Progression Of Frustration

[DirtTime]

The past few years, I've been out chasing deer as much as possible. 28 hunts in 2020, 32 (33?) in 2021, and so far 18 for 2022. I just rolled with things for 2020 and 2021. This season, as hard as I'm trying not to be, I'm getting frustrated.

 

I've been so close a few times this season I could taste the back straps! Then the deer walk away. The worst was having two does come walking in, and one stop broadside at around 40 yards twice. Then they busted me and ran about 60 yards and stopped looking back at me. I figured I had nothing to lose at that point, so I made that silly noise we make to try and get a buck to stop for a shot. Both started coming back towards me. Then trying to reposition, I bumped my chair, and they were gone.

 

I take deer hunting serious, but so much as to get ticked off by lack of seeing deer or not getting that right "feel" (bad angle, out of range etc.) to make a good shot. But, like I said, this year I'm getting pissed at the whole situation.

 

Have some stuff going on starting tomorrow and hoping things go well enough to still be able to get back out for the crossbow and gun season down this way as well as get up north for a few hunts with the wife.

 

Anyone else starting to get overly frustrated this season, deer hunting?

[DDT]

I'm really frustrated,  due to some health problems I have not been out yet.  Want to next week with the crossbow. 

[mowin]

I used to when I was younger. Seemed the more pressure I put on myself, it became more difficult to kill a deer. 

  Now, I enjoy every hunt.  Missed a nice 8 last week, laughed when he sniffed the lighted knock. 

Had the same 8 behind me yesterday at 12yrds.  Doe spotted me trying to turn.  

Didn't get pissed. I enjoyed the opportunity and the close encounter. 

[phade]

I think frustration is perfectly OK if you can ID it and are willing to either accept the outcome and/or do something about it. Where frustration leads people down a wrong path - hunting or some other more important topic - is to either waffle in limbo, or not come to a conviction about the former statement. 

While I have passed plenty of does and a few good bucks this season, I have not had a solid encounter with a deer I wanted to take. Came close once with bucks that were likely coming my way but got disrupted by a passing truck. My thought process asks why I have my result and to get to work on it.

Hopefully you are doing the same!

 

[Skillet]

Sounds to me like you're on the right track. 

Not taking shots that are too far, or at bad angles is the sign of a good sportsman who respects the game. Nothing wrong with that.

It can be frustrating, but imagine the feeling when you finally score.

It'll happen for you.

[DirtTime]

44 minutes ago, mowin said:

I used to when I was younger. Seemed the more pressure I put on myself, it became more difficult to kill a deer. 

  Now, I enjoy every hunt.  Missed a nice 8 last week, laughed when he sniffed the lighted knock. 

Had the same 8 behind me yesterday at 12yrds.  Doe spotted me trying to turn.  

Didn't get pissed. I enjoyed the opportunity and the close encounter. 

I enjoy and love every minute I get in the woods.

41 minutes ago, phade said:

I think frustration is perfectly OK if you can ID it and are willing to either accept the outcome and/or do something about it. Where frustration leads people down a wrong path - hunting or some other more important topic - is to either waffle in limbo, or not come to a conviction about the former statement. 

While I have passed plenty of does and a few good bucks this season, I have not had a solid encounter with a deer I wanted to take. Came close once with bucks that were likely coming my way but got disrupted by a passing truck. My thought process asks why I have my result and to get to work on it.

Hopefully you are doing the same!

 

That's what's getting frustrating. I have my spots set up right, so what to do about to get those deer a bit closer is what's driving me nuts. I think it's easier to evaluate what might be wrong when you aren't seeing anything. Am I playing the wind right? Am I blended into my surroundings? Does this hat make me look fat? Those are things it's a little easier to process.

37 minutes ago, Skillet said:

Sounds to me like you're on the right track. 

Not taking shots that are too far, or at bad angles is the sign of a good sportsman who respects the game. Nothing wrong with that.

It can be frustrating, but imagine the feeling when you finally score.

It'll happen for you.

Thank you.

 

 

I'm probably doing exactly what I try and tell others not to do, and that's overanalyzing the whole thing.

[Robhuntandfish]

18 hunts and frustrated.... I usually get frustrated at about 55. Lol. And then I go out for #56.

