How Long Have You Gone

[CJD3]

Some times the stars line up and and everything falls into place.ickle:
Some years it all that hard work pays off and you earn the harvest
And some years... Nothing. Absolutely nothing goes right and you eat tag soup.:smiley_blackeye:

Not everyone on here has had good years. Some have gone seasons with out a kill.:smiley_chinrub:

Me my worst run with out a deer kill was 8 years. I was living in Florida and driving up for a week of bow each year and even after moving back, (TOO Ohio) it was a couple more. It sucked but I learned more about deer behavior those dry years than I ever did in years of harvest. Not everyone gets a deer.
So. Whats your longest dry spell?

 

[Hoytmania]

4 years. It was the first four years of deer hunting TOO.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

It took me 7 seasons to shoot my first deer. Still pursuing the illusive 2 in one season.

 

[cotty16]

8 years for me. I posted the story of the P & Y 8 pointer in 91. After that it was 99 before I connected again. Between college and working my way through college it was rough. I hunted, but the time was sparing. Plus, the right buck never came by.

But, just being out was keeping me going. Live to hunt!

 

[RedCloud]

The longest stretch that I have ever gone would be 2 back to back seasons. Now there was a couple times I took off from hunting for a while. The first time was when me and my now wife first got together and she had 2 small girls and I needed to be home to help with them. That was 5 years off from hunting. Then there was another stretch where I took 3 years off because I was protesting a BS ticket that still pisses me off to this day. Other then that the 2 year dry spells has been about it. I haven't been able to knock out any brutes but hey...deer are deer right ? lol.

2 years ago found a doe down and then last year went dry and that was only half my stupidity lol. I could have shot a doe but let her walk twice but the guy across the street with his quad screwed me big time. Had to pass another doe with slug gun because the shot would have been a bad choice with houses and buildings a half mile down range. ( just had to many what if's ya know) missed a doe with the slug gun a couple days later. No excuses. just completely missed it and I still have no idea how the hell I managed that one lol.

Like Huck, I am looking at multi tags being filled this year. New bow and setup so if I pull it off it was because of the gear but, If I don't pull it off it will be because of the new gear so it's a win win this year lmao.

 

[lung buster]

Only been dry my first year hunting I believe. Had a chance at one of the biggest bucks that I have seen even after close to 20 Years later and missed. Broadside at 30 Yds in the wide open. Oh man that image is still in my head. I was one pissed off kid that day, haha. Been hooked ever since.

 

[Diablo54]

2 years

 

[Gern186]

A few months between seasons:smiley_crocodile:

 

[Buckslayer]

For me, The longest time between bucks with bow was one full season....for doe with a bow I will agree with Gern a few month between seasons. :smiley_bril:

 

[Mike]

My first 2 seasons.

 

[Dannmann801]

Season coming up is only #4.
First year I shot one the last week of January.
Took one second season during gun, but hunted my butt off and made every rookie bonehead mistake and never did take one with a bow. And for the amount of time I'd put in, it was very very frustrating.:smiley_blackeye:
Third season was pretty good :smiley_bril:

 

[dante322]

this is only my third season. have connected both previous seasons.

I have yet to kill a buck. had a shot at a small 6 last year but let him go. He is a nice 8 this year and if I see him again he is going down. I am also hoping for a multiple kill season.

I have no doubt that eventually I will have a no kill season. just hope it isnt this one.

 

[dante322]

Had to edit my post, My original said "I have yet to kill a buick..." That would be a lie. I have killed one of those.:smiley_crocodile:

 

[huntn2]

I am with gern in the months between seasons category when talking any deer. Difference would be if specifying buck/doe and weapon. I have only taken 2 bucks and they were a week apart in the same season (NY & PA). Additionally, I will finally get it done with my bow this year. Everything for me as been shotgun/rifle.

 

[ohio mossy oak]

I started in 2008 at the age of 28..I have ate tag soup every year since..I am stubborn an refuse much outside help..Missed a doe low in 09 an missed one last year trying to ''thread the needle''(bad idea)..But the doe in 09 i had patterned an knew she would come out there at sunset...So I guess I am learning something..

 

[Schu72]

My longest drought on havresting a deer was around 5 or 6 years and that was from the time I started until taking my first deer. I was almost totally self taught. Since harvesting my first deer I've only had one season where I didn't kill at least one deer. Now I'm on a string of 17 consecutive seasons of harvesting at least one deer.

 

[Beentown]

The last 2 years for a buck but have had meat every other year. I am completely self taught except reading and help online. Nothing beats being in the woods to learn ya something.

Beentown

 

[Curran]

First season I hunted was in '91 I think? Didn't kill a deer until '99, so that would make 8 years. Now during that time span I only hunted gun seasons, maybe a few days each year when school & sports allowed me to hit the woods.

Since '99, when I finished school, I've killed at least one deer each season. My first was with a shotgun, I killed another with a muzzeloader, and all the rest have been either with a crossbow or bow. I just have more success during bow season than gun season I guess.

 

[Kaiser878]

Started hunting in 1995 with a bow. Didnt kill one with a bow but I did kill one my first year with a gun. In 1996 I killed my first doe with a bow. I have killed a deer every year since then. My dad wasnt a deer hunter, s oI didnt receive a lot of help from him, but I read a lot and listened to people talk alot. Not to mention I spent a lot of time in the woods. My uncle and my fathers cousin were always bow hunters and always preached not shooting small bucks. I didnt shoot my first buck until 2002 after passing up many young bucks in the previous years. ITs been a fairytail ever since then! I have been very lucky and have been able to be relatively successful at deer hunting. Just the right place at the right time I guess!

 

[Jackalope]

I've eaten my buck tag the past 3 years. Had plenty of 120 and smaller bucks in range. Just not what I'm after. Seen some nice ones from the stand. Just was never able to connect... So yeah. Heading into season 4 hopefully I can put some bone on the ground.