[Wtail_Undrgrnd]

This year I purchased a camera to do some self filming. Started running cams in July same as normal, last year had 7 bucks I felt would go 140+. This year only 2 bucks that would maybe make P&Y, not he reason I hunt but mature bucks are definitely a bonus. I coach High school and youth football so my September and October hunts were mostly non existent. Was able to get out a few times and so some movement but nothing great. Took last few days of October and first few of November off from work to get some much needed stand time in. I saw a ton of movement during those few days, and then our rifle season kicked off. I bow hunted during that week only to see 1 lone doe. I have only seen 4 deer since November 4th, and my season is coming to a close in 15 short days. I am crossing my fingers I can get some meat in the freezer yet!

 

[I like Meat]

Yes, its been tough... did get a big Doe in early Nov., and was at full draw on a decent buck, but he turned on me and walked off....passed on several 1.5 yr olds and passed on some big Does... now that I want to take another Doe for meat, I cant get one within range... havnt seen a decent buck sine the first week of Nov. ...had a cam stolen, and the area I hunt on state land seems to be invaded with more and more clownboys .... thus is state land ... ukey:

 

[Duckman89]

Yep promotion at work gave me very little time to hunt this year , I'm blessed to hunt 200 acres near my house (picked up last year) and thought I'd have it down to science but all the bucks disappeared . Took a week long hunt with my family on some public ground and just totally blew it on the biggest buck iv ever seen from a tree and left my bow hanging and did some scouting only to run into a 130 " mature buck a 180 yards from my stand running a doe (all I could do is watch from 25 yards away) . Back home only to bounce arrow off the only decent buck iv seen on the land this year iv hunted 6 times since Nov 13th lol o well still love it

 

[n.d. woods jr]

So far first year haven't killed a mature buck since 2012, haven't even seen anything bigger than a 4pt. Just one of those years. Hey, still got two weeks though and you never know, and I'm not giving up. Also very thankful for the 6 does my son and I have out in the freezer, so not all bad. Thankful also just to be able to enjoy God's creation!

 

[gjs4]

Oh yeah. Last two years I’ve killed a great buck here during bow. Didn’t see a shooter here in NY, or even harvest a deer during bow. Ricocheted an arrow down the side of a doe.thankfully I killed her w a gun. Got poor penetration on a great 4yo in illinois and knew it . 20 min after he ran off I had a 160 give me 30 min of time to kill him. Went to Indiana, public was flooded. Hunted a new piece of public. Didn’t see a deer until the last day. Missed a very nice 3yo here w a gun my son in the ground blind asked me to shoot. A week later missed the buck I wanted to shoot here from the same blind. Multiple buddies making it look easy and I couldn’t kill a deer in my truck.

As stated above- it’s not about the end result as much as the journey.


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[shawnster88]

This season sucks for me. Had three bucks in range during bow season. A spike and two 6 pts, I tried to get a shot on one of the 6pts and the spike busted me. Haven’t seen a buck since. Gun season now, but I still use my bow. Last week had three does literally walking under my stand. Does wasn’t legal then. Does back legal this weekend and didn’t see squat today. Been 5 years since I haven’t gotten any deer in the freezer. Streak could end this year. Still enjoy getting out in the woods though.


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[Ken Bare]

I hunt public land in Northern Michigan. 1st week of bow season was crazy with deer. Shot a 8pt on Oct 4th. Passed up on does and 5pts all bow season. Have had a shot on a deer since rifle season. Now having trouble filling the freezer with a doe even.

 

[full moon64]

Count your blessing and health and family you have !Enjoy the woods

 

[1canvas]

I only wish I had a tuff season. I have been side lined by some medical issues with my upper body muscles since October. This has been the first season I haven't hunted in 45 years. My season has been brutal.

 

[JMart294]

Had a good year. Seen more deer then I have in the past few years. Can't wait to see what 2018 has to offer.

