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

[koger]

I have kept a journal for over 20 years, and I go hunting, between 11-20 trips, before I usually get a shot on deer, and usually make it connect. The average for compound, and now the last 8 years trad, is nearly identical, with fewer misses with trad, mainly because I will only take very good shots. Too fill 4 tags on year, went hunting 82 times in our season, Sept-mid Jan. Looking at that I feel like I have really earned my venision, not to mention the turkeys I have taken. A lot of local guys say I am lucky, or hunting deer that arent that wild, but very few of them have killed deer hunting the same area I do, annually.  I fell like knowing your area, the more you hunt the better the feel you get for it, and putting in time in the woods is where it is at. Wife says I work it like a second job. How often do you go before you get a shot?

[Bowwild]

Most years I get a shot by the 5th hunt or so. This year two shots, two dead deer by the 7th hunt.  It was a bit less with a compound before 2010 because I had another 6-7 yards to play with.

I don't continue hunting past two deer very often, I just can't use them.

There have been times in the past where I've let my hunting season get a little too much like work -- feeling guilty when I don't hunt, neglecting family, etc. It is very easy to fall into that pattern and I try to do better.

This year, for some reason I didn't have the want to as much as nearly every year. I only hunted about every 10th day or so until I filled the buck tag. In fact, I only hunted one stand and left another 4 that I had hung go unhunted.

[Orion]

Where I hunt most, I usually have an opportunity every several days or so.    I often pass up shots.  Can only shoot one buck per season so I hold out for a mature deer.  Can shoot does where I hunt, but there aren't many deer in the management unit so I don't shoot does there.  I do sometimes shoot a doe where they are more plentiful.

[Schafer]

I'm in Vermont, so its rough here. I haven't gotten out a ton, Sense I started in 06' I have had 2 opportunities. I'll personally say that only 3 of the 7 years should really count due to I didn't go out a lot until about 3 years ago in 2009. 2009 was also was the last time I had an opportunity at a deer.

Going to college in Ohio next year so hopefully I'll get out a bit there.

The biggest lesson that I have learned though is that if you want opportunities, then you have to get out there and make it so there is at least a chance to have one.

Schafer

[dtarbell]

Usually within the first three times out I have deer in to twenty yards or so but let them pass unless a nice comes in,thats from a tree stand,on the ground things get alot more interesting when it comes to getting a shot off.

[Matthew Bolton]

It depends on how our other hunters hunt the area but I normally manage a shot within two to three hunts

[Kris]

Forever sometimes...depends what I decide is worthy...meat or antlers?  Gimme shots are hard to pass on.

Kris

[koger]

I mainly hunt by the POH scoring system. How many Pounds of Hamburger will a deer make, is it enought to use up a tag! Wife and I depend on venison, our main meat that we use all year, with some chicken and pork added, we raise cattle but dont butcher them anymore, beef does not agree with either of us, or we have gotten so use to deer the last 30 years, just prefer it way more.

[ZaneD]

I'd say on average I have 1-2 opportunities per week, if I hunt my usual 4-5 times per week. Most of my hunts end up being only about three hours after I get off work. I pass up the majority of these shots, I mostly shoot them with my Nikon camera, I always have it when I go in the woods. I consider a perfect hunt to be one where I can see some deer and watch them, and get out without spooking anything.

[Red Beastmaster]

I hope some of you guys realize how extremely fortunate you are to hunt where there is a good population of deer.

Our deer herd has been drastically reduced through excessive doe permits being issued. I've had all of three shots in the last seven years. Two of them ducked so hard all I got was hair. The third I aimed very low and it didn't duck, just got white hairs on that one.

It all depends on where you live here in PA. Some areas have too many deer, some have few. Last year I saw all of 14 deer in bow and gun season combined. This year I think I saw around 20 different deer. The closest one was 30yd, way too far to shoot.

I enjoy deer hunting but it has been getting pretty boring in recent years. Back in the mid 80's, when I started, it was common to get several deer in range and maybe a shot during one season.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I don't keep a journal, so I don't know exactly, but I have tons of opportunities.  I will only shoot a good buck until about January, unless I need some meat.  They are not free or easy opportunities, lots of scouting and planning.

[BDann]

I started hunting with traditional gear exclusively in 2007, and I got my first shot last year around Thanksgiving.  I didn't think I would ever get a shot off, but it eventually happened.  

I don't get to hunt very often, but I expect to have some close encounters every time I go out.  The Solana trip kind of lowered my average a bit, it seemed like I was shooting every hour or so for a while there!    

[Stumpkiller]

Varies greatly.  Some years I have an opportunity on opening day.  Other years I have gone three weeks, maybe 36 hours of hunting, and no shot opportunities.  I'd say it averages 24 hours of effort to take a deer, or at least have a shot opportunity I may or may not take.

[stickandstring]

I always knock over a doe as soon as I can, then wait for the biggest guy in the woods. I typically would pass up maybe 5 -10 immature deer and its probably every 3rd or 4th season when I connect with something decent.

[Archie]

You guys make me jealous.  Some of us just don't have a lot of deer on the land we can hunt.  I got a shot in 2008, and one in 2011.  I usually get to hunt about 4-5 days per month, October 1 - November 30.

[BrushWolf]

I can remember 5-6 years ago when you could get a shot on almost every trip out. Those were the good old days. The last couple of years I feel pretty lucky just to get a shot. It's hard to shoot deer that just aren't there. With the season here almost over looks like I'll be haveing some tag soup. I've hunted all season. Maybe I'm just getting worse at this stuff.  

[khardrunner]

We have a ton of deer. I hunt 5-6 days a month from Sept-Jan. I get about 2-3 opportunities per year. I gotta work on my skills!

[VTer]

If I had to guess, its about every 4 years.

[Skipmaster1]

I'd say every couple of days I'll have a shot. This year I passed about 20 shots on does while hunting for a good buck. I passed about 15 different your bucks on over 30 occasions. I missed one big buck with my longbow and took another decent one and took a few with wheels. I am in a county hunting program and a town program. Both have little pressure and I have access to about 7000 acres through that on top of the few hundred acres of private I hunt with sole permission. Our county also has no gun season. I have great spots but many. many guys hunt the same places with much less success. I spend hundreds of hours scouting and don't mind packing all my gear a few miles to get away from everyone.

[huskyarcher]

Where i live here in the mountains of NC, opening day is pretty much a garauntee if you'l do your part.