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New Year's Hunting resolutions

redsquirrel

redsquirrel

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What are your 2017 New Year's Hunting resolutions?

Mine are:
Set up at least 20 new spots this winter/spring. I am finally starting to get a good grasp on how to hunt the terrain around me after moving here 7 years ago. I have had a lot of success through pure determination but I need to make the most of my time in the woods moving forward. It is amazing how different the terrain is here even though it is just 50 miles from where I grew up. I have already been putting boots on the ground and I have a solid 4 new tree's picked out to prep.

Extend my effective bow range to 30 yards. I've been stuck at 20 yards for a while. The one year I felt comfortable at 30 yards I sailed one over a bucks back.
 
Those are good goals. I want to have at least 12 spots (3 for each wind) pre-set by spring. Once April rolls around, the snakes, gators, and mosquitoes will be out. My kayaking and trudging through swamps will slow down until fall.

I need to continue to learn my area too. This has been a rough season for me. It's not really my fault since I moved here right at the beginning of the season, but I've done a lot more sweating and hiking than actual hunting.

The good news is I've decided that hunting islands will be my tactic of choice here. I'll setup a few spots on the mainland for specific hunts, but the majority of my hunts will be on islands no one else is bothering.
 
I'd like to kill a good buck. 130"+. I hunt a lot of public. So it's hit or miss. I always have this dilemma of wanting to fill my freezer and holding out on a better buck. I've had some good opportunities at bucks this year but passed because I thought I might get something bigger. Only one buck tag.

Also like to give saddle hunting a fair shake. I hunted a lot from the ground the last 2 years. Before that just a tree stand hunter.

Just practice more long range shooting with my bow. 90 yds or so. The concentration I have to use when shooting that far makes those 30 yd shots slam dunks.

That's about it.
 
Find more buck beds I can access and hunt

Scout and hunt by kayak and kill a deer with that method

Kill a mature buck.

Have a pile of fun!!



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Scout as soon as the snow comes off(looks like I'll have a chance Monday)

Find/Set up 5 spots for each phase

Find a shed antler

Shoot an 8+ pointer

Use only a recurve during bow season

Kill some pigs at pigmageddon

Go on a back country hunt anywhere
 
Well, between switching to bolts, switching to kayak access, and adding an out of state license (realistically probably half or more of my season will be out of state), I am looking at next year as a blank slate. Also, I have hopefully added a scouting/hunting buddy in @Scoutman.

I am hitting the ground running and my goals are to scout hard January and February and get as many spots narrowed down as possible. Get 6-8 mineral licks put out for late spring/early summer inventory purposes, and prep probably 30+ trees between the 2 of us.
The rest of the resolution is to get a legal antler restriction buck (on Texas land, 13" inside spread) on the ground.


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Well, first and foremost finally get settled in Texas, it has been wrought with complications and still is not done. I have alot of scouting to do in two states by foot and kayak. I was fortunate enough to hook up with IkemanTx and share time and thoughts on future hunting. I also want to work on my target panic and start now and not put it off. Also continue to work on fitness level for saddle hunting, it keeps me young, haha. Just want to return to a normal life again, last 18 months have been a mental challenge.
 
1. Get my fat butt in shape. Going to add running to my workout. Hit weights harder.
2. Do several presets this year. I've never done presets before so this will be new for me.
3. Go to Kansas and turkey hunt this spring.
 
1. Scout more off-season

2. Scout more off-season

3. Scout more off-season

Bottom line for me is that I need to find some new spots. I've already done a few post season scouts, need to keep at it all year long.






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drew13 said:
1. Scout more off-season

2. Scout more off-season

3. Scout more off-season

Bottom line for me is that I need to find some new spots. I've already done a few post season scouts, need to keep at it all year long.






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X2

I will Set up new spots and do less run and gun......

I will Set up new spots and do less run and gun......

I will Set up new spots and do less run and gun.....