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[sbuff]

Frustrated that I haven't gone yet ,daughters softball just ended Sunday and we roll into cyo basketball this weekend with an opening game . Thankfully its been warm and not much has been seen yet at camp 

That said I'll put my kids sports over my hunting any day 

Edited November 1, 2022 by sbuff

[grampy]

80 hunts and no deer? You need to reevaluate. Go back to the basics.

Keep wind and thermals in YOUR favor. Always.

SIT STILL!!! If you have to turn your head, or move at all, do it in super slow motion. If walking and stalking, and you think you are moving too slow? Move slower.

Blend in with wherever you are hunting. Especially from the ground.

Hunt where the deer are! Even on heavy pressure state land, there are certain spots where more deer will be than others. Find those spots! It may be harder to get there. But worth the extra effort.

Be patient, and persistent. These are among the best traits of consistently successful hunters. Hang in there that extra hour or more. Even if you think you should go, because you haven't seen a deer.

We all have to step back and reevaluate our hunting at times. And be willing to change what's not working for us. Be adaptable! The deer we hunt certainly are.

These basics are for us all. I just want to help. Not saying I'm better than ANYONE. I am not.

With that, I wish you good luck Rob. As I do feel luck plays a small part too.

I'd be willing to meet up with you again, and set you in a known great spot. Where we were a few years ago. The the rest is up to you. Follow the basics, and you'll be grilling backstraps before Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

[Shoots100]

If possible, get another tree stand or ground blind and set it in a location near their avenue of approach to your other tree stand to ambush them.

If you were busted in a stand, they remember that location and will look in that spot to see if your there or not.

Make a fake scrape or some type of attractant to bring them in closer.

Good luck and success soon.

 

 

[DirtTime]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

18 hunts and frustrated.... I usually get frustrated at about 55. Lol. And then I go out for #56.

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I'll keep going, I didn't say I was giving up. I have a medical thing tomorrow, and depending on how that goes, it may well be the end of my deer season. As soon as the Doc gives me the OK I'll be back out there either sweating or freezing my nads off.

35 minutes ago, grampy said:

80 hunts and no deer? You need to reevaluate. Go back to the basics.

Keep wind and thermals in YOUR favor. Always.

SIT STILL!!! If you have to turn your head, or move at all, do it in super slow motion. If walking and stalking, and you think you are moving too slow? Move slower.

Blend in with wherever you are hunting. Especially from the ground.

Hunt where the deer are! Even on heavy pressure state land, there are certain spots where more deer will be than others. Find those spots! It may be harder to get there. But worth the extra effort.

Be patient, and persistent. These are among the best traits of consistently successful hunters. Hang in there that extra hour or more. Even if you think you should go, because you haven't seen a deer.

We all have to step back and reevaluate our hunting at times. And be willing to change what's not working for us. Be adaptable! The deer we hunt certainly are.

These basics are for us all. I just want to help. Not saying I'm better than ANYONE. I am not.

With that, I wish you good luck Rob. As I do feel luck plays a small part too.

I'd be willing to meet up with you again, and set you in a known great spot. Where we were a few years ago. The the rest is up to you. Follow the basics, and you'll be grilling backstraps before Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

I didn't even get the permit for over there this year. Down here, I've only been on public land twice for deer. I have some private land I'm hunting, mainly until the gun season opens. I appreciate that, and if I had gotten a permit I would be more than willing to meet up again grampy.

 

 

I've been close, on a few occasions this season, it's just not all falling onto place. I keep wind in my face, my blinds are tucked in well, even the pop-up blind has had deer close, they don't seem bothered by that or me, they just come in from the back where there's no way to get a shot. Over the past few years I've gotten close, but as I said, just not punching the ticket.

 

This is how things seem to play out:

 

 

Getting this on video was pure shock, as I've never been able to get this type of footage in the years I've been filming.

 

I'm taking the downtime I have, at least for a few days, to assess some things. As I said, I'm probably just overthinking everything and need to just maintain my focus and keep going out there.

[DirtTime]

9 minutes ago, Shoots100 said:

If possible, get another tree stand or ground blind and set it in a location near their avenue of approach to your other tree stand to ambush them.

If you were busted in a stand, they remember that location and will look in that spot to see if your there or not.

Make a fake scrape or some type of attractant to bring them in closer.

Good luck and success soon.

