Good Deer Season - What does that mean

[Doc]

We have had a few threads about "Good" seasons and "Bad" seasons, but those terms mean different things to different people.

 

So here is the question: What to you constitutes a good season? In other words, how do you measure the quality of the hunt? I'm looking for a little honesty here and not just what sounds good on a hunting forum .... lol. Do you set goals? Do you have to meet your goals to consider the season a Good season.

 

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For me the minimum requirement for a good season is a deer or two in the freezer. I don't haul that gun around just so I can enjoy the outdoors or simply participate in the hunt. If I want to simply enjoy an outdoor experience, I'll take out the camera.

 

So I guess at a minimum, a season can't be good if I don't get my annual fix of venison. If I get two, that's a very good season. If I get a decent buck, that is a great season. If I get a trophy buck, that is a crazy-great season....lol. If I get nothing or don't even see a whole lot, then I consider the season a crap season. One thing I don't want to experience in hunting is to not even see anything. That gets real old, real quick.

 

There are other things that can impact my estimation of season quality. Broken equipment can turn a season into a suck-season. Some kind of injury can ruin a season. Somebody I am hunting with getting their deer can make it a nice season. So there are things other than harvest that impact how I feel about season quality.

[growalot]

A good season is 3 deer...1 buck and 2 doe...this year I took 2 doe and judgment  plus Wow a shot I should not have missed coupled with a limb I should have cut...yes that limb will be with me on and of for a long while....

A great year has the buck kill take place in bow season... and one in gun...but then the gun buck would have to be more than exceptional for me...

 

Now that's for the kills.... take that out of the equation ...a season with no BS to deal with...that is the greatest season

[phade]

I hunted with four other people this season - bow/gun.

 

Out of the five, four got bucks and three got multiple deer. Three of the four shot their biggest bucks to date. The fifth person had multiple opportunities at shooters, including one whiff and an unfortunate hit that didn't net a recovery.

 

I don't think anyone could consider that season unsuccessful. I think not meeting goals doesn't exclude one from having a successful season. It was a good, fun year.

 

And I do agree with you about the hunting/kill part. You can have a blast hunting and not killing something, but ultimately, I do this to warp my tag around something.

Edited December 12, 2013 by phade

[dhuntley2]

A good season for me is getting a couple deer and seeing deer. It makes a better season seeing a good amount of fawns. This year we saw a lot of fawns so it was a good birthing year and the numbers will be up. I only bow hunt and have a goal of shooting at least 3 1/2 yr old bucks. But its not a bad season if I don't shoot a buck. This year I did not shoot a buck. Got two doe and still may take another. Passed a lot of 1 1/2 olds up and have seen nice 2 1/2 yr olds that are still around. That is very promising for next year. So for me it was a very good season. To make it a great season would be getting a buck and a few doe. A poor season would be shooting one doe. I don't hunt to be in the outdoors, that's what hikes are for. If I wanted to see animals i would be a bird watcher.

Edited December 12, 2013 by dhuntley2

[Deerthug]

A poor season for me is going out in my tree or blind and not seeing a dang thing moving (sort of like this past bow season). A good season for me is having as many opportunities to be out in the woods considering the fact that two years ago I missed all of spring turkey due to an illness and I did not get a shot at anything during bow or gun season.  A better season for me would be shooting one and having my freezer half-full regardless of whether it was a buck or doe. A great season was what happened to me this year - shooting a doe on opening day - firearms and an 8pt buck in the same afternoon. A fantastic stupendous season would be to shoot a deer during bow season, a doe and a buck during firearms and one during muzzleloader season.  

[upstate]

A good season for me is being able to get out and see a few deer. 

 

1. I was horrendously injured in 2010 and needed therapy to just pull my bow back and hold it.

2. That same year we lost the land I hunted with my best friends since 1995.   

 

So 2010 sucked for me. I only gun hunted but walking and climbing stands were tough. I needed to figure out new land, the deer or lack thereof. I saw deer, actually missed a small buck but it was not the same. 

 

Frankly I'm sick of hearing what a horrible season people are having/ had. Things change in areas, mast may be heavy or lacking, crops may change, etc. The biggest issue hunters face is access. You may have 500 acres with light pressure, 500 acres that gets hammered and 500 acres that is shut down. Where in the hell do you think the deer are? 

