New hunter, so frustrated :(

[KScountrygal]

Hi all, this is my very first post here... Last year I tried archery for my first ever deer season. I actively hunted from September til January, and wound up slapping a tag on a roadkill because I desperately needed to put SOMETHING in the freezer.

This year, I've tried everything I could think of to put something in the freezer. So far, the closest I've come is nearly hitting one with my truck- and at the rate I'm sinking $ (that I don't have, I'm disabled) into this mess, it may very well be cheaper and easier to hunt with a Ford than an arrow, slug or bullet.

I went to a public area at the opening of Kansas firearm season (my first firearm season), and was horrified to see people literally everywhere I looked- even if I could have taken a shot at anything, with so many people all over the place (some not even wearing blaze orange) it just wasn't safe- so I left.

So, I went to another public area, and the poachers there were terrible. I found two headless carcasses, with only the backstraps cut out. A month ago, I also came across a pile of 14 dead deer (one headless buck, the rest were young-ish does) with only the backstraps removed. I told the game warden and he said essentially there wasn't much to be done, unless the people were caught in the act. :bang:

Another hunter I talked to said he'd lined up a good shot on a decent buck, when someone shot it right out from under him; by the time he got there, the people had chopped off its head and split (he said it was a dark blue dually with Texas tags)...and he said he'd heard other hunters had this same thing happen. Problem is, they just drive a few miles & they're in Oklahoma. :no:

The deer here have been hit hard by the drought, and the warm weather means they're just not active during the day...plus the poachers are just horrible. Normally they're in plague proportions and are a huge agricultural pest, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of anything, except squirrels and the occasional rabbit (I shoot those too, they're good eating).

I'm honestly at my wit's end. I don't have a "mentor" (I don't know anyone) and I don't have the deep pockets to afford a lease or a guide; I'm on a very tight budget and have to justify the expense of hunting with results somehow. I'm not even interested in a trophy; I'm just wanting to put food on the table and really only want to shoot a doe. I went so far as to put my name on the Sheriff's roadkill pick-up list, but haven't gotten a call.

I just don't know what to do. I've worked so hard at this, but it seems everywhere I go someone else has beaten me to the punch. I guess I could just shoot more rabbits and squirrels, but I have a tag and I'd like to fill it somehow, even if it means scavenging another roadkill. (One guy told me to just go spotlighting in the middle of the night and shoot one...way to promote ethical hunting to a beginner.)

Honestly, I'm about ready to throw in the towel- and I don't know if I'll even bother with deer hunting next year. Words of wisdom, advice, or suggestions would be most welcome. If it helps, I live near Wichita.

[bowhunter97]

Well i may not drive yet or anything but i havent got one this season either. Out of over 20 hunts and 70+ hours in the stand i just havent been able to connect.

[WVdeerhunter]

its not easy or every1 would be doing it:) Thats what huntings all about i went 2or3 years before i killed my 1st 1 but after the 1st 1 it seamed to get better.

Good luck and you cant kill anything unless your in the woods

[KScountrygal]

Well, I'm just trying to put food on the table & could care less about getting a trophy (antlers ain't edible, and I'd imagine a buck would stink as bad as an old billy goat- yuck). I'm new to deer hunting, but have hunted small game all my life. Hunting the overcrowded, picked-over public lands (and avoiding spots the poachers have cleared out) where everything has been spooked into the next state just isn't working. I've found that unless you have deep, deep pockets, landowners won't give you the time of day- and if you're a woman, they'll pretty much just laugh at you (the exception is if you're willing to pay to play). Plus, people around my area just don't seem very interested in helping out a new deer hunter- I guess they don't want the competition or something?

It's incredibly frustrating, and I had to vent somewhere.

[VTbrshbstr]

Just stick with it. I hunted for 13 years before getting my first one last weekend. Its all about putting your time in, you will make mistakes and mess up your chances on getting certain deer but if you evauluate each situtaion after it happens you will learn alot from each one. I was fourtunate enough to have a few really good mentors but I also taught myself alot while developing my own hunting style. Forums like this are a really good place to learn as well. I hear what your saying about the public land thing. I would try putting an add on craigslist to see if you can find some land to hunt. also alot of states have programs to help women involved in outdoor activttys and might be able to hook you up with someone more expierenced to hunt with. The most important thing is to be persistant and enjoy yourself. Its about the expeirence as much as it is the harvest.

[Ravin R10 man]

Check with your local DNR /Game warden..I bet there is a mentor program that can hook you up with someone to help you along and shorten the learning curve. Possibly there are farmers with kill tags for crop damage..they can put you right on top of the deer because they want them gone.

[WVdeerhunter]

Well if you was close i would let you come fill your tags. Just keep asking some1 will let you hunt.

[JasonLester]

Keep at it...its tough to start with. I went years before killing one. I have hunted for 25 years or so and don't take one every year. I have opportunities but not always good enough for me. I hunt private property now so that helps. Keep asking ...be willing to help out on the property if you can. Sometimes your time with a farmer means a lot to spend some time helping out in the off season especially.

[wtnhunt]

Welcome to the forums. Can certainly understand your frustration with pretty well everything you mention. Poaching problems are not isolated, they are happening everywhere and it is disgusting to anyone with any morals, not to mention the frustration it creates for landowners.

Never had anyone take me deer hunting, kinda learned on my own, but helped I had private land to hunt even though it is a relatively small property. Took a couple years before I killed my first deer and then after that one it was still a bit slow before I started seeing more deer about the 4th or 5th year of my hunting. Good luck, keep with it, things will start working out for you eventually.

[fly]

Your frustration is teaching you valuable lessons. Sounds like public ground is what you'll need to concentrate on until you gain permission to hunt private. If you go to church ask the congregation for permission. Just keep asking. Learn what public areas to avoid (waste of time and unsafe). Learn what times to avoid (generally weekends). In IL there are public areas only open as a draw. If Kansas has these go for it! I generally get picked for one each year in IL. Hunt smarter - not more. If you need meat ask hunters to give you a deer they get. I pass on deer all the time because I don't need the meat. I'd gladly shot one for someone in need and drop it off at their door step.

[Turkeygirl]

Keep at it! My first year I didn't get a deer, infact shot a beautiful buck and lost it then a few weeks later found the carcass but someone cut the antlers off.... Try and go on weekdays to public land...around here at least public land is a little more quiet. Also a few weeks into the season there seems to be less people out. Keep asking for permission, you could even put an ad in a local paper saying something along the lines of "looking for land to hunt". Look for any local conservation clubs as well...don't give up.