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Post by joeyb on Dec 22, 2014 16:37:06 GMT -5
Boy it has been a rough season. I made two rookie mistakes on 2 nice bucks in early bow. One was probably B&C, both P&Y. Then on the last day of firearms my gun strap caught my stand making a loud CLANK on a big doe. Plus Its biting me in the behind for not shooting a couple real nice 2.5 year olds early, and countless does with babies. It's been that type of year. Actually it's been this way the last 2 years since I lost my big 100 acre farm, I'm stuck hunting three 30 acre patches, which just hunting 3-5 times is over pressuring it. Just rough, but still grinding it out. What about you? Has 2014 been kind or wicked to you?
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Post by M4Madness on Dec 22, 2014 17:02:20 GMT -5
My season was rough before it even started. LOL! I got injured at work last February, and finished up physical therapy with my last doctor visit being the same day -- September 30 (day before archery opener). I will never be able to walk up hills in the same manner as before (takes more effort now), but I'm getting around okay.
My next rough spot before season was that I only got one halfway decent buck on camera during my August/September baited cam inventory. It was a 130-class 10-pointer, and I never saw it in person this year. I had quite a few up-and-coming bucks on camera last year (including two 4.5 year olds), but none showed up on camera this summer.
I passed up seven or eight 120/130" 8-pointers this year, along with lots of smaller bucks and does. I just couldn't find a great buck, and got discouraged enough that I only hunted 2-3 days a week, whereas I used to hunt 7 days a week. Most weekend mornings in firearm and muzzleloader seasons found me in bed.
I shouldn't complain, because I've seen lots of deer and plenty of bucks that many would be ecstatic to get. There are many here that haven't seen any.
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Post by onebentarrow on Dec 22, 2014 17:07:38 GMT -5
Wish I had your tough season. I have only seen 2 bucks the whole season from oct 1 till now and have not had a shot at any deer. I went 4 weeks and never Saw a deer. Not normal at all. It has been very very tough for me this year.
Still hopeing for a.doe in late gun season for the freezer.
I will be out there till the end. Cannot kill one on the couch. And wont know if one is there if I am not.
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Post by drs on Dec 23, 2014 4:44:17 GMT -5
I harvested my Buck here in Ky on the first day of our rifle season. During our early 2-day M/L October Season; I missed a nice Doe. Currently, I am hunting Squirrels.
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Post by dadfsr on Dec 23, 2014 7:07:38 GMT -5
No I haven't been back out. I got my buck and my daughter got hers....have only seen three doe the whole season so even though we're in one of the mysterious bonus counties I won't be back out this year. Got to have does to have bucks!
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Post by parson on Dec 23, 2014 7:18:46 GMT -5
I hope to get some meat during antlerless time. The flu took me out for a big chunk of the season.
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Post by shouldernuke on Dec 23, 2014 7:32:06 GMT -5
Nope I am done had my buck go down on Tue after gun opener and had a button hit the ground on opener late in mid day ,And shot adoe the thrurs before gun opener with bow .And yes I should looked closer but oh well it will eat just fine but it was still a doe . I am done will not shoot another single deer at all .Got to have doe to have the bucks next year here .Good luck to anyone who has not shot a deer yet .
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 23, 2014 8:16:34 GMT -5
Took a doe opening evening of bow...since then I've chased some brutes both here and in Kansas....passed on a 125 in Kansas that was a 2.5 then another 2.5 here around Thanksgiving that was probably in the 115/120 range. Been that kind of year....just missing according to cams and now the weather has gotta terrible for late season. I NEED SNOW!!!!
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Post by deerhunter23 on Dec 23, 2014 8:25:56 GMT -5
I still hope to get atleast 1 more for the season. Have to kick this sickness first if at all. I tried to go out Sunday evening and was coughing so much i called it quits for the day. I to have had plenty of opportunity to kill a number of deer with bow or gun. Alot of young bucks and alot of does. There was about a month and a half that i hunted and seen deer every sit. I did take a doe early archery so my season hasnt been a complete bust. The very first deer i saw this year was a 130in 9 point. I passed but boy hes haunting me now! Ive seen 4 definite shooters..2 of them the farmer ran out of the corn while he was cutting, both of those would have made p&y and one was pushing B&C for sure. Its been 3 long seasons since if held a buck in my hands but i refuse to shoot young deer. I killed my dream buck in 2011 and since then passing on deer has came rather easy. I say it every year but i think i better bring my goals back down to reality or ill never kill another buck!
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 23, 2014 8:46:37 GMT -5
I still hope to get atleast 1 more for the season. Have to kick this sickness first if at all. I tried to go out Sunday evening and was coughing so much i called it quits for the day. I to have had plenty of opportunity to kill a number of deer with bow or gun. Alot of young bucks and alot of does. There was about a month and a half that i hunted and seen deer every sit. I did take a doe early archery so my season hasnt been a complete bust. The very first deer i saw this year was a 130in 9 point. I passed but boy hes haunting me now! Ive seen 4 definite shooters..2 of them the farmer ran out of the corn while he was cutting, both of those would have made p&y and one was pushing B&C for sure. Its been 3 long seasons since if held a buck in my hands but i refuse to shoot young deer. I killed my dream buck in 2011 and since then passing on deer has came rather easy. I say it every year but i think i better bring my goals back down to reality or ill never kill another buck! Yeah turning down the 2.5s is the hardest thing for me...I'd love to get to the point of passing 3.5s, which at the one property we hunt isn't tough....the other they're most likely dead (all relative). But when one decides to stop shooting 1.5s and 2.5s no matter how nice their racks are hunting changes, for the better...but can get draining no doubt  |
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Post by mstr2175 on Dec 23, 2014 9:36:40 GMT -5
It sure has been a rough season for me as well. My main spot in Miami county has gone down hill this season. Me and only one other guy hunt that area. I ran into him in the middle of firearm season and he had sat out a few times already and said he had not seen a single deer. I went up there a total of 4 times and saw the same two fawns every time and a doe one time and that was it. I would say between all of my spots this season I saw deer only 20% of the time. I made the mistake of letting a doe and a buck walk on opening morning on public ground, because I never really saw a deer for the rest of firearm season. Well over 100 hours in the stand this season, luckily I finally got a doe on the last weekend of muzzle loader. Good thing it was at my friends uncles farm because I would not want to take a doe at any of my other spots with the lack of sightings. My friends uncle told us to shoot whatever we wanted because he has had good numbers this season and no deer had been taken there this year anyway. I'm going out a few more times with my bow to try and get a buck, but as for the doe season...I'll have to pass this year.