 

[buckeyelongbeards]

Yessir, nw ohio. One spot I hunt is almost naked of any deer. Increasingly worse over the last 3 years

 

[sawtoothscream]

Terrible season for me. Saw one buck chase in October and no rut action since. Saw a few small bucks and Passed alot of doe and now that I will shoot one I'm not seeing them either lol.

Most guys I have talked to around here are not having a good season. The bucks that were taken we're Young minus one brute.

Tomorrow is the final day, hoping a doe comes by , really any deer will do now

 

[Billy H]

Good and bad here. The good, Managed an 11 point in our early bow season and arrowed a doe that was being chased by a buck second week of November. The bad, a couple weeks after I shot my buck a better one stood in front of me at 20 yards for five minutes. Not seeing enough doe on the properties I hunt. Will be refraining from killing doe next season and I’ll toss my remaining doe tag this year. So no certainly not a brutal season for me this year, but last year was rough. tons of stand time and only managed a doe late in the season.

 

[CapeFear Hunter]

It has been a rough one for us too. We spent the first half of our season at baseball fields and have seen very few deer since we did start hunting. We still have a few weeks and my main goal is to get my 11 year old his first archery buck. He hasn't bow hunted yet, but he is shooting good now and we have a blind set up for him that has not been hunted all season. He is out of school and I am off work, maybe this is the week.

 

[Gruder]

Yes and no. Shot a beautiful doe October 8th, too warm to do it myself so $80 burger and steaks only, then shot a beautiful buck during rut, donated meat to local food pantry because they love it. I paid for processing. No problem, I don't donate anywhere near 10% to anything.
Fast forward
Get a call from DNR, "Uh oh your doe tested positive for CWD, you better not eat it".
WTH
Now I'm hoping for another shot at a Doe. Missed one the other night, bad decision desperate move. I'm behind the 8 ball and a wee bit nervous
Getting up right now to enter the void of anything desolate woods

 

[EJP1234]

We had an EHD outbreak in early September. The mature bucks all disappeared. Ive shot my normal boat load of does, but the mature bone is gone. Plenty of teeny 1.5yr old bucks to be optimistic for the coming years. I have one 130" buck that survived on my one farm, and a nice wide 120" buck on my other... However unless Im hunting from 12am to 3am it appears my oppurtunities for them arent going to happen. Its okay though, not everyone gets an annual bill from the taxi, a year off isnt a bad thing.

 

[Acottrell]

I'm also feeling the pain here in NC with the second season hunting ever, first with my bow. Hunting a 40 acre parcel my buddy owns. He's killed a nice buck and doe already and is calling it quits. Meanwhile I got a buck opening day in early Sept and have barely seen 10 deer since, let alone anything over 1 year old in shooting range. Been out nearly 20 times this season and only have until Jan. 1st.

 

[Bodyd]

Yes it has been my worst in about 30 years. Didn't get started until almost the middle of November. Fixing cars for kids and helping them through some difficult things. By the time I got out I find tracking ribbon through 2 of my spots that are only a few acres each and found out other people had been through hunting pheasants also. That usually pushes the deer out they don't tolerate much human activity. I hunted around 45 hrs and saw 3 decent bucks that would have been close to P&Y at best. No shot opportunities. Today is the last day of chase (shotgun) season then I have until Jan. 10 but usually the deer are gone from this area from being chased around in pickups.On the bright side I did help my friend track and find a very nice buck. It was a discouraging season but I am using it to get motivated, do my homework, get out there sooner next year, and fix my weak links. Plans plans plans, I have about a million to make sure it never happens again.

 

[ridgerunner1]

Good year here can't complain..3 bucks 2 does..and 11 bear in 12 days so far..I ain't killed any bear we just own the dogs that put em up

 

[jacobh]

Horrible year. I stopped hunting my home state due to lack of deer this year and hunted another state. Things don't change next year home state will have one less hunter