So, how was everybody’s deer season?

My Deer season was sort of Meh.

Didn’t get to hunt nearly as much as I wanted to. Was fortunate to take a nice 9 point on a friends place with my bow. Had several frustrating misses with my recurve, which makes this the 2nd year I zero’d with it.

Never shot a deer on the home place, did take a buck last week in South Texas with my .270, I haven’t hunted with that rifle in close to 10 years.

Boys never did hunt once all year, high school activities and girlfriends too precedent, which I have a hard time understanding

Im worst father ever. Called my Daughter off two mature bucks, that I shouldn't of and now we are done due to sports. In my defense first one was 5 min into youth season, and I thought we could do better and I was enjoying hunting with her.

With thats said Im very grate full for the 20 plus sits with her. She hunted hard and never complained about early mornings or weather

Much better season than the one before. I was able to take a nice 8 and a really nice 11. Hopefully we'll have a wet spring to set up next season.

I didn't hunt at all early season (archery) due to a bad work related decision and it's consequences, but have been hitting it pretty hard since early November. This year, I honestly don't care if I kill a deer. I want my kids to do all the shooting. Had an opportunity to shoot 2 nice mature bucks during the rut, but by the time I got a kid into position they were both gone/nose down chasing does. I could have grabbed a rifle and most likely shot either one of them, but I didn't. I kinda regret it, but kinda don't because that was fun to them. If there is a next year and this happens again I will most likely take the shot to put "my trophy" down if he's on the move, and then let them do the rest of the killin'. So far, my youngest boy shot a cull buck and my little girl killed a doe. We have two more weekends to hunt and headed back to the lease tomorrow night. There's a pretty nice buck that has one of my kid's names on it, hopefully he shows again with enough shooting light this time. We need to put at least a couple more deer down before end of season if not more, then it's sausage making and fishing time. Been trying hard to get my oldest son up for a trip this year, but between his work schedule and two kids it doesn't look like that's gonna happen. Oldest daughter (used to be my hunting buddy) is 24 now and has lost all interest in going.

Stop it.

Still cranking on doe tags. Had our first doe sighting thanksgiving morning so fair to say we are behind. Passed on one of our shooters that was broken up. The two deer who are our main targets this year are still running around but there has been a fair bit of disturbance in their core range due to significant dozer work so understandable why they have been significantly more nocturnal this year. Likely won't take a buck this year and that doesn't bother me

Best Season ever. Population across the board was up. My buck was lifetime best, we also killed a 21" wide straight 8 point, and three other very wide, mature bucks. A lot of nice ones left for next year. Our neighbors that lease the other 1/2 of the ranch did equally well.

4 for 4.
4 tags 4 deer.

The highlight in red proves the highlight in blue wrong.

My season was meh as well. I was super excited about Archery as I had been watching a particular Buck for 4 years and figured him to be 7.5 years old. He would have been my biggest buck by a little bit. And my biggest bow buck by a lot. Never saw him during archery, and then my wife's cousin texted on opening morning that he had my buck in front of him and wanted to know if he could shoot him. Knowing that my wife's cousin isn't the greatest shot, I was secretly hoping that he would miss when I said take him if you want him. He didn't miss. We haven't seen anything else on property mature enough to shoot, and I have not spend enough time at the lease (bigger and more mature deer at the lease) so have not seen much there either. I have taken two does, one at the lease and one at the home property. Chay hasn't shot anything this year, which is the first year he has blanked since he killed his first at age 9. Technically, we still have the rest of youth season at the lease and the rest of Muzzleloader at the home property, so you never know.

Also meh for me. And by me I mean my son, he shot a nice 9 and a doe, he would’ve had a chance to get a really nice 8 with his bow last weekend but we got rear ended the day before and didn’t have a ride out there. Hope it went better for y’all.

My wife shot our best yet 8pt so I happy about that, but most of this season has been a big nothing burger after having to move to new spots. No buck for me but we're going back next week for a spike and a doe.

Ha, I know I’m not, but do feel bad in hindsight.

You’re alright, I don’t care what they say about you.

Just an ok season for me, pretty typical, didn't fill a tag or ever see the two shooter bucks, I had on camera. Saw does and few small bucks, most hunts and I hunted almost every weekend, since bow season opened. Now its time to get after the pigs.

So jealous. My girls are pretty young but hopefully I get this kind of quality time in the future.

