sum up your season!

[Five Seasons]

Year of bucks and no doe for me. Did well in all seasons. Generally met my goals sans a goal of a late season doe that I wasn't able to harvest. I didn't have to hunt to the point where I was stressed or felt obligated which was great too, past seasons I've been pushed to this and that's really not what hunting should be about for me.

I saw a lot of nice bucks and luckily had opportunities to pass a bunch of 1.5's and 2.5's. What was strange was that I really didn't see many flat heads in the woods even though the cams were loaded with them. First year in almost 20 seasons that I think I can say that.

Of all my nearly 30 sits I was never busted which is also a first for me and something I'm really proud of. I did have 2 doe slowly back out when something just wasn't right, but I was never stomped or blown at.

Low point for me was rushing a shot at a doe at 60 yards with the rifle and pushing through some brush resulting in a clean miss. I'm happy it was a clean miss, but disappointed as that was deer #3 that I wanted for the freezer.

Non harvesting related the weather was pretty shitty this year. I did see some cool animals and deer activity that was a first for me. Also had some good woods therapy during a time when my grandfather passed that I am extremely grateful for. 

 

[Steve D]

First of all I would have to say the weather really messed up my plan for this year which was to bow hunt hard, fill at least one tag, run a trap line just before and during, then gun hunt as I felt like it since I am not a big fan of gun season.

 The wet weather and early snows kept me from running a trap line so I deer hunted instead.

 In 2017 I hunted a total of 110 hours versus 102 hrs. in 2018. In 2017 I never hunted the late season and hunted four times in 2018

Deer sightings in 2017 were 75 which was all during bow season.... 23 Bucks, 28 Doe, and 24 couldn't tell.

 Not a single deer was seen during the 2017 gun season after hunting almost 60 hours.

In 2018 deer sightings were 94.... Only 8 Bucks all during bow, 62 Doe, and 24 couldn't tell.

The only shot opportunities were on deer I chose not to take and only managed to fill one dmp.

 I did see one on the biggest bucks I have ever seen (body wise) and one of the biggest does I have ever seen. She was probably close to 200 lbs. and had her at 35 yds. about 5 minutes after legal time.

 In comparison I would have to say 2018 was better than 2017 but I could have done without the the rainy & wet & windy weather in Oct.

 Not much we can do about the weather but hunt accordingly. Maybe next year

[moog5050]

13 minutes ago, Steve D said:

 

 I did see one on the biggest bucks I have ever seen (body wise) and one of the biggest does I have ever seen. She was probably close to 200 lbs. and had her at 35 yds. about 5 minutes after legal time.

 

200lb doe is huge.  My buddy shot one last year that dressed at 168 and that was enormous.  It was probably 200 on the hoof.

[Steve D]

7 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

It was probably 200 on the hoof.

She was every bit of that. I have seen her a couple of times this year and during the late season I kept looking for her hoping she would provide a opportunity. Maybe a pope & young doe. I hope to put a trail cam out in the next week or so and try to get her on camera.

[eaglemountainman]

I spent 3 full weeks at camp and didn't see a single piece of bone. It snowed so much, I couldn't still hunt because the powder was so slippery and our property is very steep. Managed a big  lone doe on my last day at camp with a .300 Savage 99 that I picked up the day before I left Florida for the trip north. Was very pleased with that. So, no buck this year, but at least I put some meat in the freezer. Congrats to all who harvested a deer and better luck next year to those that didn't. 

[jperch]

It was a mixed bag season for me but enjoyable for sure.  As others have said the weather really hindered archery season.  I generally won't hunt with archery gear in significant rain.  And so much wind!  I did manage a nice buck with a crossbow during a snow storm.  On opening day of gun season I passed a small bodied 4 pointer in the morning.  I don't care about the rack but it was small and felt I could find a bigger one.  That afternoon a spike horn that was wounded in the shoulder came limping by, so I put it down.  That left me with no buck tag but that was fine.  After opening day the deer got scarce and work got busy.  I did manage to fill a DMP with a doe on the last day of gun season.  Not as many hours hunted this year but the freezer has just enough room for some perch fillets so no complaints here!

jperch

[rob-c]

1 hour ago, CapDistPatriot said:

Same here, was only allowed access in September so missed all of archery. Got one medium sized doe last Saturday of rifle, so didn't blank thank God. The way I am looking at it, and so should you, is this was a learning year, every minute we spent on that property was invaluable and will help us be better prepared next year.

 

Oh and on the cams, I have never used them before, and damn do they help, especially if you have a lot of land to cover.

I agree 100%, its a double edge sword really. we had the deer patterns figured out on the other lease then lost it. So we lost that comfortable  feeling of knowing we would see deer . But As robhuntfish said it’s fun figuring out new hunting grounds, and putting ones woodsman ship skills  to work. I did not expect to see the amount of deer that I saw, so it really was a good start and the new lease is looking promising no doubt. 

As for cameras , I have used them for a few years. But by not using them , I have to say it brought back some of the excitement of hunting of not knowing what’s on the property. 

