I don't really hunt, but I do watch for deer when I'm out walking the dogs. I usually see them at night, well after dark. There are a few that sleep in our pasture (plenty of beds in our pasture and tracks to and from the pond they drink out of on a neighbor's property). I haven't seen antlers on any of them, which is not to say that one of them isn't a buck, but they're usually out at the far end of the range on my Mag-Lite. I know there's at least one doe with a couple of fawns in that group.
I did see a buck hop another neighbor's fence a couple of weeks ago. He was at the edge of my light, and broadside, so I couldn't count points, but he had a decently tall rack and was fair sized. I wouldn't be surprised to count 6 points on him if I could get a good angle and enough light on him.
Earlier this week, I saw eyeballs reflecting light back, so I had left the dogs back at the house and walked up the road a little ways. I walked within 25 yards of a pretty big doe before she jumped up and ran off. She laid there and watched me walk right up.
The deer aren't really pressured right around here and there's good habitat for them. I like it that way, so other than walking up on them and spooking them from time to time, I mostly leave them alone.
Even without hunting, I probably shoot more possums as pests through the course of a year than most people see, and they just keep coming. What I really want to get a piece of are the coyotes. I've misplaced my cottontail in distress call, and I've never had any luck with it anyway. I'd think it would work better than it did, but maybe not. Anybody know a good sound to use in southern Tulsa or northern Okmulgee county (sorry if that's way OT. I can start another thread about it if necessary)?
