-Cover photo courtesy of The Element Wild
Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb and declare that 2020 hasn’t been the best of years. First, there’s the obvious COVID-19 pandemic that played a huge role. This of course lead to other downsides, including the great American toilet paper shortage. Then the political season proceeded to bring a healthy dose of bewilderment with incessant negativity and grappling from all directions. It was like shrapnel that pierced the soul through television, radio, and social media.
It’s been a down year on the home front too. A wife with an at-risk immune system has meant, among other things, far less socialization and more time spent social distancing. Then, the unthinkable happened. On the way home from an evening hunt, I was in a wreck, landing my truck in the body shop for three-and-a-half weeks – during the whitetail rut, mind you. Luckily there were no injuries. All in all, first world problems but disconcerting nonetheless.
Suffice to say, to offset this, I hunted every chance I could during 2020. However, when the dust settled, I had failed at my ultimate goal of arrowing a nice mature buck.
The 2020 regular deer season, like the year, wasn’t quite like I drew it up. I ate the proverbial tag sandwich. It was a little dry and flavorless I might add.
I’ve hunted hard. I’ve been meticulous too, cutting no corners. Still, none of my hit-list bucks received the wrath of a broadhead – at least not mine. Many early mornings and much windshield time between properties have seemingly yielded nothing – not to mention the countless hours of scouting over the summer and early fall.
In retrospect, my season initially left my mindset far short of an “attitude of gratitude”.
This is the time of year that I reflect on the season. I mentally sum up the highs, lows, and encounters with the buck (or bucks) I’ve shot. With the latter not coming to fruition, I started to realize there was much more to the 2020 deer season.
As I thought through some of the adventures had and lessons learned, clarity started to set in. And in doing so, I settled on the obvious solution – taking the high road. I then made a sort of whitetail gratitude list for this past season. Here are just a few of the rewards I’ve received from my 2020 whitetail escapades.
Three Buck Fights
I’ve seen many buck fights, but it’s rare for me to see three all-out clashes from the stand in one season – all violent ones involving mature bucks. No basket rack sparring here – real throw downs. For good measure, one of the bouts took place in late September. That was a first for me. Unable to explain it, I was reminded of how much I still have to learn about these amazing creatures.
Solo Hunting
I love deer camp and hunting with friends in general. However, my most productive deer hunting is done alone (though this season indicates otherwise). After a full-on season of solo hunting, I had the opportunity to enjoy some great sits and view a lot of deer and other wildlife. This allowed me to learn more about the grounds I hunt and how the deer use them. I know this will pay off.
Life on the road solo hunting demands organization for it to be enjoyable and fruitful. A convoluted mess of hunting gear in the truck can be maddening. This season provided the opportunity to refine my system – everything from more efficient packing to maximizing my time in the field.
The 2020 deer season was a solitary affair. Solo hunting definitely had it’s advantages.
Bluebird Skies
The first half of deer season was unseasonably warm in Texas – not the best of scenarios. This meant less buck movement, even during the pre-rut and rut phases. Some afternoon hunts were so warm, I considered wearing shorts. Then I remembered. This past season, I hunted under some of the clearest blue skies I can remember. It sure made for some really good wildlife viewing and meaningful thought. It’s trite but it’s true. What a blessing. By the way, I realized I would have griped if it was too cold also.
Deer season 2020 featured some of the best blue bird skies.
Temperatures aside, It was common to see clear blue skies during the fall and early winter of the 2020 season.
The Snort Wheeze
Having hunted for nearly 50 years, I heard a buck snort wheeze a time or two. This season, I heard and saw a mature whitetail make this unmistakable sound at 20-yards from my stand. I love seeing and studying whitetail behavior and body language so this was an awesome experience. Coincidentally, it showed me just how unrealistic my attempts at the call have been. Note to self, don’t try that anymore.
Post-Rut… Rutting
There is nothing quite as abrupt as the end of the whitetail rut. So, when I watched a good buck identify and tirelessly pursue an unbred doe in early January, it served as a reminder that it does happen. Whether you call it the secondary rut or not, seeing this keeps the fire burning during a period when the whitetail woods seemingly hit the pause button. I’ll remember this next late season.
Great Encounters
While my hit-list bucks continually eluded and mocked me, I was blessed with many close encounters with nice bucks. Only my stubborn pursuit of a few specific bucks (all with names, mind you) kept me from taking one. That and my unwillingness to pull out the rifle, but I digress.
I had a couple of close calls when two of my most coveted bucks came in just outside my bow shooting comfort zone – maddening.
Nevertheless, such close encounters are why I bow hunt in the first place. As always, I learned a lot from being up close to these cagey critters and that’s a win.
The Shooter Bucks Seemingly Made the Season
This is perhaps my favorite positive takeaway from this crazy season. My tedious work and scouting may not have resulted in a grip and grin with a coveted buck, but it left me with the comfortable feeling that my target bucks survived the season.
“Skyscraper”, one of a few hit-list bucks that eluded me in 2020.
Shooter bucks like “Skyscraper” likely made the season which could bode well for 2021.
My many sits, sightings, and trail camera management activities told me the story I wanted to hear. Some combination of these bucks should be around come next season. And God willing they will be even better specimens.
Honorable Mention:
I have no arrows or broadheads to replace.
I’ll have no pesky taxidermy bills to contend with.
I was spared from the rigors of the big buck contest circuit.
Indeed, I have a lot to be thankful for, including filling the freezer with a couple of does. Now, it’s time to start preparing for next deer season. After all, for this mediocre at best bowhunter of whitetails, it’s a 365-day undertaking.
