How many shot opportunities?

Boone · Sep 19, 2012

Reading other threads about what bucks people would shoot/not shoot, and different areas of the state and habitats we hunt, got me curious about how many shot opportunities everyone has a year over the course of bow season. I know we all have various levels of experience, standards, and amount of time spent on/in stand that affect opportunity, but it would still be interesting to see our responses.

In an average year, how many shot opportunities at a buck scoring 125+ are you presented with? 140+?

It might be helpful if we list the general type or mix of areas we hunt, e.g. ag, south east hill country. I don't care if we include gun season in here too.

DJK Frank 16 · Sep 19, 2012

In my area (Northwest Ohio Ag country), hunting hard (150+) hours a year, you could probably expect 1 maybe 2 encounters at a 125+ from the tree.

In 8 years of bowhunting I have only had maybe 3 deer that push 140 in bow range.

Those numbers would probably go up for gun hunting, especially guys that drive deer. That is purely bowhunting, and soley based on my personal experiences.

Schu72 · Sep 19, 2012

Very few. I try to set a goal of 130+, but haven't done a very good job of field judging (they usually endup being high teens/low 20's). I pass on tons of doe and probably 20+ opportunities at bucks 110 and under.

Fluteman · Sep 19, 2012

I would say on average, I have at least an opportunity every year. Some years might be two or three even, but the average is closer to one. We have nice bucks around, but we don't have many slungers.

Edit:

I should say that I am considering a shooter as a 130+ buck, but at 130", it has to be the right buck. 140"+ is a no brainer!

rgecko23 · Sep 19, 2012

Last year being my first year really seeing a buck, I had two. The first one over 150" I missed. The second around 125" I passed on. The first one that I missed was October 29th, it was a drizzly, cold morning. Never thought I would see a thing. The next one was a pretty mild day a cpl days later. Seemed the longer the season went, the bucks got smaller, and smaller.

cotty16 · Sep 19, 2012

Man, great question. I'm in the hills of Eastern Ohio (since you asked) and I'd say, per year, 125 plus I have 1-2 opportunities. As far as 140 plus goes, I'm lucky if I get 1 crack. Most years would be zero. I've only shot one buck over 140 and the chances have been few and far between. I missed a 140 plus with a gun back in 1994. I remember it like it was yesterday, that's how infrequent those shots opp's have been.

Other than that, I'd say most opportunities have been 135 or less.

Bucks from 100-120? I'd say about 5 or 6 shot opportunites with a bow per year. Some years better...

Gordo · Sep 19, 2012

In the last two years, in which ive considered to take mu deer hunting to 'the next level', id say conservatively ive passed 5 quality opportunties at bucks in the 120's range each year.

In those two years ive had one shot opportunity each year at what i consider a shooter(mid 130's+) and choked both years.

Like fluteman said, its hard to find true slungers down here in the hills.

None of the properties i hunt hold any agriculture. Just a bunch of rolling hills and hard woods.

Gotta love appalachia!!!

Boone · Sep 19, 2012

I probably average one opportunity a year on a 125+ buck, but some years I have 0 opportunities and some years 2-3, according to the stats I keep. Last year I would have shot an 8 pt over 125, but he had a busted tines. I hunt about 25-35 times a season, 90% east of I-77, down in the hills and up towards the lake. I pass on plenty of little bucks less than 125, last year about a dozen, but they never seem to make it back to me after they grow up.

Beentown · Sep 19, 2012

120 and under...probably 6 opportunities a year. 120 plus is maybe 3 encounter...140 and over is usually once a year. These are not shot opportunities but close encounters.

North Central OH. Ag land.

Buckmaster · Sep 19, 2012

125" bucks 1-3 opportuntities per year in SE Ohio. I typically pass on them with hopes of a 140+" that I never see thus ending up with Buck Tag Soup.

5Cent · Sep 19, 2012

North Central Ohio and I put a 140"+ at 0.5 opp/year. How you say.....?

My early years of hunting would be 0 due to the area I was hunting and my skill level. Since returning and changing my hunting area, and polishing up on some skills, I think it increases to 1 opp/year. I don't pass on many deer (pretty much only if they have spots :smiley_crocodile

, but that doesn't reduce the opp/year measurement since I like to hunt Sept-Feb.

