WI 2020 deer gun hunt – lost faith

So not really sure where my mind set really is at. Its been a very bitter sweet season and impacted by COVID like other aspects of our lives.

Just a quick background, I have my 85 year old Father living on my farm and he is in poor health. So COVID is not joke and we have been very cautious to prevent any exposure to my Dad. That said, had a great friend that hunts with us opening weekend contract it and had to withdraw from coming up. As I went through the short list of people to invite, it was very different than our normal tradition.

I knew opening weekend would be quite different for us, based on all the dead does and fawns I found in the spring. Over 30 scattered on about 200 acres. The vast majority were antlerless which raises many questions on why. Had this been a typical disease, I would have found many more bucks in proportion to the amount of does. I omitted to contact the DNR as I have no faith in the WI deer management plan. Its ran like a massive cookie jar being passed around a massive room filled of people.Starts out looking full and plenty for all. Everyone gets to reach in and take all they want. As the jar moves to the rear of the group, it suddenly goes empty and many are left with nothing because of the greed of those that took handfuls.

Additionally two other factors came into play. Neighbor to the south of me enrolled his land into a public access program. Neighbor to the East, passed away and the land was sold. He gave no-one permission to hunt it and many know the land is “vacant”.

So here is how our season played out, (For non-WI hunters, group or Party hunting is legal with certain restrictions found on the WI DNR website)

In the dark about 20 minutes before legal shooting time, the Orange warriors started. Unlike any year I experienced I was dumbfounded by the insane amount of rapid fire shots ripping through the woods beneath our field. A rapid string of 3 to 5 shots, then another shooter rattling off a string of 4 or 5. As light came upon us and visibility increased, things just got worse. I watched a few does and fawns walk out of our sanctuary and into the neighboring woods…..about 1 to 2 minutes later anywhere from 4 to a dozen shots range out. Then the nightmare. A doe crossing my field dragging its entire rear end. A fawn dragging a leg….another fawn all hunched up from obvious gut shot…..

We spot a mature buck that looks like its hiding in our tree planting among the pines. A clear shot ‘ BBD!

Few minutes later, another quality buck is walking into the rear of our tree planting and stops to look around – Boom BBD #2

We take care of the 2 bucks to get them chilled down and now have a few lurking questions….to be explained later

The nightmare continues to see injured deer over the next couple days at a rate that I have never seen before.

We take a pause to butcher and find ourselves just sick. Buck #1 I kew had been gut shot when we dressed it out. Skinning it proved to be even worse. 3 bullet holes in the stomach, a broadhead had previously passed through far back intestines, 1 shot grazed through front shoulder (flesh wound) This deer was so infected from the broadhead gut shot that we lost all the meat.

Buck #2 – about same sond second verse. Bullet holes everywhere EXCEPT in the vitals. However, this buck had been attacked from coyotes or a dogs. Both hind legs were filled with bite marks from the lower leg to up its back and a few on the neck. Pockets of puss everywhere – no chance of us eating this one either.

Monday and Tues werer both very slow days. Very liuttle shooting in the area and we saw nearly nothing.

Then we played the third verse of the 2020 nightmare song. 11 shots ripped out and a minute or two later I hear something that is between a grunt and something puking in the trees below me. Moment later I see a big bodied deer with a small half rack standing all hunched up, Mercy kill. I get down to take a look and figuring Ill see someone in the neighbors woods looking for the deer. No one. Empty- vacant, not a soul, blank, void. Unreal that no one is making an effort to find this deer. I sit for a few hours in anticipation of someone walking up or coming to the house to recover their deer. No one. Well, no way in hell this animal is going to waste. We took it. Of coarse, 1 shot in the hind leg, 2 shots to the rear guts, and my mercy shot to its heart.

Done – we quit. Since I seem to be surrounded with greedy competitive A-holes that are just “Point-n-spray”, it makes no sense to me to kill another deer here when the population is already on a major down swing from an unknown cause and these jerks just carelessly wounding deer.

