World's Most Unlucky Hunter

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Location
Near KW Ontario
Sorry for the long post but I have to vent.

Summary/ TLDR
Just got home from my 7th hunting season and have yet to ever get anything. Every camp I join has there first year that they never get anything. I just cannot ever seem to catch a break.

Long version

Growing up I always wanted to hunt. I always wanted to see if I could shoot a deer. No one in my family hunted or even knew anyone who did. I grew up in boyscouts and was a leader until my early 20s. I love the outdoors and always tried to be out in them. I have taught 100s of kids how to camp and live outdoors. I spent summers up north at my grandparents living in the woods as much as I could. I used to hunt squirrels with a nerf gun and could tag them with a foam dart. When I was 10 I took up archery with my dad. Went threw the junior archery program and was shooting 240s and 250s for a few years. My dad never wanted to hunt so punching paper was all I could do. When I graduated and bought my own place I finally was able to start on my hunting journey. I joined a gun club and practised regularly shooting clays and rifle for a few years. I met some shooting mentors and learned a lot. Pretty soon I had some offers to come along on some hunting trips. This is where were my luck ran out. Every year I have opportunity's to hunt and can never seem to get anywhere.

In 2013 I went duck hunting with my mentor and we got 3 ducks. I was hooked. I started reading, listening to podcasts and watching videos. I didn't have any spots of my own but I got a dog and started to train her. Worked her all winter and summer.

In 2014 I had some spots secured and a dog that was semi trained. I called and called and tried all season and got one goose that was wounded and came floating down the river. Later that year I went out coyote hunting with a crew that gets 100 plus coyotes a year. I was in a great spot and a coyote came bye and I missed. Then in another spot one came walking in just as my radio beeped and pushed him to another hunter. I did however feel I was ready to try for deer.

In 2015 I went duck hunting with some guys who regularly limited out on ducks. I went out 3 times with them and we never saw anything. All other days I didn't go they filled the truck. I also found a deer spot to go to up north in rifle season. Was out in a stand where there were tons of tracks and never saw a thing. The last Sunday I had to help close a cottage for the privalage to hunt on there land. That was the first year in 15 no one got a deer. I tired again on my own with my dog and got a few birds.

In 2016 I had access to property in middle Ontario. Family's farm of a friend who had deer on it all the time. I went up and scouted and saw deer every visit. Come hunting season I had 4 days. Not a single deer.

In 2017 I found a deer camp that has never not put 6 deer down in 30 years. I went up and worked. Put up stands, cleared brush and helped out. Come season I had to work the entire rifle season and never go to go. The next year the camp was full.

In 2018 I found another camp this time north of Huntsville. This camp usually got 2-6 deer and had years with 12 or more. I booked 3 days off practised all summer. Draws came out and no doe tags. Went up and no one saw a buck. I never saw a deer.

This year I was up for the rifle opener. Took the entire week off. We had 4 doe tags. On my way to camp I hit a pothole and bulged a sidewall. Got to camp and hunted anyway. First 2 days didn't even see a deer. I had to get the tire fixed so I headed into town. Came back and a deer was down. The old boys taught me how to skin and process it. I enjoyed it a lot. The next day nothing again. Thursday we bumped a deer and I finally saw one. It was coming towards me but turned off and headed at a hunter next to me. He missed all 3 shots. Then 2 more bumped and another hunter missed both. i feel that I would have made either of those shots no problem. Disaster struck again and I had to come home early for a sick daughter.

I just got home last night and I am gutted at another unpunched deer tag. I have 1000s of round of practise in all shooting positions with a rifle. I shoot 20-25s in skeet and trap. I can sneak up on deer with a camera and take pictures of them. I literally go out in the summer and early fal l with a camera and take photos. I have 100s of deer photos. I have camped my whole life and can sit still for an entire day. I adore being out in the woods but I see post after post of people filling tags and I just cannot do it.

I'm not sure where to go from here. Any advice or someone who was in a similar situation? I'm seriously considering just giving up and going camping only or doubling down and working my ass off next year. I just feel like it cannot be this hard can it???
 
