What Was Your Biggest Disappointment This Season?

[NFA-ADK]

Missing the entire rut with stomach issues!  

[johnplav]

My biggest disappointment was never seeing this fella in daylight 

 

[cynthiafu]

Just missing my hunting partner other then that I had a great time taking others out and helping them

[Fletch]

Definitely not getting my daughter her first or her boyfriend. They both only hunted a few sits and saw deer on almost every sit but not much time due to college. We were close.

I also would have preferred not to miss that doe during ML. One more in the freezer woulda been bonus.

[DirtTime]

My only disappointment was my wife only getting out a few times with me due to an uptick in work. I have mentioned before she will only hunt the private land in the lower ADK's, no public land. This was the only year we never saw a deer up there. Always at least see a few does on those hunts. She said she just enjoyed being out there, so it wasn't too bitter of a pill.

 

I took a different approach this past season. I put no pressure on myself like I tend to do ( I am hard on myself when it comes to deer hunting, I may not always admit that, but I am ). I got more days in the woods then normal, and passed on deer because I was not comfortable with the shot, small bucks, or fawns. I even let a few pass just because I felt like it.

 

I got some hunting in on West Canada Lake Wilderness, Siamese Ponds, as well as my usual areas. I didn't fall on my face hunting a frozen over swamp like I did last two seasons ago. I just got out there and hunted with no expectations other then I was deer hunting.

 

So over all, I may not have killed a deer, but I taught myself a lot, learned a little about myself, corrected a few mistakes I was making, and took it one hunt at a time. I feel I had my best season yet since getting back into hunting.

Edited December 23, 2019 by DirtTime

[doebuck1234]

Not being able to get my dad on a deer.our gun seasons are tough as usually dont see any deer.hoping that changes next season as he's interested in bow

[mowin]

I wish I had more time to get out.  Kitchen reno kept me at home helping my buddy on the project. Ok, more like a gopher, or go cut this board, lol. 

Never took a shot at a deer this yr.  First time in around 40 yrs of hunting I didn't fill a single tag. Enjoyed the time I did get out. Even passed on a few smaller bucks.  

[cdbing]

I am disappointed in myself for missing with the rifle on the CO trip. I chalk it up to my range practice not being even close to replicating the actual hunting situations. Thankful for clean misses though....that would have been much, much worse.

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[BowmanMike]

I took a step in the right direction,and am planning to go further next year. More time with bow,less with the gun. Gun season is less fun to me every year. I think i will just save my time to go out during MZ for a last push,i hunt with the MZ anyway.

[Otto]

I am disappointed I had a bad shot on a nice buck while he was in an ideal shot position.  I grossly overestimated my ability to remain calm and make the perfect shot.  I am glad the buck was taken during gun season though!

I agree with Bowman Mike, more time with the bow and maybe less time with the gun is in order! 

[UpStateRedNeck]

Not getting my dad a decent buck.  His season was shorter than usual because of the thumb incident.  Less so, not getting a nice archery buck.  And not hunting Late season, stupid ACL.

[buffalojay83]

Still disappointed Hillary isn't locked up....wait wrong thread

[moog5050]

No complaints.   Great season.  Would have been nice if the new hunters I took out had connected on the shots they took but that’s hunting.   

[crappyice]

I’m thrilled about my season capped with a great late season buck...may still slip out for a few sits in 3S. However I do wish my buddies father pulled the trigger on a few doe he saw. It’s been years since he took a deer (none since I started with them 20 years ago).

I also regret not canceling some of my boys’ crap to make them come along for a hunt or two. They love it when they get there but often balk at the idea when “missing out” on something else is a possibility

 

 

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[BizCT]

I’m thrilled about my season capped with a great late season buck...may still slip out for a few sits in 3S. However I do wish my buddies father pulled the trigger on a few doe he saw. It’s been years since he took a deer (none since I started with them 20 years ago).

I also regret not canceling some of my boys’ crap to make them come along for a hunt or two. They love it when they get there but often balk at the idea when “missing out” on something else is a possibility

 

 

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They may come right back to it someday. I hunted ages 12-16. Then barely at all from 16-25 (except opening day of gun season). Then I got hardcore back into it about 10 years ago.

 

 

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[dbHunterNY]

i didn't get a buck but that's not it. this year we had quantity for bucks but nothing really big. still 2 of the biggest bucks setting hooves on the farm got poached by local trespassers that won't see any consequences for what they did. whether not enough evidence to make things stick or landowner pissed but not wanting to burn bridges with another neighbor.

one instance a couple guys saw the buck from road in cover. stopped by the house to asked to go after it on our land. given history with them were nicely told no. turns out one of them went and shot it anyway or shot it before asking. the one got dumped off from the road to go recover it. lied to folks in town about where he shot it. our neighbor was asked to help get it on our land and told us. same guys were trying to tell people not to be on board with the QDM co-op thing the rest of us our doing. fine poaching deer on others property grown on the co-op though.

second was a buck that was right next to the house but fate took it across the road to a property owned by an older gentleman that can't keep the best eye on it. guy was in there without permission and dumb luck put a that big buck in front of him.

neither is the end of the world, as surviving bucks will be older and bigger this coming season. just sucks to see old school respectful neighbors get pissed on. especially when they offer to talk things out in private rather than resort to law enforcement and public disclosure.