Is this regular season as slow as it seems to me?

[GrizG]

I've heard of very few kills, heard very few shots, and haven't had a legal deer come by me yet... buck or doe.  Anyone else having a similar experience this year?

[swamplover11]

It’s been very quiet. Heck, where I am in Dutchess my shot was first I heard opening day around @6:49 I think, that was what, 30 minutes after legal light(now that they have added 30 minutes before sunrise time)? Thanksgiving only heard 5 shots one of which was my brother filling his buck tag. My buddies sons are usually 3-4 deer in and have only gotten one doe. So yeah, agreed it’s been quiet for sure.

[ATS1755]

I was talking about this very thing with a couple of my friends. It seams to be zone wide, I hunt mostly 3H both bow and regular. 

[walkabout]

slow here also but I thought it was just me. lol

[greensider]

I live in Tioga county everyone I talked to is complaining about not only the lack of deer sightings but lack of deer in camera this has been a very unusual season for sure almost every weekend here from the beginning of bow season has been a south wind which in it's self is crazy and full moons when I have had the most deer movement has been when it's raining or when we couldn't get out we still have some rutting going on I saw a couple bucks chasing Sunday

[Rickhem]

I'm up in 4a, and am experiencing the same thing.  Both my neighbor and I have been hunting fairly hard the past couple weeks, and I've only seen two spikes.  My cameras have a few nice bucks, but mostly middle of the night stuff.  No shortage on does, seeing plenty of those, just no bucks.
With this being the start of the "2nd rut", I'm hoping to fill that buck tag soon!

[greensider]

There really isn't a first or second or third rut generally each full moon triggers does which gets things heated up cameras clearly show this and does can continue to come into estrus right into winter I have seen beds with Blood in them from does in January those does bred later produce the smaller fawns that become spikes instead of small racked bucks but eventually catch up by third year this is all based on my personal experience especially with the use of many cameras and seeing the same deer year after year

[GrizG]

The responses make me feel a little better... it's not me or my gun!  I've been carrying the flintlock and was beginning to think it being a virgin gun had jinxed me here in 3J... 

[Laundron]

There really isn't a first or second or third rut generally each full moon triggers does which gets things heated up cameras clearly show this and does can continue to come into estrus right into winter I have seen beds with Blood in them from does in January those does bred later produce the smaller fawns that become spikes instead of small racked bucks but eventually catch up by third year this is all based on my personal experience especially with the use of many cameras and seeing the same deer year after year

This isn’t factually correct. The rut doesn’t have to do with the moon phase. What causes the rut is the amount of daylight exposed to the deer. When the days get short and the night gets longer that’s what triggers the rut. A “2nd” and “3rd” rut  happens because of any doe that wasn’t bred in the first cycle they go back into heat exactly 28 days later until they are bred.
As far as the season though, I agree. The lack of shots in my area and stories of deer taken is way down. Cameras are also much slower than usual. I can only assume EHD is causing most of that.

[greensider]

As said based on my experience full moon cycles produce the most rut activity that's what is being discussed the lack of it

[walkabout]

I'll take one of those late born small fawn spikes right now. lol 

[jimboy]

Very slow year for most in lower Orange.

[grazan]

not slow for the fortunate ones just for those like me with an empty freezer

[GrizG]

 

I'll take one of those late born small fawn spikes right now. lol

Santa's sleigh team better watch out... 

[Rickhem]

I'm a bit further north in 4a, and dealing with the same thing. 
I have a couple small spikes, one we call "Pretzles" cause he's got 3"-4" spikes that I see occasionally, but the bigger bucks on the trail cameras are nocturnal.  Neighbors say they see rack bucks up near the houses, so they must feel safe there, but I'm not seeing anything other than Pretzles in the lower fields or in the woods.  Plenty of does around, and the usual sight of a buck following just hasn't happened yet for me this season.
I've been holding out for a rack up until now, but come muzzleloader season, I'll be looking to fill the freezer.