I would say poor compared to seasons past. There was too many acorns after a very dry summer. We didn’t kill much on our lease, same with most around the location we hunt in central Texas, Burnet county.

0 stars... I hunted every day of both general firearm and ML season. It was cold, windy as balls, and I saw exactly zero deer in shooting range. I saw 3 deer; one way out of range, and two being chased across a neighboring property by a stupidass dog.

Disappointing. Mainly because I was to ill to get out.
Shot a spike, 3 point out of my door, but that's just shooting, not hunting.

I've never had a tougher season. I've hunted archery, rifle, and now flintlock and have seen a total of 9 deer. Never had a season like this

Not the best I’ve ever had but not the worst either. Saw tons of bucks but only one really big one and he was out of reach.

Killed a small half rack with my longbow in the early season. A nice but not huge 6x5 buck with a rifle. And I shot an old donkey doe during the late season for some friends who wanted a deer. Main highlight was watching my son kill his first deer during the October youth season.

We saw a fair number of deer on our place, not too many hunts where we were totally skunked. But we saw very few of our more mature bucks in the daylight. Three hunters saw maybe 3 total bucks that were 3yr olds or older, and our season has been going since October 1 (still going). I shot a couple of bucks and a couple of does, so the pressure was off fairly early. The acorn crop was the largest I ever remember, so the hogs are still down in the adjoining river bottoms, eating acorns, even though they are nearly all rotten at this point.

Bountiful

We have had tons of hogs since I’ve been on this lease, cause there is a spring fed creek. They seem to have disappeared, something has happened, desease of some kind??

Got lucky the 2nd day of VA black powder (77 degrees.....), took a nice 9 point, saw a whopping 1 antlered deer in the woods the rest of the season. Noticeably less sign compared to last year too.

Shot 23 inch spread 7 pt and 17 3/4 inch 8 pt during early black powder.Wifey killed a dinky 7 pt and son and daughter both killed does over all a great season.

LOL. High in fiber.....

After several years of decent buck drought, this year was pretty good!

257Bob, Congrats that's a great Buck. Good mass and tall G-1's. Looks like it's gonna be tag soup for me this year. I still have one more hunt. But all the Bucks are nocturnal. No daylight pic's of any shooters on the trail cams. Late season hunting is tough where I hunt. I did kill 2 does so I have meat in the freezer. Hopefully better luck next season.

We and everyone around us had a subpar season. Lots of nocturnal activity, lots of acorns, and few mature deer were seen on our 2000 acre lease. Only two bucks were taken on our lease.

This was a pretty crappy year for my wife and I. 0 deer.

In the Upper Penninsula of Michigan where I reside I would have to rate it as very poor. Seems every year it slips further downhill regardless of hunting conditions or the previous winters. They need to put an end to that insane 2 buck license.

Ours was poor due to abundant acorn crop. I managed to kill enough for my years meat. But I didn't see near as many bucks as I usually see. They don't move as much when they can stand in one spot and fill up on their favorite food. I did kill 4 and that was my goal.

My youngest was able to shoot his first buck at a good friend’s place in November on the TX opening weekend:



He was very excited so my season was made in that day.

I then went to ND and MT for 10 days of chasing deer and Pheasants. The pheasant hunting was epic and deer hunting was OK. We were able to get one of my nephews who lives out of state on this nice whitetail:



Another nephew was also in from out of state and had limited time. He wanted to shoot a mulie. The right one was found but we got fogged out several days and ran out of daylight at 800 yds on the best stalking opportunity.

I went to MT solo for a few days on the back end of my trip in search of a shooter buck. Mother Nature had other plans. Snow drifted in on the ranch I was hunting, forcing the deer to move out to more accessible feed. The trails used to access the best areas of the ranch were drifted in as well so I ended up eating a tag. Spending time back home doing spot and stalk along with walking for pheasants helps keep my sanity every year. The time spent visiting dad, my brother-in-law and the rest of my family is irreplaceable and makes the hunting outcome irrelevant.

Heading out this weekend for a late youth doe that will be destined for jerky aside from the loins and back straps. A very good season in retrospect andI’m happy to have been able to spend some time afield.

Took the first week of season off work, killed a doe mid day of the opener and a decent 140” 11pt the first Sunday. Hunted a little the rest of the week and had several opportunities to fill my last antlerless tag but kept passing on the shots.

Saw deer almost daily.

No complaints here.
I did something I never thought that I would, missed the opening early MZ weekend[hot & wet].
Otherwise everything was as normal as could be for us.
Deer sightings were normal, plenty of good deer seen, a few shot.
Still getting pics of a couple of decent bucks for next year too.

We had a good season, killed a bunch of deer and a few good bucks.

Shot my best buck in about 6 years, so can't complain. But, that's not saying much after 5 years of spikes and forks. haha. Really funky rack so it will make a sweet euro mount
. Lots of venison every year, and that is what matters. And I told good friends of ours that I would get them a nice doe, and the last day I hunted, did that.

It was very good for all in the group I hunt with. All of us filled our buck tags.

Still going here. Less kills overall this year because WLF shut the parish we are in down on corn and protein feeders. BUT the quality bucks we have seen has been pretty solid.
I personally killed my best thus far, so I'm partial to this year.