[cynthiafu]

I loved it just like I love it every year . To me it is my get away time . I love being on here with all of you and sharing the stories and pictures. I was happy to put. 2 does in my freezer . No bucks again ! some day I will stop shaking enough to get one . Love you all see you at the meeting and greet . Merry Christmas and Happy New years to you all !!!!

[greg54]

Not a lot of motivation this year and I was only out 6-7 times total. Had a lot of other stuff going on. Hoping things will be better next year.  The only deer I saw was the one that hit my car.

[dbHunterNY]

filled my freezer but no antlers this year. least time to hunt i've ever had with moving into a much bigger house, work and other stuff going on. sits i had very productive though. still a bit in the dumps but at the same time feeling like it's just prior to opening day that's never gonna get here.

[Bolt action]

Man what a year.. The short story is that I'll be eating Tag Soup for the season..

I was out with bow, crossbow, rifle, and muzzle loader at the end. 15ish total sits totaling about 75 hours in the woods. Only 7 deer seen all year with no good shot opportunities and no confirmed buck sightings. I have access to 2 properties, one in Hornell and another in Waterport. Hornell is hillside hunting with low pressure and is where I typically fill my tags, but this year I had no shots on 2 sits down there. Waterport is newer to me. It's mostly AG land with corn this year and the whole area has a lot of pressure. Lots of deer on camera, along with a few trespassers and the bucks they've wounded. I sat there the other 13ish times with no good shots. I've got 8 buddies who hunt various parts of the state, 9 if you include me. Only 1 deer was taken between us and we all agree that it was a strange year with limited sightings. It's seasons like this that remind you that you really need to be in it for more than just the hunt. If you don't enjoy being outdoors in the cold, this isn't the sport for you. With deer season behind me though I can start focusing on ducks, geese and bunnies!

I would like to have been out a little more this year, but had a busy fall and family comes first. It'll just be another year or two until I can start letting my son tag along. He's super excited for it already! Congrats again to everyone who had successful seasons! There were some great deer taken and some fun stories to follow.

[G-Man]

Was an average season at camp, 18 deer total for the year. 9 buck 9 doe.   4 were taken during  archery,  3 muzzleloader, and 11 regular gun

 Of note were 2 big buck missed one in muzzleloader and one in bow..  guys at camp dont miss much..

[Daveboone]

Over all, not bad. It started early in September with a trip to Newfoundland moose hunting. All 3 of us bagged one, but I had a hell of a time getting around...plantar fasciitis (sic?) made my feet miserable....like walking on glass all day. I passed early on a small bull, but that meant all week to hobble around through awesome country, walking in horse shoe pitching distance of caribou, passed on a bodacious bear (I have enough at home) and on the last day shot a big fat cow.

Back home, early on things were quiet, but we had early snow that stuck around from early November. After that deer sightings around the camp were frequent, taking a nice doe in early November and a darn nice buck the w/e of the 24th. The freezer is full, I was out as much as I wanted to, and never got bored. Good enough.  

[rob-c]

2 minutes ago, Daveboone said:

Over all, not bad. It started early in September with a trip to Newfoundland moose hunting. All 3 of us bagged one, but I had a hell of a time getting around...plantar fasciitis (sic?) made my feet miserable....like walking on glass all day. I passed early on a small bull, but that meant all week to hobble around through awesome country, walking in horse shoe pitching distance of caribou, passed on a bodacious bear (I have enough at home) and on the last day shot a big fat cow.

Back home, early on things were quiet, but we had early snow that stuck around from early November. After that deer sightings around the camp were frequent, taking a nice doe in early November and a darn nice buck the w/e of the 24th. The freezer is full, I was out as much as I wanted to, and never got bored. Good enough.  

Saying your freezer is full is a understatement . 

[bigpaul]

I set my harvest goals pretty high this year. I had 4 bucks that I had on cam, all 8 pointers that I had my eyes on. I passed numerous 6,7, and small 8 pointers. When the snow came my sightings decreased. Then all I was seeing was 1 1/2 year old bucks. One good one got hit by a car and one might have got shot. I never released an arrow or fired a shot and I have no regrets. My mock scrapes were fun to watch and I had a blast using a buck decoy. Already planning some habitat improvements and new stand locations. I miss it already and I'm looking forward to next year. 

[cdbing]

Still have a month of open season here in 1c. This season has been average or better than average in some respects from my perspective as a public land bowhunter.

Highlights: Saw deer most sits (a bit better than my 50-50 avg.) Doe pee worked better this year than in past years. I rarely hunt from the ground, but had a decent buck encounter from a makeshift ground blind - that was a first. Got a small 7 pt 10/8, and it is tasty. I have a month left in the season.

Lowlights: Hunted less due to rain and a wicked cold/cough that was tough to shake. The shot on the buck was a bit high and back (even though it was a quick kill and short recovery, I am thankful, but not happy). Drawing the bow when it is cold is getting difficult, so may have to lower the poundage....again. It sucks getting old.

