Possibly testosterone drop...
2025 Lessons Learned.
- Thread starter OakSpur
- Start date
BSK
Well-Known Member
THIS! Rut was early and seemed to trickle on forever. The bucks are rut stressed and their testosterone depleted.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I sent my wife a txt I killed him and was getting ready to climb down and looked up to that happening.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
Sounded like you were fumbling with your keys trying to reload.
Keys and shells were in the same pocket. I dropped a shell in the chamber instead of the magazine so that was part of it.
I learned that I forgot to hunt it feels like. The mountains anyway. Today I was humbled on what looked and felt like a perfect shot. I was trying to get a deer for my land owner. I did not rush the shot the hold was good and I followed through saw this deer hunch and mule kick. Then the dreaded nightmare. I shot this deer at 8am. I gave up after 4 hours of looking my knees are hurt legs burning. I am still running this through my head on what I did wrong.
The only thing I think happened was this deep gorge that I could not get into. I actually thought I heard the deer fall off into it.
My lesson is get back into mountain hunting. This should not have been the result of a loss deer.
The only thing I think happened was this deep gorge that I could not get into. I actually thought I heard the deer fall off into it.
My lesson is get back into mountain hunting. This should not have been the result of a loss deer.
Attachments
I will never do surgery close to deer season ever again.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
As its been said "Luck is when preparation meets oppurtunity"I've learned I'm not a great hunter….. just being at right place at right time.
No skill, just luck!
And I can live with that
We can increase our chances of
"being lucky" with hard work and determination.
This is not what I learned from this year just years of hunting game in general. Perstance perstance go if if you can if wind is right for your stand. Stop reading all the feedback and comments and letting that dictate your decision. What happens in one place is totally different than your's. I've witnessed total different behavior in deer that was only 2 miles apart.
Brushwhacker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2018
- Messages
- 155
You will miss 100% of shots you don't take . Your hunting season will be determined in less than five seconds.be ready an prepared or your season will be disappointing.
I don't run cameras in the majority of my rut spots and usually only have a few seconds to make a decision on shoot or not shoot. I already knew this but drove home this lesson on my second buck this year……if he doesn't instantly have the wow factor, then he's probably not a shooter. The wow factor definition is up to each person but something to keep in mind when decision making or at least for me.
I'm not making excuses and still satisfied with an unbelievable season for my family. After killing a solid bonus buck and a good one opening day of mzl, my goal was not to shoot a deer smaller. I let the biggest deer I've ever let walk three different times during mzl and was a mainframe 10 pt but a younger deer. He just didn't have the wow factor and sure hope he makes it. I also let an older deer walk with smaller antlers. I then forgot that on Monday of Thanksgiving week, lol. No excuses made but something I have to tell myself when making split second decisions. He was still a decent buck but not what I had intended to shoot.
It's all good though as it worked out to take my daughter to kill her biggest to date a few days later.
I'm not making excuses and still satisfied with an unbelievable season for my family. After killing a solid bonus buck and a good one opening day of mzl, my goal was not to shoot a deer smaller. I let the biggest deer I've ever let walk three different times during mzl and was a mainframe 10 pt but a younger deer. He just didn't have the wow factor and sure hope he makes it. I also let an older deer walk with smaller antlers. I then forgot that on Monday of Thanksgiving week, lol. No excuses made but something I have to tell myself when making split second decisions. He was still a decent buck but not what I had intended to shoot.
It's all good though as it worked out to take my daughter to kill her biggest to date a few days later.
I've learned I have to start hunting some public. I lost my alternate spot this year but thought it would be fine because I have more shooters on mine. I stunk it up pretty good early and they took off. Less pressure on the good dirt.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Well said! Apparently, I am the World's Luckiest Hunter. I do not have the skill nor patience to be as successful as I have been of late.I've learned I'm not a great hunter….. just being at right place at right time.
No skill, just luck!
