The general archery season started here yesterday so I figured it was time to start this annual thread.  Post your success, failure, and photos here for the 2025 deer hunting season, regardless of weapon/tactic.

 

Good luck out there

I’ve been kinda turned off from deer season the last 10 years. Been going but not a lot maybe spent 8hrs in the stand all season only gun season I stopped bow hunting after I got my big 8 12 years ago. 
 

my daughter loves venison now her friends dad made her some and then sent her home with some since I haven’t shot a deer in years. 
 

NY just legalized crossbows for use during all of archery now just the last week of it. So I picked up a killer instinct rapid 420. Spent the weekend getting it dialed in. 
 

I used to be against crossbows but now that I’m older not that I’m even old just older I now have a crossbow and plan on using it early during bow season. 
 

I gave my oldest boy my old Hoyt spider 30 this season I bought it 6 years ago and never shot it or set it up. Gave everything to him he spent his own money and got it set up but I owe him some arrows. He asked me if I wanted to shoot it I said sure let’s see if I still got it and then robin hooded it. Then chuckled said that’s why you aim for different points each shot and that I would pitch in to get him new arrows. 35 yard Robin Hood shot. Wasn’t expecting to do that since I haven’t shot a bow in over 10 years. 

39 minutes ago, clayton86 said:

NY just legalized crossbows for use during all of archery now

 

Minnesota did that last year too.

 

The traditional compound archery crowd hates it.  I don't archery or crossbow hunt so I have no skin in the game.

10 hours ago, clayton86 said:

He asked me if I wanted to shoot it I said sure let’s see if I still got it and then robin hooded it

A couple years back my son got into shooting bow. I took him to a local outdoor store so we could set it up. I brought mine too. I hadn’t shot mine in over ten years, and surprised myself with some pretty good groups. The old man still has it.

 

 

On another note, he bought himself a trail cam a couple weeks ago so we’ve been keeping an eye on things. Not much activity. We moved it yesterday and we’ll give it another week. It’s still early but compared to what I’m seeing on my friends cameras that are on his property, we’re lacking in activity. 

9 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

A couple years back my son got into shooting bow. I took him to a local outdoor store so we could set it up. I brought mine too. I hadn’t shot mine in over ten years, and surprised myself with some pretty good groups. The old man still has it.

 

 

On another note, he bought himself a trail cam a couple weeks ago so we’ve been keeping an eye on things. Not much activity. We moved it yesterday and we’ll give it another week. It’s still early but compared to what I’m seeing on my friends cameras that are on his property, we’re lacking in activity. 

yeah after I did that my ex father-in-law made the comment how both my boys are really good shots and must get it from me haha. My youngest boy got a bow also and he’s never shot before and was stacking groups tight. Plan was to give oldest my Hoyt and then his to his little brother but jacks left handed so they had to get him a whole new set up. He writes as a righty but throws football left shoots left does everything but write lefty 

3 minutes ago, clayton86 said:

jacks left handed

I am too so my son isn’t getting any hand me downs from me. 😁

Did my first sits opening morning/evening and the following day. Not a single deer but realized how many possums are in the area.

 

Had something run up fast and hard in the trail behind me but couldn't see what it was. Hoofed around for a few minutes than walked off. 

 

There are lots of possums in every area 😂. Those things can’t get get out of traffic so their life strategy is just make more possums . I’ve seen one with a litter of babies on her back and a younger litter in the pouch. 

Of course you mean opossums since possums are Australian.

20 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

There are lots of possums

 

Yes, but the real question is, what do they taste like?  We know you know.  Be honest.

Kind of like rabbit but more rodenty.

11 hours ago, gim said:

 

Yes, but the real question is, what do they taste like?  We know you know.  Be honest.

I’d rather starve 

32 days until I deer hunt.  Next week I'm devoting a day to checking on stands with my Father.  Picked up my license along with an antlerless bonus tag a few days ago.

My buddy killed one this weekend, dragged it a long ways to where his truck was on the other side of a “locked” gate……. Turns out it wasn’t even locked and he could have driven to the deer 😂 

I haven't hunted in probably 10 years.

 

Have a bad shoulder and need surgery which I've put off.

 

I need to either start back up or sell all of my stuff. I'm sure I have way more invested in hunting than I do fishing.

 

My problem is when I do something it's always 110%.

 

At least for me, I feel like it would be hard to fish and hunt in say November.

 

With that being said, sitting 20 foot up in a tree stand is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.

@HawkeyeSmallie this is my 31st season. I started when I was 12 and haven’t missed any. Our season is 9 days long and I usually hunt at least 7 or 8 of them. All day, every day, weather permitting. About 11 hours each day.

 

I find it to be very relaxing, peaceful, and enjoy the solitude. When I was younger I was hell bent on filling my tag; that’s only a minor goal now. I get to spend the week with my Father outdoors too. He is 74 so each season may be his last.

 

Even with all those positives, it can get ungodly boring. I’ve sat there rotting away in a tree for days on end without any sightings. I’ve also seen some truly wild animals in their natural environment that most people probably have only ever seen in a zoo.

6 minutes ago, gim said:

I’ve also seen some truly wild animals in their natural environment that most people probably have only ever seen in a zoo

This is what keeps me sane when it’s a slow day deer wise in the woods.

Season is 9 days?? Heck it’s from like Labor Day to after new years here 

55 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Season is 9 days?? Heck it’s from like Labor Day to after new years here 

Depends on how you hunt

Archery is Sept 13 to Dec 31

Muzzleloader is Nov 29 to Dec 14

Youth and Early Antlerless is Oct 16 to Oct 19

Regular Firearms opens November 8 and closes at various times depending on your county - Nov 16 or Nov 23

Special southeast region Firearms is Nov 22 to Nov 30

And there's a special CWD management season the weekend of Dec 19 to Dec 21

 

Obviously Gim is a firearms kind of guy.

 

Ya - it's complicated up here.

@TnRiver46 what @MN Fisher posted is accurate; it's based on the weapon.  I am only a firearms hunter.  

 

Archery is open for like 3 months. 

I only firearms hunt. For me it's as much about the guns as it is the hunting and taking of game.

 

Our season is 2 weeks / 3 weekends long in November.

 

We had a special 2 day weekend season just a couple of weekends ago as part of the states efforts to monitor CWD. I hunted it a couple hours with my son. He's been itching to go since last season when he went with me and we bumped a group of does on the way out.

 

Here we are year'afore last I reckon. With the rifle I'll be using. A Winchester 1892 Deluxe in 44 Magnum.

Ga. 2025 ML

 

I’m going to hunt with a .243 this year. There’s been way more rain , so the dirt tanks are full of water. The farmers around my area have planted milo , wheat and corn . It’s shaping up to be a great year. 

We’ve been seeing quite a few little bucks on the trail camera this year. That is, until this guy showed himself. Hopefully, he doesn’t stay nocturnal which they seem to do the past couple years.

 

 

Devoting the day to working on stands tomorrow with my Father.  Lots of work to be done to ensure each stand is safe and suitable to use for another season.