Hunting during deer season

[gimruis]

Yes they are unsafe, that is well known.

75% of all hunting-related accidents occur during a deer firearms season. That is a long term factual statistic.

Part of that data is that there's simply more hunters out there during this specific season. When there's more hunters, there's a higher likelihood of an accident (sort of like having more cars on a road).

The primary accident that occurs is with tree stands. The simple task of climbing in and out of an elevated tree stand (often in the dark) creates increased risk.

Additionally, many deer firearms seasons allow high powered rifles which greatly increase range. When compared to hunting other game like birds or using archery, the exponential increase in range with a rifle allows for accidents much further away.

And lastly, there's just a lot of rubes out there hunting deer. Me included.

Stay safe

 

[BRITTMAN]

I believe that Pennsylvania and Texas have more deer hunters than Wisconsin. Pennsylvania sells over 1 million deer permits a year.

Total number of hunters looks like this (most of the states below are predominantly deer hunting states):

 

[Wind River]

I have no problem pheasant hunting on Thanksgiving during the middle of the WI deer season. Everyone goes north or watching football.
I avoid other hunters anyway. Has been productive.

 

[Goosemaster]

These yayhoos just drive around, they don't walk very often. I still don't wear orange.I don't want people seeing me.

 

[GetTothePoint]

I find it interesting when you read responses and folks have no problem hopping in a piece of ground another guy or group may already be bird hunting but avoid places when a guy wants to sit all day on a place looking for Bambi? I guess I'm the opposite almost, I've never intentionally hunted a piece of ground I knew someone was bird hunting. But I'm sure not skipping a good bird spot because a deer hunter might be around. I wouldn't walk right under them but I'm not avoiding that piece just because of them.

 

[gimruis]

But I'm sure not skipping a good bird spot because a deer hunter might be around. I wouldn't walk right under them but I'm not avoiding that piece just because of them.

I am. Its a respect thing for me. If I know someone is stand hunting a specific parcel, I stay out of there. Because if I was in their shoes, which I sometimes am, I would want and expect the same from another hunter or group of hunters.

The thing is with deer firearms season, its very short. Most seasons are only about a week long, or a little more. Bird season is like 2-3 months long.

If there is a boat anchored or stationary while fishing, I don't fly or troll past them either on the water either. Again, its the respect thing. They were there first.

I'll probably never find myself in this specific situation while hunting anymore though, becuase I only hunt private land nowadays.

 

[Bob Peters]

The thing is with deer firearms season, its very short. Most seasons are only about a week long, or a little more. Bird season is like 2-3 months long.

I agree with all your sentiments on this, except one. Nowadays there's about 27 different deer seasons. Youth deer, regular deer, muzzleloader deer, special antlerless season, muzzleloader season, and holiday hunt. Then you hit a cwd zone and at times the DNR opens her up again to thin the heard even more. And of course you mentioned firearms so this is outside the scope, but then you've got dudes out there in a camo speedo right now trying to archery hunt bambi.

 

[Ref]

I agree with Gimruis. It's a respectful thing. You probably just ruined their hunt for that day. How would you feel if that was you? They were there first.....go find a different place to walk.

 

[Foggy1956]

I find it interesting when you read responses and folks have no problem hopping in a piece of ground another guy or group may already be bird hunting but avoid places when a guy wants to sit all day on a place looking for Bambi? I guess I'm the opposite almost, I've never intentionally hunted a piece of ground I knew someone was bird hunting. But I'm sure not skipping a good bird spot because a deer hunter might be around. I wouldn't walk right under them but I'm not avoiding that piece just because of them.

Why would anyone jump in on a piece already being bird hunted by someone else? Just plain freaking rude.

 

[gimruis]

I agree with all your sentiments on this, except one. Nowadays there's about 27 different deer seasons. Youth deer, regular deer, muzzleloader deer, special antlerless season, muzzleloader season, and holiday hunt. Then you hit a cwd zone and at times the DNR opens her up again to thin the heard even more. And of course you mentioned firearms so this is outside the scope, but then you've got dudes out there in a camo speedo right now trying to archery hunt bambi.

I agree, its dumb. Archery/crossbow (which was just added last year for everyone), early youth season, early anterless season, muzzle loader season, etc. Its too much. Its gotten out of hand. I don't suppport and I don't participate.

