Are NJ deer easier than big woods deer in NY and PA?

[Gman]

my observation is the upstate NY deer are much much harder to kill,  no comparison.  The NJ deer smell human scent daily, they are far less alert in my opinion.  I dont mean to minimize those who have harvested slammer bucks in NJ as they are big and old for a reason, but that same buck in the big woods? Completely different animal and nearly impossible to kill.

Does anyone agree with me? NJ deer are relatively easy compared to big woods deer.

 

 

[Tbryant]

Two totally different animals with all kinds of different factors. I’m sure others will chime in and explain in greater detail, but in the broad picture, it’s much easier to kill a deer in NJ than upstate. 

[Gman]

Just now, Tbryant said:

Two totally different animals with all kinds of different factors. I’m sure others will chime in and explain in greater detail, but in the broad picture, it’s much easier to kill a deer in NJ than upstate. 

Agree, didnt want to be blunt but seriously, anyone can kill a NJ deer. 

[MikeStaten]

Yes, between allowing for baiting and the deer population density in most parts of the state, it's relatively easier hunting in NJ than NY.

[yoda4x4]

I would mostly agree with that statement with one major exception. I tend to think that NJ deer have had more hunter interaction and as a result are far more likely to look up in the trees for hunters than anywhere else. My buddy in Missouri has confirmed this; he's told me that MO deer never look up unless you're moving around.

David

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[Stratus]

Yes, been hunting upstate woods for years, can’t compare to most of NJ. 

[Lunatic]

Nothing easy to kill a mature, 4.5 year and up, deer in NJ. Think  about how many members we have on this site and how many mature deer do we get to see., very few

compering big woods rifle hunts to NJ hunting can not lead to any conclusions. Too many variables 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Lunatic

[JHbowhunter]

Too general a question.    Seeing deer and killing just any deer in NJ - hands down, not very hard.   Killing any buck 4.5 and older and even better with consistency rivals anything you can come up with in terms of challenge.    A mature buck is a completely different animal and has to be smarter to survive in this state, more than just about any other.   

Which state is is easier to shoot young deer? - NJ might be the easiest. 

Which state is hardest to shoot mature deer - NJ might be the hardest.     

 

 

[smittty]

10 minutes ago, JHbowhunter said:

Too general a question.    Seeing deer and killing just any deer in NJ - hands down, not very hard.   Killing any buck 4.5 and older and even better with consistency rivals anything you can come up with in terms of challenge.    A mature buck is a completely different animal and has to be smarter to survive in this state, more than just about any other.   

Which state is is easier to shoot young deer? - NJ might be the easiest. 

Which state is hardest to shoot mature deer - NJ might be the hardest.     

 

 

I completely agree. .A mature NJ deer have seen every trick in the book before  from scents to calls they’ve seen it all. And are all the smarter for it

[Gman]

5 minutes ago, smittty said:

I completely agree. .A mature NJ deer have seen every trick in the book before  from scents to calls they’ve seen it all. And are all the smarter for it

I dont agree, a NJ mature buck smells a human almost every day, a NY mature buck..probably rarely, which one would be more alarmed at human scent... I'm saying a big woods NY deer...he is not going near Human scent.

[bt bowhunter]

Down here on the E shore, the farm tracts are huge.  With not a lot of people.  Bow hunting here, a deer catches scent a couple hundred yards out...and he’s gone in a crazy hurry. They won’t linger around like they did in Nj.

same where I trapped in the Green Mountains of Vermont.  Very rarely did you even see those mountains deer.  One sound, one whiff they didn’t like and they were not just gone, they were out of the county. 
 

deer here or up there just didn’t tolerate human intrusion... because they don’t HAVE to.  Lots of country to flee to. Up there (Nj) they trot to the next neighborhood.

Edited November 25, 2020 by bt bowhunter

[JHbowhunter]

15 minutes ago, Gman said:

I dont agree, a NJ mature buck smells a human almost every day, a NY mature buck..probably rarely, which one would be more alarmed at human scent... I'm saying a big woods NY deer...he is not going near Human scent.

if you are correct they would never make it to age 6.5 and older.        But they do - and they are pure ghosts.   They are just different than the rest of the herd. 

[3Blade]

Got to agree with Jack.

Was after this buck since 2014. 8.5 year old possibly older. Finaly killed him Jan 2020...wasn't so easy

[Gobblengrunt]

A MATURE NJ buck is not going near human scent either!  A big woods NY buck is definitely a different animal than a Bergen county residential but NJ has bigger woods where those deer do act the same.  To say a mature NY deer is almost unkillable is silly, your just hunting him wrong.  I kill mature animals in many different states, terrains, and habitat - my tactics change accordingly.  How many mature deer have you killed in NJ?

[smittty]

9 minutes ago, Gman said:

I dont agree, a NJ mature buck smells a human almost every day, a NY mature buck..probably rarely, which one would be more alarmed at human scent... I'm saying a big woods NY deer...he is not going near Human scent.

I totally disagree I’ve been hunting deer a long time and that being said NJ deer are the most skidesh deer in North America in my opinion. They have to be to stay alive and the ones that live to be upwards of four are tuff to kill