11/11 - 3 does and 1 buck in 2 hours.
11/12 - 1 buck in 7 hours
11/13 - In progress. I predict another skunk. 4.5 hours of wasted time.
Jesse's 2014-2015 Deer Season
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
- Start date
11/12 - 1 buck in 7 hours
11/13 - In progress. I predict another skunk. 4.5 hours of wasted time.
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- 261
Hey, at least you are upbeat about it! A positive attitude goes a long way toward success. 
BTW, my attitude is about the same as your's at this point. Pretty sure I could see as many deer from the pizza shop as I'll see from a tree.
BTW, my attitude is about the same as your's at this point. Pretty sure I could see as many deer from the pizza shop as I'll see from a tree.
I used to be positive. It never got me any where. Might as well be realistic now. Stupid me still thinks if I keep putting in the work, I'll be rewarded for my efforts. Hilarious...
ajupsman
*Supporting Member*
I'm with you Jesse. After the last few seasons I've had I'm ready to have a hunting yard sale and find a new hobby.
Sat the same stand I sat on Halloween morning this evening. It sits at the E end of an E/W ridge and works for either NW or SW wind, with SW being the best. Figured I go there tonight and hang the stand so I was ready to rock for Saturday. I can see a ton of ground from this set which is what draws me to it. I'm facing due W with a thick bowl to the S, saddle directly in front of me, and oaks to the N and E. My 5 acre sanctuary sits to my 1 o'clock about 150 yards out and I can see the best trails to and from. A logging road funnels deer within 25 yards of the tree and several trails cut the saddle from 15-40 yards. Access is flawless and I made it in without disturbing anything.
I was settled in by 1PM and all was quiet until 3:05 when I caught movement on one of the hogsbacks in the bowl S of me. I could see a mature doe milling around and she squated down to piss on her hocks. Figured that was a good sign, but wasn't prepared for what would go down a short while later.
She was joined by a doe fawn about the same time I caught movement coming out of my sanctuary. It was a small 8 and he was on a bee line for the does location. Once he found them he gave the doe a solid nudge and her reaction all but verified she was hot. I lost track of them in the brush and a few minutes later, the race was one. One deer after another went sprinting through the saddle 100 yards out from S to N. It was the two does, the small 8 and 3 other bucks. Two of the bucks were busted up 2 year olds and the 3rd was a stud. All the deer crossed in to the sanctuary and I thought that would be it. However the hot doe slipped out the same way they went in and came up the fence line towards my stand. All the bucks followed via various trails with the big boy dropping down in and heading up the other side of the ravine that separates the sanctuary with the oak flat to the N of the stand.
I grabbed the binos and at first glance, I just assumed it was Darryl. Once I knew it was a shooter, I started to scramble for what I should do. Grunt, bleat, rattle, wait; WTF do I do?!? As I was reaching for my grunt call, I saw the doe slipping up the fence line. I'm not sure if she sensed me there or what, but she acted like she was going to cross through the saddle right below my stand, then turned about went out in to the oak flat. Trying to relocate the big boy, I saw the other 3 bucks but couldn't find him. I decided to grunt a few times and it wasn't long before I saw him working E to W up the fence on the doe's trail. It was at that point that I got another good look at his rack. Thinking back on it now, I'm positive he was OBB and solid mid-140's or better.
As he got to the spot where the doe changed her course, he started to do the same and I hit him with a long growl and two quick grunts. He turned and headed right at me, crossing the old fence and stopping 35 yards broadside with a sapling almost laying on his side. Five more steps and he was 30 yards in the wide open. Five more seconds and I could have stepped to the end of the platform, dropped down and got an arrow in to his boiler room. However he only stood there for a couple seconds before turning around and heading back after the doe. I threw everything I had at him with the grunt call and bleat can, but it wasn't meant to be.
This buck was really similar to a deer I got on camera a few years back. His beams had another 2-3" of wrap to them and he had much better mass. Plus he had better brows and could have had some junk on his bases.
I'll be back out there this weekend. Doubt it comes together, but I'll give it a whirl...
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 37
Bucks Sightings: 29
Different Bucks: 16
Mature Bucks Seen: 5
Total Sightings: 66
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 11
Evening Hunts: 11
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 6
Total Hunts: 22
Hours on Stand: 74
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 21 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .89
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 9
Properties Hunted: 2
I was settled in by 1PM and all was quiet until 3:05 when I caught movement on one of the hogsbacks in the bowl S of me. I could see a mature doe milling around and she squated down to piss on her hocks. Figured that was a good sign, but wasn't prepared for what would go down a short while later.
