World's Most Unlucky Hunter

Every camp I join has there first year that they never get anything

Takes a lot of game to support a "Camp". Get out on your own. :confused:

Grizz
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone. Definalty helps me feel better. I would love to get out on my own. I need to find some land that I can get to reliably. It is very hard to find land around town here. If I go north I can get spots but harder to go up often to setup and scout. Maybe game cameras?
 
If your in SW Ont, somewhere, finding a farmer with some land would probably be more productive than going hunting in the woods up north. Some farms hold a lot of deer. Build a couple of treestands, so you always can use one depending on the wind direction, sit still and wait, it will work out for you eventually.
 
I have a lot of friends who mean well and really want to deer hunt but have very little success... in Saskatchewan of all places... These same friends don't follow good advice, rush a lot and don't follow basic pointers when it comes to hunting big game; wind direction, right area right time of year, hunting pressure, noise discipline, etc.

I'm not saying that's your case OP, but I know quite a few guys who are not successful in areas where I have shot monsters and will see bucks daily. A lot of those guys will not give a rats azz about their scent and wind direction, they are extremely loud, can't stop moving, etc. The deer are trying to stay alive and some hunters do a very good job at helping them. Keep in mind that while you may follow all those principles, one of your camp mate might be screwing you over and ruining your spot for you. I've tried to help out guys in the past and brought them along, I'd tell them where to sit so both could have success and nothing would come out, I would find out later that my buddy got not action (30 minutes in a sit) and would decide to walk around or move somewhere where he would F me over (one of the big reason I'm a solo hunter now and will only bring family members, good friends or have the person sit right next to me)... I grew up hunting out east and have made a lot of mistakes, I would consistently hunt the same stand regardless of wind direction. In short, I would burn that area and turn deer nocturnal in that particular spot. If you hunt a very small property and don't have alternate stand locations, it is worth sitting a day out until the wind turns right. A big mistake I used to do and know a lot of friends back home still do is they try and call and rattle deer in the same way we do out west. It just doesn't work everywhere and spooks the deer in some areas.
 
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It doesn't sound to me like you actually get out all that much. It's one thing to read the books and watch the videos but you have to have to have to have to spend time in the field. You gotta burn rubber and gas scouting, getting permissions, etc. You need to spend many weekends before season and during season chasing game. It's not unusual for me to drive 1000kms round trip in a weekend to get to some bush away from "city hunters;" that's 5+hours after work on Friday and 5+hours return after sunset Sunday night. And in my busy years I'll do that 5-6 times September - November. That doesn't include spring or summer scouting trips, or shorter trips closer to home to less desirable spots when I just don't have the time, or day hunts within a few hours, or...

Remember, too, that when a lot of guys brag about getting lots of dear they're probably exaggerating for effect, or forgetting the years they got skunked.

And above all remember that the activity is called "hunting" not "getting." It's a process. Good luck, chin up. Still a few weeks to get out there for deer.
 
2018 was my first moose hunt in northern Ontario on a fly in trip. On about the third day hunting we were in a wee bit of rain and decided to take the afternoon off and had a couple pops at lunch. Went for a wiz out back and a bull walked up VERY quietly, grunting sounded more like a frog than one would expect a moose to. Didn't realize until he turned to look at me when I saw a paddle and a set of eyes- literally mid stream. I backed out smoothly but slipped on the top step into the cabin with my zipper half up as my rifle was not on me. Rookie mistake. He ghosted and my cousin put a 38" bull down the next morning. Now I just do what I can about scent, cover and just show up.
 
Hang in there, it is pretty easy to get skunked if you only have 3 or 4 days.

I don't understand the "camp" thing.

If I were you I would look on the internet for deer counts and roadkill counts, this will give an indication of where there are more or less deer.

Get landowner maps too, I know of a decent whitetail spot that because of how the surrounding farms were homesteaded, there is a approx 1/8 mile by 1/2 mile strip of Crown Land between them, the vast majority have no idea that it is Crown.

I don't know your economic situation but I would consider booking a hog hunting trip in the US.
 
I wouldn’t give up and throw in the towel, I would get out and solo hunt. I’m from semi rural Ontario, lots of private land and I get how far it is to get to crown land out that way depending on where in S. Ontario you live. Have you knocked on doors and asked for permission? Maybe a bit of small game hunting is what you need to get over the bad taste you have in your mouth, I had a a couple years of trying and failing to even find people to show me the ropes in the beginning, I finally said #### it and went out solo which was the best decision I ever made.

The first year was a bust, saw zero deer while I was hunting and I brought home 3-4 grouse. Every year since has been more successful and while I’ve filled the freezer every year it’s not without it’s challenges, last sept as the season opened I watched my one buddy drop a 3 pt buck basically on opening day. A month later of being out every day before the sun came up and till sunset I finally had a deer on the ground. Get out there as much as possible and get you’re boots dirty, it will pay off. Good luck with the rest of your season, don’t give up.
 