Redhunter1012 · Sep 19, 2012

On average during bow season maybe 1 close encounter with 1 over 130". Maybe 5-7 with 100-125" and nearly daily with smaller bucks. During gun we always see bigger bucks when we drive woodlots in Wood county. Just a vast open area and its hard to get a quality shot at one

hickslawns · Sep 19, 2012

NW Ohio agricultural area. Small wood lots and fence rows along with CRP fields. Seeing? Wow. We can see along way in many stands. Last year I had one chance at a buck over 140". Too bad I was halfway up the tree when he was under 15yds. I had one other opportunity at 30 yards with a 140+ but no cleqr shot. I passed on a handful under 100 and a few under 120. Just wasn't a lot between 120 and 140. This would be in bow range.

Gun range I had 4 total opportunities at 3 different 140+" deer. In all fairness, I think last year was unique in these respects. Normal year I might see one or two 140 or bigger. In bow range I would say one shot opportunity at 140+ every 1 to 2 seasons.

bowhunter1023 · Sep 19, 2012

I'm in the hills and hollers of SE Ohio and I generally have 3-4 encounters a year with deer in the 120-130" range. As for what I deem a shooter, it is a 3-4 year old 135+ type deer I have history with and I'm lucky to earn a shot once every 2-3 years. I've only had one chance to kill a deer over 150 and that was 8 years ago.

I don't gun hunt much these days, but if I chose to hunt hard during gun, I have faith I could get at least one shot at 140+ type deer every year. It's not had to kill deer with a gun around here and I've learned how to get deer on their feet and get shots over the years, so it would afford me some good shot opportunities annually.

brock ratcliff · Sep 19, 2012

I get one shot opportunity a year at a "shooter". Some times it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Getting a deer you consider a "shooter"in range is a rare opportunity, and I've learned to enjoy it - soak it up like a sponge - whether I kill 'em or not.

Gordo · Sep 19, 2012

brock ratcliff said:
I get one shot opportunity a year at a "shooter". Some times it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Getting a deer you consider a "shooter"in range is a rare opportunity, and I've learned to enjoy it - soak it up like a sponge - whether I kill 'em or not.

Very well said.

Fullbore · Sep 19, 2012

Gordo is right! Well said Brock! With the hunting pressure that most of us deal with. Getting a shooter within bow range is very rare. When it does ,however we need to take advantage of our opportunities. Relish those memories.

hickslawns · Sep 19, 2012

Agreed. I didn't tag a buck last year. Still consider it an excellent season. Do I expect to have 4 opportunities at 140+" deer again? Yeah. Maybe one season in the next 10-20. Shot opportunity or not, it is a rush. Very well said Brock!

jagermeister · Sep 19, 2012

I hunt a little all over the place. Some in SE Ohio, NE Ohio, and sometimes I still get back to NW Ohio ag country. In the course of a season, on average I usually have a few encounters with 110-130" bucks. Some years it's zero, some years in 6 or 8. Most of my buck encounters occur during the rut, hunting in SE Ohio... mainly because I'm hunting funnels and I'm sitting from dark to dark. During "regular" hunting throughout the season, just hunting a few hours here and there, I don't get many chances. Last year I don't think I had a single buck bigger than 115" come anywhere near me.

Relatively speaking, I really don't hunt all that much. To put it in perspective, I log more hours on stand during a week-long rut trip than I do for the rest of the season combined. I'm hoping to change that this year, though... since picking up some new ground closer to home.

Oh... and the 140+ deer... Yea, maybe once every 2-3 years for me.

Gern186 · Sep 20, 2012

In the last 8-10 years I have had 1-2 shot opportunities per year at a 140 plus. In the previous 10 years I only over saw 2 or 3 bucks that would make 140. I went through a 3 year stretch where I had shot opportunities on 160 to 180 plus inch deer. Those 3 years will probably never happen again.

I would estimate a half dozen shot opportunities per year on bucks between 80 and 115 inches, and maybe 1 or 2 on bucks between 115 and 135 inches. A solid 135 inch deer is a damn good deer in most peoples eyes.

How many shot opportunities?

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