What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
12-05-2008, 02:16 PM
#23
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 579
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
I would rate it a 9. I've had some fantastic seasons without killing anything. I always come away with the feeling that I've learned something I can usenext year. The only reason I gave it a 9 and not a 10 was that empty feeling of not closing the deal on a big buck. I always pass up shots on smaller bucks so coming away empty handed is not so bad.
12-05-2008, 03:25 PM
#24
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SOLDOTNA, ALASKA
Posts: 832
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
9 lets see 2 hunts in spring with2 friends on each onefor bear in prince william sound ( one friend arrowed his 3rd bear)
in Aug - 9 day trip with myson for caribou ( his first bowhunt in 24 years) and he arrowed a nice "bou. next month his hunting group of 4 got 4 moose 2 with bow and arrows, i was not there but still improved my season as my son is hooked on bowhunting again after getting bigger bou and bigger moose than i have ever shot. 2 trips to PWS in fall for goats , first had mechanical problems , 2nd weather poor and ended up deer hunting. 3 days and 6 days in WI hunting with long time friend. no deer
I was blessed to be health enough to do all this at nearly 60 years old, able to spend time with friends and family doing what i enjoy the most.
trophy is just the bonus or icing on the cake To me it is about the experience.
in Aug - 9 day trip with myson for caribou ( his first bowhunt in 24 years) and he arrowed a nice "bou. next month his hunting group of 4 got 4 moose 2 with bow and arrows, i was not there but still improved my season as my son is hooked on bowhunting again after getting bigger bou and bigger moose than i have ever shot. 2 trips to PWS in fall for goats , first had mechanical problems , 2nd weather poor and ended up deer hunting. 3 days and 6 days in WI hunting with long time friend. no deer
I was blessed to be health enough to do all this at nearly 60 years old, able to spend time with friends and family doing what i enjoy the most.
trophy is just the bonus or icing on the cake To me it is about the experience.
12-05-2008, 03:32 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,139
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
ORIGINAL: AK NIMROD
9 lets see 2 hunts in spring with2 friends on each onefor bear in prince william sound ( one friend arrowed his 3rd bear)
in Aug - 9 day trip with myson for caribou ( his first bowhunt in 24 years) and he arrowed a nice "bou. next month his hunting group of 4 got 4 moose 2 with bow and arrows, i was not there but still improved my season as my son is hooked on bowhunting again after getting bigger bou and bigger moose than i have ever shot. 2 trips to PWS in fall for goats , first had mechanical problems , 2nd weather poor and ended up deer hunting. 3 days and 6 days in WI hunting with long time friend. no deer
I was blessed to be health enough to do all this at nearly 60 years old, able to spend time with friends and family doing what i enjoy the most.
trophy is just the bonus or icing on the cake To me it is about the experience.
9 lets see 2 hunts in spring with2 friends on each onefor bear in prince william sound ( one friend arrowed his 3rd bear)
in Aug - 9 day trip with myson for caribou ( his first bowhunt in 24 years) and he arrowed a nice "bou. next month his hunting group of 4 got 4 moose 2 with bow and arrows, i was not there but still improved my season as my son is hooked on bowhunting again after getting bigger bou and bigger moose than i have ever shot. 2 trips to PWS in fall for goats , first had mechanical problems , 2nd weather poor and ended up deer hunting. 3 days and 6 days in WI hunting with long time friend. no deer
I was blessed to be health enough to do all this at nearly 60 years old, able to spend time with friends and family doing what i enjoy the most.
trophy is just the bonus or icing on the cake To me it is about the experience.
12-05-2008, 03:49 PM
#26
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 7,208
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
Interesting. Being that I shoot does without hesitation, if I went an entire season withouta deerI'd rate it a 1at best. This is considering bow season ONLY.
This season I have 1 doe and 1 buck & I'd give it about a 4.
Last year I killed no bucks & 2 doe and it would rate about 5.5. (I had a couple closer calls & more deer sightings in general)
To me a horrible season(not seeing deer and having bad luck) does not get salvaged just by killing a good buck. A season with tons of deer & chances but maybe no buck on the ground can be a much better season in my eyes.
But when it comes to does, the more the merrier
This season I have 1 doe and 1 buck & I'd give it about a 4.
Last year I killed no bucks & 2 doe and it would rate about 5.5. (I had a couple closer calls & more deer sightings in general)
To me a horrible season(not seeing deer and having bad luck) does not get salvaged just by killing a good buck. A season with tons of deer & chances but maybe no buck on the ground can be a much better season in my eyes.
