Am I doing something wrong...

[rabjr]

Heh, this jackass stood right there and told me it was an Army/government rule and his hands were tied. Even had the State biologist in charge of the hunt standing right there asking why muzzle loaders couldn't be used. Thats alright, I like when the State calls every year asking where my app is and then I ask if I can use a muzzle loader and when they say no, I say no thank you then.

 

[Robert Egler]

Or are the deer just not cooperating. This is my first season in NC and it has been frustrating. I have only heard one snort during daylight hours and never saw the wily animal.

I'm in NC, and I'm having the opposite problem! I'm going squirrel hunting and all I find is deer! :cursing:

I am finding deer all over the place. I find 2, 3, 4 deer I could have shot on each squirrel hunting trip. Yesterday I was sitting semi-concealed under an oak tree waiting for squirrels, and I had a button buck walk right up to me. I mean right up to me. If I had a bayonet on my gun I could have stabbed him, no exaggeration.

He stopped and looked right at me, and I stayed very still. It occurred to me to yell “Boo!”, but I figured it was most likely illegal to kill a dear by giving it a heart attack. :haha: So I just sat very still. He obviously thought something was wrong but wasn’t sure what. He turned and trotted away. Didn’t run, but wasn’t just walking either.

But I can’t find any squirrels to save my life! Maybe if I go deer hunting I can find some squirrels. :hmm:

Hey! that's your answer! You want to find deer? Go squirrel hunting! :grin:

 

[jimmy82]

Lets trade spots :grin:

 

[flyfisher76544]

Well first off, welcome to the south. That will always be an issue when you hunt on base, other hunters and people out training in some of the spots you find that look prime. First bit I would tell you is to try to locate some areas to hunt were the units dont usually train. The more off the beaten path, the better. Second, you havent mentioned what type of oaks that are dropping the acorns in the holler that you are hunting. There might be a better food source near-by that the deer are keying into before they will hit those up. Down here, when that sun gets up and starts to turn everything all soupy out, key in on good water sources, they'll hit a water hole before moving to feed especially during the archery season. I hope the weather continues to cool down for you and hopefully the deer will start focusing on the acorns too. :hatsoff:

 

[tg]

I don't know what the deer populations are like or what type of country you hunt in but I have had a year or two like that in the past, but we do have a serious decline in the Blacktail herd here the last few years, I have only seen five deer this season but have not been out a lot and they were does and I have a buck tag.

 

[tjohnson56]

Any chance you could get your hands on a smoothbore? Don't think calling that a shotgun is fibbing, it's just a real old style shotgun.

Guess it just depends on what you want to do. I know you got that really nice rifle and it's a dandy but if you went with a smoothbore you might get them to open up the rules a little for next year.

 

[rabjr]

:grin: Yeah I think I can. http://www.nimrodsplace.com/nefowler23.html

Didn't matter, no muzzle loaders allowed.

 

[tjohnson56]

I'm not sure I understand, if thats a smoothbore it is a shotgun no matter how you load it. Maybe you need to write a letter to someone of higher rank than the man who told you no, can't hurt they won't let you hunt now anyway.

BTW if the gun in the pictures is your smoothbore and you have that great rifle to boot color me green with envy. Man thats a sweet pair.

 

[rabjr]

Dealing with them has been like beating my head against the wall. I should have just gone and used the smoothie and if anything was said, try to point out it is in fact a shotgun but no, I tried to do it right and asked first if the smoothie was acceptable. They are idiots plain and simple and I just don't want anymore to do with that hunt. I'd much rather be hunting the archery season in the back 40 here than spend any time there.

 

[tjohnson56]

Thats to bad, sometimes you give a guy to much power and it goes to their head.

I'm kind of like you, I would rather know what I'm doing is ok than spend the day worrying if I was doing something wrong and not enjoy the hunt.

Good luck with the bow.

 

[paulvallandigham]

SR:Bureaucrats have to get paid, and its the legislators who vote to approve their pay checks. Contact your local legislator, and tell him the problem you are having with these people. You may know your legislator personally, or someone who works in his offices. Every bit helps. If you don't know him, go to the highest ranking politician you do know and ask him for a letter of introduction. Legislators like to do favors for other politicians.

Once your own legislator gets on these guy's case, they begin to sweat. They are much more likely to be reasonable if they know you have a legislator on your side, who is going to be expecting them to be " reasonable in how thy apply the rules".

I know you are both angry and frustrated, but give it some though in the off season, and see if you can't make headway with this approach. Legislators in every state are bombarded with complaints from the Auto Insurance industry about the number of auto/deer accidents that occur each year. It costs the auto insurance industry a lot of money- millions- in repair costs each year. The industry is quite willing to be generous to any legislator who helps them reduce those expenses. Get it? :shocked2: :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[tjohnson56]

Paul I think you are right on with that post, I think it was a big reason why the DNR in Wisconsin blessed us with the wolves we now have. Very few people who live up north want them and the few who do seem to be the kind who seldom leave their yard or spend any time outdoors.

We spent millions trying to start an Elk heard and the DNR was all smiles when they told us how the wolves were killing and eating the calf Elk. I can see having a few wolves but it's time to thin them out a little but it will not happen for a long time.

 

[jimmy82]

Gov't red tape at its best.

On a lighter note I found a literal deer highway. The area I wanted was closed this weekend (go figure) but found another nice spot. No deer yet though. I think it is just to warm and the pre-rut is still a week away. I did see a doe on the side of the road yesterday morning while I was driving out to my area. Alive too, first deer I've seen all season.