 

 

I have a few mock scrapes set up, and actually using a trail cam this year. Only just started seeing daytime movement in that spot. The place they busted me is still seeing action. Last time in that blind it was so foggy I couldn't see more than 15-20 yards, so a deer could have been doing the lambada further out, and I wouldn't have seen a thing.

Edited November 2, 2022 by DirtTime

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, sbuff said:

That said I'll put my kids sports over my hunting any day 

I’m on the fence on that one.  It’s too bad that they always have the playoffs, during the peak two weeks of the rut / crossbow season.   

I missed the bulk of that hunting last year, when our daughter’s high school field hockey team made the final four in the state championships .  It was cool getting to meet fellow site member cdbing in Long Island, during the games.

Her college playoffs start this Friday.  If they advance to the next round, odds are that the game on Sunday will be half way across the state.  I’ve already opted out of that one.  If it turns out to be a home game, I’ll do my best to make it.  
 

[mlammerhirt]

Come on Wolc.....your daughters events are way more important than any hunt. I think I preached the same thing to you last season. As parents we never stop supporting our children......I love hunting and being in the woods.....but would never place that over anything my children are participating in. You got one in the freezer....don't be that parent that skips out!

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[genesee_mohican]

I'm just seriously frustrated with the fact that I'm only able to get out hunting on the weekends. I just want to be out there every day this time of year in a bad way.  It seems to pull at me harder every year. With the job I have now, vacation isn't an option, so I have to make the most of my weekends. 

 

[Robhuntandfish]

Rooting for you @DirtTime . After 40 hunts in a season you get an honorary spot in the grinders club. @Fletch @moho @Cabin Fever etc....

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[bigpaul]

I think I get less frustrated as I get older. I know if I go a couple days without seeing a deer, I know it can only get better. When I mess up I laugh it off and try to learn something from the experience. You got to be out there to get it done. I used to hunt every chance I had and be burnt out by time November rolled around. Now I hunt the first week of October on food plots, and sporadically throughout the month. Vacation starts tomorrow and  I'll be chasing them for the next twelve days. I might cut a few hunts short or even skip a day. I spend all year scouting, food plotting, working on habitat improvements and I enjoy every minute of it. Kick back, enjoy it, but don't turn it into a second job!   

[Daveboone]

I dont see it mentioned specifically, but I am guessing you are bow hunting? If so, you are being a damn fine disciplined hunter by not taking shots you dont think you should take ...for that matter, the same goes for xbow or firearm. There are plenty of hunters who let fly at every observed deer, and the woods are full of wounded critters to show for it. You are seeing deer, so I am not going to tell you to do anything differently.

I gave up bow hunting many years ago, after hunting with some success. Simply put, I couldnt put the time in to be as proficient as I wanted. I went more heavily into black powder which I love. Similar concept, but a bit more forgiving.

[sbuff]

9 hours ago, wolc123 said:

I’m on the fence on that one.  It’s too bad that they always have the playoffs, during the peak two weeks of the rut / crossbow season.   

I missed the bulk of that hunting last year, when our daughter’s high school field hockey team made the final four in the state championships .  It was cool getting to meet fellow site member cdbing in Long Island, during the games.

Her college playoffs start this Friday.  If they advance to the next round, odds are that the game on Sunday will be half way across the state.  I’ve already opted out of that one.  If it turns out to be a home game, I’ll do my best to make it 

I will 100% disagree. 

Good luck dirt time,you will get one for sure !

[SilentStalker]

After some successes early in my hunting career, I went 7 years and only shot one very small buck. This included some misses and errors on my part which cost me deer. I remember being frustrated during that time, but my kids were young and time afield was limited. I can never get that time back and would not change a thing. Even now, summers are spent on the softball circuit, camp time is non-exisitent.  While I miss the freedom from before the kids came along, I get more joy from watchting them do what they love more than anything I could do for myself. 

To your original post, I have seen what some frustrated hunters can look like and I always promised myself not to be "that guy". Where it seems like life hangs in the balance with deer and inches on the ground. I hunt hard when I can and for me, the grind and sticking with it provides me with satisfaction, tags filled or not.

I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by hunters (some serious, some not) who don't live and die based upon deer being killed. I think that has helped me through the highs and lows after 20 years of hunting. Good luck getting through this stretch!