Enjoyed this forum and hope to post a bit more before my season ends.

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[Lawdwaz]

14 hours ago, Paula said:

Circumstances made me change where i hunted this year, and it was a good thing. I have been hunting in Pavilion the last couple years, hardly ever seen anything unless it was dead from someone else being lucky. I hunted Nunda and seen more deer there and i have ever seen while hunting. Three bucks had been hanging around so i was hoping for one. There were so many doe,  one just hung out so i took her. First time using my rifle and i love it. Finally i got my own meat at a time i needed.

A few people thought i should just give up and stop hunting, but they just didn't understand i couldn't quit and i love being out there.

 

Right there is a heck of a story, congratulations Paula.  Good for you, glad you stuck with it.

[Paula]

Thank you

[JRod 8G8H]

Ate tag soup for the first time ever however I passed dozens of deer so I can't complain..

Most memorable time this year was ground hunting with my bow on a ridge and had 3 bucks cross my face at less than 10 yds without noticing me.. The two 3.5 year old bucks I was after did not show for me at all but for my friend saw them just out of range...one 10 and one 9 point..

Next year I'm going to take time off to hunt and use my vacation up.... only took 10 days off total this year and 7 were to get married... also I am going to get a muzzleloader....

Unfortunately a buck I shot last season hasn't been completed yet by the taxidermist.. as a 4.5-5.5 year old 9 pointer he scored 138" and yielded almost 90 lbs of meat.. it's the deer in my profile picture which came from my trail cam last year and I shot him about 75 yds from that trail cam a few days later....

[DirtTime]

I really can't 'sum-up' my season. In many ways it sucked! But there were some high points as well.

Crappy weather all but killed my bow season. Some areas I like to hunt were under water then iced over with the cold, deer weren't moving in the areas I had patterned them in.

 

The gun seasons? Had some highlights, and again some lows. Jumping a doe withing 40 yards of me still hunting made me realize, just because it looks clear, doesn't mean it is.

 

I loved being out there, I loved getting the wife out there teaching her more.

 

I had the privilege of being able to hunt, and I saw deer, I let a few get a pass, I froze my ass off on a few bow hunts in the late season, and I still have a hard time using my left hand, I'm guessing a slight bit of frostbite. ( Using a tennis ball to get the strength back )

 

So I really can't sum up my season as some would. I hunted, I did not hunt as hard this season as in the past, but I did get out there whenever I could.

 

Now to focus on next season. A week at IL next October, and I think I will do a few days at Schodack Island this year camping/hunting the bow season.

I thought about this a couple years ago, and bailed, but I think I will do it for 2019. 

[BowmanMike]

The worst.

[wolc123]

Overall, I would rank it well above average of my 36 deer seasons, about 4 from the top.   Were it not for a couple of mishaps on does late, it would have ranked higher.   On the fifth year of trying with my crossbow, I was finally able to punch a DMP tag.   The best part was: it turned out to be a giant button-buck, rather than the mature doe that I thought it was, when I released the bolt.    Bucks (with or without protruding antlers) are much easier for me to process, with less fat to trim.  There is no deer more appreciated on the dinner table by my family than a button buck.   On my last day of crossbow hunting, I blew it on a mature (182  pound field dressed) swamp-buck, when he caught me putting the shiny chrome cup/top back on my Stanley cider thermos.   He still had all (8) points then, and would have been my highest  scoring buck (10" G-2's, perfectly symmetric), had I killed him on that day.   

In the photo, that thermos is over my right shoulder as I was filling out his carcass tag .  A last minute stand move and my slug gun did him in less than a week later, minus a couple of antler points.  Those missing points saved me the expense of a shoulder mount anyhow.  I would have rather put my archery tag on him though, because using the gun tag kept me from deer hunting over Thanksgiving up in the northern zone.   The deer hunting up there was better than last year, on my other three trips, with more deer sightings but none with antlers.  That was where I missed my last doe, during the late ML season, due to an unseen branch that deflected my bullet.   While it was a very good season for me, it would have been better without those two missed does (I messed up on another one twice due to a mis-fire and a bad running shot - you can read the details of that one in my "lessons learned thread if interested)), and better yet had I been able to fill my archery/ML buck tag.   

Like He has always done, The Good Lord blessed us with all the venison we need this season (a friend also provided us with a couple, including the first doe fawn that I have ever processed).   I would have liked to have been able to kill a few more myself, to give to others in need, but it was not to be.   Hopefully those two does that I missed clean will give birth to bucks that will be far more appreciated by someone.   I got to assume that was His plan for them.     

[ny hunter]

No deer for me this year,but i did enjoy every second in the woods,.........Hunted bow and gun and loved it...

[Dom]

Was good and learned some.Got to be with my nephew for his first ever deer a Doe but still a time I'm glad that we shared together.another for him 1 bald beauty for my self and 2 that was great to have past my way.Yes a good season for me.

[rjmjr911]

I'm still perfect. Zero deer, season 7. Virgin deer slayer awaiting 2019

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