I think Beaver cancelled the draw in hunts and didn't allow rifle hunting this fall so numbers must be down there. I have a friend that hunts private land around Beaver and I remember last year he said the landowner told him he could come out and hunt but they were not seeing any deer or hardly any tracks.
Bassin I was waiting for you to reply to this you always seem to have a handle on what is going on with a quickness. The state better put you on staff!
Thank you, for the compliments. I am sure they have biologists with more knowledge and studies than I can't come close to telling them something they don't know. Unfortunately, any ideas and suggestions the biologists make still have to make it through many hoops to make it in the regulations.
I had good luck in woodward county last week. 3 deer in our group, saw several others bringing deer in.
Was covered up with does most evenings and the ranger was telling me he was suprised at the numbers he was seeing. He expected a lower success rate due to the drought and blue tongue...
Nothing screams poor craftsmanship like wrinkles in your duct tape
Was covered up with does most evenings and the ranger was telling me he was suprised at the numbers he was seeing. He expected a lower success rate due to the drought and blue tongue...
Nothing screams poor craftsmanship like wrinkles in your duct tape
This. We bought our land in spring of 2013, to say I was disappointed in what we saw would be a major understatement, I just kept trying to convince myself it was drought related and the previous people that leased it shot everything they saw. This year we are averaging seeing 3-5 deer a hunt, last year I saw 4 all season. That said, the deer we are seeing this year are all very very young.
Just got back. I saw two doe Friday, thats it. That brings total seen to three for all seasons combined and zero taken two seasons in a row.
Was eating at Circle G Cafe in Arnett and the folks in there said its never been this bad. Reasons pondered: drought, blue tongue, coyotes, poaching by mass of O&G workers in area.
Disappointed is a massive understatement.
Was eating at Circle G Cafe in Arnett and the folks in there said its never been this bad. Reasons pondered: drought, blue tongue, coyotes, poaching by mass of O&G workers in area.
Disappointed is a massive understatement.
I have heard from several people all over the NW portion of the state that numbers are down. I didn't notice a change when I was on my lease in Woods County last week, but I've got several buddies that hunt Woodward County that say they haven't seen it this bad in a while. Those guys are usually tagged out opening day of all seasons too. One was attributing it to the flood of oilfield guys poaching but they have been up there for a while so I wasn't sure. I did notice there weren't as many carcasses on the side of the road that I usually see up there.
We were at our large lease in the Cookson area for 4 days. Sitting every morning and evening for four days I saw two small bucks. Little three pointer and a small 6 pointer. Not a single does or fawn in 30+ hours on various stands. My 11 year old son got a nice doe on one of our food plots though. Rarely do our plots bring the bucks during shooting hours so I don't hunt them. Worst I've seen in the 15 years on this lease.
My FIL whom has had the same lease for 41 years said it's the worst he's seen. He's a firm believer in the drought several years ago and yotes causing the problems.
My FIL whom has had the same lease for 41 years said it's the worst he's seen. He's a firm believer in the drought several years ago and yotes causing the problems.
I've seen quite a few in Ellis Co. Game cam pics are plentiful, as well.
The drought damn sure hasn't helped matters. Blue tounge seems to be an area specific issue. The coyotes are definately a factor, I'm in a hunt club and I dont think anyone else besides me and a couple others call coyotes on the nwok leases. I haven't seen near as many deer on trail cam or in person as years past, actually pretty tough this year.
I would agree with all of the above except for the "mass poaching by OG&E workers". Some good knowledge can be found in the Circle G cafe also a lot of BS unfounded rumors, I should know since I grew up in Arnett.
I hunt in Woodward county as well as around the Harmon area and am seeing the same problems in both areas, low numbers and not much movement in the daylight. I remember not that long ago when it was a matter of discression as to what you were going to pass on or shoot when you went out and now it just seems to ba a matter of seeing anything at all.
