To be honest... It's been 31 years since I DIDN'T get a deer. That year I moved right before deer season. If I were to have ample time to hunt, decent hunting country and came up dry.... I'd feel let down maybe a little... but not a failure. I've had so many good years I'm probably way past due for a bummer. If for some reason I didn't have time to hunt much and came up dry.... I'd still feel let down... but not a failure. I think LAZYARCHER hit the nail on the head. I never feel quite as bad as I do when one gets away after springing a leak. That's a true bummer... but I know it happens and get over it. Fortunately it happens rarely.