Tired of reading all the post about great hunts and deer killed this season I got skunked. Let's hear from everybody else who came home empty handed and what happened. Unless I'm the only one

I was able to be out more this year than I have been in over a decade, and was completely skunked. Other than opening weekend, I haven't even seen deer, just dead ones other guys are bringing in!

Still, best year for me in ages. A bad day in the woods is still far better than a good day at work.

Well, I got skunked too. I saw a few legal does and a couple of spikes, but we still have meat in the freezer from last year. I just didn't see anything worth shooting.

I was 0-2 in MN and Nebraska but went 2 for 2 in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

I saw bucks in both MN and NE but nothing worthy of making boom.

ME! I didn't see anything except beavers, raccoons and a skunk!

Can you shoot beavers?

Leave my beavers alone.......

Grin

POW! WHOP!

Don't worry Tom I didn't Noslerize them..

Hell with a 270 they'd have gotten away anyhow.......likely swim 200 yards before collapse.

I got skunked in New Hampshire. I actually saw only one deer. No chance for a shot. I imagine I smelled bad.

Longbeard I saw NO deer in NH during the season

I was gonna just hang out at a check station so I could see a few....

Well, wasn't exactly skunked for the season, but an unpleasant weekend therein.
Had an acquaintance that stated he would like to go elk hunting. So the weekend before opener we went for a look~see in a possible spot. So after arriving late, we climb a short distance to a vantage point. Instead of planting and glassing, he decides we HAVE TO go over there, then over there, then no over there. And then he says he just can't see why an elk would even be there. At this point my only thought is, "you are welcome" .
Available weekend rolls around and we head off to another spot I know. I thought it was awful odd he insisted we take his outfit no matter what, along with his camper that could not touch gravel roads. On the mtn, we climb and climb and he decides 2 hours before dark we should find a different way down than we came up. Saw elk on bordering private land and it was too close to call. I thought maybe he knew exactly where they were since his GPS was being fondled every 14 minutes but no dice.
Next day we go to some private land I had permission to hunt and the owners stated they do not grant access to state land. So in the field my acquaintance doesn't think they have the right to tell us not to cross onto state land from their land, at which point I tell him he will be going that one alone. Next day, same private land, acquaintance insists the landowners let him park in a location other than designated, at which point I tell them the designated parking is fine. However they gave in and let him go where he wished. I later called the land owners and sincerely apologized for bringing such a jackass along.
And those were just the hilights. And that was the end of my hunting with people I have never been afield with. Forgot to mention the 28" tall muley he passed.

I only got in the woods three times this season. A normal season for me would be more like 10 to 12. All I saw was a small doe that I passed on and a huge buck that I only got a quick glance at in some very heavy fog. No deer in the freezer for me this year. Oh well has helped with the drive for my upcoming elk hunt this fall.

Matt, we've got to find some pigs! I don't like having an empty freezer....

I spent more time hunting this year than in many years. I saw one buck but there was too much brush between us to shoot. I had a doe tag but didn't even get a chance at that. It was still a good season.

I didn't kill squat, but went down swinging! I spend about 20 days chasing whitetails and 9 straight from daylight to dark hunting mule deer. I saw one giant muley on the first morning at daybreak...a 200" double drop beast at 450 yards. He walked over a sandhill and i never saw him again. I never saw anything else over 170 to shoot at. I had a blast anway.

Laffin'

Amen! I'll pm you later tonight!

Wow, looks like a lot of fellow Alabamians came up empty handed as well!

Killed two nice bucks in California, skunked in Oregon and had to cancel my Idaho wolf hut, so skunked there too I guess.

skunked as far as horns go.
shot 2 does for the freezer.

Last time I got skunked was in 98, course I had getting hitched on my mind then.

My son and I were skunked this year. We saw deer but they either weren't legal or no shot presented itself.

Maybe it's payback for him bagging a 10 point about 5 minutes into last years opener.

Dale

I'm a Skunk too!
Didn't even go out for the archery elk hunt(too much chaos with aged parents).
Chased some does in Nebraska too, but not very hard, just glad to be out in the quiet!

