How often do you hunt, on average, before getting a shot?

RLA · January 19, 2013, 10:53:00 PM

I had about 8 good shot opportunities this past season, took three shots killed two deer, missed one. I have no idea how many trips or hours it took? plenty though!
I will keep track this coming season. I only had one chance this season at a muture buck, he busted me when I drew on him!

,

Tedd · January 19, 2013, 10:55:00 PM

I'm from Pennsylvania, I currently don't get to go hunting often enough, but I'll get more time in the near future. I don't have a decent local spot right now so I hunt in the north central mountains at the camp. It used to be tough, but you could find some deer and kill one. Now, the deer population is so low that you can't even find enough sign to have a strategy. In 7 full days of hunting I saw 2 deer, a nice buck following a doe went right under my stand...in bear season! The doe harvest permit number has actually been increased? This seems to be the trend in deer management. Let me tell you, it sucks! I'm really not concerned at all what size a bucks rack is, I'd just like to get a shot at any buck. I go to Wyoming whitetail hunting now. PA should take a lesson on deer management from them. I'll find some local private property when I have more time to use it.

Tedd · January 19, 2013, 10:59:00 PM

Wisconsin has inherited the deer management "expert" that was run out of PA. Those hunters will guilted into thinking it's a good idea to kill all the does they see for a few years...then reality sets in.

Tedd · January 19, 2013, 11:02:00 PM

In the area of Wyoming I go to, you could probably get a shot once per day. Depending on how fussy you are. Last time I went for a 6 day hunt but had a nice buck on the ground within 5 minutes of first light on the first day.

January 19, 2013, 11:22:00 PM

If I go to my lease in S TX and don't get a shot at a deer or pig (pigs more times that deer) in a couple days I am thinking something is wrong!

Bisch

Cory Mattson · January 19, 2013, 11:48:00 PM

i don't normally not get a shot opportunity when hunting or at least pass on deer for bad angle or avoid deflection. I expect to see deer, hogs, turkeys, bears every time I hunt in range or nearly so. But I don't "hunt" unless conditions are perfect and I have scouted thoroughly - I scout a lot - at least 3 days to one day hunting. Kills are around one for each 3 days of hunting - I have seen no difference public land or private. I have always been only a bowhunter and only traditional - but didn't get this consistent at talking game till about 22 years ago - the first 15 years I think I scouted as I hunted which is just a mess for me.
6 deer this past fall - approx 18 days hunted

swampdrummer · January 20, 2013, 12:59:00 PM

I sat approximately 200 hours this season July 31st till January 6th and took 4 deer with 4 shots. Had 3 in the freezer by the third week in August. Could have taken several more but just didn't need that much meat and I was holding out for a big 8 that kept showing up on my game cameras.
I realize I am very fortunate to live on the land that I hunt in an area that has a really good deer herd.

bruinman · January 20, 2013, 02:12:00 PM

Two or three days, where I hunt. It is a good thing because that is often just about all the time I get.

jax · January 20, 2013, 04:11:00 PM

Usuall takes e about an hour in the tree for the first shot

rraming · January 20, 2013, 06:25:00 PM

This year 9 days hunting, saw 11 deer and one good shot opportunity. No shots last year, same amount of hunting. Public land only

LBshooter2 · January 20, 2013, 06:34:00 PM

I had an outstanding season, I was out 24 times and had deer around me 18 times, yesterday was my last hunt and I had 17 deer come around all does and blew it. My stand was such that when the wind switched alittle I kept getting busted. My buddy who was hunting about 200 yards down from me had 23 deer around him at the same time of which he shot an 8 point. Even though I did not connect it was a great season, would have been fantastic if I took a deer. Can't wait til next year, and oh by the way I hunt public land.

Joeabowhunter · January 20, 2013, 07:00:00 PM

I deer hunt about 30x's during our 3 month season and I would say on average I get 2 or 3 good shooting opportunities per season. I consider a good shooting opportunity one with a calm deer 20yrds or less.

Walt Francis · January 20, 2013, 08:30:00 PM

Some of you make me feel a little guilty, the past few years on whitetails I average a shot opportunity 3 out of 4 days, When hunting above average sized bucks that ratio drops significantly. On elk, my opportunities have dropped from one every weekend to once every three or for years, at best. My opportunities on elk show a reverse correlation with the number of wolves, as the wolf population increased shot opportunities decreased, as did the elk population.

The best advice I ever read was by Gene and Barry Wensel: Where you hunt is a lot more important than how you hunt. We spent many years, and still continue, making and cultivating relationships with land owners to increase our hunting options.

joe ashton · January 21, 2013, 09:59:00 AM

elk it is one in every 80 days
mule deer one in every 30 days
white tail one in every 10 days.
In all I could do a lot more shooting but with experience I found it is way better to wait for the ideal shot opportunities and get kill shots. (quality not quantity)

lpcjon2 · January 21, 2013, 10:07:00 AM

In NJ(southern) you can go a season and get a goose egg when deer hunting with a bow. It all depends on new housing construction and the other guys who hunt in mass quantities of people.
We used to have great success 1-2 a week in some places, now guys dont look for deer sign they look for hunter sign as a way to find deer.

Cyclic-Rivers · January 21, 2013, 11:19:00 AM

in NY I get a deer in Bow range once every 30-40 sits. Hunting the weekends and one week during season makes these encounters seem like one or less per year.

Last year in WI, I had a deer in bow range every sit except one, that's when I missed the coyote.

I agree with the

QuoteThe best advice I ever read was by Gene and Barry Wensel: Where you hunt is a lot more important than how you hunt.

100%. I know I could drive 1.5 hours south and see deer practically every time I enter the woods.

Rathbuck · January 21, 2013, 11:55:00 AM

Varies on the property I'm hunting. In Northern MI on a doe hunt, usually 1-2 times out before I get a shot.

Southern part of the state I'm much more selective...went out about a dozen times and never took a shot. Passed up 5-6 "decent" bucks, but never shot.

Thumper Dunker · January 21, 2013, 12:11:00 PM

Maybe every 6-10 stands Then I miss about half the shots I take. This year I been real lucky.

LCH · January 21, 2013, 01:09:00 PM

I have the opportunity for a shot at a deer about 90 to 95% of the time. Mostly small bucks 1 1/2 years old. This year was slow not hardly any does.LCH

Steve in Canton · January 21, 2013, 07:58:00 PM

I never understood why people would not hunt different land if they are not seeing deer. I would rather not hunt than hunt land with no deer.

I average passing up between 30 and 40 bucks a year inside of 25 yards in Ohio. I expect to have deer within 25 yards on every sit, sometimes that does not happen but I did at least see deer every day that I hunted this year which was 46 different hunts.