The truth, a hard lesson in reality.....

[RedShaft]

I did some thinking other day after seeing posts in the past and present about how many deer you have got or see each season or shots per season or what have you. I just realized I have been bow hunting 19 years. 15 of those have been very serious miss only a few days the entire archery season and many seasons hunting every single day. I had the fortune of having state public land close to home where my parents could drop me off up until I was old enough to drive. I have  6 or 7 large state lands with in 20 min of my home. I have tried my best to learn deer and study deer. Read book after book article after article. Browse through forums looking for answers. Now while I have come across some great books and most mag article cover basic principles. To say I have not  put in the time and worked through adverse weather and been out in the mix of things trying to put pieces together would be an understatement. Diligent practice, scouting map reading all that. Literally beating myself up and making work out of this sport I love so dear. I counted and I have taken 5 deer with the bow. And I can tell you I have not screwed up on too many animals. I am lucky if I get a shot in a archery season. Sometimes going a week to 2 weeks without seeing a deer. It's very difficult to gain Experiance when it's like this. Shot opportunity Experiance and learnin deer behavior is tough.  Im not exactly sure what direction i want to head in my bowhunting career. keep pounding it out start taking a laid back approach. I do want to get things figures out before my son comes of age.

Before I go any further I want to say that you guys huntin public land know exactlmwhere I'm coming from ESP places like pennsylvania, Michigan ect. And those of you who have to hunt head place year in and year out my hats of to ya. ESP those of you who get it done. All this was bringing me to my thought of my son who I will be taking out, now this is along time from now... I want to be able to put him on game so he don't have to deal wih what I have. Hunting is hunting but it's hard to dedicate yourself under these conditions. And you mite say why dont you get off public land. Well there is so many here that hunt and because of the deer numbers and issues with the state and there deer management programs, no one wants you hunting there land. They all hunt too.

So I want to both thank and give you other advice. To those of you on this site who go out of there way to help people learn from your Experiance is just awesome and thank you so much and also post pics and stories of your hunts is awesome it helps keep guys like me spirits up and helps keep our heads up its possible for it to come together. And those of you in my kind Of situation. Keep your heads up this season. Stop beating yourself up. It may not be you, but the area you live in or the places you have to hunt. Keep working at it and try to have fun and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. In your area you may have access to private land. And I will tell you before you get to far into your hunting career, find some so you can enjoy un pressured deer hunting and see and taking game. All the reading and scouting you do will not help you learn if the deer are just not there. And you need real in the woods experiance, you can only learn so much from a book. I know we all just enjoy this bowhunting but you want to put animals on the ground too.  Why we are out here! Keep your heads up.  Keep the faith!!

[LB_hntr]

Great write up!
I too hunt mostly sate land and big woods country. It is much harder but much more rewarding on many levels. I personally would not change it for anything. I love doing out of state hunts but ntohing compares to being able to hike miles into remote country where you can sit for a whole day and never hear a man made sound or see any evidence of anyone ever being there before.

[twitchstick]

I'm glad you have the right attitude. I have been blessed living in the west with lots of public ground and with good mule deer hunting most of my life. Elk has been a different game for me. Until a couple of years ago most of the hunting around my area was a draw only and one OTC unit that is very tough and 70% private. In 15 years of hunting it hard I've only had handful of opportunities come my way and I've done better than most. In fact in some drainages I cant park my truck there because most of the locals will know I'm on elk, then it gets crowded. My success rate went up when I quit beating myself up and slowed down and enjoyed what I had. Now that they have opened up some new elk units around me I still find myself drawn to hunt my hard earned elk spots of my past. This year I harvested a cow on one of the new units and I almost feel robbed. Keep at it and remember it the journey that matters.

[ron w]

I have been at this a long time and have yet to harvest a deer. I have had only one shot with Trad gear and that was a long time ago.....[1971]!! I continue to do this because I truly enjoy the time spent in the hunt and even time spent getting ready. I guess if it was all about the kill I would have quit a long time ago. I will agree it makes a big difference where you hunt and the number of deer in the region.Last year I saw more deer only because I got to hunt some private land thanks to a friend. Keep at it and I hope you can have many hunts with your son when the time comes.

[ron w]

double...  

[Shawn Leonard]

Sorry, but you have to take all that.time and energy and put it into finding better.places to hunt!! You are not far from.Ohio, go knock On doors. I did and gained access to hundreds of acres of private ground! Funny thing is I have Great property right here At home! Some of The best In all of.NY state. I believe you have to start HUNTING For better areas! I hunt to kill Stuff, if I went several years without a deer I would question What I was doing. I know a lot of folks who hunt only public land and still kill deer every year, time to figure out What your doing wrong! Sorry but as I said look elsewhere cause What your doing is not WORKING!

