Do you think too many people get caught up with the kill or even just with seeing deer. I've read a lot of posts where people have just complained about not seeing anything, do you find this wrong? Personally I find it absurd that people can get so caught up with just wanting to see deer every sit, or when people start complaining after going a few hunts without seeing deer. Do you think some people just have this competitiveness where they turn hunting into some sort of competition or want to "out-hunt" people for their own self glory or pride?

Maybe this is because I don't have the opportunity to hunt much, and I end up cherishing every second I have in stand, but I can honestly say I've never gotten out of the woods and been upset I hadn't seen anything, ever. How do you explain those who, quite possibly, take this too seriously, who miss the true idea of what hunting is?

I don't know, I was pretty disappointed last week when I hunted 4 days straight mornings and evenings without seeing a deer. It was the first time I hunted a new lease. Had I seen even one doe 200 yds away I would have felt a lot better about the whole thing.

Frustration is normal in everything you do. Hunting takes time and patience, but some times that patience is tried when your quest seems to be going no where. Ive bow hunted for more years than I can remember, and I can say ive gotten frustrated many of times. The worst was one season, I did not see but two deer. Two does. I shot both and saw nothing else all season. I did not see those two does until a week before close. Not due to a lack of effort, it was just a dry, hot, horrible season.

Where your hunting, there were probably deer around, but hard to see in all those oak trees.

Sorry. Since I'm partly one of the types you're talking about, I can't help you much with my response, but I'll be watching and I'll enjoy seeing what folks have to say about us![8D]

Now, I don't turn hunting into any type of competition (except for the contest on this forum), and I don't care much at all about my own glorybut I hunt as much as I can, and my purpose for being out there is to hunt deer, have a great time with friends and family, enjoy the outdoorsand fill my freezer with enough venison to last me until next season. If I'm not seeing deer, I'm wondering what's wrong, as a lot of others have eluded to in other threads. I do want to see deer every sit. It tells me that I'm in a GOOOOD spot.If I don't see deer, I'm not happy, but I won't be on here complaining about it; I'll beswitching locations.

You're right Kent, all the sign was there, tracks, droppings, and a couple of fresh rubs. I hunted several different stands too. The woods are thick there and at one point I may have heard deer walking by in the dark. But not seeing them made all the difference.

I almost expect to see deer every sit. I have worked hard put in food plots did all the scouting. So I do expect to see a lot of deer. When I don't see a deer on a sit I'm not upset by it because it's hunting.I doo enjoy my time in the woods but it makes it better when theres deer sightings.

If the goal of hunting is to shoot a deer how can you not be disappointed in not seeing a deer. (Double negative) People put a far more time in the off sesaon working so that they see deer in the season. Plus, seeing and watching deer make the time speed by and makes the hunt more enjoyable.

I think this is a normal thing though. There is always some hope and excitement when getting to hunt a new spot - and that can be disappointing when you go home empty handed. But on the flip side of that, I remember reading your post about those few days and remember you were quite pleased overall just because you had a great time, am I right, or am I thinking about a different post?


Burnie: Yes, frustration is normal, I know all too well about frustration. But during those hunts did you still not enjoy being out there? Can you look back at those hunts now and find something to smile about? If you can, than I don't think you fit into the type of people I'm thinking of. And the same goes to you LC.

Wait until you are in school and have even less time to be outdoors, you'll understand perfectly. Personally, I don't want the time to go by quick. Why rush through something you truly love to do? Why be in such a hurry to do something outdoors, when Mother Nature has a pace that is naturally far slower, is that not part of the beauty of hunting?