Jesse's 2017 Hunting Debacles

Another long grind yesterday. Seen a doe and 2 young bucks, all after 10 hours of seeing nothing. Back after it this morning. I'm hunting ducks tonight so I can have some fun, then taking tomorrow and Monday off. Back to the grind Tuesday through Sunday.
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2017 Stats

Antlerless Sightings: 24
Bucks Sightings: 6
Different Bucks: 6
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 30

Deer Killed: 0

Morning Hunts: 6
Evening Hunts: 3
All Day Sits: 3
Skunked Hunts: 5
Total Hunts: 12

Hours on Stand: 63

Average Time Per Hunt: 5 Hours 15 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand:

Decent hunt tonight. Actually thought it might happen tonight as the two does I saw were very skiddish and kept looking back over their shoulders. If they'd have been followed by a shooter, it would have made for a perfect shot opportunity. No sitter for the girls until 10 tomorrow, so I'll be sitting from noon to dark. Time to get aggressive if I don't see something good tomorrow.
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2017 Stats

Antlerless Sightings: 28
Bucks Sightings: 8
Different Bucks: 7
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 36

Deer Killed: 0

Morning Hunts: 7
Evening Hunts: 4
All Day Sits: 3
Skunked Hunts: 5
Total Hunts: 14

Hours on Stand: 72

Average Time Per Hunt: 5 Hours 8 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: <1

Been battling the flu since Tuesday evening and pushed it a little too hard today. Sat the last 2 hours last night after sleeping all day and saw 3 does at last light in the cut corn. Sat dark to dark today and ran out of meds at 4. I actually climbed down at 5:30 because I was shaking so bad from fever chills and the cold wind that there was no way I could have made a clean shot. Saw 3 does at 9:45 milling around on my sanctuary. A few minutes after I lost sight of them, I heard grunting. It almost sounded fake, like a Primos Roar call, so I almost dismissed it. Thankfully I caught a flash of movement and laid glass on a great 10, probably 140+, as he strolled through the sanctuary going the opposite direction as the does. Can't believe he didn't harass the does as he walked right past them. I move at 11:30 and headed for the ridge stand I've wanted to sit all year. It's a killer spot, but only a 100" wanted to follow the script.

With my #1 buck now dead, I've decided to stay disciplined until after gun, then I'm killing a buck this year one way or another. After 12 years and 1,500+ hours on stand, I'm getting the monkey off my back even if it's a year old buck. Enough laboring away for nothing, not to mention we need meat.
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2017 Stats

Antlerless Sightings: 34
Bucks Sightings: 11
Different Bucks: 10
Shooters Seen: 2
Total Sightings: 45

Deer Killed: 0

Morning Hunts: 7
Evening Hunts: 5
All Day Sits: 4
Skunked Hunts: 5
Total Hunts: 15

Hours on Stand: 84

Average Time Per Hunt: 5 Hours 36 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: <1

#RIP Long Brow

cspot said:

Maybe I missed it, but how did long brow die? Neighbors get him?

My vacation starts next week, so hopefully the action pics up in that part of the state. :smiley_blink:

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Yes. The guy from NC that killed the 160 in 2015, shot this one. To quote him, he's got a golden horseshoe up his ass.

Big_Holla said:

Build That Wall LOL!

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HA! No shit!

It is what it is man. Obviously I wasn't meant to achieve success on a regular basis. Like I told my buddy the other day, it's probably a good thing I've struggled as it's humbled me far beyond any pursuit I've ever undertaken in my life. If I'd have achieved immediate and continued success, I'd not have the perspective I have today. I'm beginning to appreciate our farm for more things than just the deer and ultimately, that will bring me more happiness than just being successful with the big bucks.

There's light on the horizon though. Soon enough, I can hunt for others and I enjoy that more than hunting for me. With K nearly ready for the woods, I'm pumped about taking her out as much as possible. I also plan to diversify the animals I hunt, and the places I hunt them. No need to have all my chips riding on one pursuit. What I love is just being outdoors, exploring and going on an adventure. Plenty of that in my future!

Highlight of the day was a 110" 8 busting his ass trying to clear a woven wire fence this morning. He stood in one spot for 5 minutes trying get his wits about him. The best part of the day was watching two young bobcats walk up and down an oak tree that's fallen over. They played on that thing for 15 minutes. Grooming themselves, climbing up the limbs, pouncing around. Pretty cool to see.

Saw 6, nothing after 11. I think the pressure in the neighborhood is hurting things at this point. Still debating on whether or not I'm hunting tomorrow or not.
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2017 Stats

Antlerless Sightings: 38
Bucks Sightings: 13
Different Bucks: 11
Shooters Seen: 2
Total Sightings: 51

Deer Killed: 0

Morning Hunts: 7
Evening Hunts: 5
All Day Sits: 5
Skunked Hunts: 5
Total Hunts: 16

Hours on Stand: 95

Average Time Per Hunt: 5 Hours 56 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: <1

Based on my hunting logs I can deduce one thing: I now have to hunt twice as long to see the same number of deer as I did in 2014. I have to hunt three times a long to see the same number of deer as I did in 2010. It's a slap in the face to go back any further than that.

Last night's hunt was another abysmal debacle. At least it was relatively quiet after the wind died down...
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2017 Stats

Antlerless Sightings: 39
Bucks Sightings: 13
Different Bucks: 11
Shooters Seen: 2
Total Sightings: 52

Deer Killed: 0

Morning Hunts: 7
Evening Hunts: 6
All Day Sits: 5
Skunked Hunts: 5
Total Hunts: 17

Hours on Stand: 99

Average Time Per Hunt: 5 Hours 49 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: <1

NWOHhunter said:

Oh yea...your daughter is a little cutie! nothing like a little girl to melt a daddy's heart!

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Thanks man! She's a lot of fun most of the time, bit of a pain in the ass the rest! She's been giving me hard time about not taking her hunting, so I need to get her out. She loves waterfowl hunting and it's honestly as easy to take her on our field hunts as it is to take her deer hunting. I'm buying her a layout blind before our second split opens so her and the dog can hang it in it, plus I need a second, so it makes the perfect justification! lmao

I put a couple miles in yesterday on some public ground to see if it was an area I wanted to break down further and that's affirmative. Looking forward to spending more time exploring new ground and trying to solve a new puzzle! It will help break up the monotony that's really taken over my deer hunting and helped to create the frustration I feel most days. I miss exploring new ground and the excitement that comes with it. Hunting public will give me that!

Started piling the corn behind the house last week so we could take a deer or two off the home place this winter. Went back today to drop another bag and busted a nice 8 laying with a doe in the thicket right off our back corner. Put the corn down around 11, then went outside at 4 and he was standing at the corn. The girls wanted to see if I could put a stalk on, so I geared up and ended up getting to 58 yards with a clean shot before he started wondering off. Made for a fun break from a day of cleaning and organizing!