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How Much Time Spent?

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loneranger

Well-Known Member
I am just curious how much time others have spent bow hunting so far this season? I put in the most time I ever have. I was fortunate to have the hrs to spend. I sat mornings and afternoons, for 4 or 5 hrs , 23 times. In that time I saw 4 two yr olds, one yearling, 5 does, and one mature buck, 4 yr old. The lack of yearlings was strange. In yrs past I have seen 4 two yr olds in one morning. Others in my area have also said the numbers have been down. Possibly some local farmer cleanin up on em,,or maybe the DNR is getting things down the way they want,,,but this is off the subject. I am curious as to the amount of time others put in hunting and how long it takes them to see a "Mature", buck.
 
I need to update my journal for the last couple days but I am sure I am over 100 hrs in the tree for the season. Walking out today I decided I am done for the year until after the shotguns are done. Just plain burned out - can't seem to keep my ass in the stand much past 0930 anymore. My kids and my spouse need some attention from their dad for a change.

As far as mature sightings, if you define them as 4-1/2 or older, most likely -0-. I have probably had 7 sightings of 3-1/2 yr olds but not one of those bucks I would guess was over 150. Most looked like 130-140 class deer. Missed one clean at 25 yards (bad bad trigger punch) and had a stare down with another for 3 minutes at 20 yards after taking too much time looking him over rather than getting ready to shoot. I told myself I was not going to shoot another 130 class buck or under this season and looking this one over in thick cover just took too much time.

Some lessons learned and some good sits in new stand locations for 2009. Shot a coyote with the bow (a first for me) and a doe kill about a week ago have been the only blood I have drawn during the month of Nov 09.

Not a bad season at all as I got to spent more time in the tree than ever before. As another IW member once said "if I am not burned out at the end of the season I did not hunt hard enough", well I hunted hard and my flame is out.
 
My flame is out as well. I didn't spend as much time as usual on stand this year. Probably 60 hours or so. I did see some dandies, just couldn't capitalize. Most of my good sightings were all during one weekend, with a few good bucks materializing well after good shooting light. So, I hung the bow up and was lucky enough to find some roosters today. It was refreshing. I'll hit it hard during muzz season and if I'm lucky enough to kill a good one early, I'll be back out with the bow, but I'm done for the early split. And I refuse to lower my standards again this year... It's giant or tag soup/sandwich!
 
Well,, that sounded good,,7 three yr olds, in 100 hrs sitting. I spent over 100 hrs too, in my 23 sits and saw 4 two yr olds, one 4 yr,,I believe anyway, a real heavy 3, if it was a three. I think the number of different properties and stands for those 100 hrs makes a difference too,,though. I have just 4 stands,,on my 40 acres.
 
I tried something different this year and only sat once in early/mid Oct so I wouldn't burn myself and my stands out so quickly and I felt that it was a really effective technique towards achieving those ends. In all I sat 13 times for a total of about 50 hours with 12 of those times occuring between Oct 28th and Nov 17th. I saw does and young bucks almost every sit but did not see a mature buck until Nov 17th when I saw (and shot at) 2 and was lucky enough to harvest one of those bucks. Based on scouting, the number of trail camera pics, and sightings while on stand my feeling was that deer numbers were either static or down on the 3 farms that I hunt that are scattered throughout the state. Just my .02
 
Deer & Ducks stated; "I tried something different this year and only sat once in early/mid Oct so I wouldn't burn myself and my stands out so quickly and I felt that it was a really effective technique towards achieving those ends."

D&D, the above technique is one I will be employing next season. Sat more in the early season and in hindsight wish I would not have done it. Was trying to take some does but next season the early sits will be only if my twins want to go sit in the blind with Dad. :)

Loneranger, my sits were done on a total of 13 different locations. The rut was spent mainly on 8 of those locations. Of the 13, it was a pretty even split between 3 different private and other public tracts. The 3-1/2 yr olds were most likely some repeat offenders as I saw at least two bucks that I think I had second encounters with due to proximity to the first sighting. No offense, but 100 hours and 23 sits on 40 acres sounds like alot. But if I ever spend the money on 40 acres I am sure I will want to hunt hard also. Sounds like you definately put in some seat time.
 
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I just totalled up the hours and I am over 140 hours in the stand this year. The majority was between October 31 and November 15.

I saw 2 bucks over 140", none within the same area code. I had both of these bucks on camera this year. The reason that I mention this most hunters say that bucks travel during the rut and you should see bucks that you never saw before. Not the case this year!

I too believe that the numbers are way down. I remember not too many years ago being on stand and seeing 10, 15, 20+ deer per sitting. Now if you see more than 2 or 3 that's alot.
 
