Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Deer Sightings in 2010-2011?

In many places, I've heard people comment about how they are seeing less deer this year than in the past... and there's a variety of reasons. In my area this year, we had a drought AND we had no white oak acorns. On top of that, our food plots have been eaten down to the point of non-existence.

Question... for those of you who primarily hunt cutovers, are your deer sightings down this year? I ask because I wonder if deer have moved away from bigger timber to cuts simply due to the availability of more food. Thus... causing less deer sightings than in past seasons.

Hey BamaRich, I hunt in St. Clair county near Springville. I have to say that I have seen more deer this year than the last two seasons combined. Actually seeing most of the deer coming to green fields that I have planted, quite a few bucks too. The fields look terrible, but I think that alot of that is the fact that the deer are visiting so often. We actually have alot of acorns this year, so I don't really know what it bringing the deer in the fields. I didn't plant anything different this year than normal, I'm definitely not complaining though.
Last year I didn't shoot one deer, all year long. This year I have killed two does and two 8 points. I actually was able to let a very mature 7 point walk on Sunday, because of my good fortune this year, hopefully save the last buck for something really big.
I don't have any cutovers on the land that I hunt, so I can't give you any input on that, but maybe it will start picking up for everybody in the next few weeks.

Worst year that I have had in 20 years for seeing deer. I have seen maybe 8 deer all season long with only one being a buck (spike). The club I am sits the food plots every day. They toss out cigarette butts onto the field. They take dumps within 100 yards of the plots. These morons wonder why they aren't seeing deer on the plots!! I also believe we have a serious problem with the locals night hunting all over the place.

I'd say my deer sightings are about the same as years past but I have seen more bucks this year. That's mostly due to finally learning our land better and getting to where they are held up at. I haven't taken a buck but I'm really picky. I let a 2.5 yr old 10 walk about a month ago. I just hope I meet up with him again next year.

I'm way up over last year, especially bucks. Only one of the guys we work with says they are down this year and they also said they have had a TON of acorns this year.

Its the worest i have ever seen coyotes are doing a number on the fawns

Not many acorns. A few water oaks where I hunt. I have seen a few deer, hunting over briars and hedge. Killed a 6 point last Saturday and he was eating hedge. I think they move less due to lack of an abundance of food. They can hole up in thickets and have everything they need especially if water is close by.

Over here in the Empire(Walker) area: saw tons just before gun season started. The weekend before gun season saw a young 8 pt and a fork w/ 4 does. A few days later I saw what appeared to a nice buck about a half our before sunrise leading two does. Also saw plenty of tracks (buck and doe), rubs, and srapes during the same timeperiod. Appeared to be rut activity. (Thought AL deer rutted in Jan?) Killed two does opening day (2 out of a herd of 7 or 9).

Haven't seen much since, other than a lone doe here and there in the past week. Mabye some new scrapes appearing now...tough to tell...got a dozen or so turkeys that hang around.

Trying not to get discouraged...got a 30-30 for Christmas I want to break in properly.

We have exactly ONE shooter buck on the game camera, and we've had three to five cameras in the woods since August.

I've killed two does and a decent 7 point, so far, this season and that's pretty near the sum total of deer I've SEEN this season.

My neighbor, on the other hand, with 400 acres of 4 to 7 year old cutover, has dozens of buck pictures and they've killed 3 big racked bucks already.

I don't buy the coyote predation myth, but I do believe the lack of mast in the big woods has caused a migration.

I've seen probably ten times more deer this year than last... I'm hunting a lot better place too...

Me too, I normally keep track of how many deer ive seen , but this year I have lost count, so I guess thats a good thing!

I haven't seen near as many deer as last year. But, still seeing plenty. The number and size of bucks are down this year for me.

I think the lack of an acorn crop has really hurt the deer this year. Our food plots are pretty weak as well. Very little sign in them.

The best sign is in the areas where we have small pines (15 ft and under). The deer really seem to be living in them.

Got 3 more weekends to go. I still have a couple places to hunt that I haven't hunted yet this year. Been saving them. I am sure I will figure something out! LOL

I still h