Just can't find him...

[Scoot]

This is the latest I've ever gone into the year without seeing a nice buck. The biggest buck I've laid my eyes on was a medium-small 8 pointer. I almost always have spotted a respectible or bigger buck by this time. I've hunted less this year than usual (3 year old and a baby), but I've still hunted plenty to have seen a decent shooter by now. Any other bowhunters struggling to not just get, but even see the buck they're looking for?

[sticknstring]

I'm with ya Scoot... It's been a tough season thus far. Quite a few 1 1/2 year olds and 2 decent 2 1/2 year olds one of which I've seen 4 times but I really haven't seen any "good" bucks YET. Lots of season left though - especially the next few days... I think the majority of the does have been bred and the bucks are moving again. I saw a dandy driving yesterday at 4pm movin in the open. I saw 2 different does both back with fawns so hopefully something happens soon... after Thanksgiving the property I hunt goes cold. Good luck to you and everyone else still in pursuit...

[lawdog]

I haven't seen a mature buck all fall, not even in the distance. A couple guys I hunt with have seem em, but I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time!

I've had several 1 1/2 year old bucks in the area, but not a shooter to be found...

[Mark Christianson]

I have not seen an antler while on my bow stand.

Zippity. Nada. Nothing.

Hunted here at home, at my Dads farm, and another chunk not far from my Dads cabin.

Gun season I saw 2 bucks. A spike at literally 10 ft, and a nice buck a couple hundred yards off on the neighbors property.

Thats it.

In fact, its been 3 years since I have seen anything worthy of taking. The drought is taking a toll.

Maybe muzzleloader season will change my luck!

[Gissert]

Maybe you used up all your deer-karma on that fantastic elk hunt

Speaking of elk, how about attending our RMEF banquet in Ottertail on December 1?

[harvey lee]

Some years I dont see the real big ones but this fall I have seen some dandies and now I can use the rifle. Oh boy, if I can only spot one again.

[Scoot]

Sounds like I'm not the only one who hasn't laid eyes on a biggie. With all the good reports and pics of nice bucks, I was starting to feel like I must really suck at bowhunting. I think part of the trouble is that I'm hunting in new places this year and I don't know the lay of the land. When I hunt near where I grew up I can usually find a decent buck somewhere, but I know those woods like the back of my hand. The newer place I've been going definitely holds big bucks, some have reported seeing them in the recent past , but I haven't been in the right place at the right time. I suppose I need to use more of a bowhunter's virtue- patience.

I wasn't trying to start a whiney "whoe is me" post here, just curious to hear if others were struggling.

Gissert, you may be right, I must have used up all my good luck in WY. However, I'm not willing to give up just yet. The most enjoyable year of bowhunting I ever had, I didn't even send an arrow at a buck once. So... I definitely don't need to shoot a deer to be happy. Sure is nice to see one that gets the blood pumpin' once in a while though.

[Gissert]

I hear you Scoot. I had two dandies on the trail cams this year, and never saw a hair. It sounds like a fellow acroos the road who leases an old farm may have got one of them.

I did get quite the thrill from fawn one evening that winded me and spent over an hour working around me at less that 40 yards. It was amazing to watch how careful it was.

One other evening I had to stifle laughter as a hairy woodpecker kept trying to land on the 3D seclusion camo pattern on my ground blind. It really thought it was a tree, LOL.

Oh well, I still have blackpowder season left.

[Slow Jigger]

Actually this year is the first that I have seen a buck of any size and he is a brute. seen him 2 times so far and hoping to see him a 3rd time. He walked right by the ground blind opening night but it was too dark for me to try a shot. He made it through gun season as I saw him last time out and just need him to come back over the fence and see him.

My season has been a success since I saw him. Would like to get my hands on him.

every doe I see is on the other side of where I am sitting.

[Bassboy1645]

I havent as soo much bow shot a deer in 2 years...I moved up nort to the big woods of ely area and its just not like bowhunting corn fields and wood lots and river bottoms or sloughs. Up here the deer seem to be farther and fewer between though they say thyres more deer up here but thyres way more land for them to roam. Down home I can look at a piece of land and almost know im gonna kill a deer there. up here i can look at land and say its "deery" but it seems like I can sit for days and not see one. the best i have done so far is deer just 15 yards too far. Im not buck hunting as i need the meat but i have seen some dandies too! Im diggin this rifle hunting though cuz the way the cover and land is if I see deer they are dead ( usually). Bowhunting big woods is very discouraging to say at least but can be very rewarding.