Just having one of those seasons...

[addisonlee]

Since opening weekend, I've been hunting atleast 2-3 times a week with many sightings and encounters, even shot and missed a doe, but have nothing to show for my bow season so far. Early season I was focused on food sources and buck beds. During the rut I was sitting on a few different areas with transition routes between main doe bedding areas. Had high hopes for the rut but passed on two of my bucks I was targeting due to bad shot opportunities (branches).

Now that the gun season here in WI is this weekend I feel my whole season will come down to Wednesday or Thursday to possibly connect on a deer. The frustration is starting to set in but I'm staying hopeful.

Any advice would be appreciated at the moment. Good luck to all you WI gun hunters this weekend and be safe.

[Black Squirrel]

I know how you feel. Although I didn't get out as much as I wanted, I only saw one targeted buck, but he only got to with in 70 yards of me.

[dan]

Hang in there and hunt hard till the bitter end... Its only hunting and its ok to not shoot anything too...
Also, remember you still got late season. I remember one year that seemed terrible and I just could not kill a buck... The very last day of the entire bow season right at closing time the 11 pointer I was after walked out and I arrowed him.... Give a full effort, 1/2 efforts seldom work. Excuses don't work either... If you go home empty handed know that you gave your all...

[Dewey]

Keep at it and don't give up. Right now I am on my longest dry spell in a long time. I have not released an arrow at a deer for 2 years now!! Passed on many bucks and the ones I wanted shoot never gave me a shot I felt comfortable with. I am confident in my spots so I just telling myself that things can change in a matter of seconds and the buck of a lifetime could walk out in front of me anytime and that keeps me going for another day.

I learned that if you want to wait for a nicer buck you better be willing to eat your tag. Not killing a deer is not the end of the world. I get just as much pleasure from everything else that goes into the hunt.

Good Luck to you and hang in there. Good things will happen I promise.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[GRUD]

Just Hunt, don't pressure yourself, and have fun! This year has been a lot of fun for me and I have not had any good bucks within range. I took a few does for the freezer but have passed every buck. I ate my Wisconsin tag, and ate my state park hunt tag, but still have two buck tags left. One urban bow tag and one state tag for bow, gun, or muzzleloader. I have seen some great bucks and try to learn something every time out. This year is the first time I have used the sticks and portable and have thoroughly enjoyed each sit because of being able to hunt almost any tree, be where I want to be, and be well hidden.

Most of my friends tagged bucks, but none spectacular ones. I would rather have the tag in my pocket than a lesser buck down.

[Zap]

[headgear]

I hear you addisonlee, the public land hasn't been as kind to me as in the past. Had a few nice encounters with the bow but never got a shot off, and the MN rifle season was rough. Deep snow last year did a number on our herd so we moved into a new area with more deer, I got on some buck and had a flash of a nice one but no shot. Not easy to learn a new area on the fly but the whole season has been a good learning experience. I'm going to take a short break and take care of a few things around the house, recharge the batteries and get back out there for muzzeloader season and some late bow hunting. I suspect I know where a few bucks are hiding after all the rifle pressure.

[addisonlee]

Thanks for all the great words of wisdom. I'll definitely keep this quote in mind.

"If you go home empty handed know that you gave your all..." -Dan

[Stanley]

5% getting 95% hunting. It just isn't easy that's all there is to it. Nothing wrong with eating a tag after giving it your all.