How would you rate bow season this year

I've had a disappointing season so far based solely on my preseason expectations. I'm interested to hear from others on their opinions of this bow season. I understand we've had mild weather and a large acorn crop but based on a 1-10 scale how would you rate your season. 1 being absolutely bad, 5 is average for your property and level of expectations and 10 being the best season you could have ever hoped for. Also what county or region of the state are you hunting in.
I would have to grade mine a 3 at this point. Greene County.

I'd say a 5. I'm in Calhoun county mostly.

I've been once. Heard a few, didn't see anything. don't know if I'll get another chance to hunt this year or not....

I'm hunting in Tuscaloosa and I would rate mine at a 7 right now even though I haven't killed anything yet. I have seen deer on almost every hunt minus 2 or 3. Had I made my shot on my 1 opportunity this year I would rank it a 9 but I missed. So...

One of the worst ones I can remember to be honest.. Having let an arrow fly yet and I go every chance I get.. I've seen 3 deer all of bow season thus far... Still blessed just to be able to go though

3- not many sightings or shots at the ones I do see Butler County

We have a poor acorn crop this year from our white oaks. That would rate a 1. Sightings would be about a 9.

Probably a 3. I have hunted a dozen different spots on Cahaba WMA, and have only seen two deer opening weekend. I'm averaging a half a mile to 3/4 of a mile walk in, so I'm getting plenty deep in the woods.

9/10 for me. Seen a pile of deer and stuck a good buck so no complaints other than the rain. Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Montgomery, and Bullock counties

Mine would be a 10. Had a great start so far. Have killed 3 does and a nice 8pt that's being mounted. Plan on bow hunting all season like I used to. Went this morning and had a small 6pt come up under me. Hope it continues this good. Here is my 8pt in killed Friday 13th

1 or less. Bad would be an understatement.

Let me say first that I work a lot and hunt a little. I don't take vacation to deer hunt, that's for turkey season. And I'm in the south zone - which is a big part of the problem.

Weather has been very warm. That's a negative, but beyond control. Season started on a Sunday, that's a negative that could be controlled. For me that meant no hunting until Oct. 31st. So we had the opportunity to hunt over 2 weeks later than north zone, basically. A whopping 13 days later youth season starts with a 4 day weekend and right into black powder hunting. Don't get this wrong - I participated in the youth season with my 7 year old and had a blast. It's a great thing! The point is the amount of time for a bow hunter in the south zone to relax and hunt was very brief. The overall amount of bow only season in the south zone is crazy at this point. I've said that here a few times without much agreement and feel like it's beating a dead horse at this point - so moving on.

Just pretty brief and uneventful.

2 Jackson Co. Seen some deer, but the only thing I have had a chance to draw on was a coyote. I've also been to KY twice with no luck.

Congrats on a very nice buck! Was he feeding on acorns?

Got to hunt 3 times and then knee surgery. Killed 1 doe so its a good one but sure does suck sitting at home. Bow hunting on crutches ain't something I'm going to do.In the event I could draw and shoot, I couldn't track it or get it home.

5, pretty much what I was expecting, I see deer most of the time, have killed 1 doe, could have killed a boat load of does and small bucks, but I'm waiting now. I've hunted chilton county, st. clair county, Russell county, taylor and Harris in GA, and Breckinridge and Meade in Kentucky.

He wasn't feeding, looking for that grunt call I just made. I was in a oak bottom tho

8.5 out 10

I'd rate it a 7. Have seen a butt-load of deer, including some good bucks. Have killed one doe, could've killed (or at least shot at, LOL) two more does. I've only hunted acorns, and frankly that's still working around here (Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega counties). It's better than last year for me, and last year was just "average".

I'm going to go with a solid 8. I haven't killed a deer. I'm new to hunting. Just started last season about halfway through. However, I have had a fun time getting in the woods and just getting away from everyday life here and there. I have seen probably 5 deer in total this year, none of which were in bow range. But I'm hopeful. I think I'll put it together eventually by the end of the season. For me, it's a hobby I am learning, and for that I am enjoying it.

I'm going to say 10 just because I killed my first deer with a bow. I've seen deer just about every time I've hunted this year and I hunt public land so that's a plus. I'm hunting NF land in Bibb Co.

I'm gonna rate it a 1 because of all the rain and warm weather. I have only killed 1 deer so far and sightings are so low that I really have to drag myself to the treestand.
Edit: 2 deer, I rate it a 2

A solid 2 only because I have managed to kill one doe. Greene County

6 been 3 times seen 25 deer. No shots cause swamp chestnuts are bare so having to hunt huge water oak flats with no way to pattern the deer on a specific tree or group of trees cause of so many acorns.

I'm going to say a 5 killed one doe, seen very few bucks on camera or in the stand . Only one shooter on camera out of 400 acres 6 cameras Lee county

I would like to say one because I have missed 4 deer this year... But in reality id say 7 I have got to hunt a lot already and just got back from Kentucky. Honestly I love just being out there and seeing deer.

Maybe 3. Weather has been tough and not many deer sightings. I have killed one but have only seen 7 total in about a dozen hunts.

Id say a nine. Ive killed five so far, a 7 point, a 6 point, and 3 does. Ive kiled them on our club in Bibb County, Cahaba wma, and a piece of private land in shelby county.

