I think I broke a State (if not Nationl) Record!

[Handsome Rob]

Well, i think it must be SOME kinda record.

32 days hunting deer this season, without seeing a single friggin' animal.

I've seen one deer this year whilst hunting (opening day of bow season) & it's in the freezer.

Frankly, I am glad that this season is over. I'm about fed up of the whole charade.

I scouted well throughout the season, I found several places with lots of deer activity, I heard reports from those places of other people seeing lots of deer. I hunted all hours god sends, mornings, evenings, mid-days, all days; nothing. Not one single deer.

I simply cannot understand what it is I'm doing wrong! I don't care that I'm not getting shots, there are plenty of folk that have hunted much longer than me without having taken a deer, but to simply not see them, even out of bow range (hell, even out of .243 range) is soul-destroying. The fact that I managed to stay motivated as long as I have is, honestly, miraculous.

I have had hunts blown (2 yesterday!!) by other hunters & 1 game warden walking through my setup. I've had guys set up within 25 yards of me (Fall Creek Falls) I had a Father & Son set up 50 yards UPwind of me yesterday morning & another Father & Son team set up within 40 yards of me yesterday afternoon. I had a game warden follow my footprints through the snow to my stand.

I had a guy at Fall Creek spotlight a doe that was crossng the road & looked like it may have been coming straight towards me (I forgot about that actually. I've seen 2 deer this year)

I've sweated, frozen, twisted an already arthritic ankle, twisted & hurt my right knee. Been torn to shreds by saw-briars, tripped, fallen & generally made a wreck of myself. I've spent nights awake to be sure I could be out by 3am. I've bored myself to distraction, sitting in trees from 4am to 6pm without eating, reading, moving or doing anything other than staring into the woods. I even sank my boat tryin to find deer.

I'm so hacked off with it that I'm seriously thinking that I'm not even going to bother next year. I thought last year was bad, I think saw a total of 14 deer last season, but this year has been a frustrating headache since day two (day one was pretty good!)

I'm not looking for pity here folks. I just needed to vent!

[MacGyver]

Man, that's rough. I hope that next season will be better for you, and bet that by then, you will have had ample time to forget this year.

[KahrMan]

Damn, You have had a rough season. It really is easy to get discouraged when you are not seeing deer. At least you got to spend that time sitting outside instead of in the house. I bet by next September you will be ready to go again. Time has a way of making you forget about the bad hunts.

[Guest Bronker]

That's why it's called 'hunting' and not 'farming'.

Sometimes Ma Nature wins the battle of wits.

By the way, I'm skunked too.

[Guest ADAM]

Robbatatto it seems as if me and you have had the same type of season, but there is a silver lining I have learned the range of my blow gun

on a squirrel is only about 20 feet.

[LagerHead]

This was my second season out, and I had a very similar experience, though not as long and drawn out as yours. It definitely sucks not seeing any. What's worse was seeing them when I pulled into the woods, then nothing all day. Maybe next year.

[dats82]

This is the very reason that I never start a hunt or a season expecting to shoot anything. I guess I have just always used hunting as an excuse to sit in the woods for hours without anyone bothering me. For me, the most enjoyable part of hunting is not actually taking an animal, but it is all stuff that happens in the meantime.

[Good_Steward]

Just to keep that in perspective, it's still better than work.

[Handsome Rob]

This is the very reason that I never start a hunt or a season expecting to shoot anything. I guess I have just always used hunting as an excuse to sit in the woods for hours without anyone bothering me. For me, the most enjoyable part of hunting is not actually taking an animal, but it is all stuff that happens in the meantime.

Oh I agree absolutely! Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to shoot something at all, but to spend hundreds of hours in the woods without seeing anything bigger than a skwerl is pure disheartening.

If I wanted to simply go somewhere for the solitude, I would find easier, more accessible places to go, go only when the weather's pleasant & go mid-morning, not 3am!

I love just sitting in the woods, but with hunting there is at least a level of expectation to see your quarry. I'm not hunting Siberian Tigers here! It's not like Whietail are uncommon! There are frikkin' millions of them! You would think that by the Law of Averages, I should've seen something by accident!

[dats82]

Oh I agree absolutely! Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to shoot something at all, but to spend hundreds of hours in the woods without seeing anything bigger than a skwerl is pure disheartening.

If I wanted to simply go somewhere for the solitude, I would find easier, more accessible places to go, go only when the weather's pleasant & go mid-morning, not 3am!

I love just sitting in the woods, but with hunting there is at least a level of expectation to see your quarry. I'm not hunting Siberian Tigers here! It's not like Whietail are uncommon! There are frikkin' millions of them! You would think that by the Law of Averages, I should've seen something by accident!

Lol, I understand that. It is a little dishearting hunting all season to come home and see more deer in my back yard than what I saw all season hunting, but I still enjoy it.

[DaveS]

I feel your pain Rob. I think it runs in cycles. One year you see a ton of them, and the next, hardly any. This is the first year that Does hardly ever showed themselves, while seeing so many bucks was very nerve racking! It all runs in cycles!!!

[gregintenn]

Welcome to the great sport of deer hunting.

[ShaunM]

Just keep your head up and keep hunting hard year after year. It will pay off in the long run.

[Guest m&pc9]

Need to change tactics!

[Mdunntn]

Guess I got lucky seen two deer in three hunts. Killed a doe on the third hunt, can't wait for next season. Keep your head up!

[Guest Bronker]

Go down to your local Chevrolet dealer and FINANCE $40,000 on a new Silverado Crew Cab. Go by and have a high-dollar grille and ground effects package on your way home.

Then, leave your house at dusk, drive 10 mph over the speed limit, and I guarantee you'll get one by Tuesday.

[Guest pontiac_fiero_g]

think of how the indians must have felt, for you its recreation for them it was the only way to get meat. it could be worse bud hang in there

[Guest BEARMAN]

I feel your pain Rob. I think it runs in cycles. One year you see a ton of them, and the next, hardly any. This is the first year that Does hardly ever showed themselves, while seeing so many bucks was very nerve racking! It all runs in cycles!!!

Roger that, wd. Except I had the opposite happen...all does and very few bucks, in spite of my best efforts.

Robbie, sounds like you're hunting on a WMA, sounds like too much pressure on 'em. Might want to try and procure a block of private land to ply your skills on, brother.

I've seen folk's on here offering private land to hunt in exchange for doing a little work...good trade, IMO.

I'm pretty much done myself, with one freezer doe for meat...oh well, better luck next year.

Grandson doing the juvi hunt next weekend; gonna try and get him a deer, hopefully a buck.

Bring on the hawgs and Coyote's!

-Bearman

[Photoguy67]

I totally understand. This was my first year hunting and saw 3 small does early in the season and NOTHING since. Very disheartening.

[Guest clutepc]

hang in there, this seemed like a odd season for everyone, this was my 2nd season hunting deer on public land, it can be tough with all the hunters in those areas.

I hunted a lot again this year usually 2 to 3 times a week and I lost track of how many days I didn't see anything.

[Guest adamoxtwo]

Thank god for supermarkets! Someone's got to feed you and yours

[Guest SLT Kota]

Sorry to hear... how exactly did you sink your boat looking for deer?