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Does anyone else miss 2009 deer herd?

Just curious on any other opinions on the good old days of 10 to 20 deer a night stand sits, and this isn't just for 2009 but the days when there were solid deer numbers. I'm a central area hunter, who is for the first time in 20 years not going to hunt Wisconsin.

I am not a resident but I grew up there and I bring my two daughters and wife hunting every year, but the last three years have drained my loyalty.

Thanks for any comments.

Cootswatter-

I have over 50 years of WI hunting and have seen swings over the years. Last year seemed the worst ever and won't miss last year! It seems as there is an increase in deer numbers again so I will again go hunting. Way better than sitting home. Motivation was hard this year after what last year was like but bowhunting is very important to me and I don't give up. It will get better again. I just recently put out cameras so I have no big bucks to get me really excited yet but the pursuit is part of the game.

I hunt big woods so seeing 10-20 a night is unheard of here. Fewer sightings but some nice bucks and less pressure make it enjoyable.

I am with Smokey, but have only hunted the big woods for 41 years. I am not much for people so I enjoy seeing fewer deer... and less people. Lots of wolves, coyotes, bobcats and bears where I hang out, not so many deer and people.

I have hunted the same property for over 30 years and I can honestly say the herd hasn't changed much in the past 10. I still see plenty of deer every time out and shoot plenty too!

Bu then again I am in Waupaca and Marathon counties.

I hunted Marinette county for the first 25 years of my hunting career. Ended up in farmland now and very happy for that. Once in a while I may see in excess of 10 deer per sit but not usually. I am more than happy seeing any amount on a given day, knowing that there is the potential to see more.

Yes and No. I'm a Northern WI big woods hunter. While I am seeing fewer deer overall per sit, I am seeing more bucks, and good quality ones too.

I definitely do not miss the 2009 deer herd. 2009 was the first year I hunted my property in Sauk County, saw a total of 8 deer in my first 14 sits. The biggest buck I saw all season was maybe 120. The herd was decimated after the CWD slaughter. Herd has been growing every year since thankfully.

I'm also in Sauk County. Unfortunately, where I hunt, the numbers have not increased. Others within 10 to 20 miles from me are doing great.

It's very regional and spotty, but I'm holding out hope.

I'm also in Sauk County. Unfortunately, where I hunt, the numbers have not increased. Others within 10 to 20 miles from me are doing great.

It's very regional and spotty, but I'm holding out hope.

Yes I do. But I may be a bit biased. I shot a 164" 10 that year with my bow. I also seen more mature bucks, and more deer per sit. Than any other season in 20 years on our land.

164 hey rut nice buck,,,,,,, you still must be on a high......

in late season, in 2011, it was 10 below, but with no wind, and the barometer was rising,,,,, sunny and quiet, at 11am I shot a 152 at 9 yards, on the ground, and I have still not gotten over it ////////

we have both been blessed

Yes, I miss 2009 I miss 2003 even more.

"Im a Northern WI big woods hunter. While I am seeing fewer deer overall per sit, I am seeing more bucks, and good quality ones too"

Hard for me to believe bsz

"a 152 at 9 yards, on the ground,"

That must have been one hell of a rush.

Very cool, Razor!

@FIP - That's the problem w/ the North Woods. The land is so vast and diverse up there, you can't make a blanket statement about "it's better" or "it's worse". I can see 10 deer one day in one spot, then drive 5 miles and not see a single deer the entire season...

could you guys put some pictures up of those bucks? congrads

I like fewer deer, I got bagged many times while drawing on a Deer when the woods was full of Does . Bruiser bucks are much easier to draw on when they have fewer girlfriends around them.

fewer deer in most case means healthier and bigger deer. But at any rate I continue to see a lot of deer no matter what property I am on. As for 2009, I shot 3 does that year and no bucks. Since then I have continued to shoot more deer (on my property) in an attempt to cut the herd to a more manageable number. It hasn't been that easy because the neighbors don't shoot enough. I have pictures already this year where there are 11 does and fawns in one picture under 2 different apple trees. It is kind of ridiculous to say there are too few deer in the whole state.

dbl...

Ditto.

Dbl Lung your basing observations off of a condensed herd due to the apple trees providing food. Without what I call cultivated food sources. The deer would be more spread out evenly on the landscape. Cultivated food sources create artificial "pockets of deer"

The northwoods deer density at 10/15 deer per square mile makes for a tuff hunt trying to find those said deer on that 640 acres. Not pointing fingers just making an observation.

DT- are you talking about farmers ag fields? Yes the deer do concentrate on available food sources that are available.

Id take 2005 over 2009 numbers were much higher. The dnr was just getting into the kill everything mentality, so we still had a good herd down here in cwd zones. Its crazy to look back at trail cam pics and compare. I believe in 2005 i had around 14 bucks over 150 on my properties( 5 private farms only hunted by me). Then by 2013 the worst yr ive ever seen i had 0 shooters. Then 2014 1. Now 2015 i have 3 so far so hopefully we are trending back a little.

Still a mature buck, but a heck of a lot easier to tag when you're the only one pursuing it on a property. There are some guys in our area that take a mounter year after year with exclusive access to just one property. All my spots are shared, hunted hard, so I'm happy just seeing an occasional giant. I would say your situation — five private farms only hunted by you — is pretty much ideal any year even if you saw a lot more in 2005.

Don't even get started about 2003, great year.

A little less this year but better quality.

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