bryant1

2 bucks or does/per day all season on private land- no tagging system. Our timberland leases are huge dog hunting leases (40,000-100,000 acres) and their are 300-700 members per lease. The only legal deer to take are bucks with 2 points on 1 side and maybe a doe (if a tag was drawn from the land owner). It also helps that the deer population has been managed in the past 2 decades and the carrying capacity of the land is higher than most other areas.

We are very competitive among dog hunting crews, and it extends to our stand hunting also. I know several good hunters that take off the whole deer season who average 15 bucks a year.

I grew up hunting with my dad being in QDMA clubs, and it's just not for me anymore. I love running dogs and I love to pull the trigger. I never really got caught up in the "horn porn"

bowfly

i think the quote in my signature line says it all

i hunted hard this year, fortunate enough to take a nice doe with the rifle, as well as one with the bow

i had so many encounters with bucks it made for the most successful season, that of doing my homework, tracking, hunting, finding where they moved to, and learned a ton that will help me fill a tag next year

check it out...right below this

Jimmy S

Well it seems llike most define success as having fun, having an enjoyabe hunting season and continuing the learning process. If that makes your season successful, who am I to argue?

Just because my success is based on whether or not I shoot a deer does not mean I did not enjoy those same times. I truly did!

Teach Deer

I had a successful hunting season...but an unsuccessful harvest. Which is fine with me (I killed two bucks last year).

I did not see as many deer as I normally do, and the bucks that I did see were mostly yearling or 1.5 year old forkhorns that I passed. I did miss a long shot at a doe with my shotgun.

The key to me is that I got to take my son on his first deer hunt, though we did not get a deer, we had a great time and got some good pictures. My 65 year old father and I hunted together numerous times with bow, muzzleloader, rifle and shotgun.

I had a great time so I consider the season successful. I hope that next year, the harvest will be better, but that is why they call it hunting and not simply shooting.

rh160kid

Jimmy S- I judge my season much the same as you do. I set out a list of goals at the start of every season. Every year at the top of that list is to take a mature buck with bow and arrow.PERIOD. If i dont achieve that goal then to me i failed and my season was unsuccessfull, simple as that. Like you said tho, it doesnt mean i didnt enjoy myself or have fun with others. My deer season is officially over now and i can say that TO ME it was unsuccessfull. Yeah i shot some does, passed up a few decent bucks,and met some great people along the way, but in the end i didnt accomplish what i set out to do. Am i disappointed? Hell yeah!! But that drives me to work harder now to make next year a success.

FLBandit

I've yet to even see a deer, but I consider it a successful 1st season. Just the amount I learned is worth the price of admission!