Sum up your season- partys over ! .........

[First-light]

Patience is a virtue. I passed a number of smaller bucks at bow season just to see the two biggest deer of my life the last Friday of bow. I know one of them was taken at gun but the giant still lurks among us. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Daughter connecting on her first deer ( 6 point ) on thanksgiving day was highlight of my hunting career just not 2017 . And to have zero tracking job as he folded up made it even better  The memory of him simply falling over without a twitch will last forever  And her huge smile was priceless 

i hunted less and saw less. First year in many I didn’t connect. A few hiccups with the ml but life goes on. 

Met some new great folks on this site this season  

As much as I’m disappointed  in not filling our freezer which stinks my memories with my daughter outshine having to buy beef , ha ha. 

Lost our land we hunt after this year but many memories were built along the way. 

I’d call it a winning record for ‘17 

[genesee_mohican]

2017 was great. The scouting I did the year before paid off, and I took a nice buck on my first sit at a new stand, which should be good again next fall too. I passed a half dozen bucks and does, learned more about the areas I hunt and found a new place that I'll scout more over the months head.

I didn't see any shooters the last month, and I should have still hunted on the Saturday it snowed all day but no bad times had all season and was just thankful each day to be out hunting.

Next season starts right now and I'll be heading out to move around some trail cameras, put more cams up to see what made it through the year. Soon I'll be shed hunting along with checking cams and exploring new areas all the way up till spring.

[cynthiafu]

I am happy with 2017 . I got to hunt with my sister and her husband. I was the only one that connected this year but I and happy to hunt with my partners. We gave them hell this year . Hoping for a safe and happy 2018 .good luck to all  in the new year

[wooly]

2017!

Good riddance!

[Five Seasons]

Second tough year in a row for me. My property has really undergone some changes and it's made the usual slam dunk hunting a lot harder. I didn't have as many close encounters as the year before which I guess makes it less frustrating, but also a little more worrisome. 

I ended up with a small 4 with bow that I would normally let pass and another small doe with mz that has a story too it that i will post soon.

Probably my highlight was in late October and having a real big bruiser about 60 yards in front of me in some thick stuff snort wheeze not just once, but twice at another decent 8 I didn't even know was there till later. That was something I've never experienced and I know is pretty rare to hear for anyone.

[Fletch]

I have a real mixed report. I had a couple real dandy bucks before season hanging around, one a monster. So that was good and gives you season long inspiration. Unfortunately When bow hit they had changed patterns and stopped visiting. That was not a shock but always hoped I would at least catch one on cam during the rut. So having the biggest buck ever on cam was the good part.

Bow season was the second worst in 15-20 years of record keeping. I did get a doe so that makes bow season successful right there even though the low sightings made it a struggle. Passed a lot of young bucks as usual. Cross bow got out with son and saw some and he shot a nice yote.

Gun season was typical. After the first few days the deer are in major hide mode. Did shoot a state land spike opening morning. Also shot a buck that had lost its antlers on the home plot.

ML was fun, good weather cold, snow, fewer hunters... Got a nice doe on state land.

Highlights of the season...Hunting with my son. Him and I and a great friends family gator hunting and us getting a 9'+ gator was epic. Going on a ML hunt to NC with my son and brother and sitting next to my son as he shot his first deer a nice 2.5 year old 6 point at 147 yards. Seeing 30+ deer on one sit like the guys from the western part of the state...lol  Love the fact I may need to turn on the second freezer for venison!

Things I learned is I need to not be a lazy ass and drive to a certain spot 50 minutes away every freaking chance during bow. It will take pressure off my home spots and it has great possibility of getting me a nice bow buck. I also learned I like going on hunting trips so time to start looking at what to do next year for a father son adventure....

[phade]

This year had the good, bad, and ugly.

Hit a branch shooting at a mature buck mid-October, sending arrow right under his belly. It was a "gimme shot" too. Never saw the branch until it went flying. Buck disappeared late October from cam.

Crap intestinal shot on a different target buck in late Oct, definitely dead, and never found despite quite a bit of searching and even calling in the best Deer Search dog in the area. Went to the airport from the dog search soaked to the boxers and flew 1,000 miles in silence not talking to anyone. No more pics of him on cam and positive he suffered until dead and is lying somewhere with my arrow in it. 3rd time in my 25 hunting seasons I've shot a buck and not recovered it.

Happened to be the day Grampy was here...I caused him to miss significant tree time.

Missed the last weekend of gun season due to a storm in the Southeast canceling my flights home from FL for three full days. Missed being there for one of our buddy's biggest deer ever, noted below. Hunted one PM of MZ season, so in the last two weeks of the season, I had about 4 hours of woods time.

Does were much less common most of the season than was typical.