Bow Season - Saw a small forkie pass between tree's, I drew back but no chance for a chest shot.

Rifle Season - Snuck up on a brown behind but it was a doe. Almost killed a spike with the Chevy (Closest to killing a deer I have ever been )

I got chased about 25 yards by a skunk this year. It was about 2hrs before sun up while crossing a field. I walked up on it with a turned over turtle. I took off, and I didn't get sprayed, but I didn't tempt it either.

I had my chance on the last day of the season around 4:30PM. And as former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick used to say, "and the whiff". 60 yards, up hill, off hand. After the shot the deer just turned and walked over the backside of the hill it was on, never to be seen again! That's why they call it hunting!

Skunked here also. I had my chances in the early season but kept holding out for something big. After I decided to hunt meat the chance never happened. My grandson scored his first buck on my property so that more than made up for my lack of success. Just took down my last ladder stand today with the 50 degree weather and the area was loaded with deer sign. Better luck next year to myself and fellow skunks!

I took a nice buck and a nice doe in Nebraska. I got skunked here in N.C.though. There is something weird going on here. Our sightings are WAAAAAY down!!!!!!!!!!

Got a cow elk, but barely saw a deer. So no deer this year.

Count me in for a big ole goose egg. Worst season I have ever had.

Somebody must have hexed All of us in Alabama!
I never saw a Deer in the woods this year
making it 14 years since my last buck.
And at least 5 or 6 years since my last Doe
with my 405 WCF.
AMRA

Skunkted like a mofo.

I dont wanna talk about it....

You needs to come down here to deer country!

Add me to the list. The piece of public land I hunt saw more bowhunters in the six weeks prior to gun season than the total who've bowhunted there in the last 20 years. The deer were GONE and/or nocturnal. Saw large groups of them in the adjacent fields posted with No Hunting/Trespassing signs. My suspicions were confirmed when it rained the Saturday night for the final hunt day on Sunday. It started about 10pm and ended about 2am. All the tracks leading into the public area were washed. All the tracks exiting were fresh.

I'm gonna have to find a new place.

Yup! I never did see one deer in Alabama. One of my hunting buddies took a dink of a six pointer when I was in the woods with him. I saw lots of other hunters loading or driving off with deer in their trucks. Just no fur for me to shoot was all.

I'm also in the skunked camp this year. I put in a ton of hours and it was like mother nature sucked all the deer out of the woods! Was a rather warm year to boot and I think most rutting activity took place after dark.

But I have a few buddies who kilt multiple deer this year. Was just not in my cards for this year...

We'll get 'em next season!

Not me. I got 4 including my best buck ever.

I was astounded when I saw the acttual deer kill numbers. I wouldn't have believed it.

My hunting partner was skunked this year again. That makes 3 years in a row for him.

Now, during that time, I've gotten a nice 10-pointer, and two spikes for the freezer, so I guess I'm out of the running.

I hunted hard on my FL ground, had a decent 8 during bow but passed, saw his dad a few minutes later but too far. That was Sept 17, never saw one worth shooting after that there. We are 8 or better and it's got to be a good one. Only made it to my GA lease once, kinda pissed about that. Never made it to the IN farm I have rights to or my buds AL farm. Got married in Oct, gone was the hunting funds. I have killed 59 pigs, we have a shot on sight rule, hate those [bleep] things.first year since 01 with no fresh backstraps. But the Gobblers are starting to strut, 34 days and ole Osceola gets a headache.

Skunked...well not so much







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Both my sons shot deer but I never got a shot. It was tough times for us in southeast Idaho this year.

In the stand before daylight. Spent countless hours developing a load for the Remy XCR 308 Compact, checked and rechecked at range. Nutt'in Honey.....Second day, one very wet blackie crossing the field at Wharp 10. Walking saw lots and lots of bear sign, not one deer or mush sign. Usually don't don't make to ten the first day. Had to head home, enjoyed the hell out of being out there .

