Smokepoles?

[heightman]

Seems to me things have gotten quiet on this page. Just wondering how the blackpowder season is going. So far for me it's been the same as archery and shotgun. I have yet to see a deer. But know for a fact there is a 6 pointer and a few other unknown size bucks wondering thru the area I hunt along with several does. Heard this from a bowhunter who has seen them all he hunts with is his bow and as of yet has not had a chance at a good shot on any of them.
Maybe it's the fact that there is little hunting pressure where I hunt. That is causing the deer not to move to much. Altough I hunt in a state forest, besides the bowhunter I mentioned I have only seen one other hunter since archery opened. And the only gun fire I have heard was on the night before shotgun closed and it sounded like someone shooting at a running deer 5 rapid shot's in a row and each shot sounding in a different direction but from the same area.
Well the wife is due home in 20 minute's and has shopping to do. But she is dropping me off at the forest on her way out. So it's time to get dressed for the cold. Good luck to all.

[cull]

A friend shot a nice 9pt and a doe at the end of last week. He stated that the buck was with 2 other bucks, a spike horn and 6pt and there were several other does in the group. I haven't seen much lately. Going to try hunting this saturday in the hope of putting some venison in the freezer

[chief]

This has been the strangest season I have ever remembered.I saw 3 bucks during bow,1 buck during shotgun and I have seen only a single doe during muzzle loader.I have hunted almost every single day of the season including several full days per week.I have seen very little deer movement.I did pushes all day sat with two other guys and we shot two coyotes wothout a single deer sighting.I hunt zone five, there appears to be plenty of deer but nobody is seeing anything.

[cull]

Its been a strange season for me as well, its been irregular sightings at best and I have hunted afternoons and weekends regularly. I went out saturday though and saw 2 bucks, an 8pt and 11pt. I saw these 2 at 9:00am together in a field then again at 4:15pm. No shot opportunity as I was hunting with my bow. Anybody hunt out of a pop-up blind with their bow? If so what brand(s) would you recommend? One of these might have helped me out with Saturdays hunt.

[heightman]

Thanks for the info guy's. As much as I hate to say this but I am glad to hear I am not the only one striking out. And that others also think this year is strange. I did go out just after my post on this subject and saw another hunter at my parking spot. Walked in with him and also out with him. We were sitting about 200 yards apart and he asked me if I had seen the jogger. Seems like this jogger ran by about 100ft. from him and as he ran by, this hunter saw 4 deer turn and bolt off through the woods nothing but whitetails running away. At first he saw the first 2 and then there were 2 more tails. His thoughts about it were that these 4 deer were walking in our direction till they got spooked. Heading out to the same spot at 6 in the morning and with the light accumulation of snow we are getting right now. Hopefully I will be able to get on some track I have the day off and will have all day to do some still hunting. Good Luck to all there is still plenty of time to fill those tags.

[Proline]

This has not been a good year for me in Mass. I have only seen 6 deer, 4 during bow (shot two) and 2 during shotgun on opening day (no shots). Nothing since. I dont get that much during the week but do all day Sat's. Not a big fan of muzzleloaders so I am back to bow. Should get out Thursday Pm , Friday Am. Mass. just doesn't have enough deer.

[cull]

Zone 9 in MA seems to have lots of deer. The areas I hunt are just pockets of woods, most are well under 80acres, some as small as 6 acres. Last year I had more regular deer sightings than this year. I hunt mostly with the bow because the areas are to close to buildings. I hope to get another look and hopefully a shot at either the 8pt or 11 pt I saw on saturday and post a picture. Next year I hope to get more spots to hunt in the "backyards" in and around the many housing developments. Good luck with the rest of the season.

[chief]

Massachusetts has the higest deer numbers in history.This is my 25 year hunting and I can tell you when I started you were happy just seeing deer and you got one every few years.The next few years the herd will be really taking off.The hunters in Massachusetts are very spread out throughout the state now.I heard only a few shots during the entire shotgun season.I havent even heard of a single person that has gotten a muzzle loader deer in the area.I have had a few close calls but nothing yet.I'm glad I am seeing deer but nothing is moving.All deer I have been seeing I have been tracking in the snow and jumping.We just got 10 inches of snow today!I took the next two days off to hunt, I will have a deer before season closes on Friday.The snow is powder with a high wind.That makes excellent tracking snow.The wind dosn't thrill me but it will mask sound.Good luck!

[Proline]

I would certainly dispute that now.  You are right on back 10 years ago or so but the numbers now are not as high as they were back in the mid 1990's. That is why MF&W is cutting doe tags back now in many zones.  The doe tags have taken their toll and the densities are getting closer to MF&W goals.  The areas with the most deer are primarily south east.  There are however pockets in various zones that still have good numbers where they are hard to get access to.  

[chief]

Your right I didn't mean to generalize the whole State I was referring to my area which is zone 5 and zone 4N. The deer numbers in this area have continued to grow and doe tags have increased. I have been hunting for the last few days in this new snow and I couldn't believe the amount of deer sign. One day left I hope for success!