[D.J. Carr]

A. Hunting isn't about killing, so enjoy the time in nature and learn from it.

but

B. If your going 2 weeks without seeing a deer, you need to find  different place to hunt.

I hunt public land in NY and PA, and its rare I don't see deer, often they may not be within range or come by my stand..... but I see deer.

[Birdbow]

Brad,
 Thanks for your post. It sums up my feelings and experience hunting here in NH over the years where deer numbers are sparse. Keep seeing the "big picture" and stay after it.
                             Best regards,
                                   Todd

[Bladepeek]

RedShaft, I have also gone a whole season and not had a shot, although I have seen deer here in MI.

One suggestion I would make, and it has nothing to do with hunting, is to break your post up into paragraphs so those of with short attention spans can take it in smaller bites  

[VictoryHunter]

Try moving setups and don't sit the same spot more than twice if you aren't seeing deer. They are there it's just a matter of finding them. I hunt public land a lot and see deer every time I'm out. I greatly enjoy my time in the woods regardless of the outcome but when it comes down to it I am there to kill deer. I think you should take a more proactive approach. You have the right idea though! Just keep your head up and have fun.  

[gringol]

Studying books etc is good, but there's no substitute for being in the woods.  Something isn't working for you.  I don't know what, but it sounds like it's time to shake things up.  

That might mean a new area, but it might just mean you need to rethink your approach.

[Shawn Leonard]

Sorry folks hunting is about killing, it is the main reason we hunt. IF not carry a camera if you don't plan to kill anything. I get a kick everytime I hear that, than what is it about? Spending time in nature? We could do that without carrying a weapon. I don't mean to be crass but tired of the poilitcal correct garbge. This site is a hunting site and although everything leading up to the kill is great, the end goal is killing what you are hunting!!! Shawn

[Rob W.]

I pass two different nice pieces of private land to hunt public land almost every hunt. I like to stretch my legs and the challenge. If you have deer and large areas of public land the best tip I can give is put your hiking boots on and find poop! Sometimes I think we overthink this hunting stuff. You don't have to be a wildlife biologist or a tree expert to figure out that fresh droppings equal deer.

Ditch the tree stands until you find the deer and actually see one walk within sight of a tree you want to hunt. We are all creatures of habit. Don't expect to get different results if you do the same things year after year.


Rob

[ron w]

I'm sorry Shawn.......your missing out on a lot! But we are are allowed to have our own opinion. It's got nothing to do with being politically  correct.

[ron w]

I'm sorry Shawn.......your missing out on a lot! But we are are allowed to have our own opinion. It's got nothing to do with being politically  correct.

[German Dog]

Redshaft,

You got my attitude it sounds like and about the same type of hunting situation.  I travel 3 hours to my cabin and hunt all public land and near home I got crappy public land within a mile of my house that I hunt.  I much prefer to hunt near my cabin buts it's tough blowing the gas money and finding the time with wife and two younger boys at home. But I keep at it and do what I can.
I'd rather spend a week hunting with you on public land than paying for the chance on private land.

[kbetts]

Great write up, but how do you keep going?  I have to agree to a certain degree with Shawn.  If not given the opportunity to succeed, how do you know you will?  The anxiety of one shot a season (even though this is what I strive for on mature bucks) would drive a person insane.

Don't know where you are in PA, and don't know where Ron is in NY, but if you come to Delaware I can put you on a deer.....easy peasy.

[The Night Stalker]

I grew up in Delaware and hunted Pa and Maryland. I use to get dropped off to because my Dad did not have time to take me but when he did, it was great. My Dad could put them right in your lap. When I was a teenager, I was a nightmare on deer.  As I grew older, I moved to NC because of hunting. That's right, I moved because of deer hunting. That area just got to crowded and it was a chore to find a place to hunt or you had to be in a lottery and stay within a 20yrd designated area. I can find plenty places to hunt now but mostly stay on my own property that my Dad bought. My parents followed me to NC a few years after I moved. As I get older,49 now I will only shoot when the mood hits me.  I get just as much enjoyment by providing the deer with better habitat.. I try to grow bigger healthier deer.  I pass several 2.5 year old deer every year. I would rather shoot long nose does. When I do have a good deer to hunt, it seems someone shoots it from the road with a rifle.  
I know where you guys are coming from , life changes and so does your hunting.   Tim in NC

[pdk25]

I hunted on public land exclusively in Pennsylvania until 2005.  I don't know where you are at, but I had quite a bit more success, and not necessarily from skill.  I would say you need to branch out a little bit in Pennsylvania.  Try hunting State Game lands in Centre County near Scotia Range, just outside of State College.  Unless things have changed dramatically, I think you may have better success there.  I killed a lot of deer there.

[Knawbone]

AHHHHHHH Grasshopper, You will get the Deer when you become the Deer.

Don't give up, A lot of good suggestions here. Scout and find Deer- then hunt.