Overall - Good or Poor Season

[Fantail]

A 7 & 2 does down with the PSE, bunch of good camping. Can't complain.

[phade]

Downed a matriarch doe and small 6. For NY...I'd say my sightings were slightly lower overall with the exception of good bucks and the # of hunts without a deer sighting. Plenty of deer in the area but mature buck encounters were unusually rare (than the norm)...only one true shooter seen from the stand at 60 yds. Also had 5 sits with no sightings at all...which is unusual. I ended up taking the 6 based on how tough of a season it was for me on my last bowhunt of the season, so I guess you can say I am pleased with that. I'm hoping to get out a bit for gun season but things are already starting to creep into my schedule that are going to take away from it.

In the grand scheme of things, this season was the worst I've had in 5-6 years, though. Ohio was tougher...that standing corn made what we have here in NY look like it was the middle of large city.

Edited November 17, 2011 by phade

[Hunter25]

I took a 5 pt last week but it has been the slowest season I have experienced in my 14 years of hunting.

[RifleSharpShot]

Deer are moving at night i allways get more deer when it snows out and gets cold!A buddy of mine got a small buck and thats about it for now,im hoping to fill my doe tags as soon as suthern tear starts!

[Elmo]

Knowing others are not having any better luck makes me feel better because I haven't seen anything. It's not like they're too far for a shot. I mean nothing at all which doesn't give me much hope for gun season.

[Va2]

I passed on five 1 1/2 year olds and everyone from what I know, has gotten shot by surrounding hunters! Never seen a nice buck in the woods or on the trail cam this year. Every buck I've seen or got a pic of was a 1 1/2 year old dink!

[Guides ForHire]

fantastic year for deer, in vermont, mass and ny, never saw so many deer esp mature bucks, it was a thrill fest, so-so year for woodcock and ducks, and terrible year for grouse and gobblers and geese. moose was great once we were able to get into the NF, elk muleys and pronghorns were all too easy, those years when you fill tags faster than you can tear them off and wonder if you shoulda waited, but there is so much to hunt and fish this time of year its best to fill the tag when you can.

excellent year for coyotes and fisher and bobcats too so far, not a great year for hare the numbers are way down, woods are too thin, predators are high, etc etc..

overall across the boards from snipe to moose and crows to elk it was a banner year, few low points but pretty hard not to call it fantastic.

[Meat Manager]

Well i saw one deer still hunting. 7 pt I shot at 20 yards. Other than that I haven't seen a deer from my stands in 2 years. With the exception of 4 deer I saw on the other side of the hill about 1/2 mile away. Saw them constantly.

.

I would scout a new stand if I hadnt seen a deer in two weeks let alone two years. I always have 2 or 3 set stands, and my climber is always in the truck to follow fresh sign with.

As for an updated report on my deer season status. It still has been moderate for the amount of deer and bucks specifically seen.

I haven't been able to hunt since I filled a dmp on southern gun opener, but considering I got a deer in the first week of archery and one first thing in gun season, I have to say good season. I am looking forward to late bow season and colder weather.

Edited November 26, 2011 by 7J Everyday

[Suilleabhain]

Einstein's theory of relativity. Relative to me, I only get a few days to hunt so its just a snapshot taken from a long season. 1 deer in 3 days, no deer in the fields at night, not particularly good for me. But, I have an idea why. County did road construction right where the deer cross onto the runs I hunt. Construction went for a while. They may have been pushed and established runs elsewhere.

[buddybags]

poor

[Elmo]

The closest I came was watching two does run away 200 plus yards from me.

But.

I got my old brother, my girlfriend, and my niece to take the hunters education course. Bought my niece a recurve bow and she's now been practicing with it. Met 6 new hunters and 1 who is planning to start next year. Actually hunted with 5 of them. A few of which I keep regular contact with. I'd say I had a really good, productive season.

So many people talk about how it isn't about the kill but rather spending time in the woods, spending time with family and friends, meeting new people, and promoting the sport. I wonder how many people have actually done every bit of that?

