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STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
STAR CITY WHITETAILS 2015-2016 HUNTING REPORT
Well the VDGIF statistics are in and it appears that the state of Virginia had yet another banner year in Deer, Bear & Turkey harvests. The statistics show that even with the extra bear license cost the harvest numbers are the second highest ever recorded!
I was personally stunned to see the positive statistics and I am ultimately happy that this is the case, but the report from my neck of the woods in southwest Virginia is a little different. Here is how my year went.....
They call it hunting and that’s just what I did. Day after day, hunt after hunt I sought out that elusive whitetail deer. For me it began the first weekend of bow season in October. On my very first set I saw 3 bucks whom all came within bow range but were of the younger variety and I chose to let them walk. The following weekend I shot a doe, found the arrow covered in crimson and a faint blood trail that came to an abrupt end after only 50 yards. I even came back the next morning and walked around the property for hours in hopes of finding her, but my efforts came up empty.
As the season moved into November and I picked up my muzzleloader there was something very important missing..... “DEER SIGN”.
The 2015-16 hunting season was the first time in 36 years of hunting the Virginia woods and mountains that I witnessed such scarce sign, not to mention the consistently warm weather and lack of mast. On the property that I hunt I have consistently seen rubbed trees as well as ground scrapes each year, but going into November of 2015 I encountered only one horned tree and exactly no ground scrapes.
Although I had seen fewer deer on my trail camera over the summer of 2015 and fewer deer sightings during bow season than normal, I was ever the optimist as muzzleloading season began.
Prior to bow season I read an article from an acclaimed deer biologist who said there would be an early rut for our Virginia area. The full moon, bucks testosterone and the doe’s estrogen levels would all culminate for a unique high intensity first week of November rut…NOPE!
For the first 2 weeks of early muzzleloader in my neck of the woods I saw exactly 2 does that were not accompanied by testosterone driven bucks.
It’s amazing how I, and I can only assume many of you take for granted that hunting stays the same basically year after year…not this one?
As I sat in the woods during early November it crossed my mind that something was very wrong, maybe all the deer in my area had been abducted by aliens. Knowing a little bit about the history of whitetail deer hunting in Virginia, I thought this must have been how hunting was for our forefathers back in the 40’s. Everything related to deer hunting had made sense to me until the 2015 season.
On November 19th my optimism was quickly fading as I crept into the woods before daylight with my rifle and situated myself in my ground blind. As the light began to gather around me so did the deer activity. It was as if the abducted deer had been replenished along with my optimism. Several decent younger bucks were pushing doe’s and I even filmed a healthy 3.5 year old 9 pointer hot on a doe for most of the afternoon and let him walk in hopes of a future wallhanger. November 19th was really the highlight of the rut activity in my neck of the woods, but it did wonders for the soul. Although we were late into the deer season there was still no additional rubs and I didn’t see a ground scrape until the final day of rifle season. I was really taken aback by the season thus far.
It wasn’t until the late season in December that I finally got to utilize the cross hairs of my muzzleloader. I harvested 4 does and finally got my hunt on and my freezer filled!
Based on last hunting season’s unique events and my reflection on hunting seasons gone by I would encourage all hunters to look at it from these perspectives……
Go with your gut on the rut and avoid trying to take in too much outsider, know it all advice. The rut will remain similar year after year in your neck of the woods, but being in the woods each opportunity that presents itself will trump any luck that may come otherwise. Staying positive and keeping the faith are also great characteristics of a true hunter, after all a big part of hunting is to really enjoy your time in the woods and the peace it provides that cant be gotten anywhere else. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Whitetail Deer Hunting, but it is fun to assert certainties when talking around the tail-gate or hunt camp, such as “a cold snap will get the rut going” or “the deer will be on their feet after this storm is over”, “deer lay down and don’t move when its hot”. The list goes on and on, but unless you are actually in the woods every opportunity to experience it, your experience can’t help you.
Until I established Star City Whitetails and began to share and gather hunting information with our Virginia hunting community I didn’t realize how many of us hunt. It has been very refreshing to see all the age groups involved in our great sport from young to old and it’s very impressive to see the large number of female hunters that actively represent our great hunting tradition!
Our hunting community owes lots of appreciation to all the parents, grand parents, aunt’s and uncle’s and friends that are out there actively taking our younger generation into the woods and allowing them to experience our sport. We also owe a great deal of appreciation to the VDGIF for ensuring that we have quality wildlife to hunt.
Although the 2015-2016 deer hunting season has come to an end for me without harvesting that big mature buck that I have been after for years, I still remain optimistic and always excited about next season. The mystique of the whitetail deer and its unpredictable behavior only deepens my passion for hunting them…..
Each trip is different and always holds the chance for something that I have never experienced before and possibly ever again.
In closing I have to say that there is one unchanging theme to my deer hunting over the last 20 years that helps my chances, and that’s my wife's support of me chasing my hunting dreams.
Thank ya girl !
Jeff Phillips 2/27/16
