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10 Reasons You Still Have a Deer Tag in Your Pocket

By February 4, 2025

With the exception of a few states, deer seasons across most of the country have closed. 

Have you still got a tag in your pocket? 

Maybe you’re still scratching your head, trying to figure out why that crumpled tag never got punched. And while there are likely countless reasons why you never sealed the deal, we’ve narrowed down a list of the top 10 reasons you (and me, too) still have a deer tag in your pocket. 

Hunting License on Wallet

1. You Failed to Scout

Sure, there are plenty of hunters out there that do nothing more than show up, and kill deer. They don’t scout, they never run trail cameras, and they do nothing in the way of off-season prep. Yet, they kill deer every year on opening day, while sitting in an 8-foot ladder stand smoking cigs. 

But, for the rest of us, scouting is the key to success. The scouting you did, or didn’t do, will typically correlate with the success you have when it comes to punching tags. 

2. You Didn't Study Trail Cam Intel

As mentioned above, running trail cameras can be one of the keys to scouting success. But not just randomly running cameras and seeing what photos pop up. 

Are you truly studying your trail cam data? Are you paying attention to travel direction? Are you logging times, patterns and consistencies on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis? Putting these pieces together can prove priceless when it comes to an encounter with a big buck.

3. You Stayed in Bed

What happened in the deer woods on the mornings you slept in? You’ll never know! 

Staying in bed won’t get deer killed. Sure, there are days when the wind, weather and a multitude of other things are against you. But when you sleep in on those good days, simply out of laziness, you could be blowing it on the best days of the year. 

Sleep when the season is over! Don’t get lazy during the season. 

4. You Hunted the Wrong Stand

More days than not, you’ll walk out of the woods with a woulda, shoulda, coulda mindset. Hunting the wrong stand is inevitable. The key is to decipher why it was the wrong stand and how you can make changes for the next set. 

Wrong wind? Lack of cover? Not on the X when it comes to deer travel? Know when you’re in the wrong stand, and be willing to make the change. 

Bowhunter at full draw sitting in treestand

5. You Quit Too Soon

While some hunters make the mistake of sitting in the wrong stand far too long, others make the mistake of quitting too soon. Quitting on a set too soon is a dealbreaker for countless hunters every year. 

Keep in mind…those days when the action is slim, are often the days when you have an encounter with a big buck. He’s a loner looking for love. Don’t quit before he makes it by your stand. 

6.You Never Had a Shooter Buck

Depending on the size of the farm you hunt, you may simply be waiting on something that’s just not there. Sure, you could’ve had an unfamiliar buck slip through the property in search of a doe during the rut. But for the most part, you just didn’t have a buck you were willing to shoot on the farm. 

It hurts, but it happens. That’s what keeps us looking ahead to better days in seasons ahead. That’s what keeps us plowing new ground and exploring new territory. Serious deer hunters will always find themselves on a quest for the next opportunity at a shooter buck.

 

7. You Let Someone Else Kill "Your" Deer

Generosity ain’t a bad thing. You may still have a tag in your pocket simply because you let a friend or family member kill the big buck on the farm. 

Or maybe, you got beat to the gate on public land, and someone else killed the buck you had on trail camera. 

Either way, everything is gonna be alright. You just need to find another shooter buck.

8. You Bounced Around Too Much

Can you have too many deer hunting spots? Maybe. It’s tough to know what’s happening with deer activity, particularly during the rut, if you’re bouncing around from farm to farm every week. 

Remember, rut action with a hot doe may only last 48 hours. You could literally miss the show by spending a few days elsewhere. 

9. You Missed the Shot

All the planning and preparation will be in vain if you blow it at the shot. Hunters often spend a ridiculous amount of time gathering gear, scouting land, and pouring over hunting apps on their phone, but drop the ball when it comes to time spent on the practice range with their bow. 

Don’t be that guy! Commit to spending more time on the range this year to ensure you are better prepared when the shot opportunity arises. 

hunter on smartphone social media

10. You Were On Your Phone When the Buck Walked By

It happens every year. You look up from scrolling on your phone, and a deer has just walked in and out of your life. 

Smartphones can be a blessing and a curse. They help us pass time or get work done while in the stand, but they can also cost us the shot of a lifetime. We could all benefit from a little less scrolling and more time with our eyes on the prize. 

What about you? What are the biggest mistakes you made this past deer season? 

Comment below, and let us know. 

Brodie Swisher
Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, seminar speaker and Editor for Bowhunting.com. Brodie and his family live in the Kentucky Lake area of west Tennessee.
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