Now this is becoming very interesting data. I also only started sitting last week of Oct, and on into first 3 wks of Nov. Most active time seemed after first wk of Nov. Interesting that others are saying deer numbers down. Maybe the push to reduce by the DNR has worked? Even in Southern two tiers where I hunt.
 
A quick tally of My IDNR bowhunter survey shows 25.5 hr. in 6 outings. mostly because of a ACL reconstruction/meniscus disk repair on 09/04 of this year. i don't sit in my stands till Nov. to avoid burnout. I'd say I'm off my usual pace by about1/2 to 2/3. seen some dandy bucks but haven't been able to pursue them like I'd like for obvious reasons plus the late corn harvest.
 
I've probably spent around 60 hours in the stand. I was only able to hunt the weekends since I'm in college. I have two different spots that I hunt. The first spot had a lot of deer and it was basically a garuntee that I would see deer, I did about every time with a few exceptions. At that spot I saw probably 3 or 4 3.5 year olds and possibly one 4.5. At my other spot I shot a 3.5 and I have only seen 2 other bucks, a basket and another 3.5 or 4.5, this spot I was really surprised by the very low numbers, it would be a good day to see 5 deer at most. But overall from both locations the numbers are really down.:(
 
Amazing to me sep,you say seeing that many is down, by comparison my property quality is really poor! I am envious, but compared to the area I come from,,,,I had a great season, so I shouldn't complain. Interesting how different areas,,properties,,,vary.
 
I'm currently at 185 hours on stand. I have seen pretty good deer numbers for my area, but we don't even have extra doe tags up here. I saw probably 15 or so 1.5s and maybe 5- 2.5s. I saw 3-3.5 year olds and nothing older. I don't think there are many deer in my area I didn't see and my trail cams back that up. All in all not a terrible season but it looks like it may be my third in a row of eating my tag. Just aren't many of those 4.5 or older bucks that I am targeting.
 
This tally of hrs is getting quite impressive! Possibly my areas meager sightings is that I did not spend enough hrs,,only around a 100. Waiting for 5 and 6 yr old deer. Not sure I know what one looks like. I should have seen more yearlings though. Only one small spike. I usually see 4 or 5 yearlings around. Not sure what the lack means??
 
loneranger said:
Amazing to me sep,you say seeing that many is down, by comparison my property quality is really poor! I am envious, but compared to the area I come from,,,,I had a great season, so I shouldn't complain. Interesting how different areas,,properties,,,vary.
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The area where I saw quite a few deer is near Des Moines and there is hardly any pressure from shotgun hunters or muzzleloaders, that is why there are quite a few there, but it is still down. The other area I hunt, in Mahaska county, was really low, I'd be lucky to see 5 deer at most in an all day sit.
 
one sit, 25minutes, 175inch 10 point. My kind of season!!! gotta love trail cams, almost makes it unfair. I did sit alot with my girlfriend though, it was her first year hunting so that was just as enjoyable, she had a chance at a 180 class 11 point that Ive been scouting, couldnt quite close the deal, but now shes hooked for life. Damn I love IOWA :)
 
I spent approximately 50-60 hrs this year. Sat in the same stand everytime but my first time out. Saw more deer this year than any other year. Including a 170ish giant 10 pt, a perfect 150ish 10pt, 4 different 140's, 3 diff. 120ish and many many small bucks. And of course the Nontypical I took on Veterans day. Not to mention the dozens of does I had and the 3 i've taken this year. All together I think I had around 18 different bucks, all within shooting range except the 150 incher. My best year ever.
 
Guess I need to move to Harlan Iowa! Man!! It is interesting how the quality varies from one place to another. I still think amount of land, and human disturbance plays a role. Probably many other factors, but when I first moved out here I did not think there would be such wide differences from one area to another. You drive around and you see pretty much the same,,Corn fields, bean fields, timber. From reading these posts,,you see however,,,there are big differences in the quality of what you see from one spot to another.
 
If you moved to Harlan (Shelby county)you'd be kicking yourself in the rear! Very few deer in the area I live. I drive nearly an hour each way, each day to my hunting spot. I hate having to drive all that way but have no choice. Harlans only good for one thing, high school FOOTBALL! Champions again this year.
 
My season has been an uneventful one also. I have been out 35 times. Mornings and evenings. I usually sit 3 to 4 hours at a time, but did put in one 7 hour sit. I usually see from 1 to 4 deer. This last 3 weeks has averaged maybe 1 to 2 deer. I too think the deer populations are down.

I did see one 180" monster from 400 yards away the first week of October. Since then i passed a 140" 9 pointer the first week of November and have yet to see anything larger than 100" since then. Two mature bucks in maybe 100+ hours on the stand. Pretty much par for me sad to say.
 
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