Liv4Rut
Active Member
It depends on how much ground you can hunt really. I would pick late muzzleloader over early any day of the week. I see ten times the deer late season than I do early season. The only problem I have ever ran into is the bucks will group up somewhere that you may not be able to hunt. It seems I only have one good late season spot, all my other spots are great for the rut and early season, but when it gets cold they do not hold deer at all, and it is pointless to even try to hunt the late season. If you have a spot that will hold deer that time of year, I would definitely go late season. I would still go late season anyway, you just gotta try a bunch of different spots to find where they are at. Goodluck
S
Shon
Guest
I hunt Late muzzleloader. I've never had a problem with enough deer. They seem to come back out during that season.
I do anysex tags for Bow, Late Muzzleloader.
Doe only for Shotgun 2 and Bow.
That way, I can hunt bow during late muzzleloader, and essentially get 2 Bow anysex tags. The past couple years, I've actually muzzleloaded though. Again, I've always seen a lot of deer.
Shon
I do anysex tags for Bow, Late Muzzleloader.
Doe only for Shotgun 2 and Bow.
That way, I can hunt bow during late muzzleloader, and essentially get 2 Bow anysex tags. The past couple years, I've actually muzzleloaded though. Again, I've always seen a lot of deer.
Shon
jkratz5
Well-Known Member
I have hunted both and have had luck in both. However, I see alot more big bucks later in the year than I do in Oct. The only problem you can run into during the late season is the bitter cold temps (I think it was below zero last year in IL during the late season). Anyhow I think there are advantages to both but I would switch to the late.
Sure is hard to beat the late muzzleloader season if the weather is bad and the deer are really bunched up around the food. It is by far some of the best hunting of the year. However, if we have a mild winter, warm temps and little or no snow, or if you can't get on the property where all the deer are bunched up, you might be eating tag sandwich.
It is a risk worth taking IMHO.
It is a risk worth taking IMHO.
DOUBLE LUNG
Active Member
I will be going late season this year for the 1st time. I really enjoyed early season but I am heading to colorado for an elk hunt. I am pretty excited about the late season though.
NEIOWAARCHER
New Member
Late, thats what we hunt. All the other hunting has quited down. Really easy to get permission to hunt. We see tons of deer.
jjohnson
Well-Known Member
I'll be out late season again this year. Last year started out great, lots of snow which forced the deer to get out in the fields early. Around new years most of it melted and they were back to coming out real late. Still saw a ton of deer though. There's nothing like getting out there in the snow and cold.
[ QUOTE ]
My hunting partner and I were thinking about switching to late season m/l instead of early. Whats everyones thoughts on which is better. (Timber Pig I already know your answer!
)
[/ QUOTE ]
I guess I fooled you this year then huh? Like I said today, I think it all boils down to hunting pressure, and then weather. If I owned or had exclusive access to a huge area I would definately choose late season. But, if you dont have alot of ground, or that ground and surrounding ground gets pressured hard during shotgun and late ML it gets very tough. Then you need alot of nasty sub-zero weather and snow to force them out in daylight. Both my '03 and '04 Late ML bucks were killed following major storms and involved single digit temps. On top of that, if the area is pressured hard you have to figure alot of the deer you saw early on are in somebody else's freezer.
Early ML season is also tough with all the crops and warm weather, but at least 99% of the deer are still there somewhere, you just have to find them in the sea of crops and timber. IMO competiton during Early ML is much less of a factor because all the crops and leaves provide you a cushion from the disturbances next door and nothing has been shot at for 10 months.
I will miss the snow this year but not the 60* days in January that make you think you are hunting the dead sea. I wringed my hands all spring/summer trying to decide, now I'll have to wait and see how that gamble pays off.
Either way, its just something to do outside of the rut.
My hunting partner and I were thinking about switching to late season m/l instead of early. Whats everyones thoughts on which is better. (Timber Pig I already know your answer!
[/ QUOTE ]
I guess I fooled you this year then huh? Like I said today, I think it all boils down to hunting pressure, and then weather. If I owned or had exclusive access to a huge area I would definately choose late season. But, if you dont have alot of ground, or that ground and surrounding ground gets pressured hard during shotgun and late ML it gets very tough. Then you need alot of nasty sub-zero weather and snow to force them out in daylight. Both my '03 and '04 Late ML bucks were killed following major storms and involved single digit temps. On top of that, if the area is pressured hard you have to figure alot of the deer you saw early on are in somebody else's freezer.
Early ML season is also tough with all the crops and warm weather, but at least 99% of the deer are still there somewhere, you just have to find them in the sea of crops and timber. IMO competiton during Early ML is much less of a factor because all the crops and leaves provide you a cushion from the disturbances next door and nothing has been shot at for 10 months.
I will miss the snow this year but not the 60* days in January that make you think you are hunting the dead sea. I wringed my hands all spring/summer trying to decide, now I'll have to wait and see how that gamble pays off.
Either way, its just something to do outside of the rut.
HOWATTANDHAWKEN
PMA Member
Late also
B
buckknife
Guest
Im going both
Any sex early,antlerless late.Most often i only hunt the late season but we have the chance to hunt both this year.I plan on sitting in my favorite tree early season with my flintlock.
Last 3 years its been 10 yard shots with the bow there,dont see how i could miss em with the flinter
Last 3 years its been 10 yard shots with the bow there,dont see how i could miss em with the flinter