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8 years and Counting

6K views 67 replies 50 participants last post by  Oak Ridge 
#1 ·
It’s been 8 years since I’ve shot a deer any deer with a firearm. I have November 15th and 16th off and will hunt the weekend following and thanksgiving weekend. Not that I couldn’t have but I never see anything that gets me Excited enough to shoulder my gun. I know a lot of hunters who shoot deer every year with a gun but if you gun hunt every year how long has it been since you have shot a deer any deer with a gun.
Flight
 
#43 ·
Aside from putting two down other hunters "thought" they had wounded, I cannot remember. That's happened twice in 10 years during muzzy season and the other hunters were told I missed. One did have a graze before I shot. Shhh

If my kids move out or slow down, I might start shooting something. Of course I'll never pass an opportunity at the one. Just needs to happen.
 
#47 ·
No frank I had it done from a guy downstate I think that’s forth one he s done for me. This last one is a little bigger than the others because I couldn’t remember if the others were the smaller version
I tried doing one myself a long time ago and it looked like crap, so I gave up.
 
#49 ·
View attachment 567613

Last muzzy season and I hope for more success this season.
That’s a super cool way to display that rack! And to respond to the OP it’s been nine months, took onE opening weekend with the muzzleloader in December. I like putting meat in the freezer when I get an opportunity whether with bow or gun. I do try to restrain myself and shoot older bucks but sometimes I can’t contain myself. Ideally I like to kill some does with my bow and then I can be very patient but that didn’t happen last year.
Eye Deer Fawn Terrestrial animal Snout
 
#50 ·
I haven't shot a deer with a firearm since 2012. I prefer to get it done during archery season and if I have tags left during gun season I won't shoot something unless it's nicer than what I'd already shot during archery. However, the dry spell didn't stop me from picking up a new 450 from Randy's last year. I had to see for myself what the fuss was all about. :)
 
#51 ·
been a couple years since I killed one with the muzzleloader or shotgun
Shot my last deer on Nov 15 with the bow. That was also the last time I have went deer hunting.

I’m not planning on bow hunting this year. If my daughter doesn’t want to go I may only hunt the 15th in MI.

That could all change once the weather cools off and the leaves start changing.
 
#54 ·
I always considered the gun the equalizer. I’m an avid bow hunter and shooting any deer with a bow I consider the ultimate accomplishment. Gun season gives me a chance at all them sneaky bucks that got by me or were just out of range with the bow. This happens more than a few times a bow season. I don’t take losing well. Lol. Sitting in a stand with a firearm alway gives me the “let’s see what’s you got now” feeling. [emoji1]


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#56 ·
I haven't shot a deer with a firearm since 2012. I prefer to get it done during archery season and if I have tags left during gun season I won't shoot something unless it's nicer than what I'd already shot during archery. However, the dry spell didn't stop me from picking up a new 450 from Randy's last year. I had to see for myself what the fuss was all about. :)
2016 since I got one with gun or bow. Let many, many deer live - though - during that time. I enjoy filming them with my phone every bit as much as pulling the trigger and sending footage to everyone I know that hunts (still like to brag) , if for no other reason than to prove to myself that I still have what it takes to bring home venison if I choose to do so. We never shoot Does, and try hard to keep an 8pt, 2 1/2 year old only rule, which has limited my success the past 3 years. I'm looking at the 350 as well, as my brother still has property in Zone 3. No need for my rifles as we sold both up-north properties over the past few years due to the older generation dyeing off and both camps hardly ever being used (by us) anymore.
 
#57 ·
The last buck I killed in 1993 was the last deer I've killed since then. After losing the farm we had permission to hunt where I killed the buck to anti hunters, we returned to the state land we used to hunt for a few years but got tired of over crowded areas and all the other problems often found on state land no matter where we went and didn't have all that great of a time. Then one son moved away, the other was always too busy and I really didn't enjoy it all that much anymore anyhow so that was all she wrote.
 
#58 ·
Plan A is always to tag out with my bow. Plan B is to break out the rifle to avoid tag soup. I do enjoy shooting them with a gun almost as much as with my bow but not quite. And as Sniper said I like to be able to reach the ones I couldn’t during bow season.
To answer the question Opening day last year Was the last buck I shot and the last deer I shot was a doe on New Years with my muzzleloader.
 
#60 ·
That could all change once the weather cools off and the leaves start changing.
The older I get, the harder the off season prep gets, lol. Though I believe I have another 20 years in me (at least...hopefully) sometimes I start having thoughts of "is this worth it." Then those damn leaves change and that smell of fall hits the air, and it all comes back just like always. ;) :cool:
 
#61 · (Edited)
Shot a nice buck on Nov 15th last year and typically shoot 1-3 does during the late gun season. This is on private land. I started off hunting public land in Leelanau County in the late 80s and 90s. 1st year hunting, a guy stole my 6pt that I shot, then I missed an 8pt. Hell of a 1st year, then it went downhill from there. Didn't even see a buck the next 10 years on public. No doe tags back then either. I only hunted 3 days/yr back then. Once I started buying my own hunting land, things changed. Once I started managing, passing smaller deer, and doing food plots, it changed even more. Those of us fortunate enough to own property are living the American dream!
 
#62 ·
...............how long has it been since you have shot a deer any deer with a gun.
Flight
I hunted my butt off last year during archery, putting in somewhere around 30 days and 240 hours on stand without putting anything in the freezer. I didn't pass up a single deer that was at least 1.5 years of age. Just didn't see many deer at all, and didn't have shot opportunities on the few archery encounters that I did have.
I hunted opening day of firearms with the skunk as well. On November 16th I was just about to give up on the season when this 2.5 year old buck decided to have mercy on me.

The day after Thanksgiving, 11/29/19, On MY VERY NEXT HUNT, I took one of the biggest doe I have ever seen!

So, I guess it has been about 262 days from today for me.
<----<<<
 
#64 ·
December 7th 2019...killed a doe with my muzzloader.

Last gun buck was November 15th 2017. 3.5 year old 9 point. 12 gauge 870.

I enjoy every part of the season from beginning to end.
 
#65 ·
I can't remember the last time I killed a buck but then my granddaughter gets first shot sitting with me. Last year she got buck fever looking at antlers and missed with her bow. :) I also have to hunt near camp and can no longer move to different spots. [My glasses are broken in this picture which doesn't help. I tend to do dumb things like that the last few years but I just enjoy still being out.]
 

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