Beechnuts & Deer Sign?

[Stillhunter]

I haven't been able to get up into the mountains to deer hunt yet but may be able to get to it next weekend Nov. 4 and 5. Can anyone comment on the beechnut crop this year. I hunt central adks / Cedar River / West Canada Wilderness area. How about deer sign in general this season... rubs, scrapes, etc.???

[pondhopper]

BIG, widespread beechnut crop this year. WCW looks good.

However, they dropped earlier than usual, this year.

[ken999]

They've been hit or miss down here...some guys are seeing tons of them, I'm just not one of them...I have yet to see a bear 'nest' in the tops of any beeches either...weird...Lot's of people I talk to are hunting in ton's of Beechnuts...me, I'm still lookin'.

[Sasquatch]

heh heh heh.... I just found a TON of oak trees... acorns everywhere... lots of deer sign, but no rubs or scrapes yet... I have yet to see antlers in the woods up here...

[Adkleaddog]

LOTS of nuts.....scrapes and rubs galore on Friday in the "lower" WCL's.

This might turn out to be a great year!

[sp_nyp]

I have seen loads and loads of beech nuts as well.

I haven't been out since opening weekend so I haven't seen any rubs or scrapes, but I plan on hitting the woods hard this coming weekend.

[fisher39]

LOTS of nuts.....scrapes and rubs galore on Friday in the "lower" WCL's.

This might turn out to be a great year!

I've seen more deer this year than ever before in my 26 years. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the turning point where the deer in the west-central Adirondacks get a good foothold and the population rebounds.

[Sheldon]

I have seen a ton of rubs and scapes out side of the lower ADK's. Remsen, Ohio, Grant area is total packed with buck sign. The side hills are filled with beech, which are a major draw for them, but a assume that the deer population is very high this year. The lack of hunters is one of the major causes for this, and there is talk now (my wife has an uncle in the DEC) that there is a law trying to get passed to regulate antler size in certain areas. Yes, this will help us hunters out for trophy bucks, but there will be an overpopulation of the deer herd in New York. I am only speculating, dont look down on me, but the vast amount of buck sign this year is a sign that this has already started.

[lumberzac]

I haven't seen a fresh buck rub yet this year, but have seen a lot of scrapes. I've probably only seen about half the number of deer I saw last year where I hunt, but have probably seen twice as many hunters. Funny, because I’m hunting private land.

[pondhopper]

When we were in the MRPs/WCLs area this year, the deer appeared to be spending most of their time on the steep mountainsides, where there's a mix of spruce with the beech/nuts (feed). Going back on daytrips.

Moose were the puzzler; we always used to see them, or their sign on the TOPS of mountains or ridges......this year, they were down low, near rivers and/or swampy areas.

[lumberzac]

Moose were the puzzler; we always used to see them, or their sign on the TOPS of mountains or ridges......this year, they were down low, near rivers and/or swampy areas.

My guess is it's because things have been relatively warm this fall and there is probably still aquatic plants for the moose to eat.

[pondhopper]

My guess is it's because things have been relatively warm this fall and there is probably still aquatic plants for the moose to eat.

Good a guess as any! I was going to say maybe, the 18-22 inches of snowfall, may have had something to do with it. But there weren't even any discernable OLD tracks on the tops.

[lumberzac]

Or maybe they moved south. I hunt near the Great Sacandaga, and came across moose sign a few weeks ago. This was the first time I see any sign where I hunt, although I have seen sign in other areas that aren't too far away.

[pondhopper]

Maybe, but I don't *think* so. Seemed to be good numbers in the area (as usual); I personally, saw three and the other guys saw some,too.

I bend towards the "food source" thing .

[ken999]

...Finally saw one in there eh PH??...