3 or 4 years it took me. I used to drive out to very heavily hunted public lands when I wasa teenager...most of the time I saw nothing and didn't know how to hunt. Then my friend offered to take me out on his farm on public land when I was 19-20...I killed two bucks that day, a 3 pointer and a 5 pointer. It was well worth the wait and I believe the long wait has helped me to become a better hunter. I appreciate just seeing one deer on a sit.