Have we really sunk this low as a hunting community? Have the ethics that were drilled in our heads as kids changed? When did people get educated to be so competitive and greedy that nothing else matters? Is this the future? I know every hunter at some point with make a less than desireable shot and lose a deer. Im realistic and know that. I’ve lost a few over the last 40 years and I get it. But at this level the jar will be empty and we will pay the price.

BTW, you know how much salt is poured on the wound when you pull trail cams and see deer with holes in them? Here is Rudolph. I had 2 fork bucks out by me every day. Rudolph and Fireball because that fought every day. My stand is uphill of this trail cam. I saw the exit wound as he hobble by. Here is the entry wound. Assuming shot by a road hunter in my sanctuary.

Today, I have come to the conclusion that I have cared too much, always felt happy for others’ success, and have spent way too much $$$ on putting back to the habitat. I’m done. I have no faith in humanuty. I’ve planted 30K trees on this land to produce more acorns, hazelnuts, berries,,,,,, thats enough. Standing crops for winter, food plots…..DONE. The DNR can figure it out and obviously knows that handing out a crap load of doe tags is the solution. Well, if you find this what deer hunting should be, I’ll most likely be considering lease options. I have no interest in this anymore

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Couple pics from a happier moment

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Sorry Randy!!
I know how strongly you feel about treating the outdoors and its creatures humanely, and with a sense of dignity.

Ron

Don’t lease it out. Let it sit unhunted. Maybe it will become a true sanctuary for the Deer.

Wow Randy, sounds like a nightmare! Don’t lose hope buddy! If you love deer hunting, don’t let the uneducated careless pigs ruin it all for you. Most of us know a little bit of what you deal with. I have a few sets of neighbors that are only up for that first weekend to “storm the woods and shoot sh#!” Alot guys these days pull the gun out of the cabinet that got put away the same time last year. No practice, just fire away. Plus they have no real connection to the woods, to nature. A gut shot doe is just another dumb deer they won’t hit with their truck on the way out. They don’t plant trees, they run them over with snowmobiles. They don’t plant food plots, they dump out giant piles of corn.

I for one, as most others on this sight, could only wish to have a neighbor like you. You care. I love the woods! I’ve lost a few deer in my 25 years of hunting ( one just last week) and it really really sucks! When I find a dead one on our place and nobody had called or came looking, it really stings.
Try to hang in there! We can’t lose guys with core values like you sir!

I went thru something like your situation a few years back not near as bad thou. Neighbor farm was sold to some folks from California they planted everything in trees, they never hunted or were even around very often. With all the other neighbors our swamp behind the house was agreed as a sanctuary, any deer that made it there would not be shot, if they left they were fair game. Well that property got sold, neighbors and me tried to convince them the new owners of keeping the sanctuary area no deal.

There way of hunting was driving around on four wheelers and shooting anything that moved. Fence lines did not seem to matter to this bunch when it came to shooting. We all got together and posted every square inch of our adjoining property, a pane but many neighbors moved there food plots, stands got moved to the fence line and such, needless to say they were not happy but we forced them into there little 60 acres. Which took a few years before they figured out they had squat without the rest of there neighbors.

Holy poop that’s depressing and made me sick to my stomach.
I completely hear and know how you feel.

The local locker turned away a lot of deer this year that were spoiled. It’s been a really warm November. Guys simply didn’t take care of their deer and get them cooled down. Plain stupidity to think they can lay in the back of truck for hours in the warm weather. Or hell, you can’t even just hang em in that heat.

The MN B season I stand outside and listen to the barrage of shots. 10, 20 maybe 30 shots and wonder WTF. I watched a local bunch shoot a pile of shots at 3 running deer. Not 1 of them went to look for blood. I should went out there and reamed em a new one. Probably wouldn’t have ended well though.

I’ll get slammed for this but so be it.
People are F’n idiots these days. No common sense. You see the dimwits doing the rioting in big cities? Same mentality.

Wish I had an answer.

That sucks. I know you love guns but if I were you, consider archery only on your land. It’s so peaceful with very little hunters and I find it really relaxing. Hunting shouldn’t be stressful nor unpleasant. Oh, and it’s warmer! Best of luck.

Ugh. Sorry to hear. Deer hunting has changed for me also, and not for the better.