Never saw a shooter Iowa buck in range this year.


ddj

Well I never saw anything I wanted to shoot, but I put my 14 year old nephew on 3 does and a 7+ year old buck. So technically I was skunked but in actuality it was one of my best seasons ever.

I'm in the same boat....saw lots of deer in Illinois, but nothing I wanted to pull the trigger on.....only had one look at a decent buck this year in TN...never was able to get a clear shot. Going back to Illinois this year. Hoping for a little less wind.

Didn't get to spend as much time in the field as I hoped but still has fun. Saw a bunch of deer but they were out of comfortable shooting range or in town. First time in a couple years coming up empty but it's good to get humbled every now and then. Looking forward to next year even more now.

I got skunked in South Carolina this year.I did not see one deer.


Stan in SC

I got skunked on whitetail ... as usual, but I did take a buck antelop for the 3rd year in a row.

Is this thread about the 2011 season? Would not that have been "last" year, not this year? Just wonderin'.

My deer season was from Nov. '11 to Jan. '12. I usually refer to hunting seasons in the fiscal sense.

Didn't see a deer all year. I went out three times, and each time the landowner did some stuff to change the deer's behavior. Need to find a new place to hunt.

Here in Alabama Deer Season runs from Oct. to the end of Jan.
AMRA

Skunked here in the FL. panhandle.

Season is open until the 8th but they can have it -tired of fighting skeeters and hot weather.
Deer are nocturnal on public land here -camp out and they will all but walk into your camp.Didn't see a deer on a game camera earlier than 6:00pm [gets dark at5:15] -nor did a friend of mine.
Saw a doe friday evening at last legal shooting time -then heard what i thought was a chainsaw -it was a man and woman on quads -illegal to be in there on quads.
The doe ran off at the sound -they pulled up on a trail i didn't know was there.The lady had not ducked down far enough and a limb scratched her forehead -they stopped right in front of my stand and she screamed over the running quads 'IS MY FOREHEAD BLEEDING -YEAH A LIITLE BIT -YOU GOTTA DUCK DOWN UNDER THOSE LIMBS WANDA -I KNOW--the guy finally spotted me and said lets go -then looked up at me and hollered SORRY!
I couldn't help but laugh.
Worst hunting season ever for many ppl i have talked to here and in AL..
Ticks me off to think about how much i dreamed of the heat to subside -that refreshing feeling of hunting season never happened this year -enjoying a nice 70* day here w/plenty of humidity!Again.

Is choosing not to shoot so they get bigger considered the same as being skunked? I prefer to refer to it as counting coup Took my friends kids out every spare minute for a month trying to get them both a buck. got them on several but they just couldn't put it together. Had a ball and proud as heck of them. They chose to shoot doe in order to let the bucks grow too.

eh - You are NOT skunked in my book.

+10

Yea, I was skunked by my choice. Passed on some pretty ladies, was excellent just watching them. And hoping that a nice buck would be sniffing around them. I have a 40 acre piece that my bro and I ladder stand hunt on. All private land around me, deer movement, if any, is pretty random until sundown.

Skunked here for third year in a row and had another awesome year. Being a guide for daughter and nephew and watching each of them take their first, second, etc. beats me killing a BC each year.

I find that I feel guilty when I try slipping off without them...they want to know where I have been.

Plus one. Way to go EH!

You too 101guns. Kids rule.

saw maybe 15 bucks with the best set of horns only being a 3x4..didnt see a single elk ta boot
if rocks/boulders count, (got 2) guess i didnt get skunked..

Worst year EVER for me. The super hot and dry summer pushed the deer out of my lease. We had over 3 months of over 100 degrees and a drought coupled with it. I never even saw ONE! If the summer does it again I may think about putting in water tanks even though there is a deep creek that runs through the property.

The only other reason they wouldn't be there would be poachers (which wouldn't shock me).

Maybe that's why I'm planning an elk/ mule deer hunt in Colorado this year.

...never even bought a permit, too busy working I guess. Maybe next year.

Saw deer every time I hunted except for 2 days,real windy those days. Shot a doe in the shoulder with a 10 mm and did not get her.