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My advice is to make some radical changes. Find a place to hunt and go it alone. You seem to be able to find deer with a camera. They will be there in hunting season too. My last hunting partner who has now passed away taught me how to move quietly in the brush, track, and he got me up in tree stands. I had been successful in the past but this approach really put me in contact with game.

1) When there is pressure deer head for thick cover so that is where you need to be.
2) Get up in a tree in a location where trails intersect and sit quiet and watch your wind
3) watch moon cycles. Hunt on waning moons. Full moons are bad news. This is important during the rut.
4) Goid times to be on stand. Dawn and dusk but also noon to 3 are good too especially in the thick stuff.
5) Try going alone or with just one other person. More people more noise.

Be persistant you will score eventually. I remember when my uncle was teaching me to fly fish the Columbia river. I would fish every day all summer and catch maybe two fish all season while he caught fish all the time. Then after a few of years all of a sudden I started catching to. Even now when I get back there I catch fish. I think the reason is I want to go out and enjoy myself and I am not really worried if I catch or not. Remember that success comes when you least expect it.
 
I’m one branch of my family tree that has grown similar to your situation.
While I had the opportunity to join cadets...my childhood friends did beavers and scouts etc.
Had friends with pellet guns and got shown firearms safety that way.
The short version is Don’t give up. Not this year, not ever.
I hunted deer (first big game) starting back in 2012....never saw a deer during hunting season until 2016 when I got one.
Haven’t seen one hunting since. I understand that’s why it’s called hunting lol.
The best part about this lifestyle choice of being a hunter is that (IMHO) you can still provide for yourself with other quarry at different times of year and seasons.
Fishing and camping are also part of my seasonal cycle, but the best part is being out there. Away from technology, work, complaints regarding work, and life stresses.
It’s simple outdoors, and besides a bad day hunting is for sure better than a bad day at work...sometimes even a good day LOL
And don’t give up. Cut yourself some slack. It’s still hunting even if you’re unsuccessful. You can still “salvage” your season by focusing on small wins. Small game is still open...grouse might be taking a stroll past your stand...never know unless you’re out there.
Take care.
J
 
Don't forget why you took up hunting in the first place. Those reasons are still valid. Frustration is normal and tag soup is unpalatable at best. Keep going, things will go your way eventually and it will be that much sweeter.
 
One of my work partners hunted for 20 years without ever getting a deer or moose... the camp always got lots of deer and moose, but he was never the shooter... then finally one year he shot a nice buck, and since then he has taken more than a dozen deer and moose.

The moral of this story is stick it out and enjoy the process... the deer hunter success rate hovers around 10-15%, you have hunted deer for four years, statistically speaking, you have not even put in your time yet.
 
I'm 0 for 4 years deer hunting, every year 2-3 guys out of our 5 get deer, but never me. With that said, I've enjoyed every minute of it and wish I could get out more. I only hunt locally with a bow but just being out in the bush is rejuvenating. I've put tons of ammo down field at the range hoping to eventually get out to a moose hunt (hasn't happened yet) but I have a grin on my face with every pull of the trigger. As mentioned above, don't fixate on the end prize, enjoy the journey, there's a lot more to it than a big rack on the wall or meat in the freezer. Enjoy the guys your out with, breath the fresh air, watch the sunrise, get annoyed at the squirrels....but it's all better than sitting at home in front of the tube.

Eventually the deer will come, and you'll appreciate it that much more because of how hard you had to work for it. Good luck!
 
It took me seven years of hunting before I got my first deer, looking back I now see that I was making a lot of mistakes back then, mainly not paying enough attention to my scent, not being quiet enough when moving, and not sitting still enough in the tree stand.
Once I corrected those problems I was getting my deer every year after that.
 
I do recall, I got my first buck on my 5th year hunting too.
I didn't have the advantage of other hunters showing me the ropes and only met more experienced hunters in about year 8.
Wasn't trying to be a smart ass with my earlier comment about moving out west, but it seems we have better opportunities out here as far as available crown land to hunt.
stick to it, it'll come, and it will be magical ;)
 
Google Joe Btsfspk :)

Im getting up in years and have only recently gotten back into hunting and have yet to bag a deer. Moved to the West Coast and pretty well had to learn to hunt again, not that I knew how to in the first place. Had a chance with a nice four point black tail last fall and got tangled up in my day pack, something which I had never hunted with before. Looks like work is going get in the way of fun things again this year. Am I discouraged? Nope. I enjoy the outdoors to much. The deer will be the icing on the cake so to speak.
Don’t give up. Like some have said, go alone then it’s just you and the wild.
Good luck.
 
