worst deer season ever!

[Dimondback]

Turkey and deer were both off for me this year. It is rare that I do not get 2-3 birds every year (we get 5 tags in SC) and I did not hear a single gobble all season. Deer hunting was pretty much the same...only had a single doe come in all year so far a she got chased off by a buck before I got a shot off. Who knows?

[D. Key]

I too feel your pain.  I didn't even come close to getting a shot this year.  Didn't see one deer after the 3rd week in Oct. and I hunt on my own property at least 2 afternoons/week plus the weekend.  Depressing to say the least.  

We had the drought and forest fires to contend with in 2011 and once the rain did come in late Aug. the oaks put on a bumper crop of acorns.  The pin oaks are still falling so the deer haven't the need to forage from my food plots and feeders.  I was getting about 75-100 trail camera pics/day in June - Aug. but now I only get about 6/day (or should I say night) as not one pic is in daylight hours.

Hopefully 2012 will be a better year all around.

[JamesV]

I didn't get a shot either this year, the deer population is way down here but the game and fish has the answer. Open doe season with guns for a month. Then add 3 weeks of dog hunting. finishing off with 2 weeks of either sex primative weapon.

[hardin barbed]

I talked to a very big farmer Sunday he farms both Ind.and Ill.and he told me he hasn't had near the crop damage the last two years as he has in the past.Boys for a farmer to say those words that tells me they are simply not out there.

[guspup]

Same here, 2 full months in the woods, 3 deer within range. Luckily for me, 3 deer in the freezer as well. Toughest season in a long time. Trail cameras, same story. I blame it on the lack of mast this year. Not an acorn on our 125 acres of woods. Strange to not see deer here, especially since most doe had twins last spring.

[Caleb Andes]

I feel your pain. Between hunting new property for the first time this year and the Iowa heat during the rut (two of my many excuses) I only had two deer within range of my bow all season and I hunted my heart out.

[stujay]

Worst day of hunting still better than the best day of work.  

[John Scifres]

I saw as much sign as ever in Southern Indiana but the weather sucked pretty much the whole time.  My brother was near a hot doe one morning and had 13 different bucks walk by.  I think the deer are still there just tough hunting this year.

Parke County was as populated as ever where I hunt.  I saw deer every time out.  For me it was just hot and windy almost every time out.  I hunted Mississinew this weekend and the sign was promising there too although I only saw one deer.

It will be very interesting to see what the harvest is.

[b.glass]

What stujay said x10!

I went out the last evening of the season. 50 mph wind gusts and all. Three showed up at 200 yds. and a small buck passed by at 30-35 yds at last light....the night before.

The last night...0. The wind knocked me off balance once. I had forgotten to put on my Rivers West jacket. I had a thin, long sleeved shirt a wool sweater and my ghillie suit on. My home made wool neck gaiter saved my life. I thought my fingers were going to break off though. STILL better than my best day at work!!!