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Post by henson59 on Dec 23, 2014 10:25:46 GMT -5
I took a doe in October but since then I have not been able to get the job done in Indiana or Illinois. I could really use one more doe to fill the freezer so hopefully I can make that happen this weekend. As far as bucks go I have seen a few big guys but they were always out of bow range. Also passed on several young bucks as well.
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Post by boonechaser on Dec 23, 2014 13:00:03 GMT -5
Got my buck mid November and also 2 does. Done for year and have already opened up mineral lick's began suplemental corn feeding with a timed feeder and making plan's to expand a 5 acre bedding/sanctuary area with an additional 4 acre's of tall grasses. Also planning on adding 4 more acre's of food plot's in spring. Trail cams back out to get an idea of what deer survived the season and waiting for buck to come back from taxidermist. Good season all and all and will be looking for sheds after first of year.
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Post by darinfry on Dec 23, 2014 14:59:27 GMT -5
Still after em, but losing steam. Shot a bruiser with my crossbow during archery season, hit him in the shoulder, looked for two days to no avail. Then missed a doe opening weekend of gun season. If I don't score one this season it will be the first time in ten years I've been scunked. Still some season left though, and you never know
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Post by esshup on Dec 23, 2014 17:59:00 GMT -5
I've only seen 2 spikes opener of archery, other than those, no horns whatsoever. Shot a doe in early archery, gave her to my aunt. Shot a button buck opener of firearms season that someone had arrowed but didn't kill. Other than that, nothing close enough to shoot. I think it's dogs chasing deer, it rained hard last night and this morning there fresh deer tracks (running) in the dirt, and 2 sets of dog prints - one large dog, one small dog right on top of the deer tracks. After season ends in January it's time to turn up the heat on any canines in the area, be it coyotes or others..... I've got some bait, and a trapping license  . Those work 24/7, and I don't have to be there for them to work. |
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on Dec 24, 2014 0:54:00 GMT -5
Still pressing forward. Looking for a couple doe to donate to needy families but I simply haven't been seeing any. All I have seen lately is a doe and two fawns. Just can't bring myself to shoot her. Doesn't seem like good deer management to me. The property in southern Jasper county I hunted is doe rich but can't go without the guy who has actual permission and he's done for the year. Still have permission to hunt urban ground but afternoons only and my afternoons have been pretty full. I can't shoot one at home so I'll keep plugging away. Hoping a herd of doe passes by but it's not looking very promising.
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Post by dbd870 on Dec 24, 2014 7:18:10 GMT -5
Way this season has gone I may be a needy family!
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Post by firstwd on Dec 24, 2014 10:47:47 GMT -5
I still hope to get atleast 1 more for the season. Have to kick this sickness first if at all. I tried to go out Sunday evening and was coughing so much i called it quits for the day. I to have had plenty of opportunity to kill a number of deer with bow or gun. Alot of young bucks and alot of does. There was about a month and a half that i hunted and seen deer every sit. I did take a doe early archery so my season hasnt been a complete bust. The very first deer i saw this year was a 130in 9 point. I passed but boy hes haunting me now! Ive seen 4 definite shooters..2 of them the farmer ran out of the corn while he was cutting, both of those would have made p&y and one was pushing B&C for sure. Its been 3 long seasons since if held a buck in my hands but i refuse to shoot young deer. I killed my dream buck in 2011 and since then passing on deer has came rather easy. I say it every year but i think i better bring my goals back down to reality or ill never kill another buck! Yeah turning down the 2.5s is the hardest thing for me...I'd love to get to the point of passing 3.5s, which at the one property we hunt isn't tough....the other they're most likely dead (all relative). But when one decides to stop shooting 1.5s and 2.5s no matter how nice their racks are hunting changes, for the better...but can get draining no doubt Please explain to the masses how passing deer (2 & 3 year olds) makes hunting better? It might let a few bucks older. It might give a few antlers a chance to grow bigger. It might force more bucks to roam to look for does. But at no point is it a guarantee of making deer hunting "better". |
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Post by omegahunter on Dec 24, 2014 11:05:28 GMT -5
Taking Dad out of county in search of an antlerless for him to shoot as he has not had any luck at all this year. He has only seen one deer in the woods this year and I have only seen 4. SLOW year.
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Post by jimbob on Dec 24, 2014 18:24:19 GMT -5
A lot of people having slow years... The state is doing a great job with our herd! The late doe season should only further their cause. HPR next on the docket, but heck, those make deer hunting harder just like cross bows! LOL
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. Those work 24/7, and I don't have to be there for them to work.
