Everyone who has a license got the email so they know.
State has lost a lot of hunters. I often hunt and don’t see another during bow season hunter these days.
My bow hunting is mostly out of state these days. I pretty much only bow hunt in mass these days when the season verbals with the bear season. I would rather go south. Going south for me is 1/2 the drive going east is and the traffic is better.
I also am having more trouble getting around these days so I get out less and less every year.
Bob
Like Bob, I think a lot of the larger generation of older archers are either aging out, or going out of state to better hunting. I know many that hunt NY, CT, PA and other better states now that they have more experience and more money. Most of these guys fill tags every year without fail, usually multiple tags with the bow. Which means they are seeing deer, because archery is not that easy.
Like them, as well, I've killed my deer, have lots of deer on the wall and hell, I'm just not as serious as I used to be about it. I will however go where I will see deer, and not waste my vacation time in unproductive states. I'll also not do my local area a disservice by killling the one or two deer I may see. I'll go where deer are very plentiful.
This year, I'm headed to South Carolina. They kill 200,000 deer per year. Unlike MA's measly 12-14K per year. The Zone I'm hunting in takes average of 12K per year....that's equal to the whole state of MA. And average success rate is 6% in MA compared to 65% in SC. Rifle started already and you can use any weapon. I'll spend my time seeing and passing deer everyday, using whatever means to kill I want. Its much better then seeing nothing all day.
Then we'll be slamming pheasants in late October and November on weekends.
Then it will be off to PA for rifle, and NH will be a fill in on Sundays. Wont see much in NH, but sometimes there a big one around.
If I do hunt MA it will be only shotgun probably for a few days, so I can hunt with my son whos in college here and doesn't get out much. Basically I'll push for him and hopefully he can shoot a big buck. He won't shoot anything else even though we have doe permits.
Then in March we have a Florida Hog Hunt planned.
Should be a good few months ahead.