Seems To Me As Though...

[bowriter]

Many hunters on here had one of their best seasons ever. I'm not done yet, got a trip or two to take, but as far as hunting goes, for me, it has been superb.

I watched the weather forecasts and fronts and hunted the days or times of day I thought should produce and had four trips out of 28 that I did not see deer and only six upon which I could not have killed deer. That means, had I wanted to and had the tags for it, I could have killed or at least shot at, 22-deer. I think that is a pretty good, not quite finished, season.

I wish I had kept count of the number of deer I have seen. I do recall seeing six quite early this morning standing in the field beside Ross Gear.

 

[catman529]

Yep it's been a great season for me too. Would have never guessed I'd kill 8 and I may still kill one or two more before the season closes. I have been very fortunate especially with the bucks. Originally I wanted just to see a mature buck while hunting, didn't ever expect to kill one and a 3.5 too. Plus ive seen 2 others that would go at least 3.5. Beginners luck.....

Enjoyed reading about your season and seeing the pics. That old buck with the funny rack is real cool. Can't wait to see the euro.

 

[Tracker56]

Yes, I would have to concur. I could easily count on one hand how many times I didn't see anything. The opportunity to take 5 my first year dragging the stick & string into the timber has been awesome. God even blessed me with 2 nice bucks and 1 cull to clean things up a bit. Like bowriter and catman said, still a couple opportunities to get out still... Then time to get ready for some walleye fishing!

 

[LA man]

my season was not good. i did kill 2 deer but i missed all of november and that hurt me alot. but theres always next year. and my deer sightings were WAY down. i made numerous hunts and seen no deer. my go to spot was a total flop. i hunted it about 10 times and seen 2 yearling deer.

 

[easy45]

Its been my worst season ever, glad to hear I'm in the minority

 

[Bobs8pt]

I wish I could say the same, Learning a New area was rough this year, I did see my share of doe and a small 3 pt buck.... I hope to find private land before summer so I have a good amount of scouting time available. Before moving to TN I had hunted the same piece of land for the past 30 yrs so you can say I had it figured out. Now That I am settled in I will be able to devote more time to learning a new piece of land.

 

[Hollar Hunter]

I had my opportunity at a Booner for the first time in TN with a bow. I didn't kill him but I should have nobody to blame but myself. It was cool (TORCHER) getting to watch him twice for almost an hour both times. I could have killed a few different 3.5 yr old bucks but was proud of myself that I able to let them all walk but one. He was from a place I got that's to small to manage so I was VERY happy to kill him with my muzzleloader as I haven't taken a good buck there in some time. I was also blessed to have taken 4 does all of which were 4.5+ except for possibly one that might have been 3.5. I think I hunted just a couple times this year and couldn't have killed something. Unfortunately the whether turned off hot right at prime rut for my area so my best chances at the 4.5+ bucks kinda got diminished this year. Still holding out for the last weekend success though! You never know!

 

[Coach]

I saw more deer and some of the biggest bucks I've seen in quite a while. I usually get a nice buck but it's usually the only one I see. This season has been a blast!

 

[lpo1981]

I'll add to this and say this is by far the worst season Ive had since the ehd in 2007.. I did manage to kill a good 3.5 y/o 8pt but that's it.. Haven't seen a deer the last 4 times I've hunted.. Have a few more days that I'm going to hunt.. Looking fwd to next yea already and hope its better.

 

[timberjack86]

It was a great season I have 5 in the freezer.I hope to hunt for 1 more next week!

 

[redblood]

i have ate tags in 3 states.

 

[Bone Collector]

I have had a good season despite not getting to hunt as much as i used to and not seeing deer after opening day of bow till Mid October.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

my worst ever so far

 

[primos32]

Been a good season here so far.. Deer sightings are up which I believe is due to low acorn crop here.

 

[Gravey]

On a new lease that's 3000 acres so still trying to learn it. Haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

[bowriter]

Eating tags in three states made me think... I use to average about $2500 a year in non-res. tags. I would often hunt 8-10 states a year.

 

[102]

So far it has been one of my best ever. I put down 14, 12 of which were bow kills. 2 muzzleloader.
Both muzzleloader shots were in bow range but in mid November, I hurt my back (c-spine) and my left arm paid the price. I am rebuilding strength but I went for weeks and could not even pick up, let alone pull my bow. So I used a gun.

I was fortunate to kill several mature deer and a really nice seven and eight point as well.

I also pulled an archery "QUAD". Not a muscle, but four deer in one sitting. And the fourth was the eight point. (in Illinois for you inquisitive LEO types).