Pretty good so far. A buck and two does in Alabama and a buck in Ohio. Best thing is the rut hasnt even started in our area of Alabama. Heading up there on the 19th thru the 31st of this month. I might stay longer if the rut is late kicking in. Season ends around Feb 10th.

Some folks mediocre season would be a great season here in NH. I saw just one deer in the first three+ weeks of the season, then finally got lucky the day before Thanksgiving. No acorns in the woods at all so I think the deer were staying closer to the fields away from where I hunt.

as i get older " now 69 " all deer seasons are wonderful as far as rating my deer season 6 out of 10 this year in Minnesota ,i don`t rate deer seasons by how many tags are filled ,its by how many deer i see each year ,i enjoy watching deer more than shooting a deer.

Also 69, I like being out there watching it get daylight.

during rut i stay in the stand from before daylight tell after sunset bring food and fluids with pee jug too ! its just a great time to be alone hunting unless grandson wants to go then we take breaks.

Good season in the northwestern corner of NC. Lots of acorns in the woods plus the neighbors feed. And we do as well on some stands along with keeping mineral blocks available. Made for some fat deer. Shot my largest bodied ever the first week of ML season. A 7 pt that weighed 210. 8 days later shot a 170 lb 8 pt. Both had ham fat and more internally. We shoot few does so my season was over in 10 days.

Wife hunted hard but was snakebit on bucks. She absolutely will NOT shoot a doe so had a bunch of them, spikes, 3 pt or 2, constantly coming by. Finally after many cold hours on stand she got a nice buck the Monday before Christmas on what we thought would be the last hunt of the year. One shot from her Death Ray (A-Bolt Micro 7-08) did it. Just under 16” spread 8 pt. He was over 160 lbs but was half as fat as the bucks I shot. Chasing females takes fat.

Son shot an 8 his first day out, son n law had never hunted but has the bug. He and my son were together in a popup and shot 3 does bang bang bang. Sons friend we watched grow up came up for a day to make his first hunt as well and got a big spike that needed killin. Weighed something like 135 with bladed spikes. Good kid. Navy vet, fireman/emt, wife and baby girl. Was thrilled for him.

We were blessed indeed. Lots of color in the skies and in the trees. Prayed together before the hunts mostly for safety and to see with our spirit not just with our eyes. Turned out well. Hope to get this Blood Moon Season more organized and post here with pictures later on.

Didn’t see a deer during the Pa rifle season and only one hunter in the woods. Did tag a small buck with the flintlock (my first kill with it) and saw two other deer. Have this weekend yet.

Dale

I thought my Rifle season was bad. I saw 5. Two were in Sullivan where I hunted the first week and three in Berks where I was the second week. But you got a buck so you're that much better off than me!

Pretty good. I got cancelled for my WV hunt but then a friend offered to let me tag along with him locally.

I shot a big doe this week from his blind and filled the freezer.

I am grateful and wife was super happy.

So it was a good season

I would rate it "interesting." I was not successful in punching my tag. I applied for a hunt in an area an awkward distance away. Not quite far enough to force me to camp, far enough to be a pain to make the drive from home each day. This lead to me only hunting about half of the available days, maybe 25% of the total days. It's a familiar area so no scouting was needed, I just needed to cross paths with a legal buck during legal hours in a legal spot. Didn't happen. No regrets .. glad I tried. I will probably try again some future year.

My worest, bow season ever, saw one small spike, all season. Was hot, than wet. Rifle saw alot of deer opening day, finely shot a big 8 in the afternoon. Saw one other deer and that was it. Had surgery on top of my shoulder, so kinda ended season for me! Out of 10 hunters only 4 of us got bucks we all were going to shoot a doe ,but none were seen after the 1st few days.

It was so-so.

I shot a Kansas buck opening day, September 12th, and then spent the next 3 and 1/2 months regretting having pulled the trigger so soon.

I did bow and gun hunt Missouri quite a bit, and saw dozens of bucks, but few shooters, and didn't punch a tag.

Great season. Spent time in the ground blind with four of my five kids, filled tags with a big doe and my oldest daughter's biggest buck, two shots, two dead deer, and I got to kill a deer with my new to me XP100 in .350 Remington Magnum. Had a great time!

Very few people around here filled a tag this year. Too many cougars and bears. Bucks up high are getting scarce with most deer hanging down low in neighborhoods away from predators. I got lucky and found a nice buck running with a smaller one.

The Rifle Opener was one of the most gawdawful affairs we've had. It poured rain all morning. Still, #2 son, managed to nail a nice buck in the worst of it. The rest of the rifle season was colder than usual. We each got a buck, but barely saw a deer besides that.

Despite all that, it was good to be out. Considering what had gone down in the previous months, it was good enough just to be.

Yeah Scott, can empathize, hung mine on the Christmas tree !!

So plenty of holly but no jolly.

Lot of less than favorable weather.

Which, i guess is normal for MS. Cold at night, 70’s during the day.

I hunt less now days. Saturday’s / sundays. Take off a few days during the week.

