Educate this very experienced old man

[scottlawrenceburg]

June last year I moved to Lawrenceburg from western ky for family reasons.. there I had 10s of 1000s acres to hunt thanks to family own... every time out seeing 15 deer was a slow time.. several times I had to literally kick or go ahead and shoot a deer to get them out of the way to the stand...
Question is why around here there is almost no deer.. last year shot 1 seen another.. this year barely seen 2 and ran 1 over... there late evening early morning you would see deer in the fields all over.. here nothing.. I hunt west anderson on my brother in law place.. yes I have been hunting and reloading over 25 years.. there nothing to get 20 does a year.... hunted a great uncle land ratio was about 50 to 1.. now it's about 5 or 6 to 1... just a huge shock to me

 

[barney]

I've found most don't like deer hunting nearly as much when the actual hunting part gets in the way.

 

[JR PORTER]

I’m guessing western Kentucky has more crops like soybeans and corn central Ky has mostly grass (horse farms) not a lot of trees (oaks, mast trees). Eastern Ky has lots of trees for food and grass but we don’t have a lot of deer here either. Just my opinion, I don’t really know why.

 

[rockhousehunter]

I was lost at "shoot a deer to get them out of the way to the stand", huh?

 

[Redfeather]

Western Anderson County is loaded with deer & always has been. You may just be on some property that doesn't hold many.

I come up the Parkway before dark last night and seen a "BUNCH".

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

I was lost at "shoot a deer to get them out of the way to the stand", huh?

They would stand in the 4 wheeler trail.. either run them over or shoot them lol

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

I’m guessing western Kentucky has more crops like soybeans and corn central Ky has mostly grass (horse farms) not a lot of trees (oaks, mast trees). Eastern Ky has lots of trees for food and grass but we don’t have a lot of deer here either. Just my opinion, I don’t really know why.

Western ky has some woods but mostly cleared for crop... corn wheat and beans

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

Western Anderson County is loaded with deer & always has been. You may just be on some property that doesn't hold many.

I come up the Parkway before dark last night and seen a "BUNCH".

I am on 35 acres.. nothing but trees and very well grown up but a walking trail around the edge he keeps cut.. 2 ponds.. and cover so thick in places a rabbit 🐇 couldn't get through... I have cut a few trails to get around.. there used to be several very well deer trails full length of property last year... this year not touched... 1 trail is worn down 6 inches along a cedar row about 200 yards long but nothing this year

 

[WildmanWilson]

I’m guessing western Kentucky has more crops like soybeans and corn central Ky has mostly grass (horse farms) not a lot of trees (oaks, mast trees). Eastern Ky has lots of trees for food and grass but we don’t have a lot of deer here either. Just my opinion, I don’t really know why.

We do have a large number of crop acres in western Ky but there are plenty of tree as well. The soil is more rich than the eastern part too.

 

[carnivore]

I am on 35 acres.. nothing but trees and very well grown up but a walking trail around the edge he keeps cut.. 2 ponds.. and cover so thick in places a rabbit 🐇 couldn't get through... I have cut a few trails to get around.. there used to be several very well deer trails full length of property last year... this year not touched... 1 trail is worn down 6 inches along a cedar row about 200 yards long but nothing this year

What is the dominant species of trees is your woods and is it thick or clear. If mostly maple, honeysuckle, smartwees, and box alder then deer have zero reason to be there.
Also do you happen to have any Amish neighbors

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

We do have a large number of crop acres in western Ky but there are plenty of tree as well. The soil is more rich than the eastern part too.

I lived just outside of Mayfield for over 25 years

 

[xbokilla]

Well so you’re zone 1 and it isn’t easy pickens for you? No offense but glad someone else can share a story that it’s not easy just because you’re in Zone 1. As mentioned some places hold a lot of deer and some don’t.

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

What is the dominant species of trees is your woods and is it thick or clear. If mostly maple, honeysuckle, smartwees, and box alder then deer have zero reason to be there.
Also do you happen to have any Amish neighbors

No amish...you have to go back on a private drive about 1 mile to get to it... mainly junk trees..very very few Hickory or oak.. about 20% is open woods rest is so thick need a bulldozer to get through

 

[xbokilla]

No amish...you have to go back on a private drive about 1 mile to get to it... mainly junk trees..very very few Hickory or oak.. about 20% is open woods rest is so thick need a bulldozer to get through

Like cedars?

 

[scottlawrenceburg]

Well so you’re zone 1 and it isn’t easy pickens for you? No offense but glad someone else can share a story that it’s not easy just because you’re in Zone 1. As mentioned some places hold a lot of deer and some don’t.

I think next year will put in for taylorsville especially the disability hunt... I am just used to seeing a bunch of deer every day.. here might see 2 whole season