She was joined by a doe fawn about the same time I caught movement coming out of my sanctuary. It was a small 8 and he was on a bee line for the does location. Once he found them he gave the doe a solid nudge and her reaction all but verified she was hot. I lost track of them in the brush and a few minutes later, the race was one. One deer after another went sprinting through the saddle 100 yards out from S to N. It was the two does, the small 8 and 3 other bucks. Two of the bucks were busted up 2 year olds and the 3rd was a stud. All the deer crossed in to the sanctuary and I thought that would be it. However the hot doe slipped out the same way they went in and came up the fence line towards my stand. All the bucks followed via various trails with the big boy dropping down in and heading up the other side of the ravine that separates the sanctuary with the oak flat to the N of the stand.
I grabbed the binos and at first glance, I just assumed it was Darryl. Once I knew it was a shooter, I started to scramble for what I should do. Grunt, bleat, rattle, wait; WTF do I do?!? As I was reaching for my grunt call, I saw the doe slipping up the fence line. I'm not sure if she sensed me there or what, but she acted like she was going to cross through the saddle right below my stand, then turned about went out in to the oak flat. Trying to relocate the big boy, I saw the other 3 bucks but couldn't find him. I decided to grunt a few times and it wasn't long before I saw him working E to W up the fence on the doe's trail. It was at that point that I got another good look at his rack. Thinking back on it now, I'm positive he was OBB and solid mid-140's or better.
As he got to the spot where the doe changed her course, he started to do the same and I hit him with a long growl and two quick grunts. He turned and headed right at me, crossing the old fence and stopping 35 yards broadside with a sapling almost laying on his side. Five more steps and he was 30 yards in the wide open. Five more seconds and I could have stepped to the end of the platform, dropped down and got an arrow in to his boiler room. However he only stood there for a couple seconds before turning around and heading back after the doe. I threw everything I had at him with the grunt call and bleat can, but it wasn't meant to be.
This buck was really similar to a deer I got on camera a few years back. His beams had another 2-3" of wrap to them and he had much better mass. Plus he had better brows and could have had some junk on his bases.
I'll be back out there this weekend. Doubt it comes together, but I'll give it a whirl...
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 37
Bucks Sightings: 29
Different Bucks: 16
Mature Bucks Seen: 5
Total Sightings: 66
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 11
Evening Hunts: 11
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 6
Total Hunts: 22
Hours on Stand: 74
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 21 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .89
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 9
Properties Hunted: 2
Archertl
Senior Member
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Keep on keepin buddy! Sounds like that doe might be coming in! Stick with it and good luck buddy!
I'm just about done. Can't hunt Saturday as I have my kid while the wife works. Probably hunt Sunday. I always hunt Thanksgiving morning and will get a hunt or two that weekend. My gun season will be spent putting my wife on deer. Doubt I get real serious about late season unless I can find a stud 4 year old. Right now I have 6 bucks that are in the 125-135 range at 3 years old. At this point, I will focus on ducks over deer and let those bucks see another year (hopefully).
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 41
Bucks Sightings: 34
Different Bucks: 17
Mature Bucks Seen: 6
Total Sightings: 75
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 13
Evening Hunts: 12
Skunked Hunts: 7
Total Hunts: 25
Hours on Stand: 85
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 24 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .88
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 10
Properties Hunted: 2
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 41
Bucks Sightings: 34
Different Bucks: 17
Mature Bucks Seen: 6
Total Sightings: 75
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 13
Evening Hunts: 12
Skunked Hunts: 7
Total Hunts: 25
Hours on Stand: 85
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 24 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .88
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 10
Properties Hunted: 2
- 25,139
- 261
It's a long season and can be great even after you put the guns up. I keep telling myself to stay the course, maybe I would not if I wanted to hunt ducks. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself... I'm trying to tell myself this as much as you. I guess I should be glad I'm not a duck hunter.
Fortunately for me, I LOVE hunting ducks. It beats the dick off deer hunting 99.9% of the time. If I am going to get up early, be cold, and work hard to come home empty handed, I might as well do it in a duck blind with two of my best friends while we drink coffee and eat like kings. With ducks, I have no expectations cause I know my spots suck. I don't live or hunt in a ducky area. Killing ducks is just a bonus to what is already a good time. Every time we go, I find myself saying "fuck deer". My buddy Bryan that hunts with me went for his first hunt at the farm this past Saturday. He got up at 4AM, made the 45 minute drive to the farm, packed in to a great spot on Hippie Ridge and sat daylight to dark during the "rut" and you know what he saw? Fucking nothing. We didn't kill shit on opening day of duck season; never fired a gun. Didn't even work any birds. Yet we had a blast. It don't take you long to figure out what you would rather be doing. Plus when we have a boat and I buy my WV license, I can hunt ducks from Oct 25 or so through November 15 or so. Going to make for some tough decisions then...
