Aaagghh I second guessed myself! Do I have a second chance?

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

TO MAKE A SHORT STORY LONG:
Well now I’m feeling like a dummy! I went on a short hunt today on my home property, super cold out and a little snowy, figured I may get a chance to fill my second management doe tag or maaaaybe see a decent buck. I debated between three preset trees for the wind conditions, decided that my fingers couldn’t handle the cold metal and wind of putting my Ambush platform up and certainly not down if I wanted to stay quick and quiet with only a couple of hours until dark (new preset, tree is kinda unfamiliar and I haven’t hunted that area yet this year) so I ruled out the tree I really wanted to hunt, and decided on one of the other two. The preset I went to is what some might refer to as an “observation” or “burner” tree, where several soft and hard transitions within the woods overlap but it’s also on the edge of our woods where they meet a small lake and the larger alfalfa fields, so access is a breeze and I am almost always in the deer when I’m there. They don’t seem to get sketched out unless I make a ton of noise or they actually see me get in/out of the tree (which has happened, sucks). I wasn’t 100% sold on my choice, because I already shot a doe from there in October and I have seen good bucks from it so I feel I may be over-pressuring it even though it’s a relatively low-pressure tree, but I got up like a ninja and told myself that if no deer came by within the hour (which they didn’t), I’d sneak down and get into the other option, which is another low-pressure tree on the opposite side of that lake, overlooking one of my little brassica plots. Again, almost guaranteed to see a doe, and I have seen bucks from it worth shooting. So that’s what I did. And man did I think I was smart for getting out of the transition area that I was so sure the deer were bypassing today, and getting my smart self to the staging plot before dusk. So after maybe 15 minutes, I get a Spypoint notification that a big deer just ran towards the first tree I described, the one I wanted to hunt the most, and was heading to my general area of the property. I cursed myself at not just trying the new tree because I definitely would have had a shot, but I couldn’t tell from the picture if it was a good buck so I resigned myself to my great decision. Fast forward another 10m, and I tickle the rattle sack for a few seconds. Nothing. Nothing. Turn to the left, HOLY $h!t THAT DONKEY HAS ANTLERS. Like, a near-perfect 5.5YO or older, and guess where he is? Across the lake. Heading to the tree I was just in, 120 yds from the tree I’m now in, after first walking by the tree I wanted to be in. And what was my next genius idea? I snort-wheezed at him. Mind you, a stellar rendition of a snort-wheeze, but NOT what I should have done right then. SO I DID IT AGAIN like the Einstein I am. And do you know where that buck went after looking for me? Right under the other tree where I could have shot one of the biggest deer I’ll ever get a chance at, yet there I wasn’t.
NOW I bring this to you, SH users. What should I do?! I can hunt tomorrow but not until after sunrise, should I try to get on him? Should I hunt the same “burner” tree or maybe try the new preset where he already came from?
I’m pretty sure one of these is the deer I saw tonight, originally thought they were the same buck but they are not
WWSHFD: What would SaddleHunter Folks Do?

 

[Ditchdiver]

That don't look like the same buck.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

That don't look like the same buck.

You may be right. The G2 looks different upon further observation. I took a peek at the timestamp too. It was likely one of these two deer, however.

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

You have to stop letting thw pressure you are putting on yourself to influence your decisions, because it can quickly evolve into paralysis by analysis. Don't go into a stand with the thought of moving within an hour if nothing shows up. Nothing was telling you that the other stand was a better spot to be other than your imagination saying I should have gone there. You really need to trust yourself and stick to your original decisions unless you are getting information that tells you otherwise, and then if you feel it's possible, make adjustments then. Even then I'd stay put as the other stand could be hunted another day. What ever you decide to do just stick to it and commit to what you plan for, doing that will help you over come the what if factors......

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

You have to stop letting thw pressure you are putting on yourself to influence your decisions, because it can quickly evolve into paralysis by analysis. Don't go into a stand with the thought of moving within an hour if nothing shows up. Nothing was telling you that the other stand was a better spot to be other than your imagination saying I should have gone there. You really need to trust yourself and stick to your original decisions unless you are getting information that tells you otherwise, and then if you feel it's possible, make adjustments then. Even then I'd stay put as the other stand could be hunted another day. What ever you decide to do just stick to it and commit to what you plan for, doing that will help you over come the what if factors......

That’s exactly the kinda slap-water-in-the-face reply I needed. As I see more success in the deer woods, I seem to be questioning that success more often. I’ll be like “oh that’s a good deer, I should have been 50 yds that away” instead of reveling in the good decisions that got me within 50 yds of a good deer and taking each sit for its own merits. It’s a weird mental block thing that I’m not too happy about, so I definitely needed someone to put it right in my windshield and make me face it.

 

[neonomad]

If anything I’ve probably had more success in stands after thinking “man this spot is dead”, vs thinking “wow this spot is money.” Anytime you’re not seeing deer the second guessing is going to start, and sometimes you should follow that instinct, but that’s probably more appropriate after multiple sits in that spot. Agree, in most situations never sit a spot for just an hour and move, sit tight and think about your next move… for the next sit, not this one, commit.

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

That’s exactly the kinda slap-water-in-the-face reply I needed. As I see more success in the deer woods, I seem to be questioning that success more often. I’ll be like “oh that’s a good deer, I should have been 50 yds that away” instead of reveling in the good decisions that got me within 50 yds of a good deer and taking each sit for its own merits. It’s a weird mental block thing that I’m not too happy about, so I definitely needed someone to put it right in my windshield and make me face it.

I find myself doing this often. I tend to recognize it more these days but still it happens. The way I over come it is once I decide to sit somewhere i just commit to it, again unless I see convincing reasons to be somewhere else. Another way to help you is take note or make journal entries every time you hunt. I write down everything from the times deer showed up and where they came from to the wind direction as I was making entry to my stand. I can reflect on that info for seasons to come, and you can use it to make plans for future sits.
Just remember you are playing the long game, you can have a successful season with out killing a single deer, as long as you are learning and growing as a hunter!

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

I am in the new tree, Option 1 from OP which was every bit the pain in my ass to get into that I thought it would be, and I’m dreading the get-down in the dark (double connection kinda descent) but I’m set over a few scrapes between tonight’s buffet field and a larger doe bedding area where the buck last night originally came from-abouts. Not necessarily hunting “him” but I have seen a few deer on the cell cam that’s over a creek crossing 60-70 yds away. Fingers crossed!

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

I am in the new tree, Option 1 from OP which was every bit the pain in my ass to get into that I thought it would be, and I’m dreading the get-down in the dark (double connection kinda descent) but I’m set over a few scrapes between tonight’s buffet field and a larger doe bedding area where the buck last night originally came from-abouts. Not necessarily hunting “him” but I have seen a few deer on the cell cam that’s over a creek crossing 60-70 yds away. Fingers crossed!

Saw a dozen does enter the field close to my tree but not super close, a possum, and got down safely in the dark while coyotes started their evening opus a couple hundred yards away. Committed o the sit, and even though the action didn’t start until after official sundown, it was a good sit!

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

Perfect, now. Take notes on the conditions from tonight, wind direction, temps, what the deer did and where they come from. The next time you get to hunt that spot move trees or make adjustments. Even of that was your last archery hunt this year it'll help you next year!