Anyone else strike out for rifle season?

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yes, and BP, and archery..... had bad luck this year. Seen quite a few, but no good shot opportunities.

To make matters worse, my GF proceeded to tell me at lunch today that a former co-worker's 9-year-old daughter got a buck on her first day out and doe on her second day out - first year hunting with first rifle. Wait, she may have been 8, not 9 yrs.

I shot a tree at noon yesterday out of frustration and to see if I was still zeroed (for the bonus doe hunts). Bad news is I was way off (1.25" right at 10 yards - dunno how that happened); good news is a .280 139 SST can blow clean through a 4" tree and hit the tree behind it, doing a lot of damage in the process.

I can tell you one thing, though - it ain't over till the fat lady sings on Jan 15th.

 

[WNM]

Yeah. Bought a doe tag and a buck tag. Passed on 3 different does, hoping a buck would come in after them.

Finally decided to shoot a doe on Sat, and nothing.

 

[Sooner_Fan]

Depends on what you mean by striking out. Could have shot several deer but chose to do so only with a camera. Had shots at several doe, a one antler 2pt, a 4pt, and this six. Decided they were all to young for me as I already have meat in my freezer. They lucked out this year!

165 yards away

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75 yards away.

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[waffles]

Well Sooner Fan hopefully those bucks will just get bigger. For me I did not even get to go out ONCE deer hunting this year. Thats what happens when you work 7 days a week 12 hours a day! 3:30am to 3:30pm just sucks! The only weekend i could have went I took a trip up to Kansas to go pheasant and quail hunting.

 

[two-click]

rifle & BP beat me bad--- Doe & a 6 pt for archery so far, it's not over yet.

 

[Shifty]

I just got home Saturday from Ft. Benning but ill be in the woods with my bow soon. My huntin buddy has told me the deer have been moving almost completely at night tho. Not until the last week or so (mabye the cooler weather?) have they started moving in the day. Mabye its just been to warm.

 

[Furious_George]

no luck w/rifle in Lexington. finally getting back into archery, so i'll have another few go's at it this season.

 

[bettingpython]

LOL

Yeah, all of those deer were just forming a conga line around the feeders fighting to see which one would get shot first. LOL

It was the macarena not a conga line sheesh.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I didn't tag anything during rifle. I didn't expect to though. I passed several does and two 2.5 year old 8 points. I was only after 3.5-4.5 or older bucks during rifle, and they are not very common with the hunting pressure in my area.

I tagged a doe with my bow in October, and a ground shrinkage having 8 point with my muzzleloader on Nov, 1st. (Why do they always look bigger when chasing a doe right at you?) So with 2 deer in the freezer I wasn't pulling the trigger unless I had a shot at a mature buck (well, it's all relative. We pass a lot of 2.5's, but you would be crazy to pass a 3.5 or older on the 160 acres surrounded by trigger happy hunters I hunt. At least before rifle is over).

I missed my oppurtunity at the only mature buck I saw during rifle Saturday. Just pulled into camp at midday and was messing around getting my stuff ready when a doe ran through. She was being chased by a heavy racked 8 or 10 point. Low and wide chocolate rack. My rifle was unloaded in the back seat of my truck. He stopped broadside at 35 yards just looking at me.
Always...always....always have your weapon handy when in the woods. Even in camp.

I have seen more chasing this year than ever before. Starting October 30th when I saw 2 bucks hot on the tail of does, and the last was Dec. 5th when I saw that nice buck hound dogging that doe. I guess the ones that didn't get bred are coming into estrous again. But I having seen chasing off and on from 10-30-09 through 12-5-09. Wild stuff. Too many does still I guess.

I will shoot another doe with my bow late season if afforded the opportunity. Don't expect a shot at a buck, but that would be nice!

Overall it was one of my best seasons ever from Oct. 1st through the rifle opener. Rifle season always sucks after the first weekend. Way too much pressure in my area. I'm beginning to hate it. Hate the trespassers. Hate the neighbors camp who think rifle season is "Get #$%&faced drunk and bump fire semi auto rifles all day and night season" Hate the locals who think rifle season is "grab your gun, trespass and walk around shooting at deer's asses running away from you on other peoples land" season. Got one on trail camera, will be going to the landowner with it.

They start moving in the daylight again in December, but I'm not a very good late season hunter. I'll be trying though.

 

[Stephen Cue]

I seen about 15 hangin out today. I figured thats where they were but I didnt hunt there.

The Tulsa Zoo frowns on killing their deer, maybe its because its not fair since the exhibit they keep them in is pretty small.