Which is fine, have less land to hunt now also.


Filled the freezer. So I’m happy.

Shoot this 8 pt.

Lots of you guys are way more discriminating than I’ve become hunting in the National Forest. I’ve morphed into a softy preferring the cottage with all the comforts to sleeping in the truck, camper, hotel, or tent across the state where there was actually a decent deer herd. One and done here and success is far from assured. Sunday morning 8:30, a deer, antlers and bigger than last year, bang, done. The wolves, bears, winter, poachers and local tribe left me one.

Got one just after daylight opening day, nice fat doe, missed a buck because my scope was jumping around due to loose zeroing turret, got that solved and just never got the opportunity to take another. Saw a mid size young buck i could have taken with my 3030, before i figured out the 6.5s scope, but let him walk. Other 2 were not great shots, one through a heavy tall grass, she was right beside my pickup too. Other one had an excavator behind it and a pickup that was running, didnt see anyone around but still, didnt like the backing

I'd call it an above average season in Central GA. Typically saw bucks on every hunt and only had one hunt all season to see absolutely no deer. Probably saw more 8 point or better deer this season than any season I can remember. Tagged out - but in GA it's not hard to kill two bucks for sure.

Was decent. 2 8points, a 10 point and a couple of does between the family.

Good here and next season is shaping up to be even better
Archery buck on 11/14
Gun buck on 11/19 opening morning
Next seasons crop

My season was about average or less. Saw a lot of does and spikes, but few bigger bucks. They were around, I just didn't see them. Hunted a lot and had a good time just didn't do anything special. Ended up with a medium 3x3.

I filled both tags, and saw plenty of deer, so really about average which is pretty good when I come to think of it.

I'm envious. Mine was a bust. Couldn't get around good enough to do any real hunting. Sat in the woods and did a few short still hunts, but never more than a half mile from the truck. Did not see a single deer. But I'm headed in for a bunch more deck screws and brackets in my back. Hopefully next year I'll be stacking up like cordwood.
Bfly

Last year wasn't good for me but this year was pretty good for both me and my brother. I scored first with a decent buck here in Montana and my brother just filled his tag with a good buck (for the area) at our land in south eastern Alabama. I think this is the first time we've ever both taken bucks in the same season.

We're in Kendall Co.Tx. and it was the worst season we've had in 19 years.One small buck and three does killed by 5 guns.No axis or red deer seen by anyone.First year I haven't put anything in the freezer.Been very,very dry,hoping for better next year.

Got on a new deer lease in Val Verde/Edwards county line, here in Texas. Turned out to be a good season probably average. Saw plenty of deer and some bucks that future potential trophies. My son killed a WT spike and I killed an Axis spike. Getting ready for next year.

Took a snapshot with my iPhone of the two fawns who bedded down & fell asleep under my bow stand. So technically "I saw some deer" while hunting this year. The game cameras hinted at lots of potential but hunting for me in AR & MS was a bust. I only had one legitimate shot at a deer right before dusk but by the time I glassed it to determine if it was legal, it evaporated on me. I'm still impressed at how I almost didn't see it initially & then how smoothly it disappeared. In a fit of optimism I emptied my freezer of all of last year's venison at the start of the season so it's going to be weird to start buying meat in a store again.

Archery was not good at all but thats because it was so dang warm! Never got bit by mosqitos in november before! But I did shoot a doe and an 8 pt in rifle. Daughters boyfriend missed 2 doe again at 40 yds with a rifle. Doe fever again? Lots of deer in PA. On last day my brother(tagged out in archery) and his wife hunted same rifle stand. She killed a doe. They saw at least 20 doe and 7 bucks. 1 was really good the other was a wallhanger

Pretty average season here in Central Alabama. Seeing slightly fewer deer than last year, but did manage to get a doe back in December with my early 1900s Marlin 94’Carbine 38-40 and then got a decent 7 point last Saturday morning with my Ruger M77mkII 7x57. Stil a couple full of weeks of season left I am I off the last full week. Penty of good bucks still showing up on camera too.

Good and bad.

Bad first; only hunted 2 days. One during youth season with the boys and opening day of gun season.

Good; oldest shot a doe and youngest his second (and biggest) buck during youth season. Shot my biggest buck and a doe on the opener of gun season.

my season wasn't exciting or epic but there are 4 deer in the freezer and I 'm still above ground.

I would rate mine as fair. I didn't get to hunt as much as I would've liked and the weather was crazy all season. I did manage to kill a couple decent deer for our area, so I can't say it was a bad year.

Hanco it was the worst season in East Texas, I sat almost every weekend in November and December seeing only three deer on one day.

One hog spotted on our entire lease and limited deer seen by other hunters. It was warm with a bumper acorn crop that didn’t help matters.

There’s always next year.

Wasn’t my year to shoot one but I’m holding out for an honest 150” buck. Saw plenty up and comers, just not the big one. I still have plenty of meat so no hurry.

I had a great time, but didn't punch my tag. One of my boys came home on leave around Thanksgiving and I put him in a spot I'd been watching a couple decent bucks from. He put a nice buck on the ground second day.

I had opportunities to tag out but was waiting for a bigger buck.