How was your 2014 season

[Fletch]

My season has 8 more days!!

[Jeremy K]

I saw a good amount of deer this year and like always i pass on the questionable ones early and then when it comes time to get something instead of nothing , i couldn't get a shot. Like always, i had a blast hanging out with my dad and goofing off on the 2 hour drive to and from our hunting area . Im sure gonna miss his company in 2 years when he retires and heads down south.

[BaldguyLee]

No ML for me yet, game over, but OK season.

Opening day southern zone; 15yo daughter got 1st deer ever, great 8pt'er. 10 minutes later, I shot and dropped my first buck, the 4 pt that almost ran us over. 

Day 2: missed shot at doe my daughter pushed through brush my way. So impressed with her initiative and skill at young age!

Rest of gun season: lots of outings, no deer, almost no sightings.

Overall, I heard lots more bucks taken opening day than normal. Rest of season was poor like ours within my circle.

Memorable year but not freezer-cramming for most I think. Other than day 1, all in 8G.

[ncountry]

Had a blast !.   Around home, It was the worst year yet for deer sightings. Our group (4) only shot 1 deer during our last 4 day early season, my doe.

 

. It was kind of strange. Deer seemed pressured from the get go, not getting up and moving about until late and then back to bed before the sun was up. After

 

struggling to find anything shootable during regular archery , I caved and broke out the muzzleloader. Always seems like cheating the 1st time out before the deer

 

are pressured. Those few deer that I was seeing too far away did not know they were not safe anymore.Shot another doe. Hunted a bunch with the rifle, without any

 

luck before heading downstate. This was probably the best year I have ever seen as far as rutting activity. Bucks chasing, breeding, and looking for does.. Getting

 

them close enough was the problem. I still lucked out and shot a doe out of my favorite spot. the next day (maybe 2nd?) I shot a 8/9 point that was hounding a doe

 

from the same spot. Since I have returned home I have seen does,couple spikes, and a crotch horn. That is it . It is getting cold out and I am already ready for

 

next archery season to start..lol

[ididnotvoteforobama]

Bow season was very sparse as far as deer sightings . Only saw 12 deer during bow season . Solid shoulder hit on a doe  opening day of bow . Lost the blood after 60 yds, never recovered , I'm still sick over it.

Saw a few small bucks and a few doe. Opening day of gun , took a 10 pt at 20yds as he was trailing a doe. My biggest yet, all 3 of my biggest bucks have been taken within 50 yds. of the same tree stand  , took a doe on Tuesday.

One more day to hunt with the ML , overall not bad, can't wait till next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

uesday

[Elmo]

 

 

Holy sweater puppets, Elmo..!!..

I'm surprised that at your age you REMEMBER Raquel Welch...

I barely remember her myself, and I can remember when Moby Dick was a MINNOW !!

 

She was well before my time but I've seen a few classic movies and her "One Million Years BC" was pretty iconic.  Watched the entire movie when I was a little kid hoping for that outfit to get caught on a twig or something.

[incognito]

Bow season in 1C continues through the end of the month.

I took two young bucks in my rookie season so far.

Today they were mocking me. Lots of movement this afternoon but all out of range, except one which stopped and sniffed with its vitals perfectly protected behind a tree before it turned and sped off.

[WNYBuckHunter]

My season has been great so far. 3 deer in the freezer, passed a bunch of young bucks that will be bigger next year, passed on a mighty good 2 1/2 year old buck in the hopes he will make it, created great memories with friends and family, and had the honor of helping get a couple of wounded vets out in the field. Still have another weekend left too!

[Fantail]

Archery 1 buck 1 doe, MZ 1 doe. Ok.

[NFA-ADK]

Bad season!  So far.

[incognito]

Bad Unproductive season!  So far.

 

I fixed it for you.  

 

Its about the whole experience! 

Edited December 9, 2014 by incognito

[Merlot]

My season went to Maine got a bear. Then in NY got doe with the bow. Then my rifle season was the worst I've ever had in 22 yrs. Saw 5 opening day. Then didn't see a damn thing after that. So my season was a ok. How was everyone else?

 

Terrible...getting divorce before next season.

[Don_C]

Great season for me. I passed a few does and small bucks in archery, I missed a spectacular buck at 40 yards, still not sure what happened there... But finally shot a 3-1/2 year old 8 point opening weekend of gun. I was able to hunt with my younger son most of the time and he managed to take his first two archery deer this year, a buck and a doe.  My older son made it out one time for opening day of rifle, and shot a buck. It was great, I've reached a point where their success is more exciting for me than my own.  All in all, it was a very good and memorable season for us.

[Coachtrav]

First season ever at the age of 45. 1 pheasant and one buck. Couldnt be more hooked on hunting. Butchered both on my own thanks to this website and youtube. Both taste awesome. Totally rewarding experience. Thanks to all for your posts.

