Was 2020 your best hunting year ever?

[JT88]

It's the last day of 2020 and a lot of us have been saying "I can't wait for 2020 to be over" etc... Curious if anyone else had their best or one of the best years of hunting ever?

I was able to fill my elk and deer tags, my wife (we got married a month ago) and I were able to get some birds with our GSP, fishing was as fun as I can remember... Found a few elk and deer sheds and a cool deadhead. Got close to the wolves a few times. Shot a bunch of gophers with my brothers. Overall 2020 was probably the best year of my life, obviously not just because of the hunting. I feel like there have been years I've taken the good things for granted and this year has helped bring me closer to the people I love and appreciate the things I love even more. I know some people will be on the opposite end of the spectrum but I'm curious if anyone else had an amazing year in the outdoors in 2020?

Happy new year, brothers and sisters. May God bless you all

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Yea it was pretty good! Both my kids got deer, my son got his first biggame animal a nice 2x4 Mule Deer. I shot a nice 5x5 elk and a big velvet 3x3 Mule Deer in WY. Also won the Idaho State Bowfishing tournament in 2020! So it was a pretty dang good year.
Matt

 

[Hunting Wife]

Went out to call coyotes this morning and instead ran into unforecast rain, black ice and gumbo? At the same time? How is this even possible?

That pretty much sums up my season in a nutshell. Frustrating is an understatement.

 

[JLS]

Hard to say if it was the best ever. I've hunted. A lot. One of my best friends had to cancel two trips this year because of work scheduling issues related to COVID, directly or indirectly. I met new friends and hunted with them. I hunted with an old friend. I explored new country I'd never been in. I've watched my dog become exceptional at his craft. I've made a lot of empty shotgun hulls. The freezer is full and I need to grind burger this month.

Honestly, I don't compare each season to the next. It's kind of like comparing your kids, hard to do and not necessarily productive. Enjoy each one for what it is.

 

[JT88]

Honestly, I don't compare each season to the next. It's kind of like comparing your kids, hard to do and not necessarily productive. Enjoy each one for what it is.

Good point, every year is special to me and every year has been unique. But I've also learned that I just love to hunt and be out there - pretty much no matter how things turn out.

 

[rwc101]

Shooting a bull and a buck pronghorn (and some grouse) with my family along for the ride has been one of very few bright spots in 2020. It will be hard to top.

 

[Walkathon]

I had a great year. Hunted WY for antelope, MT for antelope. MT for deer, NE for deer and MT for birds with my dog. All in all, it was a good year and I had fun.

 

[brownbear932008]

As far as my two planned western hunts they were just plain awful a WY deer tag didn't see a single day in WY, and a backcountry elk hunt in CO pretty much ended the 1st day packing in even though we were able to spend four days in the area before season(partner injuried by horse).
Saying that locally I enjoyed more time in the woods than ever and had a great year chasing turkey,deer, and even a few dove hunts. Had a handful of back country hunts here that I really enjoyed even got to take a nice buck at 30 yards hot on a doe with the rifle. Saw an absolute bruiser that eluded me and found a new area that looks awesome way back off the beaten path.
Here's to a Happy New year with peace and health for y'all!!!

 

[JT88]

As far as my two planned western hunts they were just plain awful a WY deer tag didn't see a single day in WY, and a backcountry elk hunt in CO pretty much ended the 1st day packing in even though we were able to spend four days in the area before season(partner injuried by horse).

Sorry to hear about your friend, hope he's doing better

 

[brownbear932008]

Sorry to hear about your friend, hope he's doing better

Slow but sure, he just got to the crutches this week after surgery in late November. Pretty much tore everything in his right knee that could be torn. I'll say this he is one tough SOB I would have never left the trailhead that day after being thrown.

 

[MLaird]

Yes, it was a pretty fantastic year, for results as well as time spent in the field. Cow moose, antelope, wt and mule deer, a pile of pheasants and sharptails, couple of huns, first ever chukar, and a couple of limits of geese and ducks to round it out. My favorite parts were spending a week in the mountains with my dad, 2 days hunting waterfowl with my boys and a mule dear hunt with my oldest boy. 2020 will definitely be a special year to remember.

 

[MTLabrador]

2020 was really bad for limited time in the field, my shooting, and anything to do with elk hunting. Hunting with new friends, taking a good antelope, and exploring new country was a lot of fun.

 

[Gregs973e]

Had an awesome Hunting Year. Two Bull Elk and a Cow Elk. Hope next year is just as good.

 

[Irrelevant]

Was it the best year ever? No, not by a long shot. Was it the worse year? I mean I did go deer hunting here in WA for 5 days and never saw a deer, I drove to WY just to experience some cold weather camping, and had three bucks shot out from under my daughter and I. I've only managed one duck, one chukar, and one hun this year upland... and my bird dog tore her ACL.

Imma go with closer to worst year ever.

 

[Bambistew]

Hardly the best, could have been better, could have been worse. Still got in 30+/- days of hunting. I have good feeling 2021 will be better... have a few hunts already lined up.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Thanks for the positive outlook, it’s refreshing to say the least.

My year’s ups and downs:

Ups:
- A healthy boy on the way
- My wife and I are closer than ever
- 3 deer
- Limits of ducks and geese
- My buddy is getting stationed close by

Downs:
- two brain surgeries/tough ass recovery

All in all, I’d have ten surgeries for a healthy child on the way!

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Was it the best year ever? No, not by a long shot. Was it the worse year? I mean I did go deer hunting here in WA for 5 days and never saw a deer, I drove to WY just to experience some cold weather camping, and had three bucks shot out from under my daughter and I. I've only managed one duck, one chukar, and one hun this year upland... and my bird dog tore her ACL.

Imma go with closer to worst year ever.

Sorry to hear about your pup! Are you going with the TPLO? My PIC is recovering from his 2nd leg! Next year, birds don’t stand a chance!!

 

[Danger_Denver]

Not really. Only my second year, but the wildfires here in CO really sucked

 

[Irrelevant]

Sorry to hear about your pup! Are you going with the TPLO? My PIC is recovering from his 2nd leg! Next year, birds don’t stand a chance!!

She's 13, we're just letting her get by with what she has. Over the last couple of months she's gained quite a bit of mobility back.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I killed a turkey in spring, an elk with my bow, a buck WT, and a doe MD with my rifle.

Not the best year I ever had but certainly not the worst.

If I ran this average of a year on deer I would quit deer hunting though. Too much money/time invested in the deer this year for what it turned up. I did pass on a lot of bucks because they needed at least one more year. Most were at best 2.5 year olds.