How many hours....
 

How many onstand hours do you avearge per mature buck shot opportunity?

*EDIT* BOW ONLY!

RE: How many hours....
 

Geez.......I'd have to say......75+

RE: How many hours....
 

Hey Scott.....not nit-picking....but seeking clarity;)

"legitimate" shot opportunity is what I think you're after. For instance....if I have the buck at even 0 yds....and no ethical shot......I'd say that wasn't a shot opportunity.

So....in less than 3 seasons....I've had 8 encounters with a mature buck at less than 20 yds. I've only had 4 (and that may seem high to many) "legitimate" shot opportunities, though (for whatever reason).

46 hunts in '06......48 in '07......likely 30 in '05.....average sit of "probably" 3.5 hrs. +/- 434 hours on stand.....with 4 shot opportunities = over 100 hours logged per opportunity.

In thinking back....my average sit is likely longer than 3.5hrs.....but I'll stand by the 100+/1.

RE: How many hours....
 

Exactly.....

RE: How many hours....
 

Well, since I am now completely confused as to what a mature buck really is I can't answer that question[8D]

The last 3 years I have averaged 23 sits per shot at a trophy buck, so probably around 69 hours. Wow, I didn't even plan that!

Over the last 5 years it would be around 109 hours since I blanked '03 & '04. I have no idea further back than that, but I wasn't very picky back then either.

RE: How many hours....
 

I only shoot 1 "mature" buck a year. It is usually the first one that comes by. The last 4 years it didnt come untill Nov. I would guess 300 hrs into the season.

RE: How many hours....
 

Crap! if I had to think about that, it could be very depressing. This year wasn't bad at approximately 24 hours. Previous years, I could sit in my stand for two weeks efore that good shot presented itself. I just have to think about it as the first couple hours in the stand are to watch the sunrise, the next couple are to thank the good Lord for another day on thie earth, the next couple is to contemplate what my non hunting peers are doing right now, then a couple for reviewing my wife's honey-do list, then a couple for general reminisence (sp?). All the time, my eyes are watching for that buck to show up. Makes the day go by and keep me occupied.

RE: How many hours....
 

That's why I asked for shot ops not kills.... You can miss, elect not to fire and arrow... etc etc.... [8D]

300 hours into the season?...... That's like 30 sits at 10 hours a pop

RE: How many hours....
 

Just this past season I would have to say about 30 hours

RE: How many hours....
 

Scott....when I go back and figure an average sit at 4 hours....it's closer to 125/1. This season.....it was a lot worse than that.;) I saw ONE mature buck.....all year.

RE: How many hours....
 

I had an exceptional year (for me) with "mature" buck encounters.....

I had 5 shot ops (2 private, 3 public) this fall up until I hurt myself in early November.

I think I had logged around 150 hours on stand up to that point... resulting in 1:30 hours....

I would say my average years are 1:75 range on shot ops.... Some years better some worse [&:]

RE: How many hours....
 

This year 12 hours. :D

Last year 200? [&o]

RE: How many hours....
 

Ive had over 80 days in a stand this season with a bow and probably 6 days with a firearm.I would guess averaging 3 hours per sit. Ive had probably18 encounters with maybe5 realistic shots with a bow, and 1 with a gun. I got lucky and took 2 mature bucks with a bow and 1 with a shotgun.So, thats about 51 hours or 17 sits per close encounter with a mature buck. Im still hunting for 2 more weeks so those figues will change some, probably for the worse.

RE: How many hours....
 

Well even though i flubbed three p&y buck shots over the years , i did get shots :DIm gonna say 40-70 hrs

RE: How many hours....
 

I would about 125 to1 but, that one is worth it.:D

RE: How many hours....
 

I average about 20 - 25 sits per opportunity... If my sits average 3.5 hours as an estimation - that would put me around 70 - 90 hours per shot opportunity.

Those numbers do include early season hunts as well. So I suppose those numbers would drop quit a bit if I just hunted the rut...

RE: How many hours....
 

Averaged about 2-3hrs a sit. Approx 32 sits during early archery season. ZERO mature buck shot opportunities. One shooter 2.5 at 50 yds was the closest. Logged another 14 sits during Rifle season ~1.5hrs per sit (mostly evenings after work), yielded, again, ZERO mature bucks. Second day of rifle, driving down my driveway, one very nice 2.5-3.5 8point crossed the road[:'(]

Last year (in college). Logged approx 10 sits in archery ~2.5hrs per sit. 8th sit, saw a VERY nice 3.5 8 point at 40yds, close to shot, but too little light left. Amazing looking back at this year and last year. Approx 1/3 of the stand time, but yielded a BIGGER buck sighting at a CLOSER range. Geesh.

RE: How many hours....
 

Which year, man I'd have to really think...thinking.......thinking......thinking..... ....,

In 2001 I only had 2 mature bucks in range which happened in Nov, hunting all but every single day, mostly 3 hours in the evening. Probably roughly 125 hours and they both came by the same day.

2004 was the next "mature" buck that I had a shot at and I shot him in Nov, same amount of hours,

2005, nothing better than a 2.5 year old.

2006, dropped a 2.5 year old but missed a 4.5 year old the 3 week of Oct so I had fewer hours for him and sat after with a friend and WOULD have had shots at 2 more mature animals, both being 4.5 and one perhaps older.

2007, 3.5 year old down Oct 29th.

ya'll do the math...LOL [8D]

RE: How many hours....
 

I would say 300+ hours per close encounter. Since I have yet to put a tag on a true mature buck I don't know that I have a calculator that will go high enough for real opportunities.;)

RE: How many hours....
 

LOL!! HOURS???? How bout..........YEARS!

RE: How many hours....
 

Lets see.........23yrs, x X number of hours per season, carry the one..............yeah it's roughly 1800 stand hrs between oportunities. LOL:D I should be good for another one sometime in late 2031.:eek:

RE: How many hours....
 

Like I said I shoot the first one that comes by. It might of only been 200 hrs I dont know. I dont keep track. I would guess about 40-50 hrs a week in stand over the 14 week season average(weather permitting). So again I say approx 200-300 hrs.

RE: How many hours....
 

Lots & lots of hours. VERY few shot opportunities.

For the last 3 years I am
1:85
1:65
0:177

Heck in those 3 years I’ve only even seen 4, maybe 5 mature bucks.

RE: How many hours....
 

had 3 in 40-50 yards but no shot oppourtunity. and it was probably 110 hours atleast. this year. im the only one that hunts the land

RE: How many hours....
 

I'm finding this VERY interesting. Just to be sure.....we're talking ANY shot opportunity on ANY mature buck, right Scott? Not just "the one" you're after (or "A" deer you're after).

How many hours per shot opportunity on a mature buck.....even if you decided to "pass" on him.

Very interesting......;)

RE: How many hours....
 

a Lot

RE: How many hours....
 

You are correct. Any shot op on a mature buck....

RE: How many hours....
 

I'll take an educated guess..

This past season.. 1 in about 80-90 hours.

Lot's of mature deer out of range.. after dark.. and I needed that earn-a-buck tag.[:@]

RE: How many hours....
 

I know I already answered with a guess at 75 hrs...But Im bored and decide to think it over a little more.......

last several years going off recollection.....

2001 one opportunity, killed a mature 8pt

2002one opportunity, killed a mature 9pt

2003 no opportunities

2004 no opportunities

2005 no opportunities

2006 one opportunity, killed mature 8pt

2007 no opportunities yet.