The 2014 No Deer Club

[longstevo]

Here we are at the end of another 2014 modern deer season (for most units).  And once again, the tag sits intact in my pack, knife is clean, and all rounds are accounted for and unfired.  The boots are muddy and scraped from countless miles, and the truck has more than its fair share of abuse from three days of traveling to and from the "secret spot." 

But probably worst of all, my buddy (who hasn't shot an animal yet) and I nearly had opportunity on Saturday, but two forkies wouldn't cooperate. 

So, I toast to you all who stand with me!  The 2014 No Deer Club, as we put our rifles away and begin to plan next years hunt, hopefully enjoying the smell of last year's roasting venison. 
 

But this is hunting, and more important than downed animals is time spent with friends/family, and quality time in the woods. 
Here's to us. 
 

[Jason]

I didn't go out for modern late buck. I have a multi-season deer tag and I'm either going for late muzzy in the 382 or late archery in the 572. So hopefully I won't be joining the no Deer club this year!

[actionshooter]

Between hunting 9 days in Washington and 6 days in Idaho, I passed up 23 bucks and didn't notch my tag. I consider that to be a very successful season.

[biggfish]

I had missed opportunity today, saw a 3 point off the road maybe 25 yards.  I stopped the truck to get out loaded my rifle, but before I could take aim someone in a jeep comes flying around the corner the dust cloud they kicked up was so thick I was cover from head to toe.  If I'd used my side arm I'd be skinning now and not with an unpunched tag again.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I ate my tag already. But i helped a good friend fill his. And My boy has a quality whitey tag to fill next weekend.

[PolarBear]

First year in many that I hunted modern blacktail, along side my 14 year old daughter.  Both of us had standards agreed to before season and we stuck to them.  Mine was big 3 point or better and hers was it had to be a BIG 2 point or better.  Today alone we passed on 8 legal bucks and couldn't be happier to eat our tags!  She was actually smiling and laughing the entire way home today.

[huntingbaldguy]

I'm in the club.  I passed on a spike in the early season.  Called in a fork on Thursday that spooked before i could get a shot off, and i spooked a doe with what i believe was a 3 point in some 3-5 year old reprod, but they were 200 yards off and heading for timber. 

I'll eat my tag happily, knowing how much i've learned this year and how much exercise i got as well.  I feel like i was pretty well prepared but didn't exactly have a solid plan to follow in the early season.  I pretty much formed one at the end of early season, and followed it in the late season and it accounted for the deer i saw, so i know now it should work if i do it consistently next year.

I'm eating an elk tag this year as well sadly.

[Goose123]

Right there with u guys tag soup for me till next year . Went out all this last weekend for the late white tail saw some does and jumped a buck but never saw him .

[Stumps]

This year would have been 10 years in a row getting my animal. Apparently my streak was destined to stop at 9. I saw a couple legal bucks along the way, one was on the wrong side of a property line (20 feet) the other only presented his head in thick cover from 100 yards. I am not opposed to a head shot in the right conditions, those conditions were just not what I had at the time.

Thought everything might come together in the last 30 minutes of late buck. Had 2 does right in from of me, elk coming in one the far side of the field and I could hear a couple deer moving through the trees to meet up with the does. The area I had been hunting had a 4x4 traveling with a young spike. The 4x4 had been around the day before and popped his head up the day before. The little spike was much less cautious and spent 30 minutes in the open the day before. I kept waiting and watching, but the end of shooting light showed up before the big buck did.

There is always next year, start the streak over and see how far I can make it. 9 is not a bad run, 10 would have been better.

[swanny]

Happy to be a member! (not!)

I had an opportunity opening morning of modern, but the buck was to close and once he moved a little further I never had a shot on him. Does surrounded him.

All my weekends after that were then consumed by a facilitator training that I've been involved in for a local youth outdoor club. So I've been outside, just up at Camp Long in West Seattle, instead of the mountains. Guess next year I'll get the multi-season so I have more weekends to hunt if need be? The good news, is I got a call from my buddy Friday, said he had some deer and elk for me. We went 4 for 5 during modern on the east side, and he got his bull. So he said he was sharing some meat with me. So I can't complain to much.

[skeeter 20i]

I'm in the club with a great big grin this year.  I passed on bucks & bears in search of the almighty "first deer" for my youngest who ended up being successful.  I also passed on a couple more bucks while trying to help my oldest son get his buck who ended up also being successful.  I had a fantastic year and probably one of the most memorable seasons in a long time not even firing a shot.

I'd eat tag soup every year to experience another year like we had this year.   

[boneaddict]

Make sure you guys vote in the tally in the poll I have running in the deer section(should be stickyd at the top).

Good to hear stories like that too Skeeter.  Its much more than the killing of something.  Well done

[longstevo]

Seems like a big club. 

[bobcat]

I may be joining your club but I still have 19 days to hunt the late muzzleloader season. So don't count me in quite yet.

[huntingbg]

I'm in the club and now the year long lack of deer meat depression hits!  I was thinking the other day that if I get one next year it will mean that I went two years without a deer, ouch.  Now the buck that only gave me a one second fleeting glimpses as I tried to raise my rifle will be haunting my head.  The opportunities that could have been, seems to be the hardest part of hunting for me to deal with.  Still love it though....