2019 Observations

[JDK]

My observations from 2019. Feel free to add yours.

The number of dead moose in the woods is discouraging. Most appeared to be winter kill from last season.
The complete lack of moose sign (none) in the areas I hunt is discouraging.
Hunter effort, in my neighborhood, was way down. So were deer numbers.
Deer starting moving toward the yards, in central Aroostook anyway, the beginning of the third week.
Seeing a bear on snow is cool. Missing said bear....twice....isn't.
I'm continually amazed at how far and fast deer travel.
Deer seem a lot dumber after you have tagged out. The exception, of course, are the big footed deer that seem to run circles around me all of the time.
Can not, and will not, shoot a deer in road after getting out of a vehicle, no matter how big.
Birds are a lot more plentiful when you leave your shotgun at home.
Taking a whizz on a shoeshoe hare in the dark is a surprise to both.
Boots that don't leak make for a far more enjoyable day.
No matter where I sit, the wind will be wrong within 5 minutes.
Deer are very quiet, especially on crunch leaves/slush/dusting of snow. I'm sticking with that story....
Hills seemed a little steeper and swamps a little thicker this year.

 

[JDK]

Few more

Every firearm I bought after my Sako could be considered a bad financial decision.
Spending days reloading and testing loads, then shooting a deer with cartridge out of an $11 box of factory ammo is downright funny.
Having someone else drag a deer is very nice.

Hunting with family. Nothing else needs to be said.

Celebrating a first deer and sons nice bucks with Crown is about as good as it gets.
A 80 grain TTSX out of a 243 is devastating.

 

[WetWool]

You left out how Matt seems to log a lot more hours in the woods than Nathaniel does to tag a nice deer! lol Kamm family had a great season!

The thing I find crazy this year is rack size in relation to body size being posted on social media and showing up at the butchers. You see these monster racks on deer that end up weighing 150, Texas deer almost! lol

 

[RememberBaker]

The deer on crunchy snow thing is a wonder to me, I killed a buck last year that I could hear walking way before I saw it and it was 80ish yards away when I did see it. I had deer walk to within 25 yards of me this year in similar snow that I never heard. The learning never ends.

 

[JDK]

The deer on crunchy snow thing is a wonder to me, I killed a buck last year that I could hear walking way before I saw it and it was 80ish yards away when I did see it. I had deer walk to within 25 yards of me this year in similar snow that I never heard. The learning never ends.

I'm told I'm deaf. I just don't get jumpy when around deer

 

[Flatlander]

My hearing isn't great either, in fact my wife claims I'm deaf. A couple years ago I bought a pair of ear muffs that amplify sound , they work great and keep my ears warm too.

 

[NorthMaine]

Convincing the wife to let you take some time to yourself with two kids under 3 is next to impossible.

 

[WetWool]

Convincing the wife to let you take some time to yourself with two kids under 3 is next to impossible.

Obviously you didn't heed my advice about the booze and credit card!

 

[Big D]

Definitely agree w/ the lack of moose sign. At least areas I was in NMW.
Had a close encounter w/ my 1st lynx. Beautiful animal and not very spooky.
Yes, the deer can travel. I've never covered more ground on tracks that would just keep walking.
Also tracking bucks that didn't come across many or any doe tracks. Unheard of so maybe a lot had moved towards the yard.
I still have yet to find a 3 legged buck to track. I looked and asked around. Nada.

That's funny about the snowshoe hare.

 

[JDK]

I also should have mentioned lynx. Either there is one that covers a lot of ground or there is a lot of them

I also followed a buck for about 3 miles. Never cut another track

 

[Kingman Cruncher]

I’ll add to mine later but -
Moose - never seen so many in the woods. Big bulls almost every day. None near roads or quick walks, but 1-2 miles in we couldn’t believe it. I have a video of a bull chasing a wallowing cow, moaning and screaming, I got in and called a big bull 3 different times just messing around, saw some pockets of 6-7 moose, etc. Saw a few big bulls bedded that I have some pictures and videos of. Had two cows making some odd calling sound come in to a grunt too. We all said we couldn’t believe how well the population was doing in zone 8.

The big thing was the lack of coyotes. Like we could go for days without seeing one track.

Deer - lots moved to the yards early again. I think it’s just a natural thing now with even a little snow as there are too little yards and the ones that are still standing are small. Think they get nervous and go sooner than years past. I had a huge group of deer on 6 inches go to Quebec. Lots of guys just focusing in on the yards for ease of locating deer, even some of our “legendary” trackers were seen a mile from “downtown”.

 

[groundtender]

You forgot: No shortage of one thing....snow. We had to quit about noon today because of poor visibility with heavy snow. Should be interesting tomorrow with a pile of new snow on a solid foot or more that’s already there. Access by Skandic 900, impressive rig to someone like myself that’s never spent much time around sleds.

 

[Junebugg2.0]

What is the reason for Bear not going to den in a fairly cold November? Saw a fresh bear track on the last Friday of rifle season.Is it because of so many groceries available?Saw the most abundant beech nuts,acorns, & cranberries I have ever seen. This November and last were like the traditional old Novembers I remember as a kid.This is the first year in 20 + that I didn't have a week off to deer hunt. I think next year; in hoping for the continued cool November weather; I'll take the second week.Things really start heating up around here then.

 

[RememberBaker]

What is the reason for Bear not going to den in a fairly cold November? Saw a fresh bear track on the last Friday of rifle season.Is it because of so many groceries available?Saw the most abundant beech nuts,acorns, & cranberries I have ever seen. This November and last were like the traditional old Novembers I remember as a kid.This is the first year in 20 + that I didn't have a week off to deer hunt. I think next year; in hoping for the continued cool November weather; I'll take the second week.Things really start heating up around here then.

From what I’ve read, when there’s a lot of food boars will delay denning as long as they can.

 

[JDK]

The bear I saw was laying down under a beech tree and scooping nuts. Monday of the third week. That ridge looked like a rototiller went through it

 

[Kingman Cruncher]

We saw bear tracks the third week also. Sounded like from the local butcher in town that the bears, deer, and moose had very little fat on them this year.

 

[Earl]

zero sign of any coyotes huge Lynx track why is it I find where the deer are the last day of the hunt? Very little Moose sign in zone 17

 

[JDK]

I saw more moose in one weekend while fishing in Rangeley than I did all summer up here

 

[Big D]

I would agree with that J. Found plenty in NW Maine especially up high. Unlike KC there were plenty of dog tracks where we were. I also agree with KC about the yarding. Standing in 8 inches of snow looking at some beaten down trails heading south. We had some 10+ mile tracks that barely cut any does at all if any. Through some real good country too.Bucks were still around but boy were they eating up some ground. This as I pull an ice pack off my knee and get ready to snowblow. Little tendinitis. Good times.

 

[mbVT]

Fourth week sightings in zone 8 included a good number of moose, bear tracks early in the week and plenty of coyote sign, including a fawn being chased by one (based on the tracks). I don't know that I've seen bucks traveling as much as I did this year.
I agree on the bird sightings dropping when you have a shotgun in your hands
Loved the rest JDK!