The Fat lady is about to cluck.
Massachusetts
After a long dismal season out here in western ma the fat lady is 1 day from clucking. It's been getting harder and harder out west here to score on many animals. The critter populations are just down out here. However talk to mass wildlife and they paint a rosy picture. As a lifelong hunter, fisherman who has spent 50yrs in the woods and waters I just have trouble believing some 23 yr. old kid fresh outa college telling me how wonderful the animal populations are here in ma. Many of guys my age, good hunters too will agree the numbers of all the animals are down. I think maybe a combination of loss of habitat, and destruction and predators, pollution, and mismanagement are all contributing factors. How is it that I can sit in a deer stand in western ma every day and not even see a deer for 3wks. yet I can jump the border into NY. and see 3 deer an hr. Tomorrows the last day of spring turkey. I'm going but don't have much hope. Rant over.
They come and go, they'll be back. When I was a kid turkeys were some mythological thing that you'd never seen. Rabbits everywhere. Then it seems like the rabbits went away and now they're coming back. Anyway, time to go fishing.
I agree 100%. Last season I sat for days and days and no deer, no turkey, no fox, no coyote, no bear, no nothing. I never had a more boring season in my life. Either you are correct or I am absolutely the most unlucky person in the woods. My cams paint a different picture for deer however it's like in the last bunch of years they decided to just move in the dark I don't know.
Jeb, out here the only rabbits you see are around houses where their is cover. Out in the woods nada due to mature forest with no cover. I have a couple spots that hold rabbits due to thick and nasty stuff like prickers.
I have been seeing fewer and fewer deer each season, but like stated above, my cameras paint a different picture as to how many are actually around. I had a terrific turkey season this year, so I can't complain... but each location fluctuates every year... one year one spot is good and dead the following year. I do feel the overall deer numbers are down here in Western MA though in most areas. Some areas are still much better than others.. but good luck getting permission!
Frustrating to hear your challenges drslyr. Deer wise, I hear you. Turkey wise, I had not really grasped that some areas were seeing a downward spiral with them... Feels like the last few years have been banner years in that regard in the areas I hunt. Especially from a number of birds perspective. If we get a modest winter, next spring should be epic. That said... The deer end is funky. I got the skunk last year, but that included passing one and seeing a ton, just not in quite the right spot. That was mostly Western edge of Z9 and a bit in 5/6. A buddy was hunting Z5, sort of the southern edge of it, and saw nearly as many deer as I did in Z9, including several bucks. He ended up shooting a 2.5YO first week of archery and then a 4.5YO first Saturday of shotgun. He and his son (his first season) were seeing deer almost every sit - boggled my mind. They were "ON" deer like crazy.
I have to admit, this spring, turkey hunting I was mostly in Z6, and in those areas I was amazed at the sign. I saw a few deer and felt good about that. Made me think that perhaps, there is something of a bounce back occurring... time will tell.
So, while I'm hopeful after the last 15~ years have felt like there were fewer and fewer deer... I also fully agree with you on NY/CT and even RI. It's weird, you step into those states a mile or so and suddenly there are significantly more deer than here. In NY and RI, do they have written permission laws? I'm convinced that's a big factor in CT - creating lots of sanctuary space for deer to avoid human pressure. Is that a factor in NY? It's amazing how, you cross the line, drive a mile or two, and see deer like crazy. Admittedly it's solidly into NYS, but Ill never forget seeing easy over 100 deer feeding in a capped landfill around Albany a bunch of years ago now. It was mind boggling!
I wonder what the difference is - it's more than food... there certainly is not "better habitat" in CT or RI, nor just a mile or two over the NY line... How about NH and VT - how's the herd there? Doesnt seem much better than here, but I dont know?
First yr in 15 or so skunked turkey hunting with the bow. Had a few responders, but none would come in. Guess they didn't wanna be on a turkey snuff film.
Had a tom and 2 jakes in the yard today. He actually showed back up Sunday AM and then was just hanging out there Sunday PM as I was grilling dinner.. funny... they have that 6th sense and know when season is over... next year... next year...
same here had a tom with about a 7" beard 15 ft from me yesterday just standing there eating birdseed and watching me Mow,,, I noticed with the lawn mower running he didn't even care about me but with it off he got a little cautious watching my body language ..
My buddy called me today and told me he had 6 Toms in his field today! There was very little activity all season in this spot that usually is my go to spot so I did not spend much time there and I thought there were no birds here. Ha I guess I don't know sh!#.
One other thing I forgot to mention is that I believe by the time our season opens the majority of breeding has gone by. More times than I can count iv'e witnessed breeding with snow still on the ground.
