Bow Only ->>—->
Connecticut
Contributors to this thread:
Now that gun is in full swing. How many guys are just hunting with their bow? And how many are hunting Bow Only state land? I’m one of the state land Bow Only guys.
I pretty much wrap the season up - put bow away and 1 more outing with gun. Super slow season - used up vacation between bear hunt and deer season. 4 weeks not enough time
Not till the end with bow
Some of those bow only spots get pretty good when the gun season begins.
Sticking with bow, but private property.
Soap, what part of the state? I’ve got about five different areas across the state and they are all either very tiny, very poor habitat, small game dopes or trail walkers and hikers. I’ve not yet found a top producing Bow Only area in many years. Maybe this week will prove otherwise and the bucks will be running hard.
Soap don’t kiss and tell. Next thing you can know you have 8 guys showing up! You say what part of the state you are and it’s very easy to narrow it down on onx maps. Especially archery only areas. Shhhhhhh. Haha
Lol AP. I live in Southington and most of my hunts are 30-45 mins from my house. So go online and look for all the little purple Bow Only spots that are within about 30 miles and I’ll tell you and everyone else what they hold. It’s no secret. No state land is a secret….none of it. I was just interested in what part of the state. East, West, Central or Northern. Damn, I’ll even tell you what trees to sit in if you need help.
Yeah I know it’s no secret, I found a great spot, sat just afternoons. Saw a lot of deer. One morning I decided to hunt early, walk in with my headlamp low, look up and see about 30k tacks going a million different ways. Haha pick a route and hope for the best.
I haven't hunted the spot in 18 years, haven't the need to....but the state just acquired another couple hundred acres to go along with it. Not gonna say precisely where. Finding land to hunt whether state, private or the golden properties in Fairfield county, that's half the battle. The rest is deer hunting.
Thanks soap - my son has been there all week and I went today. No deer Seen. Lol. I think deer have simply up and vanished from all the hardwoods. And yes, I wish it was 18 years ago. I would have filled all four of my tags by now and would have passed up other deer to fill them.
Wait till next week, hunt the green fields, hunt the thickest stuff you can find and make sure you know how to find feeding, bedding and travel routes. :>) I wish what others were telling me weeks ago was true, that it was just me and not that the deer seem to vanish from where I hunt. Monday morning again for me, but no stand. I'll pick a spot on the ground sit for an hour and then start a still hunt if nothing happens.
I was out yesterday with a gun on family private land. Saw 4 does but I was instructed by my uncle to only shoot bucks and coyotes.
I’ll be back out with a bow this week.
Makes me happy to see all the guys hunting with just the bow. :)
Bow for me too. I gave up deer gun hunting years back. I like more challenge. More fun for me.
Cold one today. This young buck came right to me stand but decided to give him a pass, just too young. I may be done for the year, my back is killing, not sure if it's from carrying my stand in and out, or splitting wood yesterday.
Unreal you passed on that nice buck considering how awful this season has been.
Just too young and too few deer.
With a brisket like that and that body, I would say he's at least middle aged...but hey to each their own. Congrats on finding the right tree, it's still a successful hunt.
I’m not passing anything. Blood I’m still at it with the bow! Lost my hunting spot so I’m starting all over again.
BBB that could be the biggest oldest baddest buck in your area. He looks really good. Wide rack. You’re ultimate prey.
Shawn - awesome! I’ve been out a lot. Finally starting to see some bucks this week. Just cruisers. No rut activity.
His ears are tilted back, making the rack look larger than it really is. I agree that the brisket is large, however this was not an old deer based upon the head and body profile. You can tell when you see a truly old buck, just like seeing an old man, their body is different. The fact that there are so few deer in this area was also a deciding factor. Tomorrow is another day.
I think you missed the point. If you hunt the biggest oldest buck….that could have been it. If you ran a few cameras you’d have an idea what that spot holds. If you are after a big one, you have to hunt where the big ones live. Hope your back gets better too! Good luck if you get out any more this year Bob.
Thanks Blood, appreciate it.
I shot a nice 8pt with shotgun in NY yesterday, so I won't post pics
I’ve been out 5-6 times since Saturday on state Bow Only spots. I’ve seen two small bucks. That’s it. Dismal.
