Your Season - Closing Comments
Connecticut
For me - hunted all state land in the NW corner, 2 different areas. Saw 12 deer in total, went out 8 different days and a total of 62 hours on stand. Harvest - one mature buck. Other hunters seen while on stand -0-. Coyotes/bobcats seen -0-. Very good season for me.
Hunted CT 7 days around 25 hours in stand. Saw 12-15 deer with shot opportunities but didn't draw my bow back once because I hunted one specific Buck. Got to drag two 8 ptrs my wife shot I got zero . Saw one bobcat catch a squirrel 20 yards away from me and watched it and filmed it for 15 minutes prob the most exciting I seen in stand this year. Great year all in all ??
Hunted 29 days over 95 hours on stand, passed over 30 deer, saw more than 80. Hunted 15 different stands,in 10 different areas private and state. Never hunting any stand more than 3 times. Took 2 decent bucks, 5 deer total.
Tag Soup! I went out several times with the bow, passed on a few does and skippers only to miss a decent buck at 8 yards putting an arrow over his back. Rifle season - out only a few times and passed on does with skippers. Muzzleloader - Out a few times and only saw a few tails bounding away. I did get to help out my long time hunting partner track and recover his best buck ever - a 185lb 11 pointer! Also helped out another friend drag out his muzzleloader deer and helped out another friend cutting up his rifle deer. I did a lot of bird hunting with my Brittanies and I may not have much venison in the freezer but my wife needs to find some more pheasant recipes as we killed (not harvested!) a lot of birds. I haven't had too many seasons since 1973 when I haven't killed at least one deer. In 2015 I think I will put a doe in the freezer early on as I have in the last few years.
It was a great year,Even that the place,I work at got bought out by by new owners,I lost all my vacation time have to start all over.(You know how that goes)Hunted in Sherman,The deer sighten where down again.Got 1 three pointer and hunted New York.Got small buck over their.I don't keep track of my hours,That is to much like work.Had some great weather in the early fall.No bear sightens this year.Thank the lord,They are a pain when you are deer hunting.All we have to do is get the state to stop giving so many tags out.Let Deer population come back on the western side of the state.Happy New Year.
A good hard year for me too as I collected 2 deer with the bow after spending more or less around 102 hours for the duration of the season, using 4 different properties in zone 12 and zone 7, 6 different stands / blinds. Missed few, skipped few, took home 2, but I saw deer 70% of the time spent hunting.
My last day out was 12/27/2014 when I brought home the influenza flu virus at the end of the day and I have been sick since. This little bugger ruined all my plans for the last days of the season as far as hunting and recovering equipment goes.
In 2015 season I will hunt more the time when the moon is under or over at sunrise or sunset. Also, before major storms arrive and after they pass. I noticed a better movement pattern during these periods over time.
Personally I am extremely happy with 2-3 deer per season as I do not have a large family to force feed venison to, LOL. I put in a good effort to bring deer home and even more effort to convince them it is OK to eat the meat.
Six you sound like a very astute hunter. I agree with all you said and have been very successful over the years since I started paying attention to daily moon position. If you have plenty of time to hunt and can afford to pick and choose when you go, you would be a fool not to pay attention to all the subtle things you listed. Good luck next year and I hope you feel much better soon!!
Great season, hunted a crap load, can't even count, saw a ton of deer, harvested my first ever, second season. Learned a lot, state and private land, 95% of the time in the ground...favorite part is still Hunting and sneaking up on deer while they just chill out, was able to get very close a few times. The deer won't be as lucky next year as I won't hesitate as much with taking a shot! Can't wIt till September. Thanks to all who contribute on the site, I learn a lot from you all! Happy new year.
Also saw one bobcat and one coyote.....missed completely low on a deer with muzzle loader :-) 150 yards out, misjudged the distance
NW corner, hunted 61 days, 211 hours on stand, 46 deer seen from stand, took 3 of them. Wounded a doe opening day with a brisket hit, and shot right over the top of another high alert string jumper. Passed on lots of does with skippers early and mid season. Drove myself nuts chasing a big 8 for the past two months without a single sighting of him. Glad it's over! Looking forward to some scouting, coyote hunting, shed hunting, brush clearing, and setting up some new stands for next year.
