Originally Posted By: Smilys
I rifle hunted deer on the OP this year for the first time, I'am new to the area but I've been hunting Blacktails my whole life and have killed a Blacktail deer every season since 1980, this year in 4 days of hunting I never even saw a buck, or a doe for that matter. Granted I spent much more time on the the road than normal, learning the area but no deer at all??? Over the past 10 years or so there has been a drastic decline in our Coastal deer populations, not sure why maybe the hair loss issue, predation, not enough clear cuts, to many elk (as if that's is a proplem) no answers here but I'm all ears!!!.


ive noticed a few areas i hunt that when the elk move in then the deer move out. i dont mind because in a few years those areas will be prime elk hunting. but i have noticed a huge decline in deer numbers in 90% of the areas i hunt.

at that most of the deer i do see are very spooked due to higher levels of predation having them on edge.