What was the worst season for you?

Not talking about personal problems\lease issues or the sort. Talking specifically about deer movement and range conditions.

When will this season turn around?

Hopefully it turned around for me this evening, havent seen anything since opening of gun season and only was getting tc pics at night but this evening about 520 I had 4 doe come and eat at the feeder for about 30 mins I hunt burnet county by the way

I guess it depends on your definition of "bad".

I've gone three years without shooting a stag, passed up on some good ones but just hadn't found the right one and I woulnd't have called those years bad. In terms of deer numbers, this year was my worst year, end of August it finished on a high taking my first muzzleloader red stag (a small 10pt) but all year looking for the big boys I was really frustrated not being able to find any good deer. Saw one small stag in the rut and that was it.

But I hunt because I love it and it only gets better so I'm not phased

I have had a great season so far

Rub it in amigo. Rub it in.

Show-off

Last year for me sucked. Sat over 100 hours and seen 4 deer. None oc which were legal.

stxranchman, you must be hunting in the south where there aren't any trees to speak of? least not any acorns?

He is, isn't he?... But he's like family so, you know, you kind of have to put up with him. It is the holiday season so I'm in a spirited mood

Live Oak, Mesquite, Hackberry....Had a few acorns this year in spots but just not many. All the taller trees are Live Oaks with a lot more of scrub Live Oak in front and around those.

Go ahead Stx, I don't mind you showing off at all.

Without question, it was last season. The only one that I can remember not seeing a legal buck, other than a few spikes.

This has been one of the best I can remember. I've seen several buck with legal width racks and spikes as well.

This season pretty much sucks.

Still a lot of season left!

I have never had a bad season of hunting yet in 45+ years. There is much more to hunting than killing that makes it successful to me.

Me neither STX. Guess it's all about expectations.

You know how it feels right before opening weekend? I feel that way before every trip to the lease all season long, and has nothing to do with killing.

Last year was a good season and I didn't kill a deer. I haven't killed a deer since 2011. 2008 before that.

I don't even feel like I'm in the game this year.

Every season is a good season, just being in the great outdoors is enough.

Last year for us was the worst I can remember but it's all relative! Our place is notorious for seeing action every hunt but last year I took the GF hunting for a week straight and saw one group of hogs on the last night. We did count 13 does crossing the next pasture one morning but they were at about 600 yards off - little too far for her! Already got a good 11pt down this year and have seen another good 9pt I'm hoping to get her on this weekend!

2008 for me. Dad passed away December 9th.

My best hunting partner and best friend is now just memories and pictures.

On the good side. I now have a 4.5 year old Grandson that I'm able to pay it forward with. This young man took his firt deer this year! No one holding the rifle, he did it all and made a GREAT shot on a white tail doe at 85 yards. So proud of him. I know my Dad would be as well.

Don't know that I ever had a bad one?

Last year was tuff. Neighbor had 180 acres of irrigated milo headed out and ripe in the field for the first few weeks of season and immediately after harvesting he planted wheat... which came up in a weeks time. Still a good season though and it surely gave the deer some good eats to grow.

This year and last. On a new lease. Haven't seen a shooter buck in person. All on camera. I have spent countless hours in the stands and on the ground. I'm blaming the acorns.

Amen brother.

I've killed deer every year since about 1963, except for the year I had the brain tumor. That was a bad season. Like redchevy, I don't think I've had a bad hunting season where I got to hunt.

three years ago as far as seeing deer. the entire season my wife and I only saw one small spotted fawn. This year I got this and we have seen several bucks.

Great buck my friend. I would be as proud as you are off him

That one buck that is in line with your TC has a tail like a Desert Mule Deer. Never seen one quite like that. You should be able to follow him through his life time with TC pics by that.

Never noticed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I will follow him for a couple of years and then try to get a very up close look.

You might look back in the past years for pics of him as a fawn or younger buck also.

2007 for me. But I was in Georgia hunting Fort Gordon. In 2003 I saw dozens of deer and a few giants on the installation. In 2007, I saw exactly five deer, and most of those weren't even from the stand. Most I walked up on while trudging to my stand.

Without a doubt 1990...I was active duty Marine stationed in Cali and had put in for antelope and deer hunts in AZ for several years. My XO was also a hunter and had been putting in for the same draws. He'd assured me that, should I draw a hunt, he'd cut me a set of orders to Yuma so I could get by with a resident license. Well, I finally got my tags and license in the mail, about a week before my hunt date, I was in Iraq. (I don't consider that a personal problem) I caught up with the XO, showed him the tags, and (jokingly) asked about my orders to Yuma. We both had a good laugh. I still have the tags and the hunt package stashed away somewhere. I was crushed at the time but laugh about it now of course, "The best hunt that never happened."

I think some of you mistook the question? I totally agree its all about the hunt and not the killing. My complaint is something to watch while I am there not necessarily kill. Getting up at the butt crack of the day to go sit in the blind watching the dove fly isn't what I consider a good deer hunt!

I keep hearing that the rain and or cold weather will screw the acorns up and then the hunting will improve. I was just wondered if there has a been entire seasons that have gone this way? Up until 3 years ago I had been out of hunting for 4 years. I don't remember a season that was entirely bad.

Oh, sorry! This season's been great for me. I've had a few over the years not pan out as I'd hoped, but can usually pin it down to human intervention not on my part.

edited to add: I can also recall a few seasons when human intervention played a huge part in success, though.