I thank God for another blessed season. Countless enjoyable hours on stand. Had some great hunts and harvests. Hope to do it again in 2015.
Was able to hunt a foodplot. Not as exciting as you think. Kinda lame imho. It has its place but nothing like a realy good scout and strategic stand placement with success. Taggd out with buck non foodplot this season. Nice!
Thanks to the guys that helped me and I'm also glad I helped out some others. Took two nice deer with the bow this year on state land. Hunted when I could and made the most of it with friends and family. Also hunted some brand new state land areas that hold promise for spring turkey and November bucks.
Looking forward to next year and hoping all of us pass on more does so they can refuel the population. Good luck to all in 2015 and make sure you shoot straight!
3 does all during bow season. All of gun season was slow. Never ran into a shooter. It's been a couple years since I've had a shot at a nice buck but the freezer is full . New haven and middlesex county. Done hunting, hopefully on the ice soon!!
Another fantastic year in the woods; one doe for me and one on 12/30 for my Rod & Gun Club's game dinner.
Personal commitments limited my early season to just a handful of days but by November I was able to get out a half-dozen times and had a good number of bucks in bow range. Had one massive-beamed 8pt really on a hot doe and I threw the whole ball of wax trying to turn him to no avail.
I had some young bucks ranging from a few spikes to a couple forkies and then a lot of immature bucks with a ton of potential, if, God willing they make it through another season or two.
One was a very nice 8pt, had about a 19-20" spread, decent height but light on mass. Body clearly showed this was a pup still. I think this guy was sent to tempt me because he circled me for about 20 minutes at ranges from 7-8 yards to just about 20 yards. The other nice youngster was a full 10pt, about the same spread, a bit more mass but longest tines looked to be in the 7-8" range. This guy walked directly under me twice and was nibbling happily on browse, fully broadside at 10 yards for a good 5 minutes. Again, body configuration and face clearly showed him to be a young buck so he is still out there!
I thought I had a definite shooter on Nov 20th; I heard brush snap and turned to my right to see a big-bodied buck coming from North to South. I could only see his left beam but it was spectacular; easily 12-14" for tine length and super mass-looked like 5" or better at the bases. When he started to hook a right which would put him on a trail running 15 yards from my tree I grabbed my bow.
Instant downer when he was head-on; the right beam went straight up from the base and only had 2 flat, triangular shaped "tines" of about 2" in length. My guess, and one shared by some friends in the DEEP I spoke with was that he must have been injured while in velvet as the left side was so perfect.
I debated for a second but then opted not to shoot in the hopes that it was an injury and not genetics and maybe next year he'd be healthy and one heck of a buck.
The best part of the year though was "meeting" a few more folks on this forum and getting to share some experience (hopefully good stuff!) with them. I don't think there's anything I enjoy more than helping out a fellow bowhunter and then hearing from them about a successful hunt or season. Those stories are the ones that really put a smile on my face.
I hope all of you enjoy many blessings with the coming New Year for yourselves and your loved ones and here's an early wish for a very successful bow season come September 15th!
Spent many hours on the stand over many days out, all private land. Saw deer almost every time out. I used to track time on stand and sightings, but just didn't this year for whatever reason. Took a small buck on opening day, a doe one week later, a nice buck on the anniversary of my double and got to watch/video my son take his first deer with the bow. On 12/30, my son and I were out in the afternoon and had a small spike come in and hang out broadside at 10 yrds for about 10 min. We decided not to shoot and felt great letting a young one go.
Hoping to get some time out in Jan, but if not.....Sept coming
Wasn't like I thought it would be, but not bad at all. I planned to bow hunt Pennsylvania, but they closed my hunting area for the manhunt. I did get out there for rifle season, and though I didn't see deer, I am encouraged to return next year because the sign was plentiful.
