2023 Season in the books. How was yours?

[Four Seasons]

Well the 2023 season is now a wrap for me. I again found a hit list of 3 of the top bucks in my hunting area of one of the greatest places in the state in Letchworth and it was one of those three or bust… Unless an even bigger buck showed itself. Was lucky enough to keep track of the three and harvesting one of them until the rut carried them off to yonder lands. He green scored 127 plus. Once guns started banging my standards are lowered to nothing but a mature buck regardless of size. The 2nd 8pt was a fighter for sure. Cut ear, holes in his hide on his forehead and an infected puncture wound in behind his front leg. Filled a couple freezer queens to keep things in check. 

[GreeneHunter]

Two in the Freezer .... Nuf Said !

[First-light]

Nice deer for sure. We hit it well with 2 10 pts a wide 8 and a small 7. I will give it another shot tomorrow afternoon for last day. Still have a buddy that would like another deer. Ne thinks the corn field tomorrow may be the place. 

[Grouse]

Buddy got a 5 point on my land opening day and I tagged a nice 8 point the day after Thanksgiving.  ML season has been a bust. Still going to hunt the Holiday hunt to try and fill my doe tag.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Grouse

[airedale]

I had a real nice Fall hitting the timber almost every day for both Squirrels and Deer, I just enjoy being in the woods. Was semi disappointed that I saw no Bucks but I was seeing Does almost every time out and that is what I ended up taking near the end of the season. One Deer is all the wife and I can utilize so that is all I will take. Hunting is far from over for me, as long as the snow does not get too deep I will be small game hunting with one of my dogs  which I actually enjoy more.

Al

[First-light]

32 minutes ago, airedale said:

I had a real nice Fall hitting the timber almost every day for both Squirrels and Deer, I just enjoy being in the woods. Was semi disappointed that I saw no Bucks but I was seeing Does almost every time out and that is what I ended up taking near the end of the season. One Deer is all the wife and I can utilize so that is all I will take. Hunting is far from over for me, as long as the snow does not get too deep I will be small game hunting with one of my dogs  which I actually enjoy more.

Al

I'm looking to do the same with my dogs this year. I'll be back from a trip to see my girls for Christmas on the 3rd. If I don't get a doe tonight Ill try then. 

[GreenDrake]

After a disappointing archery trip to illinois, my nephew and I were able to redeem ourselves. I killed this heavy bodied target 8 on my new land in the NZ and my nephew connected with a beautiful 9 in the SZ. Im much prouder of these NY deer than I would have been with an Illinois kill. So overall, we had a great season. 

[Northcountryman]

I'm gonna try tomorrow in NJ , then again maybe week after Christmas, if i can swing it, that is.

[Moho81]

Mine was awful for the second year in a row. It was so bad I don't even want to look back in my journal to see how much time I spent in the woods. The only good weekend I had was during the youth deer hunt. My daughter and I saw a lot of deer and she put a shot into a buck that by the reaction of the buck looked good but after waiting a couple of hours to go look there was no sign of hair or blood in the field where he was standing. We went to where he entered the woods and found 3 tiny drops of blood and nothing else. 

I still have 1.5 days to hunt the late holiday season but I really have no expectations of getting a deer. I just want to hunt so I can say I never gave up. 

[Doc]

Rough year this year. We logged the place in the spring, and they took every Oak that was harvest size, and unfortunately those were all the ones that were acorn bearing size. This year the deer didn't appreciate that change too much. I guess next year I will be hunting state land a bit more. I am hoping that the deer will start using my land a bit more as the browse starts to fill in to the open areas that the logging created. I think it will make some pretty good bedding areas around the tops too. We'll see.

So, it wasn't a great year for me.

[Larry]

I had a good season killed two does. the place I hunt now has lots of does from years of shooting only bucks and letting does walk. so, there are lots of small bucks but not many good bucks. We are now trying to manage it better the downside. the land is in 9P so it's hard to get doe permits we are working with the landowner on getting DMAPS for the next few years. 

[Tughill Tamer]

I got a decent doe during early muzzleloader and a smaller doe a few days later with my bow. The regular gun season here in the northern tier was horrible all I seen for bucks was a handful of spikes. Overall not my worst ever but certainly not one of my better seasons. Going down for Christmas to NC to see my boys I'm hoping to get a few hunts in with my youngest down there.

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[First-light]

I think my neighbors and I killed 16 buck and 20 Doe. I'm going to map out the area hunted so I can come up with square miles. I'll get back to you guys, we are all interested to  see how much land we all hunt. 

[Northcountryman]

14 hours ago, Tughill Tamer said:

I got a decent doe during early muzzleloader and a smaller doe a few days later with my bow. The regular gun season here in the northern tier was horrible all I seen for bucks was a handful of spikes. Overall not my worst ever but certainly not one of my better seasons. Going down for Christmas to NC to see my boys I'm hoping to get a few hunts in with my youngest down there.

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Wear your snake-bite  proof boots down there!!! Best of luck 

[Grouse]

Went out yesterday evening to fill my doe tag and was successful.  Got a nice fat doe that will fill my freezer to the brim as the third deer going in it this season.  I'll also be able to present a few friends with some venison to try for the first time.  If (when) they like it, I tell them they will have to come hunt with me to get some more in the future. It was a good year for me. I'll be enjoying tenderloin and backstraps for quite some time in 2024.

Now I start getting serious about hunting yotes.

[ANTLERS]

Bull moose then during the bow season an 8 ptr and the biggest doe I’ve ever taken. Every available freezer is stuffed, wife’s not thrilled.

[Northcountryman]

Bad season for me ; only went hunting 3 times , all early am sits , out of the woods by 10-11:30 each time . Life changed for us back in June when GF's mid 20s son moved in. Kid doesnt have a car and since I work from home now, guess who got elected to pick him up from work every day lol. Hopefully, next year, hell have $ saved for his own vehicle so I can get my freedom back!! My New Years resolution is simple: Get back into the woods, starting with small game season in January!!

[Hock3y24]

Took 4 doe in Ny off 3 properties, got a nice buck in PA. Son got a big doe youth hunt pa. Dad got a small buck. Good year, not my best but freezer is full and we gave some meat to people, and had a damn good time doing it. 

[Dr Juice]

I had my best year in the SZ since I started hunting over 40-years ago. I scored a nice 8 with the crossbow and topped it with a decent 10 on the 2nd day of the gun season. I attribute luck and minimizing my scent. I was in the right place at the right time and will take it every time.

[First-light]

On 12/21/2023 at 10:55 PM, First-light said:

I think my neighbors and I killed 16 buck and 20 Doe. I'm going to map out the area hunted so I can come up with square miles. I'll get back to you guys, we are all interested to  see how much land we all hunt. 

Looks like 5.5 sq miles. That is my property in the white outline

[airedale]

3 hours ago, Dr Juice said:

I had my best year in the SZ since I started hunting over 40-years ago. I scored a nice 8 with the crossbow and topped it with a decent 10 on the 2nd day of the gun season

I would say you had a banner year for sure, congratulations.

Al

[landtracdeerhunter]

Another great year for the family of deer hunters here. Taking the grand children out during bow season topped the list. They stayed still enough to gain success in seeing deer which really pumped up the young fellas drive.  Some came in really close as we used new blind buildings as well as wind direction to pick our sit spots very carefully.  Getting them more involved with their own binoculars and range finders will hopefully gain an advantage for next season. 

IT lifted my hunting experience to a  higher level. The season couldn't have been any better. We hope to introduce them to the firearms season next, if ready.