[wolc123]

It was my worst season ever when it comes to number of deer seen, but best ever in terms of meat in the freezer.  My buddy gave me a big, 200 lb field-dressed 2-1/2 year 8-point near the end of bow season.  I didn't start hunting until crossbow opened and saw only 4 does and 2 bucks during the 2 weekends of that season.  I did manage to get an arrow thru the heart of the second buck, a fat, 165 lb field-dressed 1-1/2 year 6-point.  That was the first of three opportunities at any deer that I had this year.

 

The best one was the last one, up in the Northern zone over the long thanksgiving- weekend.  I passed on a scrawny little 4-point at home, the week prior, and that was the only deer I saw in the Southern Zone during gun season.  In 12 years, all I had seen up North were loads of does.   This year, not a one.  Other years they would walk right past me, almost taunting me, knowing they were safe, in the area where only bucks may be taken.  I had saved my buck tag in hopes of one of them big mountain bucks I had heard about but never seen.

 

My father in law, who doesn't hunt, had been visiting a big group of does and fawns up on a pine covered hill top, every day for a week before our family got up there Thanksgiving day.  They were gone when he took me up there the next morning, probably sick of the harassment in the desolate area.   The next morning, I set up on a high ridge, about a mile downwind of that bedding area.  My mother in law makes a mean breakfast, and always serves between 9:30 and 10:00.  By 9:15, the sun was hitting the creek below, causing the ice to crack, and I was getting ready to pack it up.  I thought that the breaking ice would deter any deer activity in the valley below.  

 

One last look up the creek-bed, and I saw an approaching brown shape, at a range of over a mile, along the creek to my left.  It was moving slow, and frequently disappearing behind the thick underbrush.   When it crossed an opening a little closer, but still far out of range, I saw horns.   It was then out of view for a long time behind heavy cover, and I thought it may have taken another trail.  I positioned my chair for the best angle at an opening along the creek that would put it the closest to me, if it did continue on course, at a range of about 300 yards.  I cranked the scope all the way up to 9x. 

 

It did appear in that opening, but did not fall at my first, well-rested shot.  Nor did it fall at my second, hurried shot from an offhand position.  I followed along the ridge, and it paused in the next little opening, just as I was able to rest against a tree.   I held steady, right below the back-line and just behind the shoulder.  It just "disappeared" after that third shot.  I watched for about 5 minutes with no sign of the deer.  I noted a big, lone pine tree along the creek-bank near where he had stood.  

 

I said a short prayer, that I would find the deer, then set out on the long hike back down the ridge, to the gravel road, across the creek, and back up the other side, into the thick pine forest.  I left my bright red chair up on the ridge to help get my bearings from the other side.  It seemed to take an hour to get to a point where I could see that chair from the other side.  Then longer to finally see that pine tree along the creek.   The brush on that side was so thick that visibility was less than 10 yards.  When I did get that close to the pine, there at the base was the big 8-point.  

 

He was on his side, sprawled out, with eyes wide open.  I stuck the muzzle of the loaded rifle in his eye and he didn't blink.  There was not a drop of blood on him or on the 4" of fresh snow.  I rolled him over and no marks or blood on the other side either.  When I gutted him, the stomach was jammed full of acorns, most of them not even chewed.  The lungs were all red mush, and a single 150 gr bullet had broken the second last rib, dead center and passed diagonally across, lodging inside the hide, near the arm-pit on the opposite side.   Until I skinned him a few days later, I thought all three may have hit as there were two other holes, next to the broken rib, visible from the inside.  They must have been cause by bone fragments. 

 

I called my Father in law on the cell phone and he got as close as he could with his ATV, but it was still the most difficult 1/2 mile or so drag, and by far the heaviest deer I have ever taken.  We had no scale up there, but the rib cage, thrown on the same waste pile at home, dwarfs that of the 200 pounder my buddy had given me earlier.  My 6-point almost fits right inside of it. 

 

I finally got around to breakfast around 1:30 that afternoon.  The antlers are decent, but not overly impressive, compared to some I have taken in the Southern zone.    I am guessing he had some years on him, and I am sure the taxidermist can give me a good estimate from the teeth.  They must be pretty worn down by the looks of all them whole acorns in his stomach.  

 

I don't have a whole lot of motivation to get out there now, but I still have 3 antlerless tags to try and fill during ML season this weekend, so I will give it a go.  I like that crossbow a lot and that is what I will pack.  Maybe a doe or fawn will finally get within range for me, which has not happened yet this year.                              

[fishuntrapper]

14 squirrels. jake turkey, trapped 18 coon, 3 possum, first buck with bow, a spike, 8 pt and 2 does with shotgun, and got tomorrow off and 5 days of m/l left.

[BizCT]

So my season was a ok. How was everyone else?

