There were a lot of disappointed deer hunters last Sunday when the rain hit and slowed down the hunting.
Traditionally, deer hunters harvest around 60 percent of the deer that first weekend, but the rain pared down the results. Statewide over the first weekend, hunters took 86,202 deer, which was down considerably from previous several years.
In Jackson County, hunters took 260 deer while in nearby counties the numbers were higher but still down from last year. Texas was the leading county with 1,765, followed by Howell (1,761) and Wayne (1,587). There were two non-fatal hunting accidents and one fatality in Callaway County.
With better weather and still several days left in the 2009 firearms season, the totals will grow. Starting on Nov. 25, the firearms antlerless portion will open through Dec. 6.
Opening day is usually the day when many deer are taken, but after then the success rate drops off drastically.
“Before the season opened I had seen more deer than usual, so I expected to see more deer taken, but when the rain hit the area on Sunday, things changed,” said veteran deer hunter Jim Thompson of Bolivar, Mo. “On my way to town, I saw several pickups near the woods, but the hunters in their orange were sitting in their trucks and not in the woods. I know several of my hunting friends stayed home to watch football instead of getting soaked. I know the deer are out there, so maybe I will still find that big buck I have been watching.”
Tom Strickland of Sedalia, also a veteran deer hunter, was in his tree stand an hour before shooting time on Saturday morning.
“It didn’t take long before I knew hunting success might be off this year,” Strickland said. “I heard very little shooting and only saw a four-point buck and several small does. Usually on opening day it sounds like a war where I hunt, and before noon I have my buck and see lots of others in trucks with happy hunters.
“When we had check stations, I saw long lines of hunters waiting to have their deer checked, but you can’t tell how many hunters locally have taken their deer any more. With the warm weather just before the season opened, there were lots of hunters scouting their hunting area, and I think it caused the deer to head for heavy cover. By opening day, they are harder to find.”
It was a different experience, though for Jack Jarvis of Moberly, Mo., at least as far as seeing deer.
“I always know where I will be when the season opens. I have a favorite tree stand where I always see deer and this season was no exception,” Jarvis said. “I had deer running all around me at first light, but then things slowed down. I could have shot a doe that was right under my stand, but I was waiting for a big buck, I can get a doe later if I need to.
“However, my hunting friend, who was in a stand several hundred yards away, shot a 10-pointer around 8:30 and said he saw several other nice bucks. I know the deer are there, and it’s only a matter of time before one will make a mistake and get in the sights of my gun.”
One hunter I know had a very successful opening day. Jim Low of Jefferson City shot a button buck followed by a 10-pointer, his largest he had ever taken.
“It was a good opening day for me,” he said.
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There were a lot of disappointed deer hunters last Sunday when the rain hit and slowed down the hunting.
Traditionally, deer hunters harvest around 60 percent of the deer that first weekend, but the rain pared down the results. Statewide over the first weekend, hunters took 86,202 deer, which was down considerably from previous several years.
In Jackson County, hunters took 260 deer while in nearby counties the numbers were higher but still down from last year. Texas was the leading county with 1,765, followed by Howell (1,761) and Wayne (1,587). There were two non-fatal hunting accidents and one fatality in Callaway County.
With better weather and still several days left in the 2009 firearms season, the totals will grow. Starting on Nov. 25, the firearms antlerless portion will open through Dec. 6.
Opening day is usually the day when many deer are taken, but after then the success rate drops off drastically.
“Before the season opened I had seen more deer than usual, so I expected to see more deer taken, but when the rain hit the area on Sunday, things changed,” said veteran deer hunter Jim Thompson of Bolivar, Mo. “On my way to town, I saw several pickups near the woods, but the hunters in their orange were sitting in their trucks and not in the woods. I know several of my hunting friends stayed home to watch football instead of getting soaked. I know the deer are out there, so maybe I will still find that big buck I have been watching.”
Tom Strickland of Sedalia, also a veteran deer hunter, was in his tree stand an hour before shooting time on Saturday morning.
“It didn’t take long before I knew hunting success might be off this year,” Strickland said. “I heard very little shooting and only saw a four-point buck and several small does. Usually on opening day it sounds like a war where I hunt, and before noon I have my buck and see lots of others in trucks with happy hunters.
“When we had check stations, I saw long lines of hunters waiting to have their deer checked, but you can’t tell how many hunters locally have taken their deer any more. With the warm weather just before the season opened, there were lots of hunters scouting their hunting area, and I think it caused the deer to head for heavy cover. By opening day, they are harder to find.”
It was a different experience, though for Jack Jarvis of Moberly, Mo., at least as far as seeing deer.
“I always know where I will be when the season opens. I have a favorite tree stand where I always see deer and this season was no exception,” Jarvis said. “I had deer running all around me at first light, but then things slowed down. I could have shot a doe that was right under my stand, but I was waiting for a big buck, I can get a doe later if I need to.
“However, my hunting friend, who was in a stand several hundred yards away, shot a 10-pointer around 8:30 and said he saw several other nice bucks. I know the deer are there, and it’s only a matter of time before one will make a mistake and get in the sights of my gun.”
One hunter I know had a very successful opening day. Jim Low of Jefferson City shot a button buck followed by a 10-pointer, his largest he had ever taken.
“It was a good opening day for me,” he said.