Edited January 24, 2012 by Elmo

[Doc]

The closest I came was watching two does run away 200 plus yards from me.

But.

I got my old brother, my girlfriend, and my niece to take the hunters education course. Bought my niece a recurve bow and she's now been practicing with it. Met 6 new hunters and 1 who is planning to start next year. Actually hunted with 5 of them. A few of which I keep regular contact with. I'd say I had a really good, productive season.

So many people talk about how it isn't about the kill but rather spending time in the woods, spending time with family and friends, meeting new people, and promoting the sport. I wonder how many people have actually done every bit of that?

Yeah, there are so many positive aspects to hunting besides just the kill. But I have to admit that the conscious motivation for my hunting is to actually have some success in gathering a bit of protien and experiencing the rush of adrenaline of those seconds before, during and after the kill. I have to say that if I spent a whole lot of hours sitting in the woods hunting and saw absolutely nothing, I probably wouldn't have too good an opinion of that particular season. I love the atmosphere, and the quiet times and peaceful hours in the woods. But by golly when that deer shows up and the shot is successfully taken, that sure is what puts it all together.

[nyantler]

If getting a deer or not getting a deer were the criteria for a good or bad deer season I think I would quit hunting... some of my best hunting seasons didn't involve killing a deer at all. Although I agree that filling a tag can make a good season even better... I personally don't believe there is such a thing as a bad hunting season.

[Guides ForHire]

best season in 30 years for bowhunting deer in NY state, tons of deer, lots of shot opps, great weather, multiple bucks seen each day, it was the best year in decades.

[Doc]

.......Although I agree that filling a tag can make a good season even better... I personally don't believe there is such a thing as a bad hunting season.

Oh, I don't know about that. I had one season where I broke my bow and lost a good chunk of the remainder of the season finding, buying and rigging up a new one. That wasn't too great a season. I also had a brother-in-law that broke his leg in the first week of bow season a few years back.I don't think he thought that was too good of a season. This year, after a windy, drenching beginning couple weeks of the bow season, I contracted an eye infection that kind of deleted the rest of the bow season. I guess I would be hard pressed to call this bow season one of my favorites.

And as far as I'm concerned, if I ever have a season where I don't have at least one good opportunity at taking a deer, I'm going to have to wonder what the heck I'm doing out there. Also, I might add that if successfully taking a deer is not the purpose of the hunt, I have to wonder why we lug all these different weapons afield when we could just carry a camera and a lunch and have a great ol' time.....lol......which by the way I often do between seasons, but I don't call it hunting.

[Dave]

Oh, I don't know about that. I had one season where I broke my bow and lost a good chunk of the remainder of the season finding, buying and rigging up a new one. That wasn't too great a season. I also had a brother-in-law that broke his leg in the first week of bow season a few years back.I don't think he thought that was too good of a season. This year, after a windy, drenching beginning couple weeks of the bow season, I contracted an eye infection that kind of deleted the rest of the bow season. I guess I would be hard pressed to call this bow season one of my favorites.

And as far as I'm concerned, if I ever have a season where I don't have at least one good opportunity at taking a deer, I'm going to have to wonder what the heck I'm doing out there. Also, I might add that if successfully taking a deer is not the purpose of the hunt, I have to wonder why we lug all these different weapons afield when we could just carry a camera and a lunch and have a great ol' time.....lol......which by the way I often do between seasons, but I don't call it hunting.

Oh, I don't know about that. I had one season where I broke my bow and lost a good chunk of the remainder of the season finding, buying and rigging up a new one. That wasn't too great a season. I also had a brother-in-law that broke his leg in the first week of bow season a few years back.I don't think he thought that was too good of a season. This year, after a windy, drenching beginning couple weeks of the bow season, I contracted an eye infection that kind of deleted the rest of the bow season. I guess I would be hard pressed to call this bow season one of my favorites.