Watched my FIL miss the biggest buck he's ever seen in the woods, not once, but twice, with a crossbow. Sat next to him in the blind, and they weren't misses by much. He was still very much happy at the chance to have missed.

Had some laughs convincing sheriffs we're legit hunters, watching Moog pass along his get out of jail free card to them in the process.

Our buddy got his biggest deer ever by far and was super excited for it. Happened during the last hour of regular gun season. Long time coming and he was as persistent as he has ever been this season. Still needs help hunting all day but he's getting there, ha.

Took a young kid out hunting a few times as his mentor no longer hunts. Saw 5,000 squirrels and no deer, of course, which were the only deer-less sits of the season.

I had the golden spoon this year with no less than six mature buck encounters, not including a slammer hung up just out of range tending a doe and being able to have a conversation with him across grunts and clicks and snort wheezes. In the end, put somewhere around 250-260" on the wall this year between the two tags. I learned to fight through back-to-back poor shot outcomes, something that I haven't experienced before. Getting back in the saddle was probably only easier because Moog and my buddy told the big bucks to come my way again because they were safe around me.

I also bought a second house and conducted the move during the season. First house flooded on Nov. 6, too.

Good, bad, ugly.

 

[ATbuckhunter]

Cant complain really. Got a real nice 3+ year old turkey this spring about 40 min into my the first hunt, then I got 4 deer this year. Only complaint I have is I couldn't put down one of the 3 nice bucks I was chasing (all were shot by hunters). This was a year of firsts for me though. Got my first duck, caught many new species of fish I'e always wanted to catch, saw my first coyote in the woods, tied my own fishing lures and actually caught fish with them...etc. Im excited to see what goals i can accomplish for the 2018-2019 season. 

[Five Seasons]

15 hours ago, phade said:

This year had the good, bad, and ugly.

Hit a branch shooting at a mature buck mid-October, sending arrow right under his belly. It was a "gimme shot" too. Never saw the branch until it went flying. Buck disappeared late October from cam.

Crap intestinal shot on a different target buck in late Oct, definitely dead, and never found despite quite a bit of searching and even calling in the best Deer Search dog in the area. Went to the airport from the dog search soaked to the boxers and flew 1,000 miles in silence not talking to anyone. No more pics of him on cam and positive he suffered until dead and is lying somewhere with my arrow in it. 3rd time in my 25 hunting seasons I've shot a buck and not recovered it.

Happened to be the day Grampy was here...I caused him to miss significant tree time.

Missed the last weekend of gun season due to a storm in the Southeast canceling my flights home from FL for three full days. Missed being there for one of our buddy's biggest deer ever, noted below. Hunted one PM of MZ season, so in the last two weeks of the season, I had about 4 hours of woods time.

Does were much less common most of the season than was typical.

Watched my FIL miss the biggest buck he's ever seen in the woods, not once, but twice, with a crossbow. Sat next to him in the blind, and they weren't misses by much. He was still very much happy at the chance to have missed.

Had some laughs convincing sheriffs we're legit hunters, watching Moog pass along his get out of jail free card to them in the process.

Our buddy got his biggest deer ever by far and was super excited for it. Happened during the last hour of regular gun season. Long time coming and he was as persistent as he has ever been this season. Still needs help hunting all day but he's getting there, ha.

Took a young kid out hunting a few times as his mentor no longer hunts. Saw 5,000 squirrels and no deer, of course, which were the only deer-less sits of the season.

I had the golden spoon this year with no less than six mature buck encounters, not including a slammer hung up just out of range tending a doe and being able to have a conversation with him across grunts and clicks and snort wheezes. In the end, put somewhere around 250-260" on the wall this year between the two tags. I learned to fight through back-to-back poor shot outcomes, something that I haven't experienced before. Getting back in the saddle was probably only easier because Moog and my buddy told the big bucks to come my way again because they were safe around me.

I also bought a second house and conducted the move during the season. First house flooded on Nov. 6, too.

Good, bad, ugly.

 

dang man. i've seen you not posting as much and just figured you weren't as into the forum, but the house stuff would certainly explain it. A lot less does on both my properties too has me curious about the dec's plan.

I have to say I saw less roadkills this year too.

 

[loworange88]

I was able to see lots of deer on many occasions during the bow season, never had a shot opportunity.  Crossbow season it started to dwindle some, and by gun season little to nothing.  I missed a buck with my muzzleloader, which was the only shot opportunity I had all season.  

We have good years and bad years I tell people.  Perhaps next season will be better.

[NYBowhunter]

Once again another great year spent with family and in the process was able to put 4 deer in the freezer.  Time spent with my elderly parents was priceless. I cherish everytime im able to get out to hunt and this season did not disappoint. 

