2010 deer numbers

[DEERBILL]

Hello deerman2000 & welcome,
Congrats on the 6 pointer. I hunt in Randolph & Pocahontas counties. The first week of buck season the weather didn't help. Between my brother & I, we saw lots of does the first 3 days (10-12) in Randolph county. No bucks. Went to Elk Mountain on Thanksgiving. I saw 1 doe and a seven point buck that I was lucky enough to harvest. My brother saw seven doe on Elk. So it seems to be a lot of deer activity just not seeing the bucks. I think the weather the first week didn't help. I believe the cold weather set in the second week. The Rut seems to be different this year too. Maybe that and the weather has had an effect on the buck movement.

[deerman2000]

Thanks for the speedy response. Several hunters that I have spoken with throughout the state seem to have different theories as to why we did not see as many deer as usual this season. First, we had a full moon and deer fed and moved more at night. Second, the available food supply was such that the deed did not have to move much to feed, and, consequently they fed and bedded for much of the day. Third, we had a really hard winter for most of the state last year and the available food supply was practically zero. This "perfect storm". if you will, contributed to a much higher winter kill than normal. Fourth, the preditors (coyotes, bears, bobcats) were more aggressive taking more deer than usual. I know where my hunting camp is located in Gilmer County the coyote population is increasing. In fact, on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of the first week of the season, I heard coyotes at dusk. I have not heard them in years past.

I personally think it might be a combination of all of the above. However, with 275,000-300,000 hunters in the woods I would think many more deer would have been seen by the simple fact that these hunters would have jumped them while moving in the woods.
Does that mean the deer numbers are not there?

I am very curious as to what reasons the WV Dept. of Natural Resources give --IF--the deer harvest is considerably lower than last year. Of course, so far this week, at least in the mountain areas (Randolph/Pocohontas included), the weather has been horrific, and I do not think much better in a majority of the state. So, the antlerless harvest will certainly be lower. Also, another storm is projected to hit the state early next week and that may impact the muzzleloader harvest, too.

If there are other opinions, I would certainly be interested in hearing them.

Again, thanks for the response and congratulations on your 7pt. I enjoy reading the "deer stories" of others.

[DEERBILL]

Well, to all WV hunters, how did your season turn out? What kind deer have you seen? How were the deer numbers?
P.S. What do you think of the coaching change at WVU comming in 2012.

[rem700]

i got a 200lb doe, did not see alot of deer this year. I did here the number of deer killed is about 43,000 down 80,000 to 100,000 this year.

[retiredsailor]

I've spent a lot of days deer hunting this year, starting with the special doe and then muzzle loader seasons in Sept. We  (about six of us total but most can only a hunt a few days here and there) hunt on a leased property in Hampshire County. This year we have seen a good number of deer but probably not as many as we normally see. I believe that the DNR has been taking some out due to the CWD in this county. Not sure of this, but strongly suspect it.
Still have the last 3 days of December for doe season and I've got two unfilled doe tags, so I'm planning to hunt all 3 days.
As normal, by about the middle of Dec, following black powder season, the deer are harder to find. Of course there aren't as many as there were back in November, and those that are there have turned pretty much nocturnal.
During the last couple of days of muzzle loading season, we saw only two deer in 3 days. However, we had a few inches of snow Thursday and Friday morning the woods were covered with tracks. Believe there are still lots of deer in the area, but they seem to be moving mostly at night.
Now here's my thought............when I go back up this week, it will have been ten days since anyone was in those woods hunting, since black powder season ended........I'm hoping that this reprieve gave the deer time to relax and perhaps now they are moving around a bit more during daylight.
Weatherman is calling for a warming trend next week, with temps maybe even hitting near 50. Well see how it goes......last hunt of the year and I've got to be part of it......
 

[DEERBILL]

Yes, I read the same information regarding the low Buck take this year. I think the weather on the first few days of buck season had more to do with it than winter kill from last year. In Randolph county I saw just as many deer as I have in the past. It will be intresting to see what the regulations, the DNR sets up, for next year will be?

[DEERBILL]

Has anyone heard anything regarding the DNR's take on the regulations for 2011? I believe the regulation decisions are due to be plublish.