Deer Season Finally Over; Or is It?

With only moments of light left in Virginia's 2008 deer season, a doe and two yearlings emerged from the thick brush about 20 yards to the left of my stand.  The deer had caught me sitting down, and the doe saw me as I got to my feet.  She hung back, but the younger deer continued in my direction, each eventually turning broadside at less than 12 yards.

I did consider shooting the  bigger of the two yearlings and even drew back my bowstring briefly.  But as the last light of day faded, I chose to let the deer go and see what it turns out to be next year.

Although in my part of the country, it's hard to say how many of the deer walking around this morning will still be with us next fall.  One reason for that is that here in Northern Virginia we actually have another three months of antlerless-only deer season left.  In my home county of Loudoun this late season is general firearms, meaning hunters can use a gun, bow or muzzleloader to harvest their late season does.  The antlerless bow season began in early September, and the special late season runs through the end of March.

One reason we have such a long season, and probably the more important reason I may not see the deer I passed on Saturday again next year, is the huge number of deer hit by cars around here on a daily basis.  Deer are overpopulated here to begin with, and that population grows harder and harder to control as development gobbles up more and more of the whitetail habitat.  On the short stretch of road between my home and office, I see new dead deer on the roadside virtually every day throughout the fall and winter.

So as good as it felt to let those deer walk yesterday, I suppose I should get out there and get back after them--at least try and kill the cautious doe--and do my part to manage the population.  Since the special late seasons started in 2007, I've rarely deer hunted during them and have never taken a shot.  In addition to my general reluctance to shoot a deer now that has already survived a long hunting season, there is always the chance that a late season doe will turn out to be a buck that has already dropped its antlers.

I've got plenty of venison in the freezer, and I've got a long long to-do list of things I put off during deer season.  I'm eager to do some goose hunting as well.  But I believe strongly that it is my responsibility as a hunter to take part in the management aspect of the deer harvest.

The hunt goes on. . .

Comments

[Arthur]

I have done this same thing many times, but really in the end it is probably best for us to shoot those deer.

I can't point fingers, though, because I've done the same thing many times. It is so hard to shoot them after they've made it this far. It is also hard to shoot a doe this late, when there is a good chance that it is a buck that has already dropped its antlers.

[Tom Jr.]

They got no such mercy from me the last two days. Two does and a turkey! On to Loudoun to continue the hunt this weekend!