I say a 1. Seen 3 does on opening morning and nothing since then. Out of 3 people hunting 460 acres no deer have been seen in what I could estimate at 80-100 man hours spent without seeing a deer. We planted summer plots and winter plots. Have a decent acorn crop but they are still on the ground, hardly eaten at all. It's like the deer have completely left the property. Very few tracks after seeing a bunch in the offseason. What has happened?

I've hunted nine times so far, and have seen fewer deer and fewer bucks than any other bow season I've kept records, going back to 2007. I have had over 90% of the deer I've seen in bow range. That's good. I've killed two does and a coyote. We have had crappy weather at the very best. I usually log some cold weather hunts in late October and early November. It just didn't happen. Food is everywhere. Acorns are plentiful. I'm not complaining. It's hunting. It's a direct contrast to last year though. I have only seen one buck that was three years old. Heck I've only seen 5 deer with antlers period. I'm used to seeing that in a good days hunt on most days in October. I still rate it as a 7.

This is in several counties in northwest AL.

Solid 7. I've stuck 4 and lost one. I missed 2. I haven't seen as many deer as last year but what I've seen have all been in range. My freezer is full. Now to hunt horns.

8 I'd say. Seen deer every time but once and seen bucks every time I see deer. Seen more bucks than does. And shot a hog.

Miss 3 entire years of hunting in a row due to being overseas and then ask this question. IF YOU GET TO GO HUNTING, IT'S A GOOD SEASON!

I would rate my season at a 6 or 7 so far. I haven't seen one shooter buck but I've seen deer everytime I've been except twice. Every hunt that's I've seen deer they have been in range except once and I only have got busted once. I've shot one doe and made one bad shot. Although it doesn't sound all that great, I've had a blast so far.

I'll let you know on Feb.1. Bow hunt the full season. Anybody can shoot a gun.

I agree, if you get to go hunting then it is a good season. Not going to dispute that with you. The purpose of asking this question was solely to gather opinions from others on how their season was going based on their previous hunting seasons and expectations for where they hunt. Interested to see if others are having less than average seasons with respect to sightings and deer activity seen based on the mild weather and the abundance of an acorn crop. But I agree, simply being able to go hunting and spend time in the woods is a blessing in and of itself.

If I had an abundant acorn crop, my deer sightings would be even better.

7 for me...killed a doe opening mornin and have seen deer every hunt except twice and that was because I got in there late...Lots of small bucks but big boy hasn't shown up yet!

Solid 7 here. Seen deer every time I went. Confirmed some honey holes I had found last year, worked on my woodsmanship and feel like I have improved in all aspects of hunting.

Got my first bow kill and it was a young buck.

The only thing knocking three points off the scale was the weather, I just couldn't bring myself to get into the woods and try to track/clean a deer when the high was in the low 80's. So I didn't hunt near the times I wanted to, but overall it's been a good season so far.

8 for me. It would be a 9 if I had been able to hunt as much as I wanted. Weather, other obligations, have kept me from hunting too much. I got a decent buck the first day of season and a doe a week or two later. I haven't seen anything the last 3 hunts in Marshall County but I still enjoyed being in the woods. Ready to go back to Winston this weekend.

Given the amount of time I hunted (only 5 times), I saw deer most every time I went & got one in the cooler. I'd rate my season as an 8. I'm thankful; sucked that it rained me out for 2 weekends straight 'cause my goal was to get 2 deer this bow-only season. The gun'll have to finish the job now.

BGD

1, only seen a few deer , warm weather and bad winds, Colbert/franklin

Seven, since I've seen deer on every one of the five hunts, and on the last one I was covered up in deer. Nothing in the freezer yet but it's been pretty exciting so far.

I'd say a three. Had two shot opportunities, one a doe and one on a small 8 pt. that I didn't take. Did see a stud 8 pt. at 70 yards which was fun.

Debating whether or not to take the rifle Saturday and shoot a doe just to get it out of my system and then go back to the bow until January.

1

2 out of 10
Im hunting new property that is not very impressive but has had some big deer come off it in the past couple of years. The numbers are not there but i'm hoping the quality will be when the rutt comes in. Ive been in the tree 13 times and seen deer on 4 hunts, 3 spikes a small basket rack and 2 I don't know what they were because all I saw were legs.

0

I'd say a solid 1, I have only been twice on a new lease and had ol GW walk in on me on one of those hunts.

I'm going with an 8. I have hunted 2 times and have seen 4 deer and killed one big boar hog.

7. seen plenty of deer just nothing i wanted to shoot.

I would say 2 to bow season first week was good saw 8 deer but missed thats my fault. but the last 2 weeks ,the warm weather put a slow down to deer movement no deer seen since the first week.its strange I took my kids out on youth hunts ,saw deer,2 outta 3 times. my daughter missed a doe at 100 yards then Saturday evening my 10 year old son killed his first big buck anice 8 point. Maybe from here on out hunting will be better.

The deer are there just has been to warm.it has taken a great turn around in the past few days.we had a good freeze sunday morning.then there saying another freeze is on its way thisweekend. trust me I have had the same luck as you I hunt small tracts of land all 4 tracts have been the same no deer sightings but that changed this past week have seen deer on all my land and some good bucks. So hang in there and sit to last light.there moveing 5:30 in morning and 5:30 in afternoon.good luck.

N/A...been in NM working 38 out of last 45 days...haven't been in the woods

9

I'd go with a 5. I've seen some deer and missed a shot at a doe. Whacked a hog, but that's another story. Our white oak drop has been really bad on our place in Bullock County and its been way to warm IMO.

10, got my first bow kill this year after several years of trying.