Hunting 2022

[Mac66]

The bow season started Oct 1 in Michigan. I went out with my brother up on the property. Beautiful weather this weekend. Colors are changing quickly.

I had a doe come up 20 feet from my blind Saturday morning. A little too small to shoot. Didn't see anything else Saturday by had two doe come by my blind Sunday morning. Couldn't get shot at the first one at about 8:10 but the second came up about 35 yards away in the woods. Let an arrow fly only to see it hit an unseen branch and careen off into the woods. She just trotted away.

Oh, well, better luck next time. Still have time to get meat for the freezer. The bow season runs from Oct 1 -Nov15 when the rifle season begins.

First time in many years that we didn't plant the food plots. The guy who usually does it stopped doing it and even though I now have a tractor I didn't get to it as I don't have a plow. A lot fewer deer coming around this year. See very few bucks on the trail camera this year.

[Bmyers]

Is the reduction is seeing the deer dur to no food plot or did something else reduce the deer population?

[Mac66]

Is the reduction is seeing the deer dur to no food plot or did something else reduce the deer population?

I think the food plots do draw in deer. The cameras show the food plots pretty active until this year. Where the deer come to feed they also come to congregate and mate when the rut starts. I've seen lots of bucks chasing doe in the field over the years...until this year.

The best plan is to furnish a food source and then a place for them to bed down and a place to hide. So ideally you would have a food plot, a bedding area and a thicket to shelter in.

Bedding areas are controversial. Some believe they should be sheltered and remote. Some hinge cut trees to create shelter, spread hay down and border the area with logs for something for the deer to lean against. I've done some of that but I noticed that deer will pretty much lay down and sleep just about anywhere. I watched them climb up an exposed ridge and plop down in the snow about half way up and sleep for hours during the middle of the day. I've seen them on camera walk through the bedding area and plop down outside of it. It all depends on the deer and what they're doing at the time.

[Bmyers]

Interesting, thanks.

I know so far this week I have seen two dead deer along the road with many more standing around.

[Mac66]

An interesting thing the state did this year is make reporting of deer kills mandatory. You can be charged with $250/90 day misdemeanor if you don't report your kill within 72 hours. Reporting is to be done online. So how is the state going to know you shot a deer? Well if you take it to a deer processor they won't (aren't allowed) to butcher your deer unless you can prove it's been reported. Of course if you butcher your own deer, how would anyone know?

Needless to said most of us aren't happy with being forced to report online under threat of being charged with a crime. I do think reporting is a good idea, and will help with deer management. I don't think it should be mandatory.

The numbers coming out of the state so far from the Kids weekend, the handicapped weekend and early anterless season all held in Sept are interesting. They can literally break it down day by day how many deer are being harvested during the bow season which started Oct 1.

There is some question as to whether the mandatory reporting is even legal. Apparently it was made by some appointed commission so needless to say it's being contested in court. Should be interesting to see what happens.

[Bmyers]

I've always wondered if one can face charges for killing a "State owned deer" without the proper license or in the correct time period, why isn't the State responsible for their deer when it illegal crossed the road and damages my vehicle?

[Mac66]

Good point. Yes, It's illegal to shoot deer out of season and/or without a license but not illegal for those deer to destroy your car.

Be that as it may, I was up at the woods house this weekend hunting. Saw quite a few deer. All doe, many with little ones. I am reluctant to shoot a mama with a little one with her. Though most babies are getting pretty big by now.

I'll shoot a lone doe to put meat in the freezer and to keep them from playing in traffic.

So the other day I was out in the food plot not seeing anything when my wife texts me this pic. It was about 6:30 pm



The next night I'm getting dressed in the garage getting ready to go out about 5:30pm. I look up and see these two eating flowers that were set in trays on the flat trailer in the back yard. Mama and her little one. I was about 40 yards away and she never even looked my way even while standing in the driveway.



I could have walked around the barn and taken the mama but instead I went around the house and went out the other way. I passed on several doe in the field that evening.

My brother came up yesterday and saw 8 deer (all doe) in the field this morning. A couple were close enough to shoot but they both had little ones with them. I had to come home this afternoon but he's hunting this evening. I hope I get a call that he scored.

[Mac66]

Saw an 8 pt buck last night in the field about 6:30. Unfortunately I was at the other end of the field. Flip of the coin decided which end I would sit in that night. but at least I know he's around now.

[Bmyers]

Got to get that buck to freeze camp.

[Mac66]

Passed on another couple of small doe over the weekend.

My wife fed me backstrap for dinner on Saturday. It was melt in your mouth good. Now I'm thinking of just putting more meat in the freezer for now. Been waiting on a decent sized doe to come in.

Will be going back up Thursday and hunting through the weekend.