In Connecticut I had a nice eight point buck come to me in early October, but didn't offer me a shot I was comfortable with. Some weeks later I drilled an eleven point standing under me at the same location. That was thrilling.
I thank God I was able to enjoy each hunt and see his creation with appreciation in my heart.
As I left the woods I passed a familiar stand location and laid my hand on the tree. I said, "goodbye friend", not knowing for certain I would ever return.
I saw countless deer this year but not many does passed on 20 or so small buck opportunities and settled on a small 6 near the end of Dec still have a month to go and would like to see that big 8 I have been watching sine Sept was nice hunting with my son when ever I could .Steve
I keep meaning to make a log book like I used to for stripers , but I cant remember where I put it and forget to write one . so I guess every time out is like a new adventure . 99% of my hunts were on state land . 1 forkie and 1 injured doe that most likely wouldn't have made it through the winter . I let my bro in law hunt toyland where he got his first bow kill (doe) made even better with my 11 yr old nephew on his first hunt so that was pretty cool .
being out of work gave me the luxury to spend a lot of time in the woods . saw lots of deer , lots of yotes . did a lot of scouting trips disguised as hikes with my nieces and nephews .showed them the wonders of nature and what she has to offer . helped with teaching them how to shoot their bows . hopefully something sticks , theyre the future .
Hunted a total of 12 days for a total on stand time of approx 130 hours. Moved stand 3 times. Saw 8 turkeys and 12 deer, took 5 shots, 2 clean misses, two High hits with lost or no blood trail. Harvested 1 mature buck. Can't wait for September 15th to come around.
Didn't see as many deer as in the past few seasons. Of the ones that I did see only one presented a shot...and I missed! Saw lots of turkeys. This year planning on changing up my food plots. Happy New Year!
Another good year here after 2 misses early I connected on a doe the day before thanksgiving that dropped at 20 yards within sight of my stand then again the day after christmas on a forkie broken down to a 3pt that dropped 15 yards from my stand.
Also happy to report that Buck Norris survived another season and after being a 6 last year and 8 this year I hope he will start to grow some real mass for next year.
Good luck to those of you in 11 and 12!
Awesome year,,, like every year!
I don't count my number of trips to the woods or the number of deer I let walk, but there were many, many.
I was fortunate to take two good 8 pointers with the bow, even though I shot a doe that I was not able to recover.
I saw my first bear up close in the woods, as well as my first bobcat. I watched fisher cats a few times and saw as many coyotes as deer. I had a go-pro mounted to my bow and have lots of great video to reflect back on.
It was a good year....
Hunted 28 morning hunts and 1 all day hunt saw 30 does and fawns 1 mature 8 pt which the shot was deflected off a branch and skinned his back taking off just a patch of fur during early November think he was shot by boarder property during rifle season. I took one 3 1/2 year old 6 pt with broken off main beam with bow and two 85 lb does with smoke pole to fill freezer . Hunted state land 6 of the days with 4 sightings all does with bow and passed them , no state land sightings with shotgun only 1 day , saw 1 4pt buck on private rifle season in Durham , shot at big 8 nicked and killed 6 pt and 2 doe's in Prospect private land. Photo of buck a couple days after shot
It came slow and went to quickly.... Shot an early season Doe for the landowner then didn't see a shooter buck all season. Caught a few 130-140" on trail cams though.
Being the big woods of the NW corner you never know what will walk by at anytime.
I spent most of the Month of November in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. So I wont complain.
