Gun season has been ruined

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
Not trying to start a debate but where we hunt, mostly Caswell, Orange, and sometimes Wake, deer hunting has completely changed. I have the records to show that most of our big bucks were killed between November 15 thru the 30th and a few the first week of December.

The early two week black powder season plus bow season means the deer have already been hunted for two and a half months before Thanksgiving. Which means they have for the most part gone nocturnal. I’ve talked to several ole timers like me recently and we all agree that the early seasons have ruined it for gun season.

Not saying I won’t kill another good buck but the daytime sightings have dropped to near zero for the last 10 days. No pics other than middle of the night. This week used to be prime time. Not anymore. I would love to go back to an opening day of mz around November 10th.


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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Well there is a proposal to reduce blackpowder/muzzleloader season to 1 week again
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Not trying to start a debate but where we hunt, mostly Caswell, Orange, and sometimes Wake, deer hunting has completely changed. I have the records to show that most of our big bucks were killed between November 15 thru the 30th and a few the first week of December.

The early two week black powder season plus bow season means the deer have already been hunted for two and a half months before Thanksgiving. Which means they have for the most part gone nocturnal. I’ve talked to several ole timers like me recently and we all agree that the early seasons have ruined it for gun season.

Not saying I won’t kill another good buck but the daytime sightings have dropped to near zero for the last 10 days. No pics other than middle of the night. This week used to be prime time. Not anymore. I would love to go back to an opening day of mz around November 10th.


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I have almost always killed my best deer either the week of thanksgiving or the week before. Over here in Wilson county, i have seen a marked increase in daylight buck movement over the last two weeks. The buck I killed this morning had slipped into a corn pile that is secluded and has only been hunted 3 times.
But I can understand you being frustrated, but I can remember a time when there weren’t any deer here at all.


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Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
I would love going back to gun season starting the Saturday before Thanksgiving and mz the Saturday before that.


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wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I told someone a while back I'd like to see the season go back to how it was when ML came in the second week of November. At my place in Stanly county bucks were nocturnal by the end of last week according to our cameras and talking to neighboring hunters.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Right now is still prime time. And there is more inches of horns hitting the ground in NC than I can recall in 35+ seasons. Pictures of bucks at corn piles/feeders have dried up for everyone I know. The only decent buck pictures I have are where I have cameras on powerline crossings that every deer in the neighborhood uses.

Edit: The idea that gun season has been ruined as a blanket statement is proven untrue by a casual glance through the kill threads here, looking at country stores deer pictures and the volume of big bucks killed in NC and posted on social media.

<>< Fish
 
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DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I have always seen a lull in daytime movement when everybody takes off to hunt. I'm ready to for everybody to go back to work, so I can get some good hunting done the next three weeks.:D

Our gun season comes in the middle of Oct. and has been that way as long as I can remember. Hunting here seems the same, just not as many deer after the coyotes came and especially since EHD hit. However, the average buck here seems to be a nicer.
 
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jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I agree. NC season comes in way too early. Bow hunting in September is crazy. I don't understand the logic of the NC and SC deer season.
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
To clarify a bit. We have some good bucks and have killed a couple good ones this year. I’m just saying that with the season as is your chances start to decrease earlier than it used to. I’ve been doing this since 1965 so I have some history to relate to.

An example; I hunted this morning right smack dab in the middle of Caswell Co. Did not hear one shot on Thanksgiving morning. Used to be that where I was I would have probably heard a dozen.

It’s become a hot weather sport. LOL


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agreenchicken

Ten Pointer
Right now is still prime time. And there is more inches of horns hitting the ground in NC than I can recall in 35+ seasons. Pictures of bucks at corn piles/feeders have dried up for everyone I know. The only decent buck pictures I have are where I have cameras on powerline crossings that every deer in the neighborhood uses.

Edit: The idea that gun season has been ruined as a blanket statement is proven untrue by a casual glance through the kill threads here, looking at country stores deer pictures and the volume of big bucks killed in NC and posted on social media.

<>< Fish
Agreed. More big bucks have fell this year than I can ever remember! At this rate we will be the ones dealing with out of state hunters! I know that sounds crazy but wait and see!
 
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Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
No argument from me that a lot of big bucks have fallen. Killed a good one myself. Just saying that it’s now a different game and I like hunting in colder temps.


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FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
No argument from me that a lot of big bucks have fallen. Killed a good one myself. Just saying that it&#8217;s now a different game and I like hunting in colder temps.


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So in reality it hasn't been ruined?

It has definitely changed. And that isn't all bad just different. Hunting in the eastern season and the central season makes the changes easier to adjust to. I don't know how I'd feel about it if I were stuck gun hunting just the central season.

<>< Fish
 

talltines1781

Six Pointer
Right now is still prime time. And there is more inches of horns hitting the ground in NC than I can recall in 35+ seasons. Pictures of bucks at corn piles/feeders have dried up for everyone I know. The only decent buck pictures I have are where I have cameras on powerline crossings that every deer in the neighborhood uses.

Edit: The idea that gun season has been ruined as a blanket statement is proven untrue by a casual glance through the kill threads here, looking at country stores deer pictures and the volume of big bucks killed in NC and posted on social media.

