Joe, the feelings you've expressed are exactly why I went "OLD SCHOOL". I was too heavily invested in deer that I did not have sole rights too. It took all the fun out of the thing for me. Now, I just hunt and am much happier. I hope people don't mess me up too badly, but if they do I don't have to see the evidence of it via an emailed picture.
Also, I think you are over-thinking this. You are pretty sure Deer A is bedded in Thicket B, and will be feeding in Field C. It doesn't work that way, ever, at least for me. Jesse made some great points in his posts. I remeber having this exact conversation with him several years ago. You just do this stuff for fun, don't over-invest yourself. Do what you do, but realize you will have other factors (people) come into play...even if you OWN a chunk of ground.
I agree with this Brock. Although I have done my share of complaining this year, I have thoroughly enjoyed this season above all others. I told myself and several others at Deer Camp that I wasn't going to rely on my cameras this year and get back to the basics, and I must say, it is very enjoyable. I am less concerned about what deer are passing through, and more concerned about what the sign says when I'm in an area.
This has taken a ton of pressure off of me, and I also believe it has forced me to get back to the basics of hunting. We live in a high tech world, and sometimes that technology is enough to drive a man crazy. I know I can get pictures of good deer on camera, that is easy. Learning how to kill these animals while dealing with other hunters that aren't as careful about their scent and stand placement, or as passionate as I am, that is the real challenge.
I will tell you though, I still struggle with the idea that people won't look at me as a great hunter until I start putting good deer on the ground. I know this is mostly in my head, but it still drives me nuts. I see some of these guys on TV, and sometimes I just gotta shake my head. There are a few of those guys that don't know crap about killing big deal, other than paying a big name outfitter to tell them which stand to hunt in, yet people look at them like they are gods. I honestly believe in my head, that I could hunt with some of the best on this forum, I just don't have the "trophy wall" to prove it. My time will come, but I am slowly learning to cope with the idea that I don't have to kill big deer every year to know that I had a successful season.
Don't beat yourself up over it TOO bad Joe. We live in the real world, and in the real world you just don't kill a 150" deer every year. There's still lots of season left, and in my opinion, the most predictable big buck hunting is coming up in January. The only downfall to chasing them then is the cold weather, and the dropping antlers. Keep your head up buddy!
