[HunterBill59]

How has everyone done so far this season? It has been pretty slow for us. Just seen a coyote last weekend and it dont look like I will be making it out this weekend. I thought for sure the rut would have been heavy last weekend with the cooler temperatures we had.

[frisbee3557]

We had the most successful Archery Season on record for our group down in Jasper County, Indiana.

3 Bucks (17, 9, and 6 pointers)
2 Does
1 Button Buck
2 clean misses (does)
2 wounded but, sadly, not retrieved (does)

4 guys hunting an average of 15 days each.

Had the opportunity to double the previous Archery record of 4 deer, but couldn't make it happen. Still, I'm pretty sure our farmer is happy with our efforts.

Saw lots of deer the last week of October and the first week of November. Hoped it would carry over to firearms (which opened the 13th in Indiana), but it definitely cooled off. Seems to me like the Bucks had all the does penned up Sat & Sun - did not see very much action at all and heard very few shots.

[sportsman221]

Been a little slow but has been picking up. Saturday saw a nice buck at a distance and had a spike come through at about 20 yards. Saturday evening drew a blank. Sunday morning got out late but did see that spike again. Didnt go in the stand so i just followed him around at about 30 yards he didnt seemto mind. Was waiting for him to introduce me to his dad but that never happened. sunday evening did the ground game again and met up with my little spike buddy, saw a decent buck and couple other small ones. Latley its been more bucks than does. Believe it or not i dont think the rut in my area has happened yet, i think their waiting for the rutting moon. Either that or i missed the chasing craziness and their locked up with does.

[nak983]

The count on our property is as follows:

2 Does down
1 doe hit, not found (shoulder shot)
1 Fork(the guy's first ever deer)

Seen a few small bucks that I've passed on, as have others. Been plenty of opportunities to take more does, but last week there was a bunch of pre-rut, rut, activity and we all decided to let the women be. It seems to have slowed in the passed few days, but we have seen a huge 10, shooter 8 and some 4-6 ptrs behind does at a distance.

[Crock]

My first bow season, and I was lucky enough to pass on 2 yearlings my first hour in the stand. I then passed on another yearling a couple weeks later, because the Momma doe was right behind but never presented a shot. I saw the biggest buck I have ever seen at 25 yds, which was very cool, but he winded me and busted away.
So, best season ever, but no deer yet.
Maybe getting out tomorrow for a bow hunt, then up to WI for rifle.

[linestretcher]

I have one 8pt but have seen alot of doe's and smaller bucks in the last week im passing on them for now to hopefully get a shot at a big one.

[wall-i-king]

I got a doe and a 130 class 10pt both at shabonna but have not been out lately and am wondering if anyone has had any success recently or is even seeing much...I still have room in the freezer and tags to fill. Hopefully starting next thurs I can hunt pretty much everyday.

[Theboy160]

Unless a trail cam tells me to go back out this is the final numbers for me.
2-does one with the gun, one with the bow
1-8 pointer with the bow
1-coyote with the bow & 1 missed
My brother took a 9 pointer with the gun
Except for the missed yote everything was 1 shot and a clean kill so a successful year for us this year.

[Mahasheer]

Traveling for work put a kabaash on things for most of Oct-Nov. Hunting public land does not help either
So far just one young button in early Nov. Did not gun hunt this year.. looking forward to get out with the bow on December.

[Bluegillman]

Nuttin for me yet, saw nine does on 18 outings.....when is my luck gonna change.....

[Michigander Jr.]

Thought I would give a little recap of how my season went. The season is over now, and I am already counting down the days until next year. I've been fortunate enough to deer hunt for 17 years now, and I logged more hours in the stand last year than any other, I hunted in mostly Will & Lasalle county in Illinois.

I did a lot of early season scouting, and anticipation was high for the October 1st Illinois bow opener, and I took the first week of the season off work and hunted very hard every day. Passed up a lot deer that week because I set my goals high on a trophy buck. I seen one borderline shooter on the last evening of the 7 day hunt that did not come into range even if I wanted to shoot it.

My only chance I had the entire season on a true whitetail trophy came on the Saturday morning the weekend before Halloween in October. I was on a DIY public land hunt, and before I could even see my pins on my sight to shoot that morning I had 3 legitimate shooters walk within 10 yards of my stand. That morning was very moonlit and I could see big bodied/antlered deer making scrapes and rubs all around me. As daylight came and the sun broke over the horizon I heard walking coming at me and I turned around and to see a MONSTER coming dead at me. I get stood up and come to full draw, and the deer was at 17 yards with a quartering away from me angle. I took aim and fired an arrow. Right when I heard the arrow hit the deer I knew it was bad. Sounded like it smacked nothing but bone. I hit the deer in the ball joint in his front shoulder. So, I waited for hours and started to track the deer later in the day. Found my arrow and only got 2 inches of penetration. While tracking, it started to pour rain on me,so I lost blood, and the buck ran into brush that was so thick it would have been hard to see it if the deer was 5 yards from me. I searched for that deer for 2 days straight, and never made the recovery. I am assuming with very little penetraition that it was not a mortal shot. In 17 years of deer hunting that buck was the biggest I have ever had a shot opportunity on, and it was an experience I will never forget.

My next shot opportunity came on the weekend of Thanksgiving in November when I had 4 does come within 15 yards of my stand,and I decided to put some venison in the freezer. I hit high lung on the doe and she went 30 yards and expired,

I hunted at least one day every week this year, and got to draw my Z7 twice. Went 1 for 2 on the season. The time and money it takes to hunt these whitetails can be challenging to come up with sometimes, and I feel grateful to spend time with friends and family enjoying deer hunting every year,

Again, I can hardly wait for the season to start again.

I hope everyone had a great season!

Harley

[fishtracker]

I rifle hunt Southern Wisconsin private fields. The number of deer we saw this year were a lot lower than what we use to see few years ago. Most of our hunts are drive hunts so we do have a lot of misses . This year I was lucky to tag 1 buck and 2 dows but I had to put a lot of hours to get them. My hunting buddy tagged a 16 pointers but ended up with low score for being non typical (wherever that means ) but it was the highlight of the hunt season this year.



Been hunting few years but never had the luck with a trophy deer but still trying to get that dream deer that I can hang on the wall.






One January day I got too cold so I decided to warm up in my truck and what do you know, 15 minutes later with the truck's engine running, I look to my right and I see a flock of turkeys 20 yards behind me. Neither me or the truck bothered them they just kept walking and crossed the field, wrong time wrong place



Now the season is over its time to get the rods ready for the lake. Congrats to all that hunted and tagged and good luck next time to all that missed