<>< Fish

I feel the same way. Most people I talk with are bragging how good its been this season.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
We have had more daylight buck sightings and trail cam pics this gun season than any in the past several years. Multiple good bucks moving in daylight. They aren't necessarily trophies, but the past few years it has been as ZG described - daylight movement almost shut down by opening day of rifle.
 

strut buster

Eight Pointer
Best year in NC that I can remember as far as consistent sightings. I've seen not just deer, but at least one buck, on every single sit this year except for two and that was a morning/evening combo when I didn't see a deer all day. I primarily hunt in Randolph and Wilkes. That said, I'd trade all of the September bow season for any added time in January, weather it be rifle, bow, or muzzleloader.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
No argument from me that a lot of big bucks have fallen. Killed a good one myself. Just saying that it’s now a different game and I like hunting in colder temps.


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So when did it become all about big bucks?
It is deer hunting.
Get out and hunt. Be happy you kill stuff.
there have been many on here just this year that have hunted several years and just killed their first deer.

Be thankful we can hunt.
Be thankful that you get one or two deer.
It is not all about horns.
 

Thutty-thutty

Eight Pointer
I've always done best week of thanksgiving and week before. However I'd like to see black powder reduced to one week and doe tags cut back to only 2 a year. I hunt in Ashe & Wilkes counties & over last few years with the blue tongue doe numbers have took a big hit.


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jboi72

Eight Pointer
Man will always find something to complain about, always it's just in our nature. This season has been the best season I can remember since I started hunting I've seen deer almost every sit this year and a lot of bucks..
 

Guybo

Eight Pointer
I agree. NC season comes in way too early. Bow hunting in September is crazy. I don't understand the logic of the NC and SC deer season.


Totally agree with you! I would love to see everything moved back a month and start bow season in October and gun season in November. SC is just plain insane starting in August.
 

Banjo

Old Mossy Horns
I would love going back to gun season starting the Saturday before Thanksgiving and mz the Saturday before that.


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I would personally like to see it like it is in WV. Black powder is after rifle season.


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bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
Not trying to start a debate but where we hunt, mostly Caswell, Orange, and sometimes Wake, deer hunting has completely changed. I have the records to show that most of our big bucks were killed between November 15 thru the 30th and a few the first week of December.

The early two week black powder season plus bow season means the deer have already been hunted for two and a half months before Thanksgiving. Which means they have for the most part gone nocturnal. I’ve talked to several ole timers like me recently and we all agree that the early seasons have ruined it for gun season.

Not saying I won’t kill another good buck but the daytime sightings have dropped to near zero for the last 10 days. No pics other than middle of the night. This week used to be prime time. Not anymore. I would love to go back to an opening day of mz around November 10th.


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Sure sounds good, just don't push bow season back ;)
 

DubDove

Button Buck
To clarify a bit. We have some good bucks and have killed a couple good ones this year. I’m just saying that with the season as is your chances start to decrease earlier than it used to. I’ve been doing this since 1965 so I have some history to relate to.

An example; I hunted this morning right smack dab in the middle of Caswell Co. Did not hear one shot on Thanksgiving morning. Used to be that where I was I would have probably heard a dozen.

It’s become a hot weather sport. LOL


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I'd like it to be shorter just so I don't have to hunt in the heat. I'm right there with you

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153

Six Pointer
I also would like to see only one week on ML the week before Thanksgiving and bow moved to at least Oct 1, Oct 15 would be better. I know the NCBA would raise Holy Heck, they cry about everything that is not in their favor. And yes NCBA I ML hunt and bow hunt.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I also would like to see only one week on ML the week before Thanksgiving and bow moved to at least Oct 1, Oct 15 would be better. I know the NCBA would raise Holy Heck, they cry about everything that is not in their favor. And yes NCBA I ML hunt and bow hunt.

Changes are being proposed for gun and muzzleloader seasons but not bow season
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
well thankfully we no longer have to guess or rely on our perception or our buddy's on how the season is going.

take a look at the real time harvest records and draw some fact based conclusions.

ML is going to be shortened to reduce the buck harvest prior to the average date of conception in the central section.
Good biology and i love it.

if you look at the kill reports (and I have) it's a massacre after the guns start compared to the archery season.

Unlike the OP i want to be done (tagged out on bucks) before gun season starts, seeing much better rut activity before rifle. and a whole lot more targets are alive.:)

entire central section and the counties of alamance chatham and caswell are on the high side of the last three years average, way over last year but not as good as three years ago. or were the last time i looked on tuesday.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
I'd like to see the whole rifle season shortened. You look at every state with really good hunting and they have short firearm season. I know I'll catch heat for that statement but if you're after a quality buck less pressure is the key. We're also in Caswell and usually have a good hunting around thanksgiving but this year has been tough. Lots of little bucks and does but everything big is MIA both on cam and sightings. Could be they're with does, could bebtjeyre underground from the war zone that is called opening day. Could be rut was early and is ramping down. Who knows.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Got buddies all over central NC who see deer almost every day of hunting season. Reason why? They slip in and slip out with minimal disturbance and don&#8217;t even think about shooting a doe till about mid December. These are in heavily hunted areas but the older I get, the more I honestly believe deer know what and where every corn pile is and where they&#8217;re safe. It doesn&#8217;t matter the acreage, if they find a few acres where there not bothered, they will act like deer are supposed to act then they go hit the corn piles in the middle of the night.
Many times I have been on one piece of property around thanksgiving or Christmas and watch several does/young bucks come out an hr before dark and feed on winter wheat. Meanwhile, neighboring properties are all complaining about how the deer have gone nocturnal. They haven&#8217;t gone nocturnal, they found a &#8220;safe space&#8221;.........
 

Zomdeer78

Button Buck
I would like to see our season set up like Iowa. I think the quality of the deer we see in NC would get a lot better.
 
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