Kinda depends Craig. The last Saturday around here wasn't real busy for hunter and Sunday afternoon there were nine deer in the field across from the house. Didn't see any antlers in that bunch.

In my area of Wisconsin (south, central) it takes about two weeks for them to even begin to settle down after rifle season. My experience is, it takes until well into the new year before all the "spookiness" and nervousness returns to normal. Others may have different experiences but that's my take on it.

About a week depending on how hard they have been hunted.

I breathed a big sigh of relief this evening as it got dark and the last firearm season of the year for antlered deer (muzzleloader) came to an end. Its funny when I was younger I absolutely loved buck firearm season and seeing all of the hunters and hearing all of the shots ring out in the distance. It was what I lived for,but now years later I will be honest I am very uncomfortable being in the woods with the orange army even on my own property. So much so that I have hardly hunted at all the past couple weeks.Now though I feel like the woods will be mine again! Late season has actually become one of my favorite times to be out in the woods.I have already seen two really nice bucks in the past week that survived the gun season on national forest land and its got me exited about where I might hunt next year. It is going to feel good to get out in the mountains and not have to worry about wearing blaze orange or worrying that if I jump a buck and he runs over the hill that I might hear 15 shots ring out. Most the places that I hunt are a pretty good hike to get into so its really not that bad,in fact I actually rarely see another hunter even in gun season. I just feel so paranoid about knowing other people might be in the woods with high powered weapons. Thats all over now,at least for the next 11 months! Good luck

It usually takes a few weeks around my place, but I’ve been seeing deer since the rifle season has ended. There were very few deer shot around here this year and from what I hear very little hunting pressure during the rifle season.

I would say 20 years ago the deer were spooked until January flintlock season was over. In recent years not so much. There just isn't that much hunting pressure and that includes archery around here anymore. Seems the deer find safe (posted) land and stay there unless pushed during gun season. Years ago there were a lot more hunters pushing & spooking deer. I went out opening day of gun season and heard a total of 3 shots all morning. I used to hear 3 shots before it even got light enough to see. So, to answer your question Craig... I'd say they're about the same now as they were 2 weeks ago just a little wiser.

Can't wait for the late season to hunt with my son and grandson again. Both have a doe and for looking for a left over buck. I was lucky and have the buck. Good hunting guys.

Here in my area, They were back to normal in a couple of days but like Pa Steve said they’re a bit wiser. Although you wouldn’t have thought so if you’d seen this big ten 3 days after rifle season (hope the pic shows up it was taken with a cellphone) I watched him for 5 minutes working a scrape.

I often go down and visit my brother in our hometown, and we will go on marathon 3-4 hour rides through the southern hills of NYS. Greenwood, Jasper, Cameron, Whitesville, etc.etc. I can not believe the number of deer we see in the fields during gun season and the daylight hours. Years ago you would never see that. I can't believe the number of hunters and vehicles we DON'T see.

I just started to bow hunt again this season after a very long lay off and frankly I kind of like it. I can hunt all season long and not have to worry about seeing other hunters etc.etc. I can remember years ago driving up a dirt road over near Avoca NY with my brother. We crest a rise in the road and there were a several standers lining the road on one side spaced a few hundred yards apart. Might have been 50 yds or so off the road. You just don't see that anymore at least out driving around. We used to see deer hanging at many many deer camps scattered throughout the area we would drive. Just not the interest there used to be I'll say that.

Normal in my area means keyed up, on edge deer that usually don't move until just before or right after dark. Lots of bowhunting pressure kicks this off in September. Combine this w no foliage and open woods and you really have to get creative or lucky to pull off a 10-15 yard shot.

Oops,sorry Craig I got to rambling and didn't even answer your question. Things are pretty much back to normal now but like some have said it is nothing like it used to be. It used to be an all out war the first couple of days but now it is nothing to see does standing out feeding all season long with hunters driving by and never even slowing down. There are a lot more deer than hunters where I live so after the first day or two most guys have tagged a doe (our gun season is either sex) or are back on the couch watching football. Things get back to normal pretty quick after the first day. Now if a nice buck were to step out with those does now that is a completely different story,every car driving by would have a gun barrel out the window but most hunters don't even slow down unless its got horns,then you better look out. I saw a very nice buck on the last day of buck season standing 50 yards off of the road over a bedded doe on national forest land. I actually got out and ran them off. The doe was acting normal but you could tell that the buck did not like being there by the road one bit,he was very nervous but he was not going to leave that doe. David

in my part of va Oct is bow. 1st 2 weeks Nov muzzleloader. then rifle till 1st sat in Jan. that's 9 straight weeks of gun. the deer herd here handles the pressure but they get spooky & mostly nocturnal

Will have to get back to yous on this one. With the sweeping law changes and overlapping seasons on the public lands I hunt it has not "bounced back" in the last 6 or 7 years. Maybe another 3 to 5 years if the hunting interest dies away we may start seeing some regular deer activity.

Really depends on the area and how hard it is hunted.

I bowhunted the Bald Eagle state forest the first day of rifle trying to fill a DMAP doe tag. I didn't see another hunter.

There was very little shooting or pressure, so I doubt it effected deer much. It was raining though which probably effected hunter numbers. I saw 4 deer feeding that afternoon in a field on the way home.

1st Sat saw more pressure and I did see one other hunter and heard more shooting than the 1st day.

Yesterday my son took pictures of a dandy buck feeding in a field adjacent to state forest land.

So it really depends on the area.

I REALLY wished Texas would adopt some of the season break-ups of other states. Once Archery season is over in the first weekend of November, it's full on rifle until the first weekend in January (depending on county some are a bit longer) IF a guy is hunting hard and can figure out how to deal with the 90 degree weather and TPWD's restrictions on field dressing then the best time is before November. I hunted a place yesterday that we had hoped had been undisturbed, but I believe the "local" pressure has had an impact there as we never saw a single animal.. Not just deer. No squirrels, pigs or anything. Deep East Texas is generally known for this kind of over-slaughter behavior. Usually a couple weeks after the end of the season we will find out what made it through. Some counties around here do have a muzzle loader season at the end of General rifle, but not any different if you allow the inlines that are mroe then capable of 300+ yard shots. Make no mistake I am in no way hating others for using rifles or any other weapon that is legal. Just not real comfy with all the loose cannons (people and lead).

-Bones

Depends on areas and pressure but your not going to stop an animal from doing what's natural to them. They might go a little nocturnal but eventually that lets up. And if there's no pressure then they just roam about and do what comes natural to them.

If all they did was go underground then who would shoot them?

Been 4 weeks since I had a daylight picture at my camp. Deer went almost nocturnal about the middle of October this year. Cant figure it out. Late muzzle ends tonight. Maybe if it gets real cold and nasty they'll move after Christmas during daylight. So to really answer the question. I plan on not seeing a deer from November 16 till christmas.

Can't really speak for 5C this year as it was an abnormal year, but the deer usually keep going about their business around here, it's just that as soon as the leaves come off the trees they are super wary till around the 1st of March.

Hunted SGL 13 this year during gun season. I was told we'd be lucky to see a deer but 4 of us saw 22 in two days. Interestingly, almost all of them were close to the camp, and not deep in the woods. Also hunted SGL 149 the last day of gun and almost ran over two turning off the road going in. Went a mile in and saw nothing for the rest of the day. A large buck ran across the road in front of my truck on the way out just at dark. Somehow, the deer know where to be! Jim

Heard a shot last night about 7ish PM. You mean the season is over where you live? Other than that it will be about February. I'm in 2b and we have a longer season.

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