Van Isle said:
It doesn't sound to me like you actually get out all that much. It's one thing to read the books and watch the videos but you have to have to have to have to spend time in the field. You gotta burn rubber and gas scouting, getting permissions, etc. You need to spend many weekends before season and during season chasing game. It's not unusual for me to drive 1000kms round trip in a weekend to get to some bush away from "city hunters;" that's 5+hours after work on Friday and 5+hours return after sunset Sunday night. And in my busy years I'll do that 5-6 times September - November. That doesn't include spring or summer scouting trips, or shorter trips closer to home to less desirable spots when I just don't have the time, or day hunts within a few hours, or...

Remember, too, that when a lot of guys brag about getting lots of dear they're probably exaggerating for effect, or forgetting the years they got skunked.

And above all remember that the activity is called "hunting" not "getting." It's a process. Good luck, chin up. Still a few weeks to get out there for deer.
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Very good perspective thanks.
 
Do Not get discouraged, more time in the trenches needed.
Hit the Bush, do more Recce's, plan your hunt, hunt your plan, hunt alone.
Document what you do and keep improving.
Never give up
 
YoungestPiperCub said:
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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I feel for ya.

I wanted to hunt growing up, but my dad was too busy. Grew up, moved away, bought guns, started killing animals right away--but it was slow going at first, and still is at times today.

Forget marksmanship, gunplay, all that stuff. You need to be able to hit what you're aiming at, yes, but the most important skill in hunting is Being In The Right Place At The Right Time.

Ducks, deer, moose, bear rabbits, partridge, whatever: in Eastern Canada, you kill these mainly through intelligence, not through sniper-like accuracy. You need to be where the animals want to be, when they're there. That includes the very important skill of Not Scaring Animals Away.

If you are hunting ducks, you need to learn where ducks want to feed and rest, and figure out how to be near enough to that place to kill them, without scaring them. HINT: The answer isn't store-bought camo.

Bears, well in eastern Canada, you probably need to look at hunting them over bait, unless you know a farmer. I hate hunting bears over bait, but it is a very easy way to shoot your first big game animal. If you know of open country that holds bears (farms, marshes), you should be a to smack one easily with a rifle as long as you stay downwind and quiet.

Deer, same holds true. Learn how to hide yourself visually, as well as stay quiet and learn how to hide your scent. I try to hunt the edges of water bodies. I canoe to my stand, and try to hunt prevailing winds that blow my scent over the water, where they can't smell me. This is an extremely effective trick AS LONG AS YOU HAVE TIME TO WAIT FOR FAVOURABLE WINDS TO HUNT. As far as finding deer, find old orchards in abandoned farms, or other food sources. Invest as much off season scouting time as you can. Nobody likes a mooch who can't find their own deer spots (not saying this is you). In the very real possibility that you cannot get away from the city to do this, then either find places to hunt other things closer to home, or maybe book a trip with a reasonable outfitter in a different province. You might be able to learn more from them in a single trip than you can on your own in years.

I went moose hunting with a top guide a couple of years back, and learned more about moose hunting in an afternoon than I had my whole life.

To sum it up: work on the brain side of the game, get the Intel you need, and the rest falls in place as long as you have time off. The most successful hunters I know are all guys who work on scouting year round.
 
Start you deer scouting just before the snow melts in the spring. Good time to find sheds, trails, locate major deer yards and bedding areas that are used year after year.
Maps, most counties in Southern Ontario have detailed GIS maps showing lot lines, county forests and conservation areas. I've been trying out windy.com for their wind direction prediction.
As someone said check the tag allotment for an area. I think it was 3 archery deer tags and 2 controlled hunt deer tags in my area this fall.
 
Sounds like your just experiencing the trails and tribulations of the hunting life in general. Successful Hunting takes skill gained through experience, there is also the element of luck whether some folks want to accept that or not. I know fellas who could catch a trophy trout in a dirty puddle in a Walmart parking lot and always manage to shoot really nice bucks while taking a crap in the bush or while doing some other non glamorous mundane chore. Some folks just half horse shoes drove up their butts, others like yourself and me have to work, wait and try hard to make things happen. Remember it is not so much the destination but the journey.
 
hey youngestpipercub dont give up. dont overthink it . i have been bow hunting in my backyard for almost 10 years never got one. this year first sit less than 20 min into hunt a buck shows up. got my first deer with the bow in 10 years of trying. just keep trying . stay positive it will happen for you goodluck and good hunting
 
I am on my third season of hunting and have been pretty lucky/successful (those two things are linked). But! If there is just ONE thing I have learned, it is that you just need to be out there (that is where the luck comes in... you'll never see a buck in your livingroom). Just walking and walking and walking. Or even driving. But the bucks are in the thick timber until dusk, where they might pop out for a few minutes before dark.

I shot one of these bucks tonight actually... I just posted the story in this forum... it isn't the happiest ending... yet! :)
 
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