magicman54494

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best. I'm not trying to make a point about anything. Just wondering how people feel. I guess maybe because my tag is still open[&o]. Some of my most memerable hunts didn't end in harvesting a deer. I still feel the season isn't a total success without killing one. After all, thats why I carry a bow and not just a camera. I vote 7 out of 10

Ben / PA

My season is not over yet and already I have hunted 23 hours more than all of last year. When 95% of your sits some after work, that's alot more time in the stand.I still view this season as acomplete success for medespite missing the biggest buck I have ever had in front of me, not finding another, and only harvesting a doe. I don't know why or how, but I feel like I have had a 10 of a season. I am blessed with a wonderful wife who works very hard and understands my passion.

magicman54494

Would your vote change if you didn't shoot the doe?

LittleChief

I totally agree, but I'd only give it a 5 out of 10. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm deer hunting and the objective of deer hunting is to kill a deer. If I didn't kill one, then I wasn't successful. I might have had a great time and a great hunt, but it was an unsuccessful hunt.

GMMAT

I went higher and said 9.....only shying away from the 10 because I agree the ultimate goal when we enter the woods is to take one of our intended targets.

I learned a TON this year on the new lands.....and the greatest thing was finding I now know how I want to hunt whitetails. Had I not taken a single deer.....and still learned everything I did.....I'd consider this season a HUGE success. It would still have been my best ever (in a relatively short stint).

magicman54494

LC, There's no right or wrong answer and I thank you for your honesty. I personally would rate many individual hunts as a 10 but I still feel the season as a whole is lacking if I don't shoot a deer.

njbuck22

Very interesting question for sure. I honestly dont know what i would say. So far i have shot anice 8 pt, a doe and a grey fox all with the bow, so on a harvesting standpoint, it has been a good season. I have also learned a ton about deer this year, can predict their movement alittle bit now and got to see some nice bucks out in Kansas. So far my season would be an 8. The reason that it wouldnt be higher is i havent hit some of my goals. Im still trying for my first P&Y, havent been able to pinpoint a shooter bucks core range and set up on him and i failed to take advantage of early season travel routes and kill a buck. Im not complaining though one bit.

To answer your question though, if i didnt harvest an animal what would i rate my season, maybe a 3. I absolutely love being in the woods, i love seeing the squirrels, birds, changing leaves and sometimes love seeing absolutely nothing ( ok well maybe i dont love it, but its hunting), but i go to the stand each and every time hoping that im going to kill an animal. I understand that 99.9% of the time im not going to do this, but its my goal every time i hunt to kill a shooter. Like my father says, " We reward on success".

NY Bowhunter

I would say a 7. Yes the object is to kill a deer. But, I've become very picky at what I want to kill. Probably have set a standard above what I should have for my area but that's what I've chosen to do. I was there to kill several (maybe more than ever) bucks that I didn't want to kill. So in that regard I guess I was successfull at a lot of things to be in that position so many times. Also killed a couple does so I didn't go meatless [8D]. I've had5 encounters with a 3.5 year or older buck. To me that's also an accomplishment. Usually more like 1-3 for me. For whatever reason the pieces of the puzzle just haven't fallen into place this year........... yet I've learned a lot of valueable stuff for the seasons to come too. So..... no buck this year so far but I would still rate it a good season.

LittleChief

Magic,

I know there's no right or wrong answer. It's all a matter of perspective. I understand what you mean - I've had quite a few individual hunts where I came back empty-handed and would give it a 9 or a 10.

I had one morning sit (Tuesday, 11 November) in Missouri. It was raining lightly, and I never heard the doe approach from behind. She spooked right at the base of my tree and trotted off. Then the HUGE 10 point (I'll guess around160") that was following her busted out of the thick cover and trotted out to 50 yards and just stood there looking around for about 30 seconds trying to figure out what was wrong. It was the biggest buck I'd ever seen in the woods, and it was a beautiful sight. Huge symmetrical, dark chocolate rack. Absolutely beautiful. I could give that hunt a 10, but then if I'd gotten him, I'd have to give it a 20 or 30out of 10.

wallhangr

If I hadn't shot my buck, I'd still rate this year an 8. I saw more deer (especially bucks) at closer range than any other year. The big difference was I saw more deer in the am in the early season.