And as far as I'm concerned, if I ever have a season where I don't have at least one good opportunity at taking a deer, I'm going to have to wonder what the heck I'm doing out there. Also, I might add that if successfully taking a deer is not the purpose of the hunt, I have to wonder why we lug all these different weapons afield when we could just carry a camera and a lunch and have a great ol' time.....lol......which by the way I often do between seasons, but I don't call it hunting.

Well put Doc

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Doc, If I make it through still breathing and able to look forward to the next one I chalk it up as a win. If I make it though with my Father still in tow it is a blessing.

[Doc]

Doc, If I make it through still breathing and able to look forward to the next one I chalk it up as a win. If I make it though with my Father still in tow it is a blessing.

Lol ....... you've got a point there. That definitely is a win and a blessing. That's kind of like saying any time I wake up and can get out of bed, it has to be a great day.

[nyantler]

Lol ....... you've got a point there. That definitely is a win and a blessing. That's kind of like saying any time I wake up and can get out of bed, it has to be a great day.

I think thats kinda my point as well... I spent one season at my sons bedside in the hospital when he was battling leukemia at 14 years old... it kinda put things in perspective for me as to what bad really is... there is nothing about deer season that could ever be bad after that... in fact, there are many things now that really just don't seem as bad or as stressful as they once were... given much worse things that could happen in life. I think "disappointing season" might be a better term, or even "below expectation" but certainly not bad.

[yukonhunter]

I did good, ut I hunted harder then ever. The herd is bad. I live for hunting, and its just depressing !!!!!!

[Larry]

Here goes this is how my season went. On trail cam I had 4 bucks that would score between 125 & 140. During bow I saw deer almost every time I went out. The day I shot the doe I got I saw 12 deer plus the 1 I jump that was bedded under my stand. I also saw this deer (see pic.)

So over all I had a good year

[Doc]

I think thats kinda my point as well... I spent one season at my sons bedside in the hospital when he was battling leukemia at 14 years old... it kinda put things in perspective for me as to what bad really is... there is nothing about deer season that could ever be bad after that... in fact, there are many things now that really just don't seem as bad or as stressful as they once were... given much worse things that could happen in life. I think "disappointing season" might be a better term, or even "below expectation" but certainly not bad.

It's always good to keep a little perspective on our hunting. While hunting has always been a huge chunk of who I am, it is always good to be reminded that in the greater picture of life, it really isn't all that critical that it always lives up to expectations.

But then, thinking about what the original poster may have had in mind, it was probably more about a statistical reaction to the season than a philosophical view of it ..... lol.

[sweet old bill]

well said Doc

[A Sportsman]

I hunt LI with the bow. I hunt at least a day or two per week from Oct 1 up til the start of gun season in mid November. Then usually a couple of days in December. Long story short, as far as seeing deer it was the worst season for me in about 10 years. In total, I passed on 5 small bucks. And saw maybe 3 or 4 others that were out of range. couple were half way decent basket racks. Believe it or not, I only had one potential shot at a doe, early in season and it was getting dark so I passed it up. I'm an idiot for not shooting one for meat right-off. Because as season went on, things got tougher and I wound up with nothing. I think one of my spots was getting pounded with guys. I also think I should have spread my effort around a little bit more instead of staying with the same three peices of woods. Frustrating because I would like to think that as I get older, I get wiser and hunt better. This year was a little sobering. Will have to tweak my strategies a bit for next year...welcome the challenge.

In a week in 3A we did alright. we shot two bucks and a bear between 6 of us. I got the bear. Not a lot of deer sightings, but there never is where I hunt over there.

[nyantler]

It's always good to keep a little perspective on our hunting. While hunting has always been a huge chunk of who I am, it is always good to be reminded that in the greater picture of life, it really isn't all that critical that it always lives up to expectations.

But then, thinking about what the original poster may have had in mind, it was probably more about a statistical reaction to the season than a philosophical view of it ..... lol.

Yes you are probably right... I tend to get a bit philosphical about things... and I told my dad that I would never do that when I was his age..lol... sometimes I sound just like him... it's the curse.