2014 Deer Hunt Summary
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The 2014 deer season was one that reminded us why it's called hunting and not harvesting.
As in previous years, we hosted two different groups of returning hunters during the Ontario rifle season. Opening day got off to a fantastic start, with three deer harvested—a nice 8-point buck and two does. Unfortunately, no additional deer were taken that week, so the first group of five hunters finished with three deer.
The second week saw another three deer harvested, including a spike buck and two does. However, that week seemed to have more than its share of bad luck. Between a lost cell phone, vehicle problems, ATV issues, flat tires, and other unexpected setbacks, much more time was spent around camp than in the woods. Sometimes that's just how hunting trips go.
One of the highlights came after the season while helping the guys take down their tree stands. At one of my stand locations, we spotted a beautiful buck following a doe that was beginning to come into heat. As disappointing as it was to see him after the season, it was still exciting to witness.
After the success and excitement of the previous two late archery seasons, I decided to dedicate my time to pursuing a mature whitetail buck. I had nine different stand locations prepared, with three quality bucks regularly showing up on my trail cameras. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly.
The weather started out exactly as I had hoped. It was cold enough to keep the deer moving, but then everything changed.
A massive snowstorm—the same system that buried Buffalo under nearly six feet of snow—rolled through our area. While some snow is expected during the late season, receiving nearly three feet over just a couple of days completely changed the hunt.
Only three days before the storm, deer were everywhere. Within a day of the snowfall, most of the deer had migrated south to their winter yards. I spent countless hours walking the bush, searching for fresh sign and hoping to relocate them, but it just wasn't meant to be.
After deciding to call it a season, I stayed in touch with the neighbour next door. Once the snow had melted, he let me know the big 8-point buck he had been watching had returned. He offered to put out some corn and a trail camera to see if there was any activity. The camera captured a smaller 8-point, and while the larger buck never appeared, I couldn't resist making one final trip north.
The conditions were perfect, and as I sat in my stand, I couldn't help but think back to the previous season when that giant 9-point stepped out and my arrow clipped a tree branch. About an hour before dark, the wind shifted slightly and began blowing directly into the cedar thicket. From that moment on, I knew my chances were over. I never saw a deer that evening, and the trail camera didn't capture any activity overnight either.
Overall, 2014 was a challenging season from start to finish, but that's what keeps us coming back. Every hunt teaches you something, and every season brings new memories, whether you fill a tag or not.
Thanks for taking the time to read our 2014 Deer Hunt Summary. We're already looking forward to next season.
Thanks,
Nick