Stop the bleeding

[jiggineyes]

Well after passing on does and smaller bucks all year thinking id get a doe during gun and a buck would show eventually, im still sitting on the goose egg! I havent been able to get out a ton and things just havent worked out. I passed on 6 does opening day of gun waiting for a trailing buck. The buck never showed and didnt see a deer the second day. Couldnt get back up there so hunted the local state land most of the year. Just the one weekend up north this year for gun opener. Ive only been skunked one other year. I saw some doe last weekend and a few this morning. Of course when i opt for the bow this evening not even does showed! anyone else still on the goose egg that usuallly gets one?

[Munsterlndr]

Yep, I almost always get a couple of does. It's been 7 or 8 years I think since I've gone a season without a deer and that year I missed most of firearms due to a hellacious cold. Have yet to have a chance for a shot at a legal deer this year and I put in a lot of hours during firearms season. We've got about two feet of snow on the ground which makes it tough for late archery right now, too damn cold! I'm gonna break out the snowshoes and hope to get at least one during muzzleloader season next week. If all else fails and I get skunked during muzzy season I may have to head down to the SLP and try and bag a doe during late antlerless. Never give up!

[William H Bonney]

Don't pass up on the first day,, what you'd shoot on the last day.


The only times I've been skunked in recent years is because I didn't heed the quote above. :lol:

[KS up north]

I am deerless this year so far also.
I saw 6 different buck the first week of nov. None were 3 or better on a side, an agreement we have. No does came into bow range.
The last two seasons: 2006, got a doe the last hour of the last day of the season (jan 1st 2007, about 4:45pm). Last year I got one on Dec 29th.
Don't give up yet, it's too early for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It ain't over til it's over!!!!!!!!

[autumnlovr]

I'm sitting on the big goose egg too as far as Michigan deer. I passed a 4-point and a couple does in mid-October & then didn't see anything in shooting range since then. I'm waiting for the cold to break and hit the edges of the cornfield next to us. But, if I'm whitetail skunked....I'm skunked. It sucks but at least I have an elk from Saskatchewan & my hubby got two antelope from Wyoming this year. There's meat in the freezer.

[GOTONE]

I am not completely deer less I shot a little doe for that September hut but other than that I have only seen one other deer in the woods a nice 6 point and that was the in the middle of bow season but could not get a shot but am still gong to see if I can get something

[bucketmouthhauler]

Don't pass up on the first day,, what you'd shoot on the last day.


The only times I've been skunked in recent years is because I didn't heed the quote above. :lol:

Thats a good quote, I usally end up hunting like an ironman the last few days of archery scramblin for a deer. I always tell myself I have a week left, or I got enough time to kill a doe, Just gonna wait a lil longer on a bruiser, my season can't end this early. I almost always regret passing "those or that deer" towards the end of late archery season.

[Leelanauman]

I got a goose egg going right now. I passed on two different 6 pts. a seven point and a fork horn, all during bow. I saw a massive 8pt during bow season and had been holdin out for that deer...never showed again. I went out muzzy huntin tonight and saw nothin...over a foot of snow and freezing cold...not much moving tonight. Still keepin the hope alive.

[WALLDADY]

I wanted 1 to eat . I passed on a button , early in the bow season , shot at a doe at 30 yrds , and she F...,,n ducked , 6 days of gun season and I took the first shot oprotunity that I had , and got a 150lb. doe . still got Muzzleloader season , in Ill., I sure hope Bullwinkle shows up . Saw 15 does on Sat. They are deffinately herdin up . My buddy saw 5 bucks runnin together and no shots . Like he said ......... It aint over , till its over .
NEVER GIVE UP .:yikes:

Good Luck and Safe Trips ....................... Walldady

[fozzy109]

Haven't been able to get a shot yet this year but was able tonight to help a friend drag out a nice spiker he got near Almont. He had a pretty eventful evening, saw 4 different bucks chasing some does. Got the spike and missed a long shot on a big 8 point. We'll be back there on Tuesday trying to get anther crack at the 8. All this action on a 10 acre parcel. Goes to show you don't need lots of acres, just the right acres!!

[jiggineyes]

Don't pass up on the first day,, what you'd shoot on the last day.