The waterfowl situation is just as bad now. Early teal, early goose, youth waterfowl, all before the regular opener. Its no wonder there's no local birds left by the time most waterfowl hunters can get out there. They've already been hunted for weeks. I don't waterfowl hunt anymore but I'd be pretty annoyed by all of that before I had the chance to hunt.

 

[Glock]

In Minnesota there are 12 weekends this year for pheasant season. Of those 12 weekends, half of them are during an active firearms season.

 

[gimruis]

half of them are during an active firearms season.

Guess I wouldn't necessarily consider the dedicated muzzle loader season to be "firearms" but technically that is an accurate assessment. The hunting pressure for that compared to the 9 day gun season isn't even remotely close though.

 

[BRITTMAN]

Very few people sitting all day in ND during deer gun season and those spots will not have pheasant hunters. Pushing deer out of a cattail slough or CRP field moves the deer that otherwise would have laid down until dark 30.

When I hunt pheasant during the MN deer season (week days only) on the west side ... any weekday deer hunter is pretty much all done by 9AM. I have never seen anyone in one of those enclosed stands after 9AM. I have seen a few orange blobs in those big enclosed deer stands after say 4PM. All are on private land of course.

 

[GetTothePoint]

Why would anyone jump in on a piece already being bird hunted by someone else? Just plain freaking rude.

You must be blessed with a lot of private ground.

 

[Glock]

Guess I wouldn't necessarily consider the dedicated muzzle loader season to be "firearms" but technically that is an accurate assessment. The hunting pressure for that compared to the 9 day gun season isn't even remotely close though.

Depends on the weather. Years in which snow is deep and temp is cold, I would agree. Last year was warm with no snow so I saw more orange blobs than any other years.

 

[Foggy1956]

You must be blessed with a lot of private ground.

None, we hunt only land that is not posted and a few owners who allow anyone who asks to hunt. Why ruin somebody else's hunt by dumping into something they're hunting?

 

[GetTothePoint]

None, we hunt only land that is not posted and a few owners who allow anyone who asks to hunt. Why ruin somebody else's hunt by dumping into something they're hunting?

Not intentionally ruining anything, I'd give them a wide berth but if the terrain allowed I may dip into part of it. I as a deer hunter on public land, as I do as a bird hunter anymore, would not be surprised to have someone else wander through an area I was in at some point throughout the day.

 

[Dixieman]

Guys, I live in Georgia. Years ago the BobWhite Capital of the world. Not now. It is nothing like the plains here mostly deciduous trees and pines. I used to hunt deer but I feed so many in my yard every day I care nothing about shooting another one. That’s just me. Nothing against anyone that wants to harvest a deer. That said out west the road hunters are bad. If they stop on a road and shoot at a buck 500 yards away they have no idea what’s in between. I love my dogs and I don’t want to see either of them killed by a lazy idiot. Guys if you deer hunt please be careful. All I got to say.

 

[Foggy1956]

Not intentionally ruining anything, I'd give them a wide berth but if the terrain allowed I may dip into part of it. I as a deer hunter on public land, as I do as a bird hunter anymore, would not be surprised to have someone else wander through an area I was in at some point throughout the day.

May or may not be intentional but you obviously don't care enough about someone else to go find another spot. I am no longer surprised by this behavior but am still disappointed by it. We go out of our way not to interrupt someone else's hunt. I really don't understand the behavior? Why would the terrain and whether you could be seen matter if you're going to dump in on them anyway?

 

[GetTothePoint]

May or may not be intentional but you obviously don't care enough about someone else to go find another spot. I am no longer surprised by this behavior but am still disappointed by it. We go out of our way not to interrupt someone else's hunt. I really don't understand the behavior? Why would the terrain and whether you could be seen matter if you're going to dump in on them anyway?

I'm not going to push out a draw a guy mat be camped out in. But if it's a big tract and I've got a good idea where he is and there's grass or cover away from him I can get in I'm not saying I wouldn't. No different than if a guy is parked in a cove fishing, I'm not casting over him but I'm not avoiding the cove all day. Public is public at the end of the day. I wouldn't expect a large public marsh to myself either just because I was there.