My season was actually awesome. Haven't hunted in 8years. The whole trip too 24:15hrs from when i left my house until i was back at my doorstep. Shot a hunting load I made myself and it worked like a charm. I believe my deer was about 5yo and he tastes wonder.
Looking forward to more of this in the years to come.

Had a pretty good season so far. Took one of the two cull bucks I was after even though he eluded me several times. Was blessed to triple on does one morning, and get a coyote and a doe another morning, and along with a fellow hunter we tripled on does another afternoon. Unfortunately my eldest niece came in from Charlotte and took ~100lbs of venison home with her so I'll be back at it this weekend. I needed to chase another buck last weekend but couldn't go, so now it's does only or possibly a spike if I can't get 2-3 more does.

Neighbor got the two biggest bucks we had around, and a couple of others have since disappeared, but there are three real good ones that made it through and several more in the next tier. If it keeps raining, 2024 could be a banner year in our section of Mills county.

Made a simple meal of hamburger patties last night. This was the first time using pork fat mixed in. I hit them with some Red Raider Meats Steak Seasoning and they came out quite well!

I got the buck I had targeted and the bobcat I have been watching for 3 years. Pretty good season for me.

Im blessed that my oldest is as all in as she is, thats for sure. Congrats on a great season

Passed on a mature 10 that was on our trophy list, mainly because I didn't think it was the biggest deer in the area. Took a pretty big 8 point that was on our cull list over Thanksgiving. Saw quite a few deer and only had one sit that I can recall that was a complete zero on deer. Hunted all or part of 27 days.

That is a force of nature no man, woman, or church can reason with. All you can do is pray. They're in God's hands.

I'll tell you well into February

Shot a young 5-4 mule deer and young cow elk both in New Mexico. With what I had left over the freezer is full.

Second season in a row eating my tag. I had 4 opportunities @ 17 yards to take this 6.5 year old buck during bow season, but I just enjoyed the encounters and passed on him, hoping my son could get him in rifle season, which he did on 11-17. I saw 20-25 different bucks but none that I thought were 4.5 or older. I saw 4-10 points, 3-9 points and the rest were mostly 8`s with some 7 & 4 points. I didn`t have any luck rattling this year compared to last when I called up 2 nice bucks that just happened to be on the other side of the property line. First season not to kill a hog either. After killing 10-12 last year, they went nocturnal or just plain left the area. I blame the drought on this. I saw 2 groups of pigs during bow season, but they were 100+ yards away. I averaged going about 3 times a week until the end of the season. Even more than that until up until Thanksgivingish. No regrets on not shooting a deer either. It`s more about the experience when you get older and less about the harvest. The deer below, I had been watching almost every sit since the 2020 season when he was a 3 year old and I just didn`t have it in me to shoot him. I guess you could say we had history. Looking forward to next year already.

I hadn’t hunted in the last 10 years, started out kinda excited, quickly remembered why I quit going. I basically quit even going for deer, but changed my desire to execute hogs. Oh how those nasty smelly little beast were going to die! Except…they mocked me, over and over. They had my number, never came out when I could see them. Had a revolving pattern, that wasn’t a pattern. In fact, they were completely un-patternable. They’d be on camera once in the daylight and then not show up for 2 days, then they’d come at night, then in the middle of the day. Absolutely drove me nuts.


Oh little pigs, how do I loathe thee.

No deer. I’m coming to terms with the idea that I was meant to kill pigs.

I miss trapping, hunting, killing, and eating pigs. All of my life I've had them to hunt no matter where I went, but my new lease is pigless.

Maybe this Summer I can do some trading. Offshore fishing trip for some pigs.

Not a great season. Saw a lot of bucks and few doe, which is backwards from previous years. I did get a nice 8, but had to pass on a real nice 10 point, this being an AR 2 buck county. But now that the season is over here, the doe have come for the corn.

I had hoped the grandson would get that 10 point, but like some other young men mentioned here, his focus is on his lovely girlfriend. His personal rut has not ended.

As for coyotes and hogs, I shot all I saw, which wasn’t that many. I do have a large crop of raccoons, and I may just vent my wrath on them, using night vision.

This was not a year to see a lot of deer. I do think that numbers were significantly down. That concerns me.