And I can live with that
BSK
Well-Known Member
This is SO true. For those hunting where they do not have a trail-camera inventory of bucks, or for when a new buck not on cam appears, if you have to question whether the buck is a shooter, he almost certainly is not. If he doesn't produce the "Holy Crap!" response, he's probably a marginal buck you might be disappointed with later.
whistlinwingman
Well-Known Member
I learned that blood is thicker than water. Hunted same land for 21 years. Land was split down the middle with two sisters owning each side. I had permission for both. One had a handicap grandson that loved to hunt. I always helped him retrieve wounded deer or even tell him where to sit in the fields in places he could access. Me or my boys never hunted the fields so he could hunt them. We hunted the hardwoods. The family was appreciative and grateful for our help with him and the fact we took care of the place. Unfortunately he passed away this summer. I had an odd feeling this was our last year out there for some reason. Come opening day of rifle, we found out we wasn't welcome back there anymore. A son in law and his friend would be hunting from now on. My sons and I were devastated. We had many good and fun hunts there. I watched them kill their first deer there and their first bucks. Those were great memories but it was the talks in the buddy stands I'll never forget. 2 teenage boys involved in sports, school, friendships just don't have a lot of time to spend with them. It was the deer woods where we got to spend time and talk about life, God, girls, baseball…etc.
I took those times for granted. With no real place to hunt we hardly rifle hunted. I'm hoping they keep interest and we can find more land next year. I ( and they) was fortunate to kill several deer and a few good bucks but it was never about the kills. It was about our time together or reviewing our history of a certain buck when killed.
So I guess my lesson was don't take those times for granted. Both my boys are turning out to be good hunters, but to miss these last two months of treestand time together have bothered me. My oldest will graduate high school this year.
This isn't a pity post. Just my lesson learned this year. I hope they will learn if you want something you have to buy or get it yourself, I know I wish I would have invested in land years ago.
I took those times for granted. With no real place to hunt we hardly rifle hunted. I'm hoping they keep interest and we can find more land next year. I ( and they) was fortunate to kill several deer and a few good bucks but it was never about the kills. It was about our time together or reviewing our history of a certain buck when killed.
So I guess my lesson was don't take those times for granted. Both my boys are turning out to be good hunters, but to miss these last two months of treestand time together have bothered me. My oldest will graduate high school this year.
This isn't a pity post. Just my lesson learned this year. I hope they will learn if you want something you have to buy or get it yourself, I know I wish I would have invested in land years ago.
East TN Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
This 1000%
I've learned quite a bit this year. I started out hunting my youth in Carter and Johnson County. We had several private spots and a endless supply of public. I moved to Hamilton County nearly 18 years ago and hunted way more this year than I ever have. The majority of it spent on tva land and a small piece of property i live on. While i seen deer on public, i seen more hunters who could care less about you being set up in an area first. They would just walk on in and set up 75-100 yards away and make all kinds of racquet. Not only that, but the amount of people that just leave trash everywhere. I'm tired of knocking on doors or trying to find a lease within a reasonable drive. But not sure what else to do.
killingtime 41
Well-Known Member
That's exactly how I do it. If I see the buck and immediate yes he a shooter. Then I'm absolutely happy with him. If the wow factor isn't there I don't shoot and I'm ok with that also. But last few years a blew my opportunity's on several good bucks. Leaving me with no kills as of late. But in reality it was my fault not the lack of opportunities. I still get discouraged
DeerMan66
Well-Known Member
I learned just because a deer stops showing up on camera doesn't mean he's dead. I had one showing up on four different cameras on a regular basis through October and the first week of November. The last time on camera was opening day of muzzleloader. After a couple weeks of him not showing up on any of the cameras I thought he had been killed and kinda marked him off the list. Then on December 7th he came by one of my stands trailing a doe. He must've been on a walk about...
