about to give up hunting all together

[30draw]

long time reader, finally registered. I started hunting 4 years ago. I have asked a million questions, read 2 books on deer for this region, and tried it all. I am good with a rifle or a bow, i have tried both season, I spot n stalk, sit n wait, sit in the same place for days on end. i have hunted capitol forest, vail area, snoqualmie, naches, greenwater, a little on the east side. I use scent killer, i dont smoke, chew, or any of that, i get as high as i can when i can and glass nonstop, basically all day, i truly get out there and i work my butt off 95% of the time. and I come home empty handed.

I read all these posts from people passing on bucks, seeing 20 deer in a day.
and then there is me, in 4 years I have seen 2 does, while driving out headed home. never a bear. never a elk except one cow once.

Am i doing something wrong or hunting in the wrong places? seems i have tried it all, put it to good use, and still dont even see an animal. I know if i dont get something on the ground this year, I will never see another cooperative wife hunting season again.

[Skyvalhunter]

Location location location

[jrebel]

Stop looking for the whole animal and get good at Where is Waldo books.  Not making fun at all....but you sound like you are doing the right things.  My guess is you are walking right past deer and elk.  Move slow and pick the forest apart.  Look for horizontal plains in the otherwise vertical forest.  Look for ears, legs, movement and anything that looks out of the ordinary. 

Hike in in the dark and Hike out in the dark.  People that are afraid of the dark miss most of the animals as they show themselves literally minutes before end of shooting light. 

Again not trying to make fun.....Are you color blind?  Father in law hunted with another guy for years that could never see deer they were pointing out.  Years later he told them he was color blind.....apparently he couldn't see deer to save his life.  They attributed it to being color blind.   

Keep at it, if you give up you will never harvest a deer. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Go out oct 30/31. Bucks will be in rut.  Get where you can see more than 60 yards.
Good luck pilgrim.

[buckfvr]

Id spend some time looking over harvest reports and hunt where the deer are...........if you hunt as hard as you say, you would hang meat over here..............

[Revwrangler]

Your doing it for all the wrong reasons! Yes meat in the freezer is nice, and trust me I NEED meat in my freezer, but I'm good with tag soup too just for the experience of time and fun in the woods.

I've come up empty the last 3 years, and have had some really bad experience in those 3 years, but am far from giving up. I love the hunt!

And I understand the wife issue. My wife doesn't understand why I spend the money on the tag to come home empty, but she understands I need the time, so she is good with it.

Long story short, don't give up, just learn to love putting in the time.

[30draw]

jrebel, i usually look for a good vantage point with a good shooting lane or a few but where i can be hidden well, i go to stupid lengths to be hidden, and quiet. and i glass and try to pick the areas apart. and my eye sight is good

[cooltimber]

patience,persistence,persevere ,My hunting bud always look's to much at the ground when hiking or hunting! track's, scat, location,pattern.relax don't put out killer vibe;s!

[Seahawk12]

I've hunted for years. Both archery and MF. I have harvested deer and elk. I've gone many seasons with nothing. I guess for me the act of hunting is more important to0 me than the meat.
I could go a decades without harvesting and I would still hunt the next year simply because I am in love with the experience of being on the hunt. Fort a short time each year being a pure predator.
A couple of pieces of advice I would give you are these:
1 ) Ask yourself if the act of hunting is pleasant to you. Looking past the frustration of not filling your tag, Does it give you joy?
If the answer is no.......... whats the point?

2 ) Pick an animal. With that info, pick a GMU. Camp often in the summer and plan on scouting a lot. Learn as much of the area as possible. Talk to the locals at the convenience store, delis, restaurants, gas stations, etc.  Make that GMU yours.

3 ) Read the stories on this forum and others like it. (because it is full of knowledge, and knowledge is power )

4 ) Relax your energy levels while in the forest. Like a dog can smell fear, prey animals like deer can smell your tension.

Just my  Hope it helps.

[jason stevens]

Don't feel to bad I've hunted for 24 years now and have never killed a buck I can find them just can't kill them .if you bow hunt and just want to harvest a doe I go everyyear to the same spot look me upnext year ill take ya out on a weekend.

[30draw]

this year i went archery so i still have late season. my neighbor hunts too and i bug him alot with questions lol.

[CAMPMEAT]

Don't feel bad. I live in what was the best hunting the state and I've only shot 1 deer in 14 years of living here. BUT, I don't like deer meat at all, so I don't hunt them very hard.

[go4itlab]

Hang in there, it will happen 

[sirmissalot]

Where do you live? Some areas don't have a lot of deer. Although hunting vail you should have at least seen some deer

[billythekidrock]

2 does in 4 years in at least 6 locations?
There is a lot of great info above, but I would also add sticking with one spot for a while and learn it like the back of your hand.

Where in Capitol Forest were you? It can be extremely tough to hunt but you should be able to see a few does up there at any time.