 

So, those whining about a bad season, put it in perspective. You could be in your house looking out. 

 

Me, I had a good season in 6N, saw deer every time I went out. Those that hunt the top of the hill know, you can sit / hunt fro days and not see a deer.  7M, I'm still figuring out. It's been quiet since Thanksgiving weekend. In 500 acres over 5 mature, adult bucks were taken. I have not seen a deer since opening day at my lease. They're nocturnal and I moved to another piece where they're looking for food. 

 

 

[growalot]

I'll say it...I feel really sorry for the guys that go out to never see deer...I can't imagine not seeing any deer during a hunt...I have a hard time looking out the PC room window and not seeing deer at least 3x's a week

[steve863]

If you got an opportunity to shoot a deer during the season, than no one can really complain.  If you shot and missed that's your fault, so better luck next time.  A lot depends on the time you put into it, too.  Some people go hunting only a couple of weekends and then complain that they had a bad season.  That's baloney in my book.  One can't expect a hell of a lot in a few days hunting, most especially during bow season.  If you hunt only a few days a year and had an opportunity or two at a deer, you should consider it a very GOOD season.

 

 

 

[ncountry]

Any season I get to go out and sit in the woods and wander the hills for hours on end is good. I may complain at time times of dwindling deer #s or lack of buck sightings. I always seem to have enough venison in the freezer though. My only real complaint is that work gets in the way of spending the whole season in the woods ..lol ! I am already starting to feel a little sad that I have to wait another 9+ months to go again after this weekend.

[Water Rat]

 A good season for me means not getting shot or falling out of my tree stands.

My buck was icing on the cake .

[NYbuck50]

Good deer season = everybody stayed safe and had a good time. The deer are a bonus

[First-light]

A good season is having a couple in the freezer. It seems the past few years I have had new hunters on the property. I love seeing them get their first! That happened this year so it was a great season!!! The bottom line for me, Being out there enjoying my property, with old and new hunters,  and having the opportunity to harvest a deer means a great season.*

 

*My two girls would be very disappointed if the freezer didn't get filled (that would not be a good season for them) lol

[Doc]

Well, one thing I forgot to add was that there really are no right or wrong answers. I didn't intend to judge or evaluate people's reasons for feeling the way they do. I was just curious about the criteria that people use to determine their ratings of the season. Actually, the fact that a guy only got out for two days during the season may very well be why the season sucked for him. I'm just curious as to what it takes to make for a "happy hunter".

[shawnhu]

Goals considered, I had a good season. I saw more deer than last, and was able to get out while I could. Predictions of available time to hit the woods was on target, and I wasn't short changed. There were a few high reaching goals I set for myself this season that I may not meet, but that's how I challenge myself. My season isn't over yet, still have a few weeks yet still. But I'm already looking forward to getting back to small game and the off-season practice.

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[noodle one]

To me the taken of a deer is not all that makes it a good year. I have been very  lucky with my deer hunting and have taken more deer than most hunters. To me knowing that I could have taken one and passing on it is more  satisfying than  the taking the life of one. Being in the woods and seeing deer come by and knowing, is what makes me feel good.  Dont get me wrong because I know the deer herd needs to be controlled and hunting them helps the herd. I like most hunters get excited when I see and take a big buck  but when I am standing over it makes me sad knowing that he will never be free and walking the woods again. This year has been the worst year that I have had in all of my years of deer hunting, not because I haven't gotten a deer. It is because I have not been seeing any deer. To me seeing and knowing is far more important than taken. This year that I have been calling the worst year is not all true.  The first week of season I had a bear twenty yards from me for ten min. and I could have taken him if I had wanted to. I know a lot of people would have given there eye teeth to had been there in my place. I should be happy, but I am not because I am a deer hunter and that is what I go  out for to see.

[steve863]

 Actually, the fact that a guy only got out for two days during the season may very well be why the season sucked for him. 

 

 

That's very true, but I don't think anyone should say that the HUNTING sucked, if they unfortunately were able to spend only two days out in the field.  Big difference there.  Hunting takes time, way more than the 22 minutes or less that we see on the TV shows.

