Good insight AJ. Based on past seasons where I have kept a tally, this has been a great season for seeing deer:
2011-2012: 101 in 37 Hunts
2012-2013: 61 in 19 Hunts - (Short season due to killing a buck on 11/5)
2013-2014: 82 in 28 Hunts
2014-2015: 77 in 27 Hunts
I attribute that to not killing does on the farm since 2010 and I tend to hunt in areas where I can see a lot of ground, so I pick up deer that are not in bow range a lot more than deer that are in range. One of the things I really enjoy while hunting is simply seeing deer, so this season has been a resounding success in that regard. I still have a decent amount of hunting left, so I expect to have my best season in years (and maybe ever) in terms of deer numbers seen while hunting.
Interesting little development over the last week. On Monday when I shot that coyote, I trailed him for a little ways in to a thick area of briars before giving up. One the way back out, I was following a trail that runs past a tree I've been eyeballing for a treestand for 3-4 years now. I need to do a little work to get in there, so it'll have to wait until next year. While I was following the trail, I got a little confirmation that it is indeed a good spot. Not only did I find some great rubs and a massive scrape, I found the 6th shed of my career...
At first I didn't recognize the deer. Then last night I was sorting through pics on my phone to locate another pic, when I saw this buck from last December and realized, it was his shed...
I'm not sold on this because he barely grew, but the "new" buck from this weekend looks a lot like him. Bigger body and more mass, but barely added any tine length.
All I know is that at this point in my season, this deer has moved in to the #3 spot on the list of bucks I'd shoot. Time will tell what happens, but I'd like to think this is the same buck and now we are building a little history...
