Jeramie Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I typically shoot at least one deer a year. If by late season I havent shot a decent buck I take the chance to shoot a doe. This year has been different. Work has been insane. Our work load/ sales have literally almost doubled from last year, increasing by millions, with a single person added to the work force. Life has been insane busy. And the last part of our rifle season we had ice and snow to the point I couldnt get to the lease or the ranch. We still have bow until the 15th but honestly....im letting this year slide. Just WAY too much going on and it doesnt seem to bother me like I thought it would. Maybe im just getting old... Anyone else call this year a wash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Mine wasn't exactly a wash Jeramie but it was the first year I didn't take a buck since 2002. Wacked 3 does though so not a total wash. Didn't even pass a mature head scratcher this year either. Passed 3 head scrathcers last year. Mostly bowhunted though and saw some mature shooters but with the exception of 1, all were outside the 60 yard line. The one that came into range (a big wide 10 point) stopped behind trees facing me before turning & going straight away so no shot was offered. All in all though...still a very memorable season, especially helping get a young friend of mine score on his 1st big mature buck (a 157" 11 point)...1st buck he'd ever killed with his bow too. That story was posted in the bowhunting forum about 2 months ago. Been trying to help him score for ~5 years and it finally happened on his last afternoon hunting with me in Missouri this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrown Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I've heard that from alot of Oklahoma hunters, they have said it's been a hard year. I believe the harvest numbers are WAY down too, from talking to biologist, and GW. I personally believe its due to the insane amount of forage that's around. There's still acorns on the ground from white oaks where I'm hunting. My year has actually been all but that, pretty blessed to have a wife and job that allows me to put a lot of hours in the stand though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Not a wash here, our 12 year old daughter killed her first deer ever http://forums.realtree.com/showthread.php?t=112914. Killed a decent buck back during our ml'er http://forums.realtree.com/showthread.php?t=113123. Passed probably 20 different bucks, one I seriously considered taking. Did not see that many does. Wife and oldest daughter got nothing this year. Comparing the numbers on our state website, looks like harvest data for this year supports that the numbers are down from last year by about 11 thousand animals. Our county harvests down by about 300 animals, that with a harvest of around 2000 animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted January 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 It was a strange year for a LOT of people. I have a lease for my first time ever and really didn’t hunt the ranch too much. I passed one decent buck at the ranch and several does on the lease. I also passed one moderate buck on the lease that I probably would have shot anywhere else but needed to let him grow... For some reason I just don’t have the sense of urgency like normal. From others I have talked to, people just didn’t do worth a hoot and yes... there are still acorns everywhere, including white oak acorns. Persimmons did REALLY well this year too and the trees are actually dropping rotten fruit. I have never seen either of those during season.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 IL had 25% fewer deer harvested this season vs. last season during the gun season. Compare to 2005 and it was 40% lower. EHD, years of unlimited doe tags to reduce vehicle collisions, and bad weather were to blame. I let a lot of does go this year, in hopes to get numbers back up. I took a young 8-point but would still like one more for the freezer. We go till the 19th - looking for a mature buck till then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 After reading fly's post I had to check the season numbers in MO. With only 9 days of bowhunting left to go this year in MO, deer harvest reported through this morning for this season vs. last season is down 47.6%. Compared to the 2011 season it's down 38.3%. Checking the county where I hunt it's not good but not as bad. This season vs. last season total deer harvested is down 31% and bucks are down 23%. Compared to the 2011 season total deer harvested is down 30% and bucks are down 16%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 So far a wash for me. Ohio's numbers are down, and my theory there being the DNR has over harvested over the past 10 years or so. When I do have the time to get out, I'm not seeing deer. Time was you could go out and see 5-10 deer every sit. Now I'm lucky to see 1 or 2. That being said, last 2 years I've been working on my 2nd masters which has taken an incredible amount of time. I was only able to hunt about 10 times last year, and I think I've only been out 3 or 4 times this year. My interest is waning too. Just don't have the motivation to go out for various reasons. We'll see what next year holds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Yep I didn't punch my statewide tag this year either. I had plenty of chances though. I had 6 quality encounters which 1 arrow was released and 5 were passed. Unfortunately that arrow caught air on Oct 4th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Get one of these. It will make you feel better. http://eatyourtag.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 didn't shoot a decent buck but haven't in a while... I passed a few and had a good one just out of range. filled the freezer with a couple but it's not the same as shooting something with bone on it's head. I think it's been so long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Get one of these. It will make you feel better. http://eatyourtag.com/ know a few people I could have given one of those this year. For sure 2/3 of the hunters in Northern Wis..many in Mn too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldawg Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Only got to gun hunt this year. Took 2 does opening morning before 7:30. It was cold and windy most of the season. Had one wall hanger stop on the other side of a road, so I couldn't get him. Our group got 13 deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Yep... didnt even get out again. The 15th came and went... season over. Im okay with that oddly enough. Passed a handful of deer and went dry this year. It was a good streak but didnt break my heart. I dont know if that is a good thing or bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Yep... didnt even get out again. The 15th came and went... season over. Im okay with that oddly enough. Passed a handful of deer and went dry this year. It was a good streak but didnt break my heart. I dont know if that is a good thing or bad thing. Didn't get out again either Jeramie and it didn't break my heart either. We all get worn down during the season at some time or another & hunting the post rut period is tough. Nothing wrong with you being fine with not getting back out. I wouldn't wonder if that's a good thing or bad thing...it's neither one IMO. Personally, I believe enjoying the whole experience of the time I have in the field during the season is more important than the emphasis on the killing part. Then again...I'm old...maybe you are getting there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted January 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 Let 30's, two kids, way too much time at work, Church, etc. Time is something I don’t have anymore. At one time I would have taken hunting over pretty much anything but even last weekend we slept in instead of going duck hunting. That almost never happens for me... The older I get the more my priorities have seemed to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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