Oh man, that was hard to read Randy. I’m sorry to hear this and that you’re feeling so down. I think seeing those things and hearing the careless fire would get anyone down. I’m thankful for the years I deer hunted that I didnt have to encounter anything like what you’ve described. We mostly hunted public land too and I feel so lucky that the individuals nearby were ethical, responsible hunters just like our group. I agree that we can’t lose the good ones due to the bad ones! Don’t give up! The best thing we can do is try to teach, encourage, and share our wisdom to help future hunters make better decisions. And build better experiences.

This post should be in newspapers, Outdoor News etc…

It’s beyond disturbing and I’m amazed more guys aren’t shot.

I’ve seen the same thing, just how some people are, it’s sad. I was fortunate enough that I was able to talk to the landowner about the wounded deer I had to finish for them that they never came and looked for, they were not allowed to come back.

Gross Randy. That would be enough to make me sick of the whole deal too. Do you think maybe the 30 or so dead deer were somehow connected to those ignorant neighbors? Maybe they were feeding them something that got them sick? Sorry for the $hitty experience.

Randy,

I feel your plight, as a young sportsman, I see royal abuses of the land and populations of fish and deer all the time. I will say that knowing who you are through all of your conservation minded posts, you cannot admit defeat, you have to keep fighting the good fight. Simply because others don’t get it is not a reason for you to quit. My analogy for you, my wife and I have always went back and forth on whether or not we will have kids, due to our professional and personal ambitions. We are both highly educated, have stable jobs, are responsible and kind human beings. I teach kids in a public school and often I think it is my responsibility to have children because I truly believe that my wife and I would be excellent parents, not friends to our children which is something I see way too much of in the “parents” I interact with in the school setting. This is a long way of saying that if there is nobody left (like yourself) to take the high road, hold people accountable, and be a good steward and sportsman then there will be nobody to look to for an example. Part of the reason I teach is to inspire others, part of the reason I am ethical and a steward with hunting/fishing is so that I can hopefully inspire others to do the same. I am beyond frustrated with the deer management of our neighbors and the DNR but I’m of the mindset, that if not us, then who?

Somebody has to at least try…. keep up the good fight, hope is a powerful thing, if you have friends and family, sons and daughters that you can share your passion with those are the ones that you can “save.” My mentor in education said that, “the classroom is a sinking ship, you (the teacher) are the life raft, you will not be able to save them all, even though you will want to, but each day save as many as you can.” And while that may be a grim and somewhat comical way to look at teaching kids, I think it is very appropriate at times and it is especially applicable for your situation. Save those who you can Randy, you will not be able to change and save them all, but if you save a few, the hope for a better future will continue to live on.

That’s a sad story. It’s sickening and unsportsmanlike at the same time.

Wonder what all those young deer died of last spring? Some kind of disease that only affects certain deer?

I can relate… Minnesota removed the APR, gave unlimited doe tags and allowed season A hunters to hunt season B in my area. I’ve never seen so many wounded deer. Strings of 3-5 shots rang out consistently. No one looking for the deer. The one set of neighbors were having contests to see who can shoot the most. The DNR was set to lower the deer population and that is exactly what they got. It was an either sex zone for a long time. Then went to 2 deer for a couple years and then all out decimate.

I enjoyed the APR. It set up some really nice deer. Those days seem like they are over, now.

Appreciate the words of encouragement.

Not that it matters, I tried to pull the rest of my trail cams. 4 more stolen

Fence is cut, 3 rows of wire need w to restretch and patch

Monster drink cans and candy wrappers under my treestand in corner of my field. Ratchet strap holding it up is cut off

Was taught to “watch the birds” they never lie. Led me to two more wasted does

Years ago, I owned a different parcel that bordered 80 acres of public land. Back then, I had a few trespassing jerks, some trash, and might find a deer or two every couple years. Not thing like what I witnessed this year.

Man, that is tough for sure! Sucks that there are reckless people out there like that. Makes a real sportsman pissed for sure.

Wow that would really pi$$ me off if there cutting your fences, stealing cameras and messing with your stands.

Are these people hunting private land alongside your land or public land?

Coletrain27 wrote:

Wow that would really puss me off if there cutting your fences, stealing cameras and messing with your stands.