[phade]

3 hours ago, Belo said:

dang man. i've seen you not posting as much and just figured you weren't as into the forum, but the house stuff would certainly explain it. A lot less does on both my properties too has me curious about the dec's plan.

I have to say I saw less roadkills this year too.

 

I am definitely posting less. Some good people here though so I stop by from time to time.

 

[dbHunterNY]

lost lots of time during the season to get poaching legislation passed (meetings with NY legislators, phone calls, and whatever else necessary).  even more so work schedule and over a week long family vacation first week in December.  it was a great season though.  hunted the biggest bucks we've had on the property.  bucks with history died and stories, trail cam photos, etc where shared. reports of clean late season misses on certain deer brings promise for next year.  elsewhere on the co-op more hunters took their biggest bucks to date and getting them mounted, I got to share some of those experiences or talk with them about it.  closed and added acreage to the farm in the beginning regular season.  took a respectable 8 pointer around thanksgiving. haven't taken too many bucks lately, so that always feels good. shared the experience with my dad, daughter, and one of my cousins.

[Jjeangler23]

Another good season. Every season is good so long as I come out learning something from each and every hunt. Just being out there in Gods creation is all the fulfillment I need. Looking forward to see what the next season brings.

[G-Man]

My worse was missing a nice 3 year old 8pt deflecting off a limb.. my best was killing an 11pt that had me dead to rights at least4 times but I waited it out and got the shot at 8 yards. 

Was a good year freezer is full everyone at camp was sucessful

[Drew2255]

Had a great season, saw a lot of action in the woods while bow hunting in Westchester, spent a good amount of time with the guys at rifle camp, had one lousy day when the atv broke down a couple miles away from camp and had to walk back.....

BUT the best part of the season was hands down getting another person into the sport and showing him how to hunt, very rewarding and I think we're gonna be hunting pals for a while.....

[Larry]

I had a great season a buck in bow that dress over 180lb’s  and a nice fat doe that dressed over 120lb’s. That’s 6 years in a row I killed a buck whose live weight would have been around 200lb’s or better. I saw deer almost every time I went out. I  Passed on a lot of small bucks and a nice bear. I know the bear is a sow I have lots of trail cam pictures of her with a cub

[Hock3y24]

10 point, large  6 point, injured spike buck, and two does. i hunted pa and ny and had excellent luck. Passed up a boat of deer.  Had 5 bucks with 2 shooters chase one doe around my bow stand doing 100 mph for 10 minutes and drew 3 times. Saw over 100 deer. including 28 bucks. My best year by far and i'm going out for special doe season in Tompkins county. 

12 year old nephew got his first doe in PA.

5 year old stepson joined me in the stand twice but we saw nothing, he also blood tracked my first doe in the dark by himself. ( i watched her fall)

Edited January 4, 2018 by Hock3y24

[Steve D]

Sum up your season- partys over

What your best and worst of 2017 hunting - what did you learn?  

 I personally had to think about this one a bit. My “season” isn’t over until the end of March.

One thing I can say I got out of this season is to not devote as much time deer hunting as I did this year and years past.

  Much too often I am asking myself why I didn’t do this or that when I wanted and the answer always comes back to: “I was busy deer hunting”.

 I have realized this in the past but never acted on it and found myself in the deer hunting mode time and time again leaving the woods disappointed. I used to be disappointed I didn’t have enough time to deer hunt because I was doing other things but have come to realize that I need to be doing the “other” things that will keep me enjoying the woods that time of year.

  I actually had a plan in place for this year but the warm temperatures and constant rains put a kibosh on things

Hopefully next season the weather will be more normal and I will deer hunt when I should and do the other fun things when I want to. Deer hunting will definitely be on the back burner from now on.

[nyslowhand]

Ahh, the old post-season armchair quarterbacking and all the shoulda, coulda, woulda scenarios. I do it every year and it's hardly worth all the headaches! Shoulda shot that buck instead of waiting for another one that never appeared! Coulda have gotten one if only I hunter over there instead of where I did that day. Woulda have hunted more if I didn't use more than my annual allotment of TOO excuses, too hot, too windy, too rainy, too cold, too tired, too comfortable in armchair.... 

Also saw way less does (& fawns) around than usual. Made those hunts w/o any sightings... agonizing and the prospects of seeing a BB unlikely. Did get a decent buck that was leisurely walking thru the brush during the rut by himself. Blind luck and a fluke of stand choice that day due to a late AM start. Little to do with any well laid plans!

Like to think I do my due diligence in scouting, stand locations, cam photos evaluated. planning, etc every year to put myself in the right place at the right time. This year, Lady Luck prevailed and was able to get a Blind Squirrel buck!

[Borngeechee]

Best season so far and got my first public land deer. I learned that it takes patience and not everyone that wants to hunt with you have the same dedication as you.

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