Naw, I wouldn't say that's being "skunked". Actually, far from it.

Aye (raises hand). Was a humbling year, but got in some good tromping around in beautiful WI.

I got an antelope a few minutes after the season opened.
I got a mule deer a few minutes after the season opened.

There were a lot of winter kills, and the animals were not where they usually are.

Much better hunters than me got skunked, because they have jobs, and did not do the kind of pre season scouting that I did.

I too reside in the "losers lounge" this year....but I did put my best friends son on a real nice 8-pt...his first buck, and I did choose to pass on the ladies this year.
Bucks went and stayed nocturnal unusually early this season in these parts. Still consider it a great season though!
johnny

Saw fewer deer this season than ever before. Got a doe the second week of a five week (modern gun) season and I was there every day.

Tagged out on meat doe's, but "big boy" gave me the slip again this year

Gunner

Saw lots of wolf tracks, heard a bunch of coyotes howling every night, admired the eagles soaring in the crystal sky and saw a few bear tracks.

Never saw a male deer during the season, not even a button buck. The only deer I saw were 3 does and 3 fawns that were so tame that I could feed them by hand from 10 feet away. I never got mad enough at them to shoot.

Wonder why there were so few deer around?

I didn't get skunked. Moose didn't get skunked, but Supercore did. He got one poorly planned shot at a buck that was way too far out-- offhand at 300 yards with an unfamiliar rifle.

Overall it was one of the poorest excuses for a season we'd had in years, even though the county as a whole set a new record. My guess is that it was due to the acorn crop failing. That had the deer coming off the ridges and concentrating down in the bottoms.

Oh well, if it was a sure bet they'd call it deer shooting and not deer hunting, right?

Never saw a true mature buck this year. Hunted hard and long on three ranches and came home with does only.
However, the average bucks we saw and passed should be nice with some rain this year.
Luckily, I have taken some nice deer in the past and not as disappointed as I would have been 20 years ago.

jcc

First year in many that I didn't shoot a whitetail around home. but whitetail numbers were down in our area, bad winters and too liberal seasons and limits. I hunted whitetails a few days, didn't see any mature bucks at all and the does and fawns that I did see I passed up.
I was not too disappointed since I was fortunate to take two mule deer, a moose, elk, and black bear and a bunch of geese and ducks and pheasants. Besides whitetails it was a good year.

"Not I," said the little red hen. Shot a nice 6X6 in Colorado and two nice bucks here; a 3 1/2 year old and a 6 1/2 year old.

Left the house to head up the mountain and before I got outta town I got rear ended and push into the car in front of me, totaled the truck and destroyed my 10' utility trailer. Transferred all the stuff to my buddy's truck and spent all season enjoying the beauty. Saw 1 elk.......in someone else's hands.

Booked a cow hunt on private land and got call 3 days before the hunt saying there were no elk.

1st time in 20+ years I failed to put venison in my freezer.

I spent three days total in the woods this season and did not ever fire a shot.

Twice!

no deer, but wasted a skunk...

I filled the mule doe tag and the antelope tag .... but I did not fill the white tail doe tag.

The white tail herd was outsmarting me, again, as it got dark I was waiting for the white tails, a skunk ran right passed me.

I took that skunk as an omen to go home.

I did, still smells real bad! I had my chances!

I have been skunked for the last 6-9 years, I quit counting but this year was different. Both of my daughter's, 16 and 17 seemed more interested than in years past to hunt so I did what I could to set them up in the right places on our farm; places I knew deer crossed on a regular basis.

My oldest didn't even see a deer and my youngest had one chance but moved the Steven's barrel about 2" to reposition and sent the doe back in the timber. Late in January a coworker invited my youngest out to fill a doe tag in the late youth season.

We were in the blind about 15 minutes when she connected with her first WT. We will have one more chance before they start college and I hope my oldest tags out this year.

After they head off to college I will probably have the opportunity to hunt more often than I do now. I think my first deer hunt was around 1999 and to date, I have two spikes, one tiny 8pt and a half dozen does.