Have done 5 sits this rifle season in SW Young and Throckmorton counties and yet to hear a rifle shot which is astonsishing to me. I usually hear no less than 1-3 shots a sit, sometimes more. Any theories as to reason and are you all hearing, or not hearing the same?

I hunted opening day and didn’t hear a shot. Hunted this week from Wednesday thru today and finally heard a couple of far off shots right at daylight this morning. Drive by Rust Processing around 11am and they looked busy. IDK

New modern hunters using suppressors

Agree-----I am fully suppressed these days. Neighbors won't hear me shoot.

Family farms around me not leasing to hunters much anymore is what has caused it around here.

I want my neighbors to know I'm here. I did my part tonight. 'Attempted Texas heart shot at a departing sow that didn't like the looks of things. They headed towards one neighbor's. Buh bye! I think another neighbor is trespassing on the pipeline easement. Stupid bastard. Plenty of shots from his "strictly bow hunting" property.

Around 8 sits so far and have only heard two shots in N Jack County. A lot of Acorns and fresh greens all around after the rains.
Although a buddy of mine shot a real nice 9 pointer last weekend close to where I hunt.

I’ve got to admit; in all my years I’ve never heard less shots, and most of the guys around me don’t use suppressors. Right along with that is this very weird weather.

Same for me in the area I hunt in East Texas/Houston County.

Were some of my thoughts too coupled with higher than usual temps so far this season. Also, looks to be fewer hunters around town as in prior seasons which may get to the, "less ranches being leased out to hunters" as noted. Glad I wasn't just imagining stuff, lol.

Don't get me wrong, as Depeche Mode sang, I enjoy the silence especially while hunting.

Oh and I forgot to mention that giant Flood Light out every night (moon) making it easier for critters to dine 24/7

Much the same here, odd year. I’ve sat every weekend since youth weekend and have heard 2 shots. On the other hand, my neighbors have heard 20+ as the kids & I clean up the trash and a handful of hogs this year.

Did it get to expensive? Did the old timers give up? Could it be that the costs and then the killer PROCESSING (for those of us who can’t do it) usually $250+ with sausage…,has driven many to say, I’m done.

Rural Texas is shrinking, and people in my generation who started hunting in the 50's and 60's are dying off, and those land owners have died and the kids don't want to mess with raising cattle and goats, and some out of state developers offer them a nice sum of money so they can develop the land and get even richer.
It's not hard to figure out, and all the other factors included such as weather, and the fact that people can't afford to lease anymore.
Back when I was a young hunter I can remember opening morning it sounded like a war zone when the first light appeared.

This one is pretty decent for this area, may have to take him if he comes out in legal shooting hours. Low fence area but not a lot of pressure, I know of 2 hunters nearby that would shoot him on sight, really wish he would get another year on him....

Think you're right Jimbo, 20 mi and 30 mi SW of Graham and 2-2:25 hours from metromess, I should be hearing multiple shots per sit like in all prior 16 seasons hunting out there. Not seeing the hunting trucks and rigs on the road as much either. Am seeing some horns, just not what I want...

Navarro county here, and I've noticed it too. Other than duck hunters, I only heard 3 shots opening weekend. One was my son, and one was mine. Not a lot of shooting around me...and with so many new neighbors, I'm OK with that. Alternatively, yellow dog has a point. There might have been a lot more shots that I didn't hear.

I guess different parts of the state have different issues going on. Not much change to family farms and ranchland here in the last 50 years. People who work the land and raise livestock pass it to their kids who do the same. The feed store is just as busy as ever. The big decline of hunters here started with them coming down and using the leases as gun ranges and setting off Tannerite.

I think it is a multitude of things.

To many acorns
Lots of rain = green groceries everywhere
Full moon
Warm weather

As to Jimbo's point about hearing a lot of gun shots opening weekend when he was a kid.
Back especially in the 70's -80's very few people practiced game management, no AR rules so for 90+% of the hunters if it was brown, it was down regardless of doe, buck or how big or small it was.
Back in the 60,s, 70's it was amusing to watch folks with their dead deer tied on top of the roof or trunk of their vehicles.

This guy knows how to party.

Maybe Stub, but just seeing , actually not seeing as many hunters in field, on roadways, in motel parking lots and at restaurants. Not saying it's bad thing, just a thing, lol...

Lot of elements to this imo. Old timers dieing off and kids inheriting the place or selling to kids just like them would be top of the list! I have very few shots around our ranch this year starting in dove season thru now! My Niehbor to the north passed away and his kids moved in there . I haven’t heard a weed eater, lawnmower, let alone a gunshot! Fence lines growing back up that I seen that man do by hand! On the west side of the gravel road I’ve got Harris for president signs which is Absolutly there right to put up but in 15 years I’ve never seen them (let alone met them). On the west and south side of me I have sizable ranches and talk to there ranch Hands from time to time but the city and everything that comes with it is moving into our hunting and ranching area!

Heard one all weekend.

Well two, mine was the other.

Same here i hunt west of Graham in Young County and haven't heard a single shot this season while in the stand. I thought it was weird and even mentioned it to other guys that i hunt with.