Ok how did everybody do this year. It's been kinda slow moving on my property, glad there is a month left.

I got a nice 6 point with my bow, and a huge doe with my shot gun. I spent a week in the UP and never had a deer walk in front of me. The second rut should be starting in a few days I know there is still a couple really big deer roaming the property maybe I'll still get lucky.

Let's hear it, time to brag.

Toyman

 

Well we hunt in the Almont michigan area and so far its been the best year so far. My dad had 8 does and a 6 point run by him, which he shot. I had nothing at all and as i was getting out of my blind one ran off. We went to go find my dads deer and across the field we saw a Huge buck. had to of had 4 or more on one side. He was to far to make a clean shot. That night i had another doe and a 5 or 6 point come out and i missed it. There will be alot less deer hunters and more deer when the raise the licence fees, The are already rediculious.

 

I'm okay with there being less hunters. Some people just go out and shoot.

 

The only problem with less hunters is going to be more deer. I do agree that there are a lot of hunters that go for the partying rather than a clean kill, hopefully raising the licenses will deter them from going into the woods.

The buck to doe ratio is out of whack already, raising the cost on the licenses will just amplify that. It won't stop me from hunting, but the average joe that only hunts opening day or week won't hunt anymore, this will be a huge loss to Michigan's economy. I shoot 4-5 deer a season and by the next season the freezer is just about empty. I don't buy beef anymore, I have plenty of red meat from the deer.

I also know a lot of young hunters that won't be able to afford the license so they just won't get into hunting. I hunted this year with a high school senior in the UP, 3rd year hunting for him and his first deer harvested. He may not be able to hunt next year with college bills, and the new license fees. I'm sure there will be more than just the few that I know of that won't hunt also.

I really hope that the experienced hunters are helping the younger ones, they are the hunters that will keep the sport going for the next generation.

I'll get of my soap box now.

Toyman

 

We had a pretty good year up here....I saw 12 different bucks during season. My oldest daughter (16) got a shot at a real nice buck but didn't connect. I ended up taking a 4 point and 2 does so far. Was going out today for the last day of season, but the youngest is home from school sick and dad needs to babysit...There is always muzzleloading season starting next friday...

 

Up in the UP where I have property. The ratio is 10 does to 1 buck.
Its horribal. I could have had a really nice doe.
Was a little close for the 7mm mag, but I'm sure a hollow point would work at 50 yards.

 

My brother and I lease 160 here in the U.P. for hunting. This has been the first year in a few years that we saw this many bucks during gun season. We see alot during bow, but not like this in gun season. I know that the neighbors are letting lot of smaller bucks walk and we take maybe one or let the kids take a smaller buck during season. Hopefully it will help and we will start having better breeding stock. I did see one good sign, most of the fawns I saw were button bucks. Now if we have a easy winter, we should have alot of 1 1/2 year olds next year.

 

Same Here, Im 18 years old and starting college. My dad bought my licenses for me this year and thanks to him i can hunt. He might not be able to next year so im putting away a little at a time so i can hunt. Now lets hope i have the time to lol. Two jobs and college is going to be tough.

 

I hunt up by Gulliver, friend up there has 500 acres. There are bucks on the property but nothing of huge size, mostly doe roaming around there. Fact is sitting in my blind there all I saw was a wolf, 2 of the biggest woodpeckers I have ever seen, and a handful of squirrels. Of the 10 blinds there was only one that had traffic and it was mostly doe.

I'm glad I have 30 acres in eaton county or I wouldn't have any venison.

Toyman

 

Now that would have been crazy...

 

There are a lot there than what the state admits to. I see wolf every year. There are a bunch of Coyote also, we did manage to take 3 of those. Got pictures of a Bobcat on my trail cam too.

Toyman

 

I did ok, I got a 3 pointer 8:30 opening day and Sat the 24th I got a nice Doe, so I got 2 in the freezer. There's going to be good eatin this year.

Jim

 

ha, you guys think deer hunting is expensive... try waterfowl! when it's said and done you'll spend $35 in licence stuff alone, not to mention the gear! who knows what it'll be when fees increase.

i deer hunted for the first time this year since i started chasing ducks, trying to put some venison back in the freezer... missed a doe... oh well i guess.

 

I've been chasing a lot of deer around the corn field with the combine... does that count? one of them is huge. i think it is a 12 point.

 

My licenses this year totalled over $75, that included bear, turkey (spring and fall), small game and deer, with 3 private land doe tags. The same next year could cost as much as $300.

I haven't shot a bear or a turkey yet.

Toyman