But when it comes to does, the more the merrier
12-05-2008, 04:35 PM
#27
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
Probably not that high. I mean really, I pursue to put some meat in the freezer... main reason for hunting for me. Oh the hunt and the walk and the back to nature stuff is all well and good, but just do the back to nature thing with no meat for a season or God help me, more than one season.... well I call that being a failure or a poor hunter or whatever. Oh you can have fun, friends and all the touchy touchy feel good stuff.... but it's NOT why we hunt. I hunt alone most of the time.. That's the way it is. I don't hunt normally to socialize or play or something above the thought of seeking, playing the game and winning.... for me and my freezer. So, if I don't kill something.... it's got to be down below 5, no question about it. If the adventure is enough ya'll could save a lot of time and trouble by taking up trail walking. LOL Doe meat... buck meat.... it doesn't matter, but of course the competitive nature of my growing up makes me want to shoot the buck first.
12-05-2008, 04:43 PM
#28
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
If your view could be shared without belittling others, David.....it would surely be taken more seriously.
What you take from a hutning season and what someone else takes are almost certainly going to be different. Doesn't make yours any more "right". Doesn't make them a "failure". Doesn't make them a "poor hunter". They don't have to subscribe to the "touchy-feely" way of life.
And who are you to profess why "WE" hunt? I may not hunt for the same reasons you do.
So if we don't kill something....it "has to be down below 5"? I think you've already had that dispelled in this thread.
I guess I could say...."If I only killed one deer a year....I'd take up trail walking"....but I won't
.
What you take from a hutning season and what someone else takes are almost certainly going to be different. Doesn't make yours any more "right". Doesn't make them a "failure". Doesn't make them a "poor hunter". They don't have to subscribe to the "touchy-feely" way of life.
And who are you to profess why "WE" hunt? I may not hunt for the same reasons you do.
So if we don't kill something....it "has to be down below 5"? I think you've already had that dispelled in this thread.
I guess I could say...."If I only killed one deer a year....I'd take up trail walking"....but I won't
.
12-05-2008, 04:56 PM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Northwest suburbs, Illinois
Posts: 2,075
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
ORIGINAL: davidmil
Probably not that high. I mean really, I pursue to put some meat in the freezer... main reason for hunting for me. Oh the hunt and the walk and the back to nature stuff is all well and good, but just do the back to nature thing with no meat for a season or God help me, more than one season.... well I call that being a failure or a poor hunter or whatever. Oh you can have fun, friends and all the touchy touchy feel good stuff.... but it's NOT why we hunt. I hunt alone most of the time.. That's the way it is. I don't hunt normally to socialize or play or something above the thought of seeking, playing the game and winning.... for me and my freezer. So, if I don't kill something.... it's got to be down below 5, no question about it. If the adventure is enough ya'll could save a lot of time and trouble by taking up trail walking. LOL Doe meat... buck meat.... it doesn't matter, but of course the competitive nature of my growing up makes me want to shoot the buck first.
Probably not that high. I mean really, I pursue to put some meat in the freezer... main reason for hunting for me. Oh the hunt and the walk and the back to nature stuff is all well and good, but just do the back to nature thing with no meat for a season or God help me, more than one season.... well I call that being a failure or a poor hunter or whatever. Oh you can have fun, friends and all the touchy touchy feel good stuff.... but it's NOT why we hunt. I hunt alone most of the time.. That's the way it is. I don't hunt normally to socialize or play or something above the thought of seeking, playing the game and winning.... for me and my freezer. So, if I don't kill something.... it's got to be down below 5, no question about it. If the adventure is enough ya'll could save a lot of time and trouble by taking up trail walking. LOL Doe meat... buck meat.... it doesn't matter, but of course the competitive nature of my growing up makes me want to shoot the buck first.
Did someone kick your dog recently?
12-05-2008, 05:03 PM
#30
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: What's the highest you would rate your hunting season WITHOUT harvesting a deer
I don't think I belittled anyone. I threw in some LOL's and said primarily...."For ME", not you. You folks just delight in trying to get me in a fight for some reason. I stated my case, I hunt to kill a deer and get some meat. If I don't... it's not a 10 or 9 or 8. That's me. IF you want to answer the question for yourselves then do it. Don't feel a need please to tell me what I meant or I want or consider to be my answer to the question. The question was ask... I gave MY answer. It in no way was meant to answer for any others who may feel a need to retrain me for some unknown reason. You folks really shouldn't worry about me. I know what I want, I say what I mean, I'm not as stupid as you would like me to be. In fact, I'm probably smarter and a better hunter than many you would have me be... but hey, if you prefer to think I'm old, senial, crotchetty and know nothing.... enjoy yourselves. If you look at the last 10 post or so I've made in the bowhunting forum someone has made it a mission to try and drag me into a fight. Why is that. A question is ask, answer and then get attacked by the same 2 or 3 people who try to twist or accuse me of using words all the time like Pathetic... which I used ONCE... go figure. Why don't you just put me on your ignore list if you don't like what I have to say and get on with life.