Sum up your season:

[jltimm]

It was great to get out hunting again this year, but was the worst deer season I've had as far as seeing deer while on stand. I got the big 0 this year, 1st time in many years! How was everyone elses season?

[maros91]

I did not harvest any deer via the gun and neither did my wife but we could have taken a couple each. We were just holding out for the right one. Brother in law that hunts with us can't hit water if he fell out of a boat so that is why he didn't get one. It was a nice year, hunted some new areas and seen plenty of deer.

[Mark Christianson]

Best year ever!

My son shot a small buck his first day on stand with a gun.

Took nearly 11 hrs straight on stand, and he was a trooper the whole time.

I saw some deer. Not the worst, not the best. So probably average when it comes down to it when I really think about it.

PS - saw 2 different dandy bucks on bow stand last night. That was nice! No buck tag, since I used it on my 11 year old sons buck. DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dspohn]

good year for me 1 nice buck, saw about 17-20 deer on opener, and have seen around ten while bowhunting but no shots yet. hopefully that will change soon though!

[Neighbor_guy]

Timberwolves......

Little to no deer sign. I taged a large doe opening day, she had two fawns with her. My father and I each saw those two fawns once more the rest of the season.

Couldn't explain why the lack of deer sign untill saturday of 3rd weekend, zone 1, wolf tracks in the snow. After I stoped to take photo's, I spoted three timberwolves, 2 black and a grey, moving threw the pasture from north to south. It explained alot.

[brassman]

It was slow for me, only seeing one deer all season which I shot since it was my biggest buck to date. other than that it was slow for our whole group. only came out with 4 deer for 7 people, usually everybody gets a deer.

[Wanderer]

Its been an interesting season so far with some archery time left to go.

I started a little earlier this year than usual(September) and managed two does with my bow. Not much seen for bucks except the Sunday before firearms opener when I saw one my biggest bucks ever on stand. Too dark to shoot though.

Opener of firearms I had bucks running all over the place and took one 8 pointer I thought had been hit already by somebody else. On the second weekend I found a great new area to hunt and tried it the last morning I was there. I saw 5. I'll be back next season.

31 deer seen while hunting MN so far.

Went to SD for my first prairie hunt. I learned a whole new dynamic in deer hunting and was able to test my long distance shooting skills. We came home with two decent 8 pointers and two does.

I am happy that I had some extra venison to share with family and friends who weren't having a good season this year.

Good luck to those who are continuing their seasons. Better luck next year for those who are done.

Ice fishing is about here!

[BLACKJACK]

I was just thinking the other day that this is the first time in many years that I haven't gutted a deer deer!!! When guys are standing around debating whos going to gut the deer, I jump in and do it, it means the end of a successful hunt!!! Unless its a gut shot - then the shooter gets to gut it!!

Didn't spend much time slug hunting because of family illness.

I've had my bow pulled back twice on does but couldn't shoot, once because the fawn was in the way and the second time because of branches in the way.

Still bowhunting so I may get my chance yet!!!

[Tippman]

It was a great year for me as I got to see and pass up many nice bucks. I was even able to harvest some as well, although I did see less deer this year than in previous years. I'm also satisfied with the amount of time I was able to spend on stand, which is also important to me.

[mrklean]

It has been interesting, gun season stunk, saw a few deer but the wind killed our hunting for 3 days. During bow season i got a doe and saw a bunch of deer, our cams were full of deer just didnt see them, they moved very very late. Im gonna head back out this week with the bow to find a late season buck. Hope i can find one of the big boys that was hiding

[96trigger]

It was pretty slow for me during 3B, we have one deer hanging right now, hopefully it picks up. On Friday some of the guys I hunt with went out and glassed a field before dark, 11 different deer in the fields. Nothing came out for them on Saturday evening. However, we have all been seeing deer. Only one small button buck was shot, thought it was a doe. Saw what would have been a nice 8 pointer, only had half a rack though. Saw 3 deer all weekend. Usually have a couple right away opening morning. Not going to complain, there was a ton of shooting opening morning where I was.