Another typical year for the most part. Jan and Feb were slow, I got back into shape. March was great with spring break and college tail in Miami. April was average at best, may - August was a typical slampig summer. The fall brought a little more weight on the slammies but faces stayed cute. Winter brought weight and weak ITG's. For those that don't know it's inner thigh gap.

All in all,

7 brunettes, 3 blondes and 1 dying breed (a ginger)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[greg54]

Didn't see anything during bow season, first time in years that has happened. I did get 6pt. opening day of gun season in southern zone, so I did get some meat in the freezer. Trail cam pics were mostly at night. Things just seemed different this year.

[Dave]

Did not see 1 deer in the woods. They are all living within 500' of the road. I saw 20 deer from the road. I screamed at them. GET BACK IN THE WOODS !!!! where I can blast you. But they didn't listen.

Now I know why people road hunt.

I wanted to stop, and load my rifle so many times !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Had same experience saw plenty of does coming in and out of the woods. Not much action while on stand(treestand). But did fill a doe tag last week of season.

[Mike DBH]

 

I must say Ive been truly blessed in 2014...started off with a nice limit of geese over cut corn on 9/13 followed by a beautiful bear on the 14th....

 

bowhunted hard in oct with no luck on a buck, but did get a decent gobbler from the stand to christen in my new Martin Nemisis...after seeing nothing but groups of does for 5 weeks I scored on my best bow buck to date, a 19"wide 2.5y/o 8pt....

 

no luck on opening day of gun but the next day I scored my 1st handgun kill with a nice doe at 70yds(missed 2x @ 50 lol) with my S&W 29...

Nov 30th I killed my best gun buck, a heavyish 3.5 y/o 8pt

 

......with the freezer busting at the seams I was feeling greedy and gonna pack it in, but yesterday I decided to jump in the stand and score a little "give away meat" with a transferred dmp. Got busted by a FAT doe with 3 fawns around 9.. at 10 I almost decided to pack it in when a group of 3 mature does came into range and I double lunged the biggest one at 20yds very enjoyable late season bowhunt with snow on the ground

 

....I gotta say this was my best season in my 15 years of hunting and still cant believe my luck, but what Im most thankful for and proud of, was that all kills were quick and clean and required zero tracking.

 

 

[wolc123]

My 2014 ended tonight at 4:38 pm as I can't hunt during the week due to work requirements so Mon and Tues are out. It was an odd ending for sure as I was able to get one of the 6 month old deer I was after but not in the way I had expected. I got within a minute of getting a shot at one with my ML, over at my folks place, but time expired before I could get a clear shot. When I arrived home, about 15 miles away, the phone rang a minute after I walked in the door. It was the neighbor across the street who said she had just heard a crash and that there was a deer flopping around at the end of my wife's driveway (I keep my truck out by the barn down another driveway).

Sure enough, a fine young button head lay out there and I finished it with a quick slit of the throat. It looked like one of a pair I had been watching grow thru the summer but which seemed to have gone nocturnal before crossbow season began. There doesn't appear to be any road damage to the meat, and it probably just ran into the side of a car, breaking its neck. Some poor motorist gets a dented door and I save two pellets of 777 and a bullet. I guess I will be able to complete the taste test of tenderloins from 6 month, 1-1/2 year, 2-1/2 year, and 3-1/2 + bucks. I guarantee these ones will be the best. The liver will be even better. Tomorrow's dinner will be the best of the year for certain. This puts a perfect ending on the best season I remember.

[elite32hunter]

3 does, no bucks!! 1 day of M/L left. I am starting to feel sick, so I don't think I will be working tomorrow. Shot and hit the biggest buck I have ever encountered in the woods on last day of bow season. Liver shot! Had great blood for the first 80-90 yards. Blood ended... Ran into another hunter (public land) while tracking the buck.... Seems he had gotten into his stand late that morning and bumped the deer that I had shot from the thicket it went into. Long story short, called Dog Search Inc. and was not able to recover the liver shot buck, due to another hunter shooting a doe and the doe's blood trail crossed the buck's blood trail.... What a bummer!!!!! All in all, I had a good season, hunted hard, saw a ton of deer. My son missed a couple deer with his bow. (12 yrs old - first time shooting at a live animal) We are already looking forward to next year's seasons.

[fishuntrapper]

14 squirrels. jake turkey, trapped 18 coon, 3 possum, first buck with bow, a spike, 8 pt and 2 does with shotgun, and got tomorrow off and 5 days of m/l left.      

 

 

add a M/L doe to this list.

[bkln]

Seen more bucks than does this year which is weird, generally seen less deer than the years past. Hit one buck in archery, never recovered (my fault bad shot). Passed one buck on gun opening day, no clean shot, after that....nothing in ML... dead....still hoping for Westchester bow and CT bow till end of year/month

[NYBowhunter]

For myself was a great season, took an 8 pointer with the bow, doe with the crossbow and an 8 pointer with the muzzleloader.