As of now I have over 200 hrs in my stand and not a buck to be seen. I have only seen 3 does but no doe tag this year. I guess the winter last year really took its toll on the deer population here in eastern Canada. It has been estimated by land and forests that it is the lowest it has been in 42 years and it really shows in the woods. Alot of my friends and fellow hunters are all saying the same. Even gun season is no better by nearby hunters. A bad year for all but hopefully in a couple of years it will improve. I guess it's going to be a no tag year but not without lack of trying. Those full day sits really take the wind out of your sails when not a deer to be seen. With another 2 weeks to go it is getting hard to get out as my vacation is used up and my prospects are not looking good. Would love to get down where the deer are in the USA. At least I can enjoy the weekly shows. I am going to wear out my computer by watching them over and over. Great job with the deer management that I see and letting some of the bucks go that I would love to see near my stand. Keep up the good work and keep them shows rolling in as its the only way I see a buck.
That really sucks, It has been a great year in WV. This week was opening gun season and over 20,000 bucks were taken on opening day, over 70% increase from last year. WV usually doesn't have monster bucks but I have seen some nice ones taken this year.
With sightings like that on all day sits you are a better man than I am. Hope it gets better next season. Try to remember the sun rises and sun sets not much help I know but it is something.
I can certainly sympathize with you on this statement. I had roughly 130 hours on stand (9 dark to dark hunts/12 hour days) before taking my buck. There were numerous days when I didn't see a single deer. It can be very disheartening, especially during the rut! BUT, I've learned that sticking it out is the only way to make it happen when things are slow. I admire your determination!
I am going to try again tomorrow and may get a couple more days in but with the short daylight days it makes it a bit harder to get the time in with work. I wish the rest of you all better luck than what I am having. (Thats not wishing much luck now is it....lol) It really makes it inspiring to keep going with the bow with the action that you are all showing. True meaning of the show Bowhunt or die.
It's better than sitting in the house. I went ten days without seeing a deer here this year. Keep at it.
I will more than likely never see a buck in the only place I have left to hunt but that doesn't keep me from hunting even if I only had a buck tag. All you can do is keep trying.
I have seen 18-19 deer from the stand.don't know the hours but roughly 25 sits total. This was a tough bow season for me, heck it's been about the same for the past 3 years. I have taken 6 does I believe the past 3 years. No bucks since 2012. But what you are dealing with kind of puts it's all in perspective. I hope it gets better in the future bud.
We are in the same boat. I have had plenty of encounters with does and small bucks. We elected to pass does this year because of low count and i had only 2 encounters with bucks i would put on the wall. No dice on letting the stick fly though. Hard to pass and not take a shot after i got a new bow this year, although i did kill a couple coyotes. I get cut on this wednesday and wont make it out till around Christmas but i will never lose hope. I too havent killed a good buck since 2012. But theres always next season.
Those are some amazing patience. I can usually talk myself in to getting something done on the farm if it goes like that very long. It will get better.
Your a better man than I am. Don't think I could deal with that. Hopefully you have seen other wildlife to help pass time. This has been a good year for deer sightings for me. I have yet to be skunked on a hunt but bucks have been few and far between. I would say I'm about on a 6:1 ratio right know. Keep it up, only takes a second for everything to change.
I have seen a cock pheasant and watched it for at least 30 minutes, that helps as it takes your mind off of not seeing a deer. And squirells well i wish there was as many deer as squirells. This has definately been the hardest season that I can ever remember since I have been hunting. This is my 30th year hunting and cannot remember when its been this bad. At least when I see does and cannot shoot them it gives me hope, but when you see absolutely nothing it makes it hard to keep going. I will keep at it until the season closes but as of now I think its almost 300 hrs in the stand.....worst year ever hunting. The grocery stores going to make money this year as now I have to buy my meat. I really going to miss those tenderloins...my absolute favorite. Good luck to you all, and hope you all have better luck than me. I did see a buck today but it was on back of a truck. It was an 8 pointer and shot(gun) by a friend of mine...almost thought they was extinct but I guess they still exist
Im from nova scotia and ive also seen very few deer and put alot of time in. I hope they make a come back in the next couple years. I was fortunate enough to cross paths with one after a couple long sits. Good luck man and stay at it with the bow its good to see