Being nearly 72 I've learned that I don't have to hunt if I really don't want to also being retired like I did in my younger days . If I was off I felt it a wasted day if I wasn't hunting . One guy I used to work with and has killed some really good bucks " said hunt them like you hate them " ! Told him " no way " I admire and respect these animals too much to hunt like I hate them . Losing my grandson and hunting partner makes things especially hunting not that important anymore....relating to @MUP 's post of losing the desire to hunt . Not quite there yet as this year I hunted more than the previous years and enjoyed watching some young bucks pass by ....eventually killing a four point not knowing it was a buck but did so for my daughter . She was wanting some deer meat for a certain recipe . She kept saying ain't you seeing deer ? Yes but nothing I want to kill but next time I go I'll try and kill you one . She's so used to the days I'd bring several deer home taking them to people that was requesting deer . But those days are past as I don't have those properties to hunt anymore ....just my little place and the guy that adjoins my property. Hunting here in eastern Tennessee is nothing like middle Tennessee. I've learned to take nothing for granted and be thankful to our maker for all our blessings . I get really sad sometimes thinking about my grandson in the woods because that's were our best times where and in the woods I have nothing to get my mind off him . I've learned to be appreciative of just being able to go hunting because there are some that would give anything to just be able to go . I've learned to just hunt how you've learned over the years and when it's not going your way don't beat your brains out trying to figure out why it's not going your way. In the past I'd in season scout if things were slow and you'd be surprised how successful I was but those days are long gone just don't have the energy anymore and legs that will take me . I've learned to not be so envious of others success but to just congratulate them and move on . I've learned we as Americans are just a little spoiled being able to hunt and enjoy God's creation that others will never know that feeling or the feeling of just being free . Hopefully this is all I've learned because this post is getting way too long winded
Very well said.Being nearly 72 I've learned that I don't have to hunt if I really don't want to also being retired like I did in my younger days . If I was off I felt it a wasted day if I wasn't hunting . One guy I used to work with and has killed some really good bucks " said hunt them like you hate them " ! Told him " no way " I admire and respect these animals too much to hunt like I hate them . Losing my grandson and hunting partner makes things especially hunting not that important anymore....relating to @MUP 's post of losing the desire to hunt . Not quite there yet as this year I hunted more than the previous years and enjoyed watching some young bucks pass by ....eventually killing a four point not knowing it was a buck but did so for my daughter . She was wanting some deer meat for a certain recipe . She kept saying ain't you seeing deer ? Yes but nothing I want to kill but next time I go I'll try and kill you one . She's so used to the days I'd bring several deer home taking them to people that was requesting deer . But those days are past as I don't have those properties to hunt anymore ....just my little place and the guy that adjoins my property. Hunting here in eastern Tennessee is nothing like middle Tennessee. I've learned to take nothing for granted and be thankful to our maker for all our blessings . I get really sad sometimes thinking about my grandson in the woods because that's were our best times where and in the woods I have nothing to get my mind off him . I've learned to be appreciative of just being able to go hunting because there are some that would give anything to just be able to go . I've learned to just hunt how you've learned over the years and when it's not going your way don't beat your brains out trying to figure out why it's not going your way. In the past I'd in season scout if things were slow and you'd be surprised how successful I was but those days are long gone just don't have the energy anymore and legs that will take me . I've learned to not be so envious of others success but to just congratulate them and move on . I've learned we as Americans are just a little spoiled being able to hunt and enjoy God's creation that others will never know that feeling or the feeling of just being free . Hopefully this is all I've learned because this post is getting way too long winded
BSK
Well-Known Member
Great post Snake.
thirdwilliam
Well-Known Member
to just enjoy the sunrises and enjoy the journey. Sometimes the best time to speak to God id in the tree.
I've had reinforced to me this year, when you have been hunting a long time with some modicum of success - and some understanding of deer behavior (not an expert by any stretch), trust your instincts about good spots to hunt. Don't let trail cameras or a couple of hunts with no sightings cause you to give up on a spot your experience tells you is a good spot.
Last edited:
Bone Collector
Well-Known Member
Two things.
1. This was a weird year. Things were not the same as they have been. Timing was off on rutting, bucks shifting in and out, etc.
2. Some properties are not the preferred place for bucks to spend their time for rutting activities. My deer used to do the same as yours but I'd get new bucks that were not there preseason. Then the lands around me changed and bucks stopped being on my property preseason, but I still got bucks shifting in, this year bucks shifted in, but not the quality I usually get.
wobblegobble
Well-Known Member
My lesson learned is NEVER SHARE A BIG PICTURE WITH ANYONE!!!! Then never post your big buck kill on social media! Every tom, Richard, harry, and moe will try to be a hole buzzard!
Last edited:
Outdoor Enthusiast
Well-Known Member
That is definitely an important lesson. I absolutely never share pictures or even indicate I have a picture of a big buck to anyone including my own family.
