# Where are all of the deer?



## Dogbones (Feb 5, 2009)

Where are all of the deer? I have hunted the same ground in 3A4 for several years now. This year there are very few deer? Is it because of the late harvest or because of the harsh winter last year? Perhaps it could be a combination of both. I walked at least 8 miles of good deer country the last two days and never jumped a deer. How did the rest of you guys do?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Corn.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

yep, trail cam says in the corn.


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## ValleyCityHunter2008 (Jan 13, 2008)

There busy mating, wouldn't you want privacy to. Get it on in the corn.


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## Hunter_58346 (May 22, 2003)

cattails with water,,,,jumped several that splashed their way out....and corn


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Hunted around the south shore of Lake Sak and our group of 3 saw 6 deer the whole weekend. I'm no expert deer hunter but my thoughts as to the tough going:

1) extremely nice weather 
2) 80% of sunflowers and nearly 100% of the corn standing although it looks like they're going full bore on flowers now
3) nearly full moon
4) last year's winter


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## mshutt (Apr 21, 2007)

I hunt next to the red river. Didnt see many deer. maybe 5 or 6 compared to years past when you would see 40 or more deer in a day. I know some friends in minnesota that hunt along the red and had the same problem. sometimes even worse then what we had seen.

corn is RARE this year along the red on both sides of it....I'm thinking the massive flood this year really took care of the deer population because there are VERY FEW deer. not just along red but many places along NE ND. It's very sickening seeing so many deer the years past to this year where you have to walk for miles just to see 1 or 2. :eyeroll:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I hunted with one buddy and we saw about 200 deer this weekend. In-fact one field tonight had 48 deer in it... only one buck... I think the other bucks were hanging in cover until dark.

We ended up with 7 deer the past 3 days. 5 of which were shot out of trees around farms. I will say the deer numbers seem to be down. I walked a couple corn fields and didn't see as many deer as I thought I would.

we need the weather to cool down and some snow!


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I will say the hunter numbers.... or should I say pickup's with guys in orange was up in the areas I was in... Saw maybe 10 different groups walking the whole weekend. I think I only saw 3 deer that had been flushed and were moving the whole weekend.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Only saw one group walking. Everyone else just out driving prairie trails.


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## Colt (Oct 25, 2007)

Dak said:


> Only saw one group walking. Everyone else just out driving prairie trails.[/quot
> 
> Yep, can't remember the number of times over the years watching people shoot deer out the window of a pick-up. I remember the local joke was it's no fun to shoot 'em until you've hit 'em with the front bumper atleast twice. :eyeroll:


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## spentwings (Apr 25, 2007)

I saw three deer.
The highlight of the weekend was when a nice 4x4 barreled by me at 30 yds hitting....then going through a fence between the corner posts  . In the photo he came from the water side,,,trees apparently prevented a jump.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

We ran alot of deer out of the bean fields when we were combining them.


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## mikemcc (Jul 30, 2004)

I hunt in 2G2 and on the first two days I saw no deer at all -- and I walked probably 6 miles each day, plus sat a fair amount as well. On Sunday, though, I got my first doe within 10 minutes of the start of day and then saw a good dozen more deer including two bucks (one of them a nice 4X5). And I was only out for a couple hours on Sunday because I had to get the doe home. Those first two days almost had me believing that most of the deer were either gone or holed up in the corn. Sunday convinced me that, while many are likely in the corn, a fair number of deer are moving during the day.


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## bornlucky (Jul 24, 2007)

I love hunting deer when the corn is still standing. Takes no genius to figure out where they are. The problem is that I like to set up and wait for them to come out and sometimes you get someone from the road shooting at you.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

.

I'd say the warm weather has kept them from not moving too much and that the rut hasn't started yet.

.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

blhunter3 said:


> We ran alot of deer out of the bean fields when we were combining them.


Yep the beans are flying down... The land we were hunting my buddies grandpa was pulling it down all weekend, and he kept calling us telling he was kicking deer out of the beans.


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## Eric Hustad (Feb 25, 2002)

Hunted in 2G1 and saw maybe 50 deer all weekend and we walked 10+ miles. We ended up with 5 nice does and a 5x5 buck but there is so much water and corn it just makes things that much more difficult.


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## kmont_2012 (Jul 31, 2008)

theres plenty of deer at my spot. i saw 11 tonight and one buck chasing 5 does around corn stubble


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The Aliens got them. We are next!!!


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## CJofWolfcreek (Aug 12, 2008)

Hunters and deer have been more scarce up in northern 3a2. Haven't heard a whole lot of shots ringing out. My coworker got his doe friday, I got a button buck two days later and filled my buck tag this afternoon. All within 300 yards of the same spot. Most people are too lazy to hike across a field to potholes, thats where I've been finding all the deer. The cat tails have also been good spots to kick them out of since the farmers are actively getting the sunflowers down right now. I expect things to pick up as more crops come out.


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## Dogbones (Feb 5, 2009)

I made a road trip from Minot to Bottineau and back today approximately 170 miles. I made a loop so I wouldn't have to back track. While driving I payed special attention looking for sings of road kill deer. If there are a lot deer there will be lots of deer that get hit by cars. I found none. I hope they are hiding in the corn but I believe old man winter sent then off to live with Jesus.


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## sdgoosehunter16 (Sep 22, 2009)

Down here in Brookings County SD there's deer everywhere! I've sat in my stand every night for the past two weeks and seen deer everynight...the rut is about in full swing! Had a buck chase a doe into me the other night! Sniffin her the whole way I've had numerous other bucks come hauling past me with their nose down not even paying attention to the grunt! Its amazing! Good hunting to all!


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## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

hunting the TB zone, not alot of deer around at all. from what i have seen, the rut is on... i grunted a decent 8 within ten yards of me from about 400 out.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I guess the place to be is sunflowers. When the custom combiners where combining the sunflowers the kid driving the grain cart said he tallied 153 deer in one field. I can't remember the acreage of the field, but I know it wasn't that big.


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## honker_hunter23 (Sep 22, 2008)

Theres no deer in the sloughs in 2b. there in the corn and sunflowers


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