[sticknstring]

It's been a pretty frustrating season for me so far. By far and away the fewest sightings from stand I've ever experienced. I was fortunate to fill my buck tag early but finding a willing doe has been tough. I haven't been able to get my fiance to connect with her first yet either. Still a lot of season left though. December in the snow is one my favorite times to be out. It's my first year having trail cams out and that definitely added to the experience as well.

[boatfixer]

Sucked!

[SledNeck]

Stellar. Best season ever between me and my dad. My son got to watch me take down a 10 point his 2nd time sitting in a stand.

I dont know if the timberwolves theory in that they clean the deer out of an area is entirely true. 5 sets of timberwolf tracks went down a trail near the stand I was sitting in on a particular morning, I would figure at 5am, cause it was snowing. Then I saw a 6 point walk in on the same trail around 7:30am. And it hung around in an opening for about 15 minutes.

[Black_Bay]

It was the worst for me but not necessarily because I only saw one deer. My season was cut short so I only hunted 2 days.

There must have been a bunch of deer in our area (107) because the wolves were having a great time. We had 2 wolf kills within 200 yards of each other. We heard from other groups in the area that hunting was bad and wolves were everywhere.

[Musky Buck]

I was fortunate. Took a 14 point buck. Other than that brief moment it was poor. I hunt 3 different locations within about 12 miles of each other and split my time. Saw 1 6 pointer chasing a doe, a doe and 2 fawns, a lone fawn, and the buck I got or none at all. I think in my area the deer peaked out about 4-5 years ago, there are way fewer deer in our area now and we have no wolves around to speak of. We had an early doe hunt 1 year in our area and I never saw a doe that rifle or muzzleloading season, saw lots of orphaned fawns though, not saying that is the reason, just seemed to change our hunting area quite a bit.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Sucked too, hunt in zone 174, north of aitkin. This past weekend, sign like crazy they were all over in the acorns, but at night. Found two decent sized rubs all tore up, 3 scrapes close by and full of stink. All the deer on our land moved at night, see them in the field by 6pm each night, by dawn nothing moving at all. Frustrating. Next year I guess, but have said that the last 3 years

[bigsandynorth1]

I hunted north of Aitkin and we had the best year yet, 8 for 10.

[BigWadeS]

It was a great season saw some deer, shot a couple, and the best part I was deer hunting and not working!

[walleyeking19]

It was my best year ever. I shot a 4 pointer opening morning then a 6 pointer the following friday. now i am waiting for a doe to get with my bow

[BuckKiller]

i had a great season. shot 3 bucks one with bow (4 point) and two with riffle(8 point and a 10 point). my uncle got an 8 point a couple nights ago making it 8 deer for 8 people. 4 does and 4 bucks. my little brother shot his first deer(doe) so that was pretty exiting.

can't wait for next year

[kingr]

It's not over yet! Gun was dissappointing but I'm still bow hunting...

[inspec_brad]

I sure do like how some people are shooting 2 and 3 bucks. I was pretty sure that you can only shoot 1 buck a year(unless party hunting) what a joke?

[buckeyes08]

It was not even close to being the worst year. No I haven't shoot a deer yet but have seen deer almost every time I was out and I've hunted 5 different zone and seen deer and still seen deer. I passed up adout 20 deer alot being pretty nice deer. I like to wait till after firearm season to start shooting does and buck enless its a big buck. I lots of time I shoot a doe with a bow after firearm season.

[96trigger]

Quote:

I sure do like how some people are shooting 2 and 3 bucks. I was pretty sure that you can only shoot 1 buck a year(unless party hunting) what a joke?

Its not a joke, its totally legal, and its part of what is wrong with party hunting and why a mature buck is hard to find in MN, but I don't hold any ill will against anybody that shoots them legally. Now, back to the topic at hand.