One of the hardest most humbling seasons I have ever had. My uncles property went to hell deer disappeared after putting a ton of effort into it this past off season found out the neighboring property owner sprayed deer deterant on way more than one occasion around the edges of his property to keep the deer from coming onto ours and he took a deer that was shot by my cousins husband yes deep was called and dealt with what they could. Stands stolen on state land low deer sightings shot a doe looked for over 12 hrs never found her in the early season had a massive 9 point I had been after most of the season passed by me at 40 yrds shot wasn't comfortable on thanksgiving day and he walked on to the private land and was shot by a lady with a rifle less than 100 yrd from me and died less than 80 from me way to many walkers dogs and mountain biker to count had to change spot 3 times because of it ooooooand a horse of course. My list goes on and on just a rough season. But can't wait for next season have already started scouting and I'm def gonna push extremely hard in the off Season this yr
Even though my season was terrible by my standards I wanna thank u guys on here that backed me up and stayed positive for me and for all the help and advice that was given to me. Next yr will be different and my efforts for that elusive big buck will continue. My count for the season 1 doe hit and not recovered 29 deer seen 2 coyote 1 horse lol and 0 in the freezer
hs , dont forget 1 kicked christmas elf...lol
Yah bud I punted that dude as hard as I could lmao
Two deer for me this year,hunted alot of days state land and private land, all in zone 11, deer sightings were way down for me this year and just thankful for the two I got,going to change it up for next season, going to spend alot of time scouting this off season.
Hunted less than year than all 18 years that I have been hunting. Shot one 6 point at 15 yards.
Got 30 yards from a big buck that stood in front of me for 5 minutes but offered me no shot.
Over all, the year rotted. Hated it through and through.
Got the Mobile Live Hunt monkey off my back September 18th when I took a mature doe on private land. Thank God for that! Haha! Took a decent 6pt buck on Columbus Day. I passed on several spikes and forks in the month of November. All tolled 2 mature does, 6pt buck all from the same private property in the same tree = about 100lbs of venison in the chest freezer. I hunted countless hours for SOB nocturnal Hazardville swamp bucks, never to see one during shooting light. I did collect more intell and have a much better understanding their mid season travel patterns and bedding areas. I had a close call with the climber when the bottom platform came off tree at 20+ feet. Luckily it was tied on to the upper section and I was able to steer it back onto the trunk of the tree. I saw a total of 8 coyotes, 3 running in a pack at the same time. Saw two young fishercats zipping through the woods in late December. Looking forward to 2015 already.
Good season for me. One property was very hot, with sightings most times out. I passed on several youngsters early in the season.
I took 3 deer and a turkey from the ground, all with bow. No Oct lull for me, though Dec was tough - a few seen, none in range. Lost deer as well... I hate that.
Gun hunted the Killingworth property twice with my jr hunter, and my club once. No deer seen, but he still wants to stick with it.
Lots of raptors and turkey sightings, as well as a dirty dawg. Also had a fisher, bobcat, yote and fox on camera, as well as a dbag poacher. No gear stolen though.
Hunted 4 times and shot one doe in opening week. Due to an injury I couldn't hunt since before the middle of October but Steve and brought me with him via text every single hunt. I kept asking him to shoot a 3 pointer that kept showing up but he refused. I had a lot of vacation time to hunt this year because I didn't go anywhere for the summer to save them for hunting. I got to carry over 3 days I din't use.
This is not my closing statement because I hope to be out at lease once more, weather permitting.
All in all, it was a learning year for me. Completely missed a doe at 17 yards, left my quiver on the ground while up in the tree and couldn't shoot the other doe trailing the one I'd just missed.
Had a doe come in as soon as I got on stand around the middle of December, couldn't take a shot because I was digging in my pack for my rangefinder and didn't even notice the deer until it was too late. Had two does come running in about ten yards from me on the same hunt, but I won't shoot at a running deer, period.
Don't know how many days or hours I spent on stand, but in the five years I've been hunting, I've seen more deer this year and had more opportunity than my previous years. Got a stomach virus right before Christmas and couldn't even think of hunting, was sick for almost eight damn days, so my year didn't end as I anticipated. I learned a lot and I'm hoping to get a mentor to show me the subltle things, I'm becoming a better hunter, but I don't want to be average or lucky, I want to be good because I know what I'm doing and I want to pass on this tradition to my nephew, since I wasn't blessed with a son.
May you all have a successful off season and thanks "BBB" for your advice and to all of you guys who have contributed to any questions or just given me advice in general.
Cary