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- 261
You make duck hunting sound fun... You're eating and telling lies I'd guess. Two things I can do.
Just keep plugging away Jesse, and have fun doing whatever you feel like doing. I love deer hunting but I refuse to let it burn me out.
It's horrible Brock. I doubt you'd like it at all.
You make duck hunting sound fun... You're eating and telling lies I'd guess. Two things I can do.
It's horrible Brock. I doubt you'd like it at all.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
You make duck hunting sound fun... You're eating and telling lies I'd guess. Two things I can do.
LOL I'm surprised every TOO member isn't a duck hunter as I think most of us are pretty good at those two things too! LOL!!
This has been the worst season of my entire career. Out of 100 hours on stand, I have less than 5 minutes of heart pounding excitement to reflect upon. I missed my first deer in 14 years. I watched my wife suffer through an all day hunt that may very put an end to her hunting career. I feel like a heroin addict right now. I'm ashamed of my addiction and hate myself for it, but I'll just keep doing it because I can't stop and don't know why. Duck season starts next Saturday and that will be my methadone.
Part of me says lease some good ground. The other says to hang up the bow for a season and just chase ducks, geese, squirrels and do some fall fishing. It is just not worth the investment of time, money and my soul...
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 43
Bucks Sightings: 34
Different Bucks: 17
Mature Bucks Seen: 6
Total Sightings: 77
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 13
Evening Hunts: 12
All Day Hunts: 1
Skunked Hunts: 8
Total Hunts: 26
Hours on Stand: 100
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 51 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .77
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 11
Properties Hunted: 2
Part of me says lease some good ground. The other says to hang up the bow for a season and just chase ducks, geese, squirrels and do some fall fishing. It is just not worth the investment of time, money and my soul...
______________________
2014 Stats
Antlerless Sightings: 43
Bucks Sightings: 34
Different Bucks: 17
Mature Bucks Seen: 6
Total Sightings: 77
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 13
Evening Hunts: 12
All Day Hunts: 1
Skunked Hunts: 8
Total Hunts: 26
Hours on Stand: 100
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 Hours 51 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .77
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 11
Properties Hunted: 2
ajupsman
*Supporting Member*
I feel your pain Jesse. Our deer season ends here on 12/15. If I don't connect before then I will have gone deerless for 3 consecutive seasons. That's 15 tags (3 in NH and 2 in OH per year) that I'll have eaten. I too missed a doe this year and only have had one shooter buck near me and that was for about 5 seconds. I'm really beginning to question why I put myself through this. The deer population where I live is continuing to decline and the public land hunting in Ohio is not panning out. Worst part is my 14 year old son is very interested in deer hunting and has been for a while. Ive been trying like hell to get him his first deer but its just not happening. Im afraid hes going to lose interest if I cant get him on some deer soon. Not sure what I'm going to do next year but maybe I need to take up duck hunting or something. I've never done it but I'd like to think I could have more success. I have no motivation to hunt these last 12 days but I almost feel like I have to. I went out yesterday morning and after the first hour of no deer l knew I was wasting my time. I hate that feeling and it's been coming on way too often this year.
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I committed first degree whitetail homicide this evening. Nothing much to be proud of, but I did what I had to do. In September I lost everything in my freezer and for the first time in a decade, I was out of venison. Might sound weird to some, but it has weighed heavily on me. Buying burger really pisses me off and not having backstraps or steaks is a kick in the dick. Thankfully I live in a neighborhood with very little hunting pressure. Three weeks ago we counted 14 does within 200 yards of our house. Our 2.34 acres butts up to a 1K acre chunk of timber. The 21 acres next to us in unhunted, as is the 16 acre thicket across from us. We live in the one place we still have a lot of deer.
I have a feeder set up in a strip of woods that parallels our yard and joins the woods at the back of our place. It is thick as hell in there and deer will lay there all day. I made a point to get home early tonight so that if something came out, I could finally put some meat in the freezer. This old girl blessed us with her bounty tonight. 56 yard shot with the CVA Optima and she never stood a chance. From the time I saw her until the time she was hanging in my shed was 27 minutes. She dressed at 110 pounds and will provide many good meals for our family. Her heart is in the sink right now. I've never tried it, so she'll have not died in vain!
I have a feeder set up in a strip of woods that parallels our yard and joins the woods at the back of our place. It is thick as hell in there and deer will lay there all day. I made a point to get home early tonight so that if something came out, I could finally put some meat in the freezer. This old girl blessed us with her bounty tonight. 56 yard shot with the CVA Optima and she never stood a chance. From the time I saw her until the time she was hanging in my shed was 27 minutes. She dressed at 110 pounds and will provide many good meals for our family. Her heart is in the sink right now. I've never tried it, so she'll have not died in vain!
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