This is a first for me

[Mobuck]

At least in the last 50+ years. Two more days of regular rifle deer season here and I haven't tagged a deer. Only fired one 'Hail Mary' shot at a buck 2 days ago. Weather has been a major factor as I've refused to kill a deer that would sour before getting processed. Today's busted as I've got to spend most of the day doing mechanic work on a non-starting tractor that's blocking the storage building.
I passed on a dink buck yesterday morning and again in the evening plus some smallish does with tiny fawns. Things just aren't working like they have in the past. Hoping there will be improvements as the weather becomes more 'normal' with snow predicted later this week and next. Lots of time left but that doesn't change the feeling of imminent failure.

 

[Gator89]

This is the only the second time since 1997 I was not in the deer woods the weekend before Thanksgiving.

2019 I was sidelined a few weeks by a knee injury.

This weekend it was just too hot to go.

But I will be hard at after Thanksgiving through Christmas, the prime time for the rut in SW GA.

 

[375hh1973]

Been a goofy year here too.

Shot one opening day and have seen very few deer in all the places I hunt.

 

[Mobuck]

FINALLY. 15 minutes before end of shooting time last day of regular rifle season. I was watching a remote 4 acre harvested soybean field that Grandson had been bowhunting and seeing several deer each sit. Had a doe and couple of fawns come in slightly downwind and scoot away. Just before quitting time, I noticed what I thought was a doe and fawn across the field. The doe saw me shifting position and turned toward me with her head up so I put the crosshair high enough on her neck to allow the pass through to miss her body and shot. Double back flip and end of story. I shifted to the other deer but it was gone. When I drove the Ranger out to pick up the doe, I realized that the other deer hadn't been a fawn but actually a normal sized doe. The dead doe was HUGE--when I loaded her onto the 5'x8' trailer, she filled the length front to back.
Current temp is mid 30's and windy so I'm confident the carcass will cool out well. I'll call the processor in the morning to see if he's got space for the doe. If not, guess I'll donate her to Share the Harvest. Either way, at least I didn't end with a blank. Most certainly the least number of deer we've tagged during the regular season as far back as I can remember.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

I have two residences. One is in the mountains / woods, the other in suburbs. It's sad to see so few in the woods in camparison to the actual hers in the suburban which have obviously been overbuilt. When I was growing up there were woods everywhere. Now there is no place for them to hide except small patches of woods. Not just deer either. Foxes, coyote, bobcat, bear, feral cats, and others that used to be very rare sights show up in my freak'n suburban yard. No help for me either- not a "sport" hunter.

 

[375hh1973]

FINALLY. 15 minutes before end of shooting time last day of regular rifle season. I was watching a remote 4 acre harvested soybean field that Grandson had been bowhunting and seeing several deer each sit. Had a doe and couple of fawns come in slightly downwind and scoot away. Just before quitting time, I noticed what I thought was a doe and fawn across the field. The doe saw me shifting position and turned toward me with her head up so I put the crosshair high enough on her neck to allow the pass through to miss her body and shot. Double back flip and end of story. I shifted to the other deer but it was gone. When I drove the Ranger out to pick up the doe, I realized that the other deer hadn't been a fawn but actually a normal sized doe. The dead doe was HUGE--when I loaded her onto the 5'x8' trailer, she filled the length front to back.

Awesome!

What rifle?

 

[Mobuck]

What rifle?
The tried and true TC Compass II in 6.5 Creedmoor. It's a $250 laser beam. I like it so well, I bought a second one that may actually be slightly more accurate than the first. Sadly, out of production and if anyone is considering looking for one, keep in mind the current price of a replacement magazine is around $200. YIKES

 

[Mobuck]

I used one of the CWD tags last night. About 10-15 minutes before end of shooting time and little buck appeared but I spooked him getting the shooting window open. Couple minutes later, a slightly bigger racked buck followed the same path. Neck shot @ 100 yards and done. This was one of the under achiever bucks that probably needed to be removed from the gene pool. I'm guessing a 3 year old with a spindly 5 point rack about the size of a 3 pound coffee can.
Things may get better as there's snow predicted and the temps are more normal.