I saw 18 deer that sit. I have several on video under my stand after I had already emptied my four arrow quiver.
It was a long day.

 

[stik]

5 of 7 in our group killed their personal best bucks ever. i killed 4(so far) including a 3.5 yo 7 pt. it has definately been our best season ever. now if BOWd would just kill one.

 

[infoman jr.]

Best season so far for me!

 

[348Winchester]

I have had a very good season. I set my 76 year old Dad up on three deer. He killed a spike in the hollow behind my house on opening day of gun. That was his first deer in three years. He came back two days before Thanksgiving and killed a three point out of my turnip plot. Two days ago he came back up and killed a forkhorn out of the turnip plot. He tagged out!

My little girl got a doe in juvenile and two seven points in muzzleloader. She hunted with me and I let her shoot the bucks with my rifle. She handled it beautifully and both bucks dropped within 45 yards; good work for a petite 9 year old!

My ol' lady got her first buck. A one point! She blasted him with her muzzleloader opening day.

I have killed a very nice 9 point that dressed 175 lbs, a very nice eight point that dressed 155 lbs, and a doe that dressed 110 lbs. I still have one buck tag left and a friend that would like some meat so maybe I can get him one between that buck tag and the doe tag I have for Scott County that is good through Sunday.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

By far my best yet

 

[WRbowhunter]

Been an odd year for me. Started off strong with a nice 8pt and then a 7 pt during bow season. Saw tons of small bucks but few does. MZ season did not turn out as expected but did kill 2 does. Again lots of spikes, 4,6 and small 8 pts but with one tag left they all got a pass. Then back to bow. had a dry spell for 2 weeks where deer sightings were way down and it picked up after thanksgiving. Then had incident with 8pt last week with the bow. Had plenty of deer within 40 yds this season just not that many within 20 or under. Killed 4 with 1 at the Taxidermist. On paper its been a good year but for some reason feeling like I have left something on the table. Its not the remaining buck tag but just can not put my finger on it.

 

[Quailman]

I also pulled an archery "QUAD". Not a muscle, but four deer in one sitting. And the fourth was the eight point. (in Illinois for you inquisitive LEO types).

Wow. So how many antlerless tags do you buy in Illinois at one time?

 

[Outdoor Enthusiast]

Best year for me too.

 

[BSK]

A good year, but not a great year.

So far, I've had 18 legal deer within weapon range. I've passed on all but one.

However, I only saw deer on 37% of my hunts. That's below average.

 

[Redfred16]

Overall a good year for me. Not in meat haul, but just in hunting.

I got an average 2 1/2 year old 8 pointer on my last Wisconsin bow hunt. I scored a doe on Thanksgiving weekend in Tennessee. I saw deer on every set so far this year except 2, sometimes as I drove or walked in, but I saw deer. I am working on getting 1 more deer before the TN season closes.

Then the exciting non-deer parts of hunting. I had a bobcat walk withing 15 yards of me in Wisconsin(you are not allowed to kill them as varmits there or I would have put an arrow though it), I had a bear at 22 yard right after I shot my buck, I set a record 18 squirrels in an afternoon in Wisconsin and I only got soaked to the bone wet, once so far this year, so a pretty good year.

 

[bigtex]

I wouldn't say it has been my "best" year but it has been a very, very, good year. I'm tagged out on bucks [spike on archery, 3.5 y.o. 8 point on M/L, and a 4.5 y.o. 11 point on the rifle] kinda sux being tagged out lol, and I have already killed a doe on archery and don't really care to kill another. Been kinda nice not having to drag my butt out of the bed to go hunting, but I also miss it. I will probably go sit in the woods a few more times with my camera later on just to see what's going on in my woods.

 

[Mike Belt]

First of all it's been a great season just by virtue of being healthy enough and able to go whenever I wanted. After that everything was icing on the cake. My bigger buck sightings are down this year and probably my overall sightings as well but I still could have taken about 200 more deer than I needed including limiting out on bucks over 125". I love seeing something each season I haven't seen before and so far this year it was having 2 does down and bucks on both of them at the same time trying to get them back on their feet...but the season's not over yet.

 

[bowriter]

I also pulled an archery "QUAD". Not a muscle, but four deer in one sitting. And the fourth was the eight point. (in Illinois for you inquisitive LEO types).

Wow. So how many antlerless tags do you buy in Illinois at one time?

That's what I was wondering. That would have never been legal when I hunted there.

 

[bowriter]

Seems the majority of us need to give BGG a thank you. Looks to me as though he is doing a good job. Now, if we just had a one buck limit, we have more deer like the ones they kill in IL.

:)