A successful season to me is watching 1 or 8 or 10 deer come to the feeder, it's watching them take a mouth full of oats out of one of my food plots and stand there eating it. It's hearing my boys tell me about the deer they saw and how they didn't shoot one because he was too young, not too little but too young. It's about hearing my kids talk about good hunting ethics and obeying the game laws, about how we can manage our land to hold more and better deer. The lessons one learns from hunting carry over into everyday life and God knows we need more of that. And when the boys start discussing Obama and what a sorry piece of human debris he is and how there is no doubt he's a Muslim and how he's ruining America, well I know I've done good. How's that for some philosophy? God Bless America! These rights shall not be infringed!!!

Empty bottles and full freezers.

Sounds just about like a perfect world

This ^^^^

Any season I get to go out at least once with at least one of my kids. The memories make the season for me.

Yup...time with the kids....

I had major back surgery the last week of October and have missed the entire first month of the season including the rut, and it's the first time in 50+ years so just being able to go out and sit and watch is a successful hunt.
Not being able to handle the downed game and have to depend on others is the hardest part.
In my case it kind of brings it home when you have to miss out on something that's been a big part of you for your entire life.

If on the last day of the season, regardless if I am hunting or elsewhere, I see the sun go down on the day and the season, and can look forward the next season.