It's been a good year. As usual, made some mistakes that cost me, but it's a never ending process of learning and adapting.
Certainly a season of ups and downs for me. I saw MORE 2.5-3.5 yr old bucks this year than in the past, and all but one was in range (ironically he's the one I shot last evening). I passed A LOT of does, and I'm not sure why (may still get out after Christmas for one with the bow). I blew a shot at a nice 8 point the first week of the season, then ANOTHER shot out of the same stand two weeks later on a NICE piebald 8 (once in a lifetime buck there). Some of it was equipment related, some of it was mental. Regardless, I'm hoping to only learn and better myself because of them. After about week 4 of our archery season, things became tough. Warm weather, unfavorable winds, and a complete lack of movement by older bucks made it a tough rut to be hunting. We were seeing more chasing and bigger bucks during bear season (a week and a half after our archery season ended). I KNOW I need to find more land to hunt next year, and I have 1200 acres at my cabin that I don't touch much, so I'm looking to scout that this off season, and get a nice light climber setup to hit that spot some next year, and hopefully alleviate some of the pressure on my main property. Fast forward to last evening, I finally was able to put down a decent 8 (that I believe I saw during the third week of archery trailing a doe) at 30yds with my rifle. I was glad to end this roller coaster of a season on a positive note.
The last couple of years I have worked hard at becomming a more cerebral hunter. As my hunting time wanes due to increased family responsibilities, I have become a much more efficient woodsman/hunter. I have never seen the big picture in the woods and how I fit into that picture as clear. My year has been good as I killed my first deer with a recurve. I had at least 15 different bucks within range this year. The only two 3.5+ year old bucks (my target bucks) I saw were on the same day, within one hour of each other, but they were out of range at 30 and 40 yards. I really wish I had more time to hunt the spot, but my life dictates otherwise. I am a pretty competitive person so I am a bit stressed about not taking a buck, but as the season nears a close within 30 days, my heart knows I put in the effort and hunted hard even when I was sick this year. I learned a ton in the woods this year and will continue to grow as a hunter as I allow my mind to be open to information that I once thought I could never attain. And last but not least....KILL.
It's been alright, for me, aside from a knee surgery really limiting my hunting, and, making the time I was able to put in stand, painful... A few of our properties are really starting to show some return from our QDM efforts over the past few years. When I say QDM I really mean just passing on bucks under 3.5yo and shooting a few does on each piece. I shot a nice, old doe a few weeks back. I shot a decent buck on November 1st and have my eye on a few shooters for the late season. I've got 3 more buck tags available to me, so I'm gonna see what I can do with them. We can hunt until February 19th?, in my area of the State, so there's still plenty of time left. The only down side is now the gun hunters are gonna be out blasting everything with a heart beat....Hopefully non of the target bucks I've got running around my properties stray over to the gun hunters and get whacked, and, hopefully they pressure some of the bigguns on their land, over to mine
My season has been pretty good, I shot my biggest buck ever. I have learned a lot about the deer woods, so I would call this season very successful
I'm glad to see some hunters had success. My year has been frustrating. The small property that has been my main spot the last 6 years received a pile of extra pressure due to the landowners grand kid and friend taking up bowhunting. they are young and green, but dang, they pretty much shut the whole place down as far as deer activity goes. I tried a few days a couple hours south of me that has a ton of public ground. I thought I could avoid the crowds by going during the middle of the week and hunting deep, I was wrong. The days of getting away from other hunters by walking in a mile or so is long gone. The woods are full of ambitious bow hunters who are all trying to do the same thing I am. I did shoot one doe on my own 40 acres but the coyotes ate her before I recovered her. The only mature buck I have seen is 4.5 yr old 7 pt that spends a lot of time on my property. He did not give me a shot with the bow. I am currently trying to get on him with my muzzleloader since it is gun season as of today. Beings this is year number 4 without filling my buck tag with a bow, I'm starting to feel the pressure. It's getting to the point that I may need to look into a lease or something of that nature if I want to continue to hold out for mature bucks. I am now hoping for a lot of snow with some below zero temps to get them hitting the fields before dark.