I saw more deer than I’ve ever seen in East Texas this year. Up to 20 multiple times. I decided to truly trophy hunt this year and not get bored and settle after thanksgiving like I normally do. What did it get me? I finally shot a little spike the very end of season. I’ve still got 2 weekends of muzzleloader to kill a couple of doe. My son passed on some doe and then lost interest and quit going. If I could just get him up in the mornings, that’s when I see all the deer. But, it’s not really his thing. He’s heck on the fish and we can’t wait till the spring. I’m really ready for it to be over. I hunted every weekend. Ready to get after the squirrels….. oh, and I envy you guys that hunt with your daughter. Mine wouldn’t go to the stand if I hitched her to the truck and dragged her. Enjoy it!

Correction....my oldest Son will finally get to hunt with me this weekend.

I've pushed him hard in the past to work every freakin' day he can. Volunteer to work every rain out, work late, work holidays & days off to cover for your pals, get chit done and make a good showing when you don't want to. MAN UP and save that money so that someday, you can buy a house and some dirt for your family. Well, he's done/doing just that but now I never get to see him, or hunt & fish with him anymore. He's gonna kill a deer this weekend. He & I will squeeze into a blind with a 12 & 9 yr old and there will be deer heart & liver on the menu......

You have my number. I have some pigs, and I also have thermal, now. Let’s make it happen.

Now THAT sounds like a plan.

Pretty good for me, shot my personal best, still have one more weekend to go clean up on some axis.

Not so Good!!!

I passed on a nice buck 2nd day hoping my grandson would would get him and I missed a really nice buck off hand at 130 yds. mid season.

Actual deer sightings were poor from a quantity prospective although on camera, at night, we had more nice shooters bucks then previous years,

My bad performance and decisions were essentially what made this season less then then desirable.

Although 5 of us hunted periodically the lack of deer at the feeders produced only one buck harvest, my wife on opening day.

With the limited venison in the freezer I'll be trying to get a dow next week.

great

Awesome description Buzz, the way you wrote it made us really feel like we were there!

We might be able to work something out there!!!! We have no shortage of pigs!

My deer season was much closer to being a pig season.

We saw a lot of deer. 3 of the 4 of us killed a deer each. 2 cull and 1 decent 7 point. Rut was really strong first par of the season but the secondary rut was not as good as normal. We had a large number of spikes on the property this year.

Pretty uneventful. I shot a doe fawn on opening day of bow season and pretty much spent all my time off for the rest of the season doing anything else but hunting. I got out and sat a few times, might have killed a couple more does if I had not decided to take my longbow instead of my compound. That was a thrill though. But if I would have known the rest of my season was going to end up like this I would have shot my compound.

Missed gun season
Missed the early gun doe season
Missed muzzle loader/alternative weapons season

This is the last weekend of bow season and God willing I will spend the day shivering in a tree stand. It is bitter cold but I want that deer meet.

I have considered hanging it up altogether for a few years, until I make a few changes. Even though it feels like I am just getting started. And in a way I am.

Deer season was hectic. Lost the RV a couple weeks before the season to a hail storm in west Texas. So every trip was also either trying to repair or mitigate loss, then a new camper, then moving all that crap over...

But, wife got her 11 point the day before Thanksgiving, and I took a nice 10 on Thanksgiving, although he was a tough beast, a story all its own.

Fewer hogs this year, only killed 12, backstrapped them all, then when I had time to take a whole one, couldn't find one!

Went back to add a doe, and couldn't find one.

Just a sample of my season, not including trapping…

Haven't had a lease in years, but usually just hunt WT culls/doe at a family members ranch and then a few axis doe for the freezer. 2 years straight now with zero WT shot (Drought took a huge toll on the WT herd) Did take 3 axis doe for the freezer though

I hunt just South of Bowie. Didn’t get to hunt much. Early season saw a lot of bucks but all too young. No does. By end of season couldn’t find a deer. A young guy I know got a decent 7 point last weekend.

Four does
I will get the fifth next weekend

Slightly below average when compared to the previous 5 years. I shot an 8 point opening day, bucks have been scarce so I planned to take the first buck I saw and that happened to be the only buck I saw all year , aside from a few spikes and very young others.

I also took two pigs and a fallow. I’m always happy with any season I get to hunt a lot and this one didn’t disappoint.

Really enjoyed reading all your comments as well .

