Looking for those that normally kill a buck every year. I'll be the first to admit I had a really rough season this year. This is the first season I didn't killed a buck after killing 8 in the last 6 years. I did pass on a few smaller bucks, but the oportunities just weren't there this year. The more people I talk to that hunted around me and all over the more stories I hear like mine. So how many of you guys normally kill bucks every year and didn't this season.
I got skunked but mostly due to the fact I started the season out wanting a trophy this year. That being said after gun season I wanted anything but got skunked hard. I let several very nice 2.5 year olds go at the beginning of the season so that helps ease the pain a little knowing that I could have got it done.
What is this "skunked" you speak of??? Just kidding, John. It's starting to mean less and less to me (killing 'a' buck). And yes....I've been skunked. If you had fun, along the way, you won. I'd have never bet against you scoring this year....or any other. **** happens. Good luck next year.
I got skunked for the first time since 2005 when I went through a divorce and hunted four days. A lot of it this year had to do with stupid decisions. I will list them below 1. Deciding I wanted to film hunts with another hunter and focusing on the properties that were to be filmed on. Never scouted a new property I have to hunt. 2. Hunting Brown Co. too much in an area that really has nothing bigger than I can shoot at home, but the lure of the Golden Triangle got me again. I found out last week that a couple of farmers in the area killed over 50 deer with nuisance permits this year. No bucks were taken all season on the property, I had a chance on one but waited too long for a perfect shot. 3. Getting stands on a new property in late October after the Video thing fell apart. This caused me to waste a few days scouting and setting up instead of hunting. The area had a bean field that was harvested and the deer were feeding on it until it was plowed and then disappeared. I later found their amazing corn maze travel system and bedding areas in the middle of the fields. 3. Passed on a nice 4-5 year old buck because he was only around 120". Looking back I had the chance to shoot a unique mature buck while also putting some points on the board. That would have been my last buck at the Raceway. 4. I hunted a stand that was already on the new property that was only 10 feet off the ground and homemade. Needles to say the shooting lanes sucked and I would have shot a solid 150 class 8 had I been another 5-10 feet up Had I brought a saw I would have also had a chance and I knew walking in that I would have minimal shooting lanes but thought the deer wouldn't travel the path he did. 5. I went through a lot of soul searching throughout the season and lost the fun of hunting early season until mid December. I stressed myself out and lost the logic that made me successful in the past because I was raising the bar. In late December I got my head back on straight and shot a doe first sit after vacationing in Mexico. I relied on what I learned in the past and was on deer immediately, that Doe is one of my top 5 favorite hunts! 6. I found a spot that was getting hit hard by deer in the last week of the season. It was on the edge of our property and should have put a stand up but I was too lazy to walk 3,000 feet through 2 feet of snow I saw the same 150 class eight walk 40 yards from where that stand would have been the second to last night of season through my binoculars. I only saw a couple of quality deer and should have been in the game more mentally. I was the only one to shoot a deer on the new property, so I can attest to it being a difficult season with the late harvest but ultimately I failed myself long before the corn should have been a factor. 2010 will be a fun season, going back to basics!
No Kill...but a GREAT SEASON I had a GREAT season simply cause I was able to get out there. I had the bad case of hitting a doe high and back and not finding so much as a drop of blood...so hopefully It survived. But I was able to hunt and after going thru major surgery and recovering from cancer....I'd say it was great. Now on to Turkey season healthy and happy and armed with a New Iceman. SB
I know a lot of guys who took very little this past season both in Illinois and Wisconsin. Combining factors of really wet weather.. flooding.. unseasonably warm temps.. poor moon phasing.. and of course STANDING corn. These things combined made for tough conditions. Toughest I remember since the great drought in 2005. Just think of all the deer that survived JM. Gonna be some real brutes takin down next season by many.
John I think nearly everyone in the area had a tough year. We actually managed to do failry decent on our farm as far as bucks go (my 155" and my cousins 160"), but the overall deer numbers were down for our place, and the neighbors. There is one family here that has nearly 1000 acres, with 20 guys on it. During gun season they killed 7 deer.
I ate tag soup made from my Colorado deer, elk and antelope license (first time I think this has ever happened). But it didn't taste like skunk. I set the bar high and had fun participating in the event. I did better away from home. My Coastal Black Bear is among the top ten in SCI; my musk oxen is #20 taken with archery gear. I killed a very nice representation of the species whitetail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. So, all in all, I'm not complaining.
No buck for my second year in a row. That is a first since I started hunting in '82. This year just stunk period.
No buck for me this year. I had more bucks in shooting range this year than ever but all were 2 1/2 years or younger.
Only the second time in around 15 years that I didn't tag a buck but I don't have too. I had a great season. A couple does, passed a couple 3.5's, several 2.5's and countless 1.5's. I saw more shooters in Oct than years past but had a terrible Nov (2 weeks) with some of the list that duke mentioned above. It was still a fantastic season and I'm already looking forward to next season.
That would be me after 7 years of shooting a book buck it all came to an end this year.. I kinda had an idea it might happen because I told Steve I was on camera until he killed one this year and it took alittle longer than we thought. But then again I did pass on a 5 yard shot on a 135-145 10 pt the first morning I got to hunt so I kinda call that one if I wanted him.. Walt
I was...but I was learning as I went this year since I was learning to deer hunt AND bow hunt. My last few hunts, I was bumping deer on the way in, so I am starting to get to areas where they are, before that I wouldn't even see a deer at all. This year I get a chance to scout before the season, not during it. I am actually hoping my son gets a deer before me, the youth hunting day is the week before the bow season here. I think that would be a hoot, and he is stoked to hunt, we were practicing getting him in a stand...pegs are far apart on my LW Climbing sticks when you are 7! Sean
My experience all around....with an emphasis on the standing corn. We did need to shoot several does off of the property this year after last year when 3 of the 4 hunters on our property shot bucks 4.5 yoa or older. Thats alot of mature bucks for 110 acres. I took two does out this year, one early season and one late season while also filling my two turkey tags. I didn't even draw on a buck this year. I saw my #1 wanted buck, he came in behind me at 25 yards.....just never gave me even a glimpse of a shot opportunity. Next year will definetely be rockin'.....I hope the weather plays along!
Did not kill one with the bow this year. Saw a ton of bucks, but never anything over 3.5 yrs old and only one or two that were better than 2.5. Hoping for cooler weather next November!
I technically killed 3 bucks this year, but I oddly feel as if I was skunked this season for striking out here in KY.