[growalot]

Where the heck are all my" likes"!!!!...lol

[vincy]

I work and live in the city. I do not come from a family that hunts. I dont own my own land or know anyone that owns land. However I've taken at least one deer every year for the past three years including this. All public land deer I might add.

 

a good season is the opportunity to get out a decent amount, for me thats at minimum 10+ days, and seeing deer with at least a few shot opportunities.

 

a great season is more than 1 deer or possibly a buck

 

a outstanding season is a mature public land buck...yet to happen, lol.

[Fletch]

A good safe season is first on my list. The amount of time I get out makes it a good season. Hunting with my brother and brother in law and my Dad make it a good season.

 

A good season is getting a couple deer. A very good season is 3 or more or a couple and a mature buck.

 

Perfect season would be a mature buck with bow, 2 or 3 does with rifle and another mature buck in muzzleloader!

Edited December 12, 2013 by Fletch

[wooly]

I think it more about the encounters for me. This year I dedicated a lot more time to summer scouting, tree stand placement and preparation, trail cam surveillance, and accumulated lots of hours afield last post season last winter and spring. I better see plenty of deer or I'm not very good at putting together the puzzle pieces.

Killing one or two is almost a given, so that doesn't really figure into the overall season rating for me anymore. Antler size doesn't matter much as I'll save the horn hunting for shed season.

I like to at least have a few encounters from the stand with bucks I recognize to make me feel like I know what I'm doing and putting myself in the right areas to kill them or learn more about them. That's what I'll base this season as a success on.

 The only real dissapointment for me this year seemed to be the weather.

Nothing I hate more than doing everything right, only to have an uncontrolable element take away from the fun!

 

[Merlot]

I had a good season. Got about 10 days in, all told, between bow and rifle. Didn't harvest a deer, but had a good season. Chose to pass on a couple bucks at 7 yards with 1 side of rack busted off. A good season. Bad seasons will be when I'm taking a dirt nap...That will suck.

[Jennifer]

To me, any day in the woods is a good day; I love all of it. Except maybe for miserable weather.

That said, for me to consider having a good deer season, I really like to see deer. Even if I do not get a shot, seeing the critter I am after once in a while is what I love. It gets really frustrating to not see any deer after hunting from for 60+ hours in the woods. I'm not an awesome hunter but I am a careful and thoughtful one, and always consider wind, I scout starting in August, and work my hunt carefully based on knowing the property very well and historical movement patterns of the deer. So, to not see even a rocket-powered tail leaping away from me once in a while.. well, that's frustrating.

 

A good season is seeing deer ... hmm, at least once every other hunt, to keep my enthusiasm for hunting them.

 

A GREAT season is harvesting one deer, doe (if I have a DMP) or buck.

A bad season is seeing less than two or three deer all season (my dad did not see a single deer during open season this year! And he took two weeks off and hunted hard) and then coming home and watching them party in my back yard!

Edited December 12, 2013 by Jennifer

[ApexerER]

I should say that this was a good season for me because I did get a deer and that doesn't happen for me very often. Although I got  a deer I feel like it was a poor season for me. I hunted more often and put more time in than I ever have before and saw way less deer than normal. I spent countless hours on the stand during bow and rifle not seeing a thing. I really enjoy seeing deer. I don't have to get one for me to consider the season successful. For me it seemed the weather played a huge part. I got very few days to hunt where the wind wasn't blowing like crazy and I never seem to see anything on windy days. I hunted every weekend from the opening day of bow till last weekend and saw the least amount of deer I have ever seen. So even though my freezer is full and that is the exception and not the norm for me I am going to say it was a terrible season because of the time I put in and the lack of sighting I got out of the time and effort I put in. So I guess seeing deer would make a great season for me, not necessarily getting one....

[newbreed]

a good season to me is being able to hunt with my father , dont really care if we get deer or not. although we both did get bucks this year.

[blackradio]

This was a special season for me. It was the first year hunting land that I have lived next to my whole life and used to explore when I was a kid. I took a nice buck with the bow and my father (who no longer hunts) helped me drag it out and hang it. Special moment for me.

 

Also had my best friend join me for his first hunt ever. We didn't see a thing but I hiked through a thick swamp and saw some deer so it was funny when I came buck muddy, soaked and sweaty and he was sitting where I left him and he didn't hear a peep. I hope to hunt with him more next year.