bedding this year while in season or post season scouting so you can use it for the future. Last time I had high water was about 8-10 years ago and the intel I picked up back then no doubt helped to keep me on deer fairly well this season compared to other huntersI know in my area. High water in marshes really concentrates bedding to smaller very particular spots with slightly higher ground yet still very secure. Your job is to find those spots now and apply it later in similar conditions. Buck numbers are way down in SE WI but that just means you have to put even more work into finding them.

Great suggestions! Thanks

[Country]

I should add that this is my first year on the beast, so I'm very early in the learning process. But do we ever stop learning???? Have yet to see a buck in the stand on public, but it takes a lot to crush my hopes. Remaining optimistic on just connecting a dot once in a while.

Yup, we're always learning. You'd have to try hard not to ha. I keep saying I need to start a journal like Dewey mentioned. Starting to accumulate a lot of spots and I don't want to forget them.

[ghoasthunter]

Im getting really frustrated. Hunted public land in South East Wisconsin at least a dozen times this season. I have not seen a SINGLE DEER! Maybe the DNR needs to stop eradicating the deer herd.

im not in your state but its the same hear in NJ my plan for next year is getting out of where im hunting now and going too places that have more deer i have been scouting taxidermy studios and buck contests and figured out some new stomping ground its going too be longer drives but if my odds are better i should be able too make more out of less time. im headed out too start scouting in couple days. the way i look at it hunting is all a numbers game if your hunting for 1% bucks in a area that has only 1 1% bucks chances are not very good of running into him. if your targeting one deer once rut hits and your hunting a low deer density area that buck could be anyplace looking for does but if the numbers are higher the buck will not have too go as far while hes hunting himself. im going too still target my local bucks early when i can pattern them but once they get more active ill be getting on the higher deer density's where i can find the specific terrains and setups i need too be successful.

[ghoasthunter]

Its been a pretty tough season here for me too. These late doe seasons are really going to hurt the already low population.

The only way to change that is by putting pressure on the DNR and the people who make the rules. We have unlimited doe tags in some areas in NJ and it has decimated the herd in counties with the most available hunting land. In the suburban areas the herd has exploded because of the lack of available land to hunt and proximity to houses and the anti -hunt screamers. The auto insurers also have a big hand in pushing our game dept to kill as many does as possible. Imagine that, a group with no knowledge of game management has input into game management and harvest quotas, can't get more asinine.

i hear ya all the northern zones are dead on public right now its getting hard too even find a pile of poop in some places deer sign is only in tiny little pockets if you averaged it out i bet some of our public is only 2 or 3 deer per square mile right now. next year im headed north for NY PA and Ohio for 95% of the season. its sad ten years ago our harvests were ten times as many as they are now.