The only times I've been skunked in recent years is because I didn't heed the quote above. :lol:

Its not that I passed any shooters. Just does due to timing. I passed on a half dozen bucks between spikes and 6 pointers early in the year. I saw 2 shooters early as well but no shot oppurtunities. 1 big 6 and an 8.

Im sure ill get one. im heading up north for a 1 day hunt next weekend in the thumb. Ive had good luck at that spot late season so my hopes are high!

[6inchtrack]

No deer in the freezer this year.
I hunted really hard, more time this year than any year sense 1980.
This hasn't happened to me in 28 years.
My wife has only been hunting for 9 years and gets 1 or 2 every year, nothing this year.

6


If you oppose the baiting ban go to this site and print a letter to send to your elected officials.
http://sixinchtrack.tripod.com/ (javascript:OpenWindow('http://sixinchtrack.tripod.com/'))

[Tom Morang]

Our gun hunting camp did very good this year hunting between Glennie and Oscoda on Federal and State land. Saw lots of nice bucks. 50 percent success, and never spotted a bait pile.

[Nealbopper]

Gun opener in the thumb i had a doe and a small buck step on the same right foot and let both walk hoping to see something bigger. I saw many -many deer this year along with two bucks in the last three days of ML.
those two were in too much thicket for me to take an ethical shot so i passed. (O.K. on totally busted me) I am waiting for the right one this year and it's been hard, oh and very, very cold. I have a plan tonight. I noticed hunting that the deer are using a draw from a fenced farm to state land and i'm going to hunt it and hope one clears the fence row for me to shoot. Wish me luck!:dizzy:

[melvvin]

Yes I'm still waiting for some venison. Hunted with my son out of the same blind on the opener because we have 15 acres to hunt. We saw lots of deer opening day 8 diff. bucks my son finally shot one at about 11 o'clock. Since then I have seen very few deer and only one buck. I have 2 diff doe permits for 2 seperate areas just haven't been able to connect. I'm headed north with the ml friday to a hunting club in roscommon co. where I have a doe permit that they want filled. I hunted it the last 2 days of rifle and saw 13 does but no shots. The place is loaded with food plots and the deer are going to them big time now with the heavy snow up there a member told me. I am going to back track a heavy runway get between bedding and food and take the first adult doe I see hope it works out. Good luck to everyone else still trying to fill that freezer.

[SPITFIRE]

Don't pass up on the first day,, what you'd shoot on the last day.


The only times I've been skunked in recent years is because I didn't heed the quote above. :lol:
I live by this rule,otherwise enjoy your soup!

Heres your Gumbo recipe that you will get used to eating.

biggest pot you can find
8 quarts of water
salt
pepper
garlic powder
basil
deer tags you were not able to fill (wich means all of them)
simmer for 1 1/2 hours while dreaming of venison
turn on your favorite whitetail show to watch and enjoy your tag soup.
:evilsmile :)

[Joe Archer]

It is painful!
I have gone deerless twice this decade, a couple times in the 80's, and at one point three consecutive years in the 90's! It is always tough, and every time it happens I kicked myself in the butt for the passed opportunities.
Hang in there! It aint over til its over!
<----<<<

[U of M Fan]

I shot my first deer in 1990 and I have only went deerless one year since (started a new job). About 8 years ago I shot a doe with only 3 days left in the season, if I wouldnt have shot her I would have went deerless. Just hang in there, its not over until its over. You just have to put in the time from here on out. Good luck

[MichMatt]

Still have all of my tags. Not due to a lack of effort. My time while a field was little less than last year it was still adequate enough. This keeps me going.

I still remember my first buck (as we all do) it was 12-31-89 and I was hunting in Lake county. At about 9:00 am I heard a buck rubbing it's antlers on a tree, being green that was my guess to the noise. About two minutes later a nice 8 point walked broadside to my stand at 20 yards and I shot. It went about 170 yards and ran across the road. It ended up only about 30 yards from the road so the drag ended up not being bad at all. I wish more deer would do that. After the shot I took down the stand and went back to the truck and warmed up. The radio said the current temp was 6. After about 10 minutes in the truck I got out and tracked the deer and was very happy of course to make my find. Later that evening I picked up my now wife and went to a New Years Eve dance downstate.

So even one of the last days can become a memory you can't forget.