Are these people hunting private land alongside your land or public land?

A neighbor put his land in the public access program. So it’s privately owned land open to public. From there they are road hunting from a paved road and trespassing on private.

There are gut piles near where my cameras had been. I’m sure when they recovered their deer they saw the cameras and had the oh crap moment and just took them. $100+ cameras and 32g cards.

I have my phone number on my no trespassing signs. In this world of instant technology, you would think someone would call them number and ask to come recover their animal. Hell, ild take the atv and get it and drive around to their vehicle. I’m 100% for recovery and utilization

It’s tough to fathom what you’re describing! Blows me away.
You’re a good man, Randy, always willing to help people out. You certainly don’t deserve any of this.

Sorry to hear that Randy. You are one of the good guys that puts in the time and leaves resources in a better situation than when you began. I wish more people were the same way.

Unfortunately it’s not just deer hunting that scum sometimes dabble in. These are the same guys who leave garbage on lakes and rivers, throw cigarette butts overboard or on the ice, cause issues at landings, shoot at birds a mile in the sky, break laws without hesitation, and wrongly represent all outdoorsmen as pigs.

The older I get, the more this stuff bothers me too. Some of the posts from ice fishing this last weekend on ice fishing Fbook pages with guys throwing up the middle finger while laying on piles of frozen walleyes were disappointing. One resort’s buckets of fish guts displayed as some type of “trophy” seemed to be a poor marketing attempt at best.

I was introduced to the outdoors by people who taught me first and foremost to respect the resources. That no longer seems to be the norm.

This was tough to read, but thank you for sharing. I can’t imagine your frustration level! These aren’t sportsmen or women, they’re the polar opposite and give the rest of us a bad name. Shameful, and we can only hope that they are caught someday.

My two buddies and I completed our first gun deer season hunt this year, at 35, 36, and 42 years old. We harvested 2 bucks and 2 does on 175 acres that we lease. We’re all conservation minded individuals and were glad to have shot each deer in the vitals. The last thing we want is for an animal to suffer. Just sharing this to let you know that there are indeed some responsible individuals out here, learning so we can teach our sons and daughters.

Please post a follow up if you discover what may have killed the 30 does.

Keep your head up!

Uhoh429 wrote:

Please post a follow up if you discover what may have killed the 30 does.

I can not prove it but I believe poison of some type. If it was someone putting out bad mineral/feed or deliberately done?????? Virtually no bucks. Had it been a common natural disease you would have found a ratio in f bucks in the mix. Does/fawns seen to hit stuff frequently where bucks are more once in a while. Like I said, can’t prove anything, just a theory

Brutal!

Sounds like a heart wrenching way to spend the gun season. I have to ask though if the road hunting and trespassing/vandalism are that heavy have you filed any complaints with the DNR or Sheriff’s Office? You can’t guarantee they will catch the individuals, but having a documented complaint in the area gives deputies a reason to drive the area more.

As for the gut shooting and lack of recovery effort, that I can’t speak for in any good terms. Lazy,ignorant,trash,unethical are a few that come to mind that don’t need censoring. All that can change that is a fundamental shift in the mindset of certain “hunters”. I think certain rifle platforms that are increasing in popularity in the deer woods have some of the blame to, not so much a totally insufficient caliber but more so the mentality of I have lots of bullets so I’ll just shoot them all, eventually something will fall down.

Nic, problem with this area is that it’s set way back and it’s a perfect road hunting paradise. The way the road dips into the valley, you can hear cars coming from a mile away. Game wardens have set up on it, but does very little for the long term.

The rest is all greed and entitlement.

Time to convince the other landowner to enroll in a different program if he’s doing it for the tax break. We are in a MFL closed program and the taxes are plenty cheap And dont have to allow the rift raft in. Hell you could probably offer to pay him the difference it cost to relist it couldn’t be much more than a few hundred a yr. in savings

That’s what I would do. Have him delist it for public use and pay him the tax difference to lease the property for yourself. At least you’d get something for your money.

With the number of shots you heard, are AR’s taking over deer hunting? Maybe it is time for magazine capacity limits?