When was your deer hunting 'hay' day?

[Gordo]

Not trying to start another conversation filled with opinions on what's going on and what needs to happen going forward with the deer herd.

I'm curious to hear from members, especially the older guys, about a time when you feel the Ohio Deer Herd was at its best.

Please no 'should have', 'could have', 'shouldn't have', 'need to', 'this happened', 'that happened'. We got enough of those threads.

What year would you rewind to?

I'm not sure my opinion is of high value based on my experience. Me and my old man where not on our 'A' game and didn't hunt anywhere close to the amount I hunt now. Started deer hunting in the late 80's. We'd be thrilled to just see a deer when we went out. Take in mind we were rookies and only hunted two different properties. We also lived in suburbia and had to travel at least an hour to hunt.

I moved down to south eastern Ohio in 2001, and really started to get after it in 2004. We started to get on them at that point like no other time in our history. TOO many variables to be able to come to my own conclusions.

I know you older guys have been in situations where you have really seen differences over time on the same properties/areas/etc..

I'll like to hear about those experiences

 

[Redhunter1012]

I'd say around 2008 for me. I came from Southern Wood County where cover is limited and its flat. The deer hunting there was/is subpar compared to the rest of the NW part of the state. I moved to SW Hancock County in 2005 and was amazed at the difference in cover and terrain. By 2008 there were deer everywhere and I had permission for lots of land. It stayed pretty good for a couple years but started noticing a decline in 2011

 

[Lundy]

I'm not sure my experience is really worth much becasue I hunted a large section of private property that was fairly stable through the down years compared to what other experienced.

The only experience that may relate to others is when the tag numbers increased substantially the number of deer killed on the adjoining properties went up in huge numbers resulting in a lower deer population on the property I hunted. A group of 20+ drivers, that know what they are doing, with bunches of tags in thier pocket can and does have an immediate impact on local deer population that can take years to rebound from. That I saw and experienced.

I will also say that in the late 90's and very early 2000's I saw more mature bucks. It was expected that we would see one or two that would exceed the 150 ish mark every year with some years maybe one larger. It has been a lot of years since I've laid eyes on a 160 class buck on that property or had one on camera. Right or wrong I attribute the change to the increase in bowhunting participation and the efficiency of the hunters (drivers) on the adjoining properties. Just less deer survive long enough to reach full maturity. Not saying good or bad, just what it is.

 

[finelyshedded]

Gordo, Ron and I started hunting deer when we both got Bear Whitetail bows around 1975. Wasn't much deer back then and we were as green as cukes when it came to hunting them things! I watched the population grow and plateau then drop like a rock. This was mostly in heavily hunted areas of Morgan and Washington counties.

I'd have to say the mid to late 90's for me was what I view has the hay days.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Mid 90s in my neck of the woods was awesome. With fewer tags and far less opportunity we killed 2x the number of deer. Fayette County recorded its highest kill of 600 ... there were deer in every patch big enough to hide one.

 

[Mike]

I haven't been hunting long enough. I started in 2008 and didn't harvest until 2010. My properties have remained mostly unchanged except for the property I own. I blame lack of deer there on poor crop rotation.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I didn't start hunting seriously until I was 18 and that was 2000. Thinking back on the encounters I had back then as a rookie and knowing how much has changed since then, I'd say that time from 2000-2010 was the sweet spot. If I could go back to 2000 with the knowledge and drive I have now, my trophy wall would be much more cluttered!

 

[reo]

My hunting as far deer sighted per sit was good from my start in 1979 through about 2004 and was BEST from early-mid 90's until things began to go downhill about 2005. Been getting worse every year for about the last 10. Got my first bow in 1977 a wheel Bear. I think it was called Whitetail Hunter. Had no clue what I was doing as far as deer goes but managed to see deer. Much like finelyshedded when it went down it went down hard and fast

 

[giles]

98'-02' for me. I was fun to go out and see deer all over. Even though I was a "brown is down" hunter, I had loads of fun doing it. Those were the days...worry free. Just go hunting and enjoy great company. Back when people would share when they seen a big buck. Good times...[emoji16]

 

[xbowguy]

96 -2006 Oh to know then what I know now...... :smiley_coolpeace:

 

["J"]

I hadn't seen a deer while hunting until 88..... Rabbit hunted all thru the 70's and gun hunted deer 77-80..... 88-2008 were good deer years for me seeing both #'s and decent bucks....

 

[Fullbore]

Mid 90's hands down! Back when and where you could ask most any farmer or landowner if you could hunt and 90% of the time, you would get approval! (Before the lease war)! Lol

 

[giles]

Mid 90's hands down! Back when and where you could ask most any farmer or landowner if you could hunt and 90% of the time, you would get approval! (Before the lease war)! Lol

Amen to that! Back when you could chase a deer...do deer drives and all that other fun stuff.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Amen to that! Back when you could chase a deer...do deer drives and all that other fun stuff.

Still that way around here. I know a lot of people hate on it, but we do deer drives all day around my area. Most of my area within 5 miles of my house, we have permission, minus a few areas.

 

[Bigslam51]

Mid 90's hands down! Back when and where you could ask most any farmer or landowner if you could hunt and 90% of the time, you would get approval! (Before the lease war)! Lol

I remember that lol

 

[Bigslam51]

Still that way around here. I know a lot of people hate on it, but we do deer drives all day around my area. Most of my area within 5 miles of my house, we have permission, minus a few areas.

Gotta do something to get those monsters in Hancock county on their feet.

 

[giles]

Still that way around here. I know a lot of people hate on it, but we do deer drives all day around my area. Most of my area within 5 miles of my house, we have permission, minus a few areas.

It really is a fun way to hunt. Interactive and everyone is really happy for one another. Nothing like sitting in a stand and waiting.

 

[GoetsTalon]

The early 80's were awesome but we didn't know shit on how to hunt them. What is now maumee bay state park was our stomping grounds. Started with a bear grizzly then a couple of us bought the very first cam bows made. Proline typhoon XT from a place called action archery ran by the Dunn brothers in Genoa oh. The bow with a half dozen xx75's and four razor back fives was under 200$. Still have the bow and use it for bowfishing. Plus with that package they would put a nice spray camo job on it for you. Trebark camo started back then also which I thought was pretty cool.

 

[brock ratcliff]

The early 80's were awesome but we didn't know shit on how to hunt them. What is now maumee bay state park was our stomping grounds. Started with a bear grizzly then a couple of us bought the very first cam bows made. Proline typhoon XT from a place called action archery ran by the Dunn brothers in Genoa oh. The bow with a half dozen xx75's and four razor back fives was under 200$. Still have the bow and use it for bowfishing. Plus with that package they would put a nice spray camo job on it for you. Trebark camo started back then also which I thought was pretty cool.

Trebark was awesome! I used a dull gray undercote and then taped off with scotch tape before painting a top coat with black. My bows looked cool....

 

[Dannmann801]

What caused the deer population to grow from being scarce in the decades before the 90s?