So I've been hunting more than I ever have before, taking off lots of time from work and hunting during the week. I'm doing about 3 sits a week since September 15. I have had exactly three encounters with shooter bucks: Thursday the 11th I had a super big 6 pointer at 35 yards, and I didn't take a shot because I am limiting myself to 30 yards this season. He eventually busted me, not sure if he will be back. Last Saturday the 13th I watched my target buck, a big 11 pointer, run out in the field I was hunting and then fall over dead 40 yards in front of me. The dude who shot it was hunting 25 yards away from one of my stands, and he broke a number of other club rules that I won't even go into. Wednesday the 17th I had an 8 pointer that I had never seen before at 7 yards. He walked in behind me and I didn't see him until he was right on top of me. He was so close he heard me draw back and busted out of there. Not sure if he will be back. This is the first time I have ever come to full draw on a wallhanger. I went hunting again yesterday and noticed that some other yahoo has set up a stand 60 yards away from me. When I set up my stands there were no other stands in the area, and I was super stoked about my hunting season. Now there are four other stands within 150 yards of me, and I am seeing a lot less deer movement due to hunting pressure. I really was thinking this would be the year I would finally get a decent buck, now I am not at all optimistic. I know I am probably coming across as a whiner. I really love hunting and the outdoors, but it drives me to the point of insanity sometimes to put dozens or hundreds of hours into something and fail. Hopefully this is the low point of my season. End whining/. At least I've got some cool trail cam pics to show for all my effort:
I have had the same feeling. My dad has a farm with lots of bush thankfully but then when i see a stand i didn't hang get the chainsaw out lol
You've had THREE encounters with shooter bucks in a little over a month, and you're depressed? Try hunting all season long (8 weeks here in PA when you count the two week rifle), and only seeing ONE shooter buck. If anyone has the right to be depressed, it's me:D Like Fitz said, if it was easy, it wouldn't be as fun. Keep at it, and it will happen. Good luck!
Hehe try 5 years of serious bowhunting with no shooter bucks in range, and could count on 1 hand the number I've seen out of range. It will change, mine did when I least expected it. That really didn't depress me, but I'll be honest, hunting in general makes me mentally tired.
I am more of a hardcore bowhunter than 99% of all bowhunters. It is my passion in life and have never found anything that compare's to it!! My wife is in the coast guard. We recently got re-stationed to central northern california. I no longer get to hunt as I live in the city and all efforts to find a landowner willing to let me hunt have failed. So please be thankful for what you have and enjoy your experience in the deer woods every chance you get cause belive me my bowhunting brother, it could be much worse..
Yeah, I can also count the total number of wall hangers I've seen in five years on one hand. Three have been this season, including the one that was running toward me with an arrow already in him. I honestly think that a large part of my obsession with hunting comes from the fact that I've never shot a big one. Once I get one wall hanger I might be able to turn it down a notch.
Your right for me anyway... I used to push myself so hard, since I've killed my buck this year, It's like there is no pressure, I just go hunt, It's Saturday morning, and I slept in. I'm going to focus the rest of my season on getting a couple more does and learning as much as I can about areas I'd never really thought to sit before. If I was to get another chance on a mature buck, if not, I couldn't be happier.
As mentioned, be glad your seeing something and getting some action. Many of my sits I see nothing Sounds like your on the right track though. Hang in there.
Think of it this way, you're skilled enough already to have fooled three monsters into walking even remotely close to you. That's impressive! That's success if you ask me. I've only ever seen one big bruiser while hunting, and he never gave me a shot. That's why this sport is called hunting and not killing. I'm in the same boat as you are, man. So many close encounters with nothing to show for it. Keep at it, you'll get one.
if it were easy, the dumbest person you know would be good at it. So when all the time does pay off you'll know why you did it, and they couldn't.
It does when everytime i go out to check a camera or stand and its stolen. Bout ready to move out of OH, this place blows!
How much longer till you can buy little tracking devise to hide in our stuff so we can track these A-holes down?
Sounds like to me that you a really close from hitting the homerun. Your just a little off your timeing. Metaphoricly speaking. But IMO I think you should be having a lot of fun. I've been out 6 times this year and have only seen a small doe. I keep at it because it's what I love. Do I get frustrated, heck yeah I do. But I keep going and keep working at it. That's what you should do.
Try 3 years of hunting and only seeing a grand total of 12 deer with only one being a buck.... Which was a crab clawed 4 point. Also, only one of those deer came closer than 30 yards. Doesn't sound like you have it all that bad to me! Never gone kill something if you don't get out there
Last year was my first season hunting. The entire first month of the season I only saw one doe who busted me from far away. Then one evening in November I had a doe come running by me. A few seconds after her was an 8 point with his nose to the ground. At 12 yards I put an arrow through both lungs, and he was down within sight. There were only a few seconds between a fairly disappointing start to my bowhunting career and the adrenaline rush of being able to wrap my hands around the antlers of my first deer. That's the great thing about deer hunting: you never know when it could happen! Keep at it and good luck the rest of the season!
I get depressed that people only think hunting is fun or worthwhile if they see or kill a "shooter buck." Hunting is hunting - be happy you are out there, this is like women complaining about diamond size, sheesh.
I never get depressed about hunting. Even if i dont see deer for a month im just happy that im able to be out hunting and enjoying the outdoors.