As mentioned its more the journey than the process. I enjoy sitting in the wild listening to nature do it's thing. No phones, no one #####in' at ya, except the chipmunk that finds you an annoyance for being there. I was all geared up to go this year, car half packed, when one of my drivers had to suddenly retire due to a serious unforeseen medical issue. I had to cover the work. Couldn't find anyone qualified in time.

The area where I hunt has deer all over the place except during hunting season LOL. I have them in my backyard 10ft from my back window when it's not hunting season. I can understand ones frustration but that's what whitetail hunting is all about, because when you get that first one all the krap doesn't matter for that moment in time.
Keep at it. Keep hunting, they will come.
 
I hate to say it but that's hunting. It took me 7 years to even get a shot at a deer. Meanwhile the guys I hunted with shot deer regularly. It sounds like you are really only going out a couple of days per year. It seems like you are confident in your shooting abilities so I would spend more time hunting and less time practicing. Archery season is generally long. You have to put the time in.
 
you seem to be missing the point of "hunting". for me the experience of doing the hunt and everything that leads up to it is more fun. hanging out at camp with the guys making new friends etc. if your only goal is the "kill" then perhaps you need to find a new group of people to hunt with. i look forward to the social part more then the killing. don't get me wrong i have never have been able to find anything that gives me the rush that i get from taking the shot and harvesting an animal. but i have gone several years without that then that one time you get one you remember why you put all the effort in and all the sweat and work. in my opinion you should find a group of guys you like hunting with and enjoy every minute of the experience and if the hunt is successful then that is the icing on the cake!
 
Sometimes you just have to pop your cherry. It will be easy after that. You're doing everything right. Just maintain a good attitude and it will happen. I guarantee it.
 
Hunted with a guy that smoked, ate the smelliest smoked jerky and drank coffee you could smell a quarter mile away. I think it was about his 15th year hunting he finally connected. Another always brought a stinky dog with him. Buy a set of electric ear muffs that you can turn up the volume on and hear how loud you are walking through the bush. Pay attention to the wind, walk facing it. Put in the time it doesn't happen overnight. I am blessed that I get to watch the animals grow up and see their patterns. Windy/ rainy days I see the most animals.
Oh and I also have a stack of unpunched tags.
 
I started deer hunting in 1980. If we found deer tracks we thought we had a good year. Deer were scarce. Now there are lots.
If I were you I would make a tree stand or ground blind and sit still.

We have found that sitting still produces the best results, whereas pushing them results in moving them to other hunters or onto property we don't have permission to be on. Plus it requires shooting at running deer which is a low percentage shot and even then results in shot up deer.

We made a bunch of stands with sides and roofs, nothing fancy but it keeps the wind and rain off for the most part, plus you can move a bit without the movement being seen. Pour a coffee, have a sandwich etc. Our results are now typically 4-6 bucks a year (we let the does go now, we didn't do that years ago but now there are more deer so we are more selective) and generally everyone sees or has an opportunity, but some years 1 guy will get all the action and then the next year it will be a different guy.

Sitting also has the benefit of shooting at a standing or walking deer which generally is a 1 shot kill and the deer isn't all shot up.

This year guy 1 saw 2 fawns, guy 2 saw 3 bucks, got 1 little 4 pt, I saw 3 bucks (shot 1 big deer, not big rack though) and 7 does & fawns not sure what the other 2 say in total but they got 1 buck each (4 pt's)
 
I have deer in my yard as I head out to hunt.
Don't see sfa all day and yet they are here.
Wifie laffs at me.

One day I was out and sat behind a big rock.
Heard a bunch of noise and a few deer came running past.
Then a couple coyotes.
The crashing became louder and out come Paul Bunyun.
Man, that big dewd could move quickly thru the bush.
He finally spotted me and asked if I seen anything.
I grinned, ohhh yeah.

I see more game granny two stepp'in it than jogging thru the bush.

As noted above, pay attention to the journey end of things.
 
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