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I was agreeing that rifle and camera usage increases kill efficiency, which is not the same as raw kill numbers. Hunters are FAR MORE efficient at killing any target deer these days than back in the day, even though kill numbers may be down due to any of several factors.

FWIW, I agree completely ^^, based on now many years of observations at our place. If you think about how captive deer herds are able to grow GIGANTIC racks on at least some of their bucks...they eliminate virtually all stress, provide them with maximum food and nutrition and combine superior...

I could not agree more. I often think back to my early deer hunting days and how undetected many/most mature bucks were. Cameras changed all of that, some for good IMO, some for bad too, IMO. But how many times do you hear the phrase, "That's the buck we came in here for...", in all of the...

Also in Davis County, NE corner...as late as August 1'ish last year, 2023, we were still planning on hitting does hard that fall. This was based on our own observations as well as several adjacent, trusted neighbors. By the time the season opened in October we were, mostly for the first time...

We have tracked many bucks from when they were 3 on up to 8 being the oldest that I can think of right now. I am sure that we have tracked at least one buck from 2.5 years old and then shot him when he was 5.

In our area, even now with lower deer numbers due to significant EHD last year, 2 stand alone acres of corn has ZERO chance of getting ears into even September. This is also after serious raccoon control in the area too. IMO, you will need to effectively efence it...or get used to just having...

I have a PH Outdoors (Genesis) 5' model. I can make it work with a 40HP, but my new 60HP is definitely better suited to handle it well. If you are doing a modest number of acres AND not a lot of sloped ground, I am pretty sure you can make the 40HP work fine...just check your specific tractor...

This ^^ definitely works, we have done it many times, but I think you can overdo it if repeated too often. So we still do it...sometimes. But it is better to solve the problem with screening, etc, IMO. If you drive in, start making noise a ways off, honking, etc. Try not to surprise them at...

I don't want to discourage you, but 50 acres next to a public hunting area will make for a very TOUGH time in getting bucks to older age classes, IMO. You can do things to improve your odds, but realistically, bucks are going to range out beyond 50 acres, at least some of the time. Now...

Awesome!! Great story and pics too. Congrats!!

Nice! I saw 4, maybe 5, muskrats swimming in my pond yesterday at the farm. I can't remember when I last caught a muskrat, but I am going to go to war on them next weekend!! :)

I don't know the answers to your questions, but I am intrigued by this subject...as I have heard some vague rumblings about drones being used to scout neighboring properties. I don't have details/location, but it doesn't really surprise me to hear of this. I think there are many "hunters"...

I will confess to having shot one myself about like that. ^^ I didn't weigh it, but the body was not big relative to his rack and we later determined that he was likely 3.5, maybe 4.5. While he scored in the upper 160's, I really do wish I hadn't whacked him that night so we could see what he...

Great job!! Big smiles, I love it!

Oh...never mind. :)

What county are you in? I might know a guy... :cool:

I just posted this in a "brassicas" thread, but my son has had a spectacular hunt this morning. At one point NINE bucks were sweating a doe right around him for about an hour. If you were two ridges over, I doubt you saw a deer. We are still light on mature deer after EHD in the area last...

FWIW, I watched a bunch of fawns last night and they stayed in the rye about 95% of the time, eschewing the brassicas right next to them. When the rye is fresh from recent growth AND it is relatively warm, like last night...they seem to prefer the rye. Where were the mommy deer, you ask??? I...

Yes. ^^ Thank you for your service vets!!

Lots of variables...but with widespread EHD last year and again this year...some bucks may have done well to simply survive into this year. Antler growth may be restrained in that case.