I've been out maybe 13 times all season, instead of the usual 30-35 times by now. I've only seen five does on first time out, that were run off by a bobcat. I did hear a couple walking, and have bumped a few coming and going. Not one buck seen yet. I think I've been going to bed too late, no motivation to get up at all in the morning.
The one positive for me is that I'll be saving on gas because I can't go out with my back hurting. I don't think I could drag out a squirrel right now. I was hoping the rest of you guys would be posting some good pics and stories. I wish nehunter would have his would be son tell us how that monster met his match.
I've only been out 3 times in CT so far this year and although I've seen deer each sit it's been small bucks and does. I'm not done yet but it's bittersweet seeing what some warned about 6-7 years or so ago come to fruitition.
Some of the seasoned posters (many on this thread) spoke out against the practice of stacking deer like cordwood during the golden age of bow hunting in Zones 11 & 12. In some cases they were met with ridicule and some may recall a few hunters, fortunate enough to be hunting properties that were essentially refuges for deer posting about deer they shot in "deerless Redding."
Anyone recall seeing any of those posters the past 3 years? No, because they've vanished like the never-ending supply of deer they seemed to think the deer fairy pushed out into the woods every year.
Sometimes an "I told you so" is satisfying, definitely not in this case.....
Mike, good point. I was out yesterday on a bow only spot with ThisIsMyHandle. We ran into a wildlife division woman when we got to our car and spoke with her for a bit. She was very informative about the state of CT deer herd and current policies including the pending bear season. She also mentioned aerial surveys - I had to chuckle - the good ole days of BBB, Ace and Dr. Williams. ;)
Damn, we need another updated aerial survey……
Basically said there is a big problem in CT with access to private lands that used to allow hunting…and now they don’t. And most of the deer are holding on these properties because there’s cover, food and security.
Also, to your point…..we spoke with a pheasant hunter who gave up deer hunting 10-12 years ago (the down turn in deer hunting in my opinion) he said he no longer had any interest in killing deer. However, prior to that he had said he would buy ALL the tags allowed - bow, state land shotgun and muzzleloader plus private land rifle and muzzleloader, special tags. He would shoot 11 deer a year - every year - for as long as he could remember. He’d keep 4 and give the rest away.
And he said he still has a few friends with crop damage permits that are killing that many or more every year. So those deer….even though they are on farms/agriculture areas are no longer available to surrounding properties or hunters.
And guys wonder why the herd stinks in a lot of places. :-/
When I first found this site several years ago I remember several comments about the way some of hunt, myself included. There were the "meat hunters", that would shoot anything that walked by. There were the "brown is down" hunters that also shot anything that walked by, but didn't need the meat, just the kill count. There are the private land guys, some on big parcels and others in backyards, that may or may not be part of the first two groups. There were the state land hunters that were happy to see deer and get a shot at one, or maybe, two for the freezer.
I've said it before, that we are the stewards of the resource we enjoy. If we decide to shoot a deer just because it's there, then to Mike's point, it won't be there next year. If you shoot a doe you're taking more than one deer, so tomorrow may not be the best experience. If you shoot two deer, or three deer, the impact is that much greater.
I'll be waiting to see the final results for this season. Is it possible that just the guys on this site are having a hard time of it this year? Or is it an indication of a declining deer herd?
That woman yesterday from wildlife was pretty much assertive that there’s nothing at all wrong with the state of the state land deer population. Which I think everyone here can disagree with. At least that’s what I took from what she said. Also I went on Northeast Taxidermy’s FB page this morning. There have been quite a few really nice bucks brought in so far this season from CT. The posts never said if they’re from private or public though.
Blood - can you elaborate on what her thoughts were regarding a bear season?
Sure, she basically said we need it and they have pushed for it. She said that there will be more people injured or worse from bears. It’s going to happen. Getting a bear season is not up to DEEP or the Wildlife Division to get it implemented. It’s considered a “sanction” and it has to be put into effect through legislation and the governors office. I didn’t ask her how we - as a group - get that accomplished.
I did ask her how to start the ball rolling to get a bow considered as a lessor weapon on state lands during gun season. She said to email Howard Killpatrick and Andrew LaBonte…..which I had done previously and did again the other day. I’m waiting for a response.