I have to give my season a 9. I have had success in the field and more importantly learned a lot about the property I hunt. I am very excited about my prospects for next year and plan on setting the bar higher based on what I've seen and been able to accomplish over the last several years. I really don't look back on this season with any disappointment.
8 for me. Had an absolute blast with Ryan in Elk season. Shot one of the few bucks I had on trail cam and wanted to kill early in Oct. My, Iowa hunt was unreal, The entire time was just great sharing it with my buddies J and Mike. The day I killed my buck and let the big boy walk, I don't know how many guys will ever go through that in a lifetime. That part of it was a 10.. but since I didnt kill either Hoss or A Frame back at home I have to drop my score a bit. I am sure there is a reason for not shooting either of my big boys..they will be really big bucks this year if they make the winter..... and I missed a really good buck opening day (sept 6th) that I was targeting. Its funny after that miss I never went back in there to hunt him (6x5 I call candlesticks) again, I got caught up in hunting other bucks areas. I did kill a nice doe on the last day here, my first ever doe kill in my home state. I am off to Montana Friday for 2 days of doe hunting. So, thus far my scorecard reads; 2 dead bucks, 1 doe and hopefully at least one more doe with the longbow. I would really like to break that bow in!
Ill go for a 5 on elk. Saw some great land! Passed on a few cows saw some bulls Deer I have to go with a 10. I learned so much this year it was incredible to me. Spent well 140+ hours in the stand. I learned alot on how and when deer move, as well as why. Getting my first treestand buck was just icing on the cake.
I can't really average my entire season. I have to split it up because of the diversity, Elk trip can't score a perfect due to the obvious, but regardless of that, nothing tops elk hunting for me, and getting to do so with my buddy Troy....It's awesome. My PA season, was pretty good, saw deer almost every time out, killed 2 does & buck with a bow, and 2 more does with things that go bang. Give it a solid 9. Ohio, well that was miserable. Gets a 1. Terrible weather, very little deer movement, not a very fun time. 2 out of 3 ain't bad:D
I will go with an 8. It would have been a 9 but I was not able to hunt from Thanksgiving to the closer on January 2nd. I took my first 3.5 year old in 18 years. I also arrowed 4 does. It was the first year I took 5 deer with my bow. It was also the first year that I saw 3 different 3.5+ year old bucks. I got two within range of 2 of them, arrowed 2 of the 3, and recovered one. That in itself is huge for me. I also applied what I have learned with the topo map study and really benefitted from playing different types of terrain features based on the wind and time of the year. All in all I am very happy with my season. You all have taught me so much...thank you.
i would rate my season a 9, would or mabey should be a10.... shot the biggest buck i've ever gotten with the bow, or gun, 11 pointer, first P&Y buck, and i shot a great 12 point buck in gun season also. the reason i say 9 is i saw less total deer this year and my wife and father didn't get anything in gun season, wife saw 1 doe, dad saw no deer at all. so i say a 9 best season ever for me though
10...Hunted more this year than any other, got 2 decent bucks, 1 with bow and 1 with gun, and 3 Doe's. Enough to fill my freezer and my Mom's. I was with my Dad when he shot his biggest bow buck, 154", so it was an awesome year.
3 I killed a doe and a turkey, but deer sightings were way down from last year and daylight buck sightings were next to nothing. And there was no rut! But I still have 2 weeks to make it a 10, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get there. I haven't called it quits just yet!
9. Shot my biggest buck to date, but also blew a 15yd chip shot at a doe a week before from the stand (hence the 9:D).
Solid 8 for me. Shot my best buck ever and seen quite a few smaller ones on stand. I would have liked to take a doe or another buck with my bow. I did take one on a early anterless hunt with my shotgun, but my goal was to shoot two with archery equipment. Falling just short of my goal I had to go with a 8/10
Compared to the previous 6 or so seasons, I'll have to say this year was a 7. I actully drew on a deer, a buck. Other than that particular hunt, the rest of my whitetail hunting would be rated a 3 just for being in the stand. I always enjoy hanging around the camp with friends and hunting with my son and wife so I'm not including that in my rating. As for elk, I'd have to say 10. I couldn't have asked for a better first elk.
I'll give myself an 8. What would have made it a 10: 1. I had the biggest buck I saw all season (105-110") inside 40yds on 2 occasions. No shots. If I had gotten within range, I'd have added one point. 2. I missed a couple times. For wahtever reason (read - 90+% user error), I just missed. NO miss was at a range beyond 12yds! One was half that (hit a limb). Hard to go any lower than an 8, though. In my 1st 100% trad season, I took 4 does and a 90+" 7-pointer. Based on what I've seen by the trad shooters I know (and read threads of), I have a lot to be proud of. 5 pass-thru shots. 5 clean recoveries (20yds; 35yds; 120yds; 100yds and 150yds). 3 deer in my freezer and 2 donated to the family I supplement meat for.
Man I have to go with a 9, I had a wonderful year from spring to fall. I had 5 target animals I wanted, and I took 4 of those. The only missing piece was a Coyote. I had two in range but was not ready
I will give mine a 10 seeing this was the first out of state hunt for my daughter and she shot her first buck with a bow!!! I ate my tag in Illinois but saw some awesome bucks on the way!!Walt
im gonna say a 7 because two of the monsters i was after got shot so im really bummed about that and i havnt shot my pa deer either but im keepin the number high enough because of my WV buck so that was alot of fun
10....and if possible it could go higher as it's not over yet. I have hunted more than any other year, I have seen more mature bucks than before, and got 2 shot opportunites at P&Y animals in a span of 4 days, and had an awesome hunt on Nov. 6, even though no arrows were unleashed. And then to cap it off I took my largest buck ever on Nov. 3. I am still hunting for another, but it's already been a dream season to me.
