Grade your season

[bullwinkle]

I hunt mainly in Waupaca and Shawano Counties. Overall I would grade this year as an A-. The deer population is solid - not as many does as 3 years ago but still good numbers. What changed was the antler size and body weights. This is the first year I can remember that I did not see a single spike all year!!!!!!! I believe the early spring, lower overall population and wet summer all helped. QDM and passing small bucks is really getting traction in our area. We heard a lot more single shots and less volleys of 3-5 rounds opening day. I think people are looking over the animals more and less brown is down. I do think too many people are still baiting and it is hurting them. All of my friends and neighbors who sat over bait struggled seeing deer. I think this area of the state is right behind Buffalo County and will soon be the destination of choice for overall numbers and quality animals. It is fun watching it happen.

My only big concern is coyotes, wolves and bears. Hoping something changes with predator management and overall numbers.

Cant wait till next season

[Goose]

I would say an A.
The 3 of us all got bucks that we are very happy with and saw a good number of deer while sitting. Mind you, most of this is during archery season. Gun season was a bust, we didn't see one buck over 1.5, but that really doesn't concern me because Id rather bow hunt and we know that the deer are there from sightings during archery season and scouting cameras.
I haven't shot a doe in 3 years on our main property and we have been doing everything we can to improve the property as far as cover and food. Hopefully its starting to pay off and we will continue to enjoy success .

[Dan Salmon]

B; Lots more deer sightings this year.  Lots more logging activity in the area.  Lots less pressure.  I like being in the one area in the state that the DNR says is below goal, it's keeping people away, that's for sure.  Also noticing the lack of 3-5 shot bursts of gunfire.  Most of the bucks taken that I was able to see were all larger bucks 8 pointers and up.  We were not successful, but as stated earlier, saw many more deer this season than last, just not able to verify the sex of each deer within the amount of time they allotted us to have a good killing shot.

Looking forward to the coming years, the county has a pretty aggressive logging plan in place and lots of acreage that will be cut in the next 5-10 years.  Will give pretty good diversity to the habitat surrounding us and hopefully help grow back the herd in the area.

[pickleguy]

I will rate it a C due to the fact that the numbers are getting lower than I think they should be & we are still able to kill as many as we can. I don't know all the facts but I don't think that the CWD is being handled properly. I am not totally opposed to everything the DNR is doing but they are wreaking our hunting area. Our group had a good season, my dad & I shot mature bucks & we let the kids shoot whatever they want but in talking to the neighbors they are not seeing the deer. One group only saw 1 buck & 1 doe. It is not totally unexpected since we do live in the eradication zone but I think that the numbers are just getting way too low. The plus side to it is that the people that think they have to see a deer behind every tree will start staying home.

[Jslotter]

I grade my year at a B. I bow hunted on an average of 3 days out of the week and sat about 5 hours at a time. I seen alot of deer but none were mature, all young basket rack bucks and yearlings, and barely any does. I did spot 2 mature bucks during bow season, but none were in range for a shot. I hunt in an area that gets hammered during gun season every year, so I pass on small bucks during bow season only to see them shot during the gun season. I have no problem with that, I know some of the people that hunt around here and they gotta feed their families too. I try to do my part for QDM but it hits a brick wall this time of year. I dont think predators impacted the deer herd in my area this year. During bow season I seen alot of yearlings still alive and well. My gun season opener was awesome. I saw about 20 deer before noon and filled my tags. I think those deer were just trying to get away from other hunters, it was good to see that many deer in a small area though. I think next year should be good if not better.

[Meules37]

Hunted in Oneida county, and would give it a D. Between five guys hunting three days we saw a total of 6 deer, a nub, a spike (which was taken), and 4 does. Barely saw any sign throughout the woods, no rubs and 2 scrapes. Its been like this for a few years now, but now the unit has had two years of buck-only tags, so hopefully in the coming years things will get better. Real jealous of the people who say they see 15+ deer on any given day, must be nice.

[unkleboo]

I'd give the overall experience an A. I bow hunted 18 or 20 days and saw deer every single day. Harvested a nice buck with bow, had a chance at another monster that I didn't recover but am very hopeful he lived due to the amount of arrow sticking out of his rib. That part was definitely the hardest to take but all you can ask for is opportunity, it's on me to make the shot count. Gun hunting for me one is about getting my nephews involved. Of the two who are currently interested in becoming regular hunters, brothers, one of them harvested two mature does, the other saw a few while under my tutelage but unfortunately didn't get a clear look at anything, but I think they both were encouraged and will continue to hunt and carry on our great tradition in this state. I'm blessed to be surrounded by deer in the valley I hunt, although numbers were down last year we still got lots of opportunities and this year was even better. It's a bow hunters paradise but once gun season starts my access is limited due to the larger numbers of hunters on my bow hunting land so my personal experience as a bow hunter is always A++++ while gun hunting is devoted more and more towards the next generation of hunters in my family. I have 20 nieces and nephews so it's a considerable task.

[Jslotter]

I agree with you unkleboo, I rate anytime I had deer walk right by treestand an A+ hunt. Considering three years ago I was bow hunting from the ground and didnt see very many deer at all, and all of of last year I was gone on a military assignment, I can't complain, this year was maturing year for me as a hunter and I gained confidence that the coming years will be more and more exciting...

[gunther89]

I would rate the season as a C.  I did get a doe during the 4 day gun hunt in October but overall the doe herd is down and anymore I hate shooting a doe on our property because I feel the herd can't take it.  I did see quite a few deer during bow season but mostly they were the same deer and did see 3 shooter bucks.  Gun season was terrible, seen 2 deer opening weekend, and saw 6 during the week.  Really wish EAB and the 4 free antlerless tags would go away.

[umpiremark]

Definately an "F" would be the grade, except hunting with my son all season makes the grade a "C" average (A + F = C). 10 straight weekends of bowhunting; six deer seen by us, total. Gun season was no deer seen. Weekends at the 'cabin' playing cribbage, burgers at the Reel Inn, just fun with my son, makes every season a good season. I heard that wolves in the Necedah-Tomah area may be reasons few does were seen and less bucks than in years past. In my 17 years on this property, this season looks like the worst ever. Some things need to change in WI.