Wisconsin Hunters!!!

[Jorden]

I have a question to ask of you. Have any of you noticed a decrease in deer activity and deer sightings the last few years?. The reason I ask is that in the area where I hunt, my family, and our neighbors have noticed a drastic drop in deer sightings and deer numbers over all and we really cant understand why. We have gone from seeing large numbers of deer in our agricultural fields to most nights, none at all. We have the same types of food sources, the same cover, we havent changed a thing; if anything we have inhanced the cover and food with food plots and logging. I remember years where I would go and see deer everytime I went out. Now I am lucky just to see one. Between my dad, my brother and I these past three days(saturday morning through monday morning) we saw two, yes two deer...during one of the best times of the year when deer should be on the move. It is not just us either. My dad talked to our neighbor and he said that he abandoned his land, which boarders ours, to hunt elsewhere because he hasnt seen any deer either. Its not like we have no deer, we have plenty of bucks but no does. Of all our trail-cam pics, 90% are of bucks. Sorry I dont mean to ramble on but it is very frustrating and I feel bad because my dad, who loves hunting, doesnt even like going anymore because he cant even see a deer. I was just wondering if other people in the state were experiencing any of the same types of things that we were. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Randy]

The doe numbers seem to be down by us as well. They are under "lockdown" as IMHO they are in full rut and the bucks don't need to chase as there are probably lots of doe in estrus right now. I was talking about the rut activity just yesterday and I believe the warm fall up to this point has not helped with deer movement either.