I can’t complain. Took a good cull 6 point with my boy sitting on my lap. Also shot a doe, so we have about 110pounds in the freezer

Kind of up and down. On my small Young Co. property, I saw good buck activity during Oct. archery only, passing shots on a couple of AR legal 4yos also into 1st week of rifle. After that, had a Sneaky 5.5yo+ 7pt. that rarely showed in daylight hours and overall legal buck sightings really dropped off, deer went very nocturnal. On my Throckmorton Co. lease, passed shots on a couple of 135"+ 4+ yos opening weekend and saw good action through Thanksgiving but no clear-cut mature shooters, lots of 3 and 4yos with good potential. Deer #s dropped off markedly after Thanksgiving, especially the nicer bucks as I think most went into nocturnal feeding and chasing patterns. Did have a good late Dec. sit on a colder, calm morning with 20+ deer and multiple 4yo bucks seen. Overall, I would say the abundance of summer rains coupled with overall, cool and not cold winter temps allowed the deer to have a variety of food options, limiting their time hitting feeders.

Shot the first deer I've killed in about 10 years. Place I normally hunt has a pretty low population of mature bucks so we try to save those for the kids. A buddy of mine wanted this cull gone at his place and I wanted some deer meat.

That’s such a unique rack. I’d rather than than 100% typical

Great for enjoyment, not so great for the hunting. We didn't see as many deer as we normally do, and the ones we saw weren't ready. I did shoot one pig. I enjoy getting away and hanging out with friends and family, so the hunting is secondary for me.

My buddies dad shot 2 very similar last year. On the derpy antler there was another big point broken off right near the base, they never saw him before it broke off.

Good here:
Nephew took his first buck (got a doe during archery
season)

I got the buck I had been chasing all season

Just a follow up - Oldest son got him a doe. It's the first deer he has killed in 6 yrs and he sure was itching. It was pretty awesome having 3 of my 4 knuckle draggers together again hunting & making memories.


I got my youngest boy a 22 pistol for Christmas, and my oldest boy brought the 22 pistol I bought for him when he was younger. My youngest boy is pretty damn good with it, but my little girl surprised us all. After smoking her brother she just looked at him and smiled, didn't say a word. Oldest boy & I got a kick out of it.



Son got the shakes but made it happen.





Left her hanging overnight while we ran into town for a big meal. Woke up the next morning to 16 degrees, snow, and a frozen solid deer. Not something this South Texas boy is used to.




I know it's just a doe.......but to us it's way more than that.

One more weekend left. Life is good.

Mule deer season went well for me...

i think i've made 20+ sits and seen 4 different deer. 9-10 bucks around and 3 does on camera but either i couldn't be there or they weren't there when i was. killed a coyote...

Headed down in a few. May not get to hunt. Freeze did its toll on our water "system" at camp. Taking down lots of plumbing supplies and may have to head to the Ace Hardware in Cotulla - we'll see. Sure hope we can get it all fixed. I got my bucks, but others haven't. That leaves extra for yours truly if the right one(s) can be found. We'll hunt well into February, but without water, it's a different ball game down there.

Last mgt buck had an adjustable spread. Got shot between the eyes and one antler fell off.

Yes, it did. Kudos!

Had a great season.

We shoot a buck and two doe every year. This year it was my 12 year old son's turn to shoot the buck. He had a cull buck on youth weekend and my uncles place that he shot from 176 yards a little high and achieved a pinholed passthrough just under the spine. That deer was under the feeder the next day and on camera about 30 times over the next two months. Interesting watching the wound heel but it did. I will never use that Hornady bullet again.

Back to our place, Switched back to the tried and true Power Points(.243) and two weekends later and after passing on several legal younger bucks, he got his buck. Nice mainframe 8 about 15-16 inches across and in the 160-175 pound range.

15 yo daughter the next weekend shoots the two doe with the same gun in about 7 seconds, the first from 90 and the second from 180.

All three deer were heart-lunged, their chest cavities were mushed, and dead within seconds. Crazy how well those soft points work and I have no idea what I was thinking switching. Never again.

Last- one evening at sunset had some pigs roll out of the woods and my son got so excited he shot about five feet over the back of the first pig. Funny watching kids learn how to control nerves.

Last weekend was fun, but no deer hanging. That is on me.

My baby girl was pumped to shoot #2 with her new rifle. She got real close but no shot. Next year she has big buck priority, only because of her attitude. She howls when we're going to hunt, which is cool but..

Learned some things this year, Just a few pics of our last hunt together. My youngest boy finally got to break in his new 22 pistol on a cottontail. He was pumped.

Good times.....






Life is good.

Heck yeah!

Looks like real good times.

Great pics and stories, thanks for sharing

I sometimes have to give them a stare down