Must of my hunts this year were the first time in the area much less in that tree. I need to clean up my ascent path so I can get up and down the trees with a lot less noise. Clear some shooting lanes and block some minor paths to help steer deer.

I also need to find some new places to go that aren't so full of people. A lease would be ideal. I am really going to push my network contacts to find more places.

, I want to read johns books again and try to get just a little bit smarter

Oh and shooting my first wild pig next month would be really sweet too.




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I already started on the first day. I was going to hunt but decided to do an observation stand to figure out what's going on. Well the creek was over my boots. I been saying for years I need waders, guess I will have to get some. So I hiked back dumped my stand and scouted another spot I hunted this year with good action but never closed the deal. Kicked up a small buck and doe from a bedding area I was scouting. I think there was another buck and he slipped out the back way. Checked another spot that I scouted lasts year and I see why I never seen the buck I was just outside of the game before dark. So I I no we're I need to move to next year. Still would like to get a killer more hunting in before this month is over then scout on.
 
Man I can't express how much I like this site! You guys are all great and there are some really awesome resolutions/goals for 2017.

Love Bowhunter41002's - 1. Get my fat butt in shape. Going to add running to my workout. Hit weights harder.

My goal every year after Christmas/New Years id to lose the 5 pounds I gained and start getting back into shape for post season scouting and new location preparation (March and April) and continuing my work out regiment through August for getting into shape for the rigors of season.

Another resolution this year is to kill a good buck on a 40 acre piece of property I've had permission on and hunted for the past 8 seasons. Likely the best knock on doors property I've ever had permission on in Michigan, yet have never put one down primarily due to the kill criteria the owner has put on just me. My criteria from the owner is a net 125 buck, while the criteria on the several other hunters that hunt the property seems to be around 100 inches as they kill a couple of them every year during either bow or gun season. Several bucks I've passed on over the years, they've killed.

My saving grace is that due to my scent control regiment, I'm the only hunter the owner allows to hunt within the swamp as I can get in, hunt and get out without being winded or picked.

I also am going to begin hunting a piece of public ground that I hunted back in the 80's even though it's 3 hours from home (Son Joe lives only half an hour away). I've hunted 18 different pieces of public land in Michigan and that piece is hands down the best as it's a large cattail marsh with 2 small islands and while the islands demand waders for access, they are awesome to hunt in November. Hunters typically have pushed the dominant bucks onto the islands prior to the season opener due to pre season scouting, but those bucks are typically bedded before daybreak and don't move until after dark until the rut phases begin at which time they may come in a bit late (all day sits only and mornings are best).

Also have several current locations that need shooting lane clearing attention, entry and exit route clean-up, and need steps to be removed and replaced as they are beginning to get grown over to the point that if it's not done soon, they won't be able to be removed at all.
 
Scout Scout and scout! I have 6600 acres of public land about 1/2 hr away and haven't seriously hunted or scouted it yet. I feel bad not utilizing that land!

My number one goal is to scout and hunt more public land this year. No exceptions.

Number two is to start some habitat work on my small 4 acre property. I want to do a couple of micro food plots, along with some trail curation, to attract and hold more deer throughout the season. With the naturally occurring bedding and fruit trees already on the property I think I could setup my property to guarantee me a freezer deer every season.

Number three is simply hunt and fish more. Of course having two little ones, a wife that works, and a full time job, and side work and other house projects makes it difficult I just have to make more time for these things. Now that my daughter is getting a little older I can take her fishing, and I plan on getting her out in the blind for turkey hunting, but she still doesn't last long.


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1 - Finish converting existing conventional stands to saddle sets.

2 - Hunt public. Several times in past years I've scouted public land finding sign and great looking areas, but not finding "huntable" trees. The saddle opens up a whole new world for setup locations.

3 - Be diligent with stand access. Entrance time (a.m. and p.m.) as well as using an extended entrance route when necessary. Sometimes I find it too easy to shave a few minutes off and take the easy route in and out.

4 - Recommit to fitness. I'm 52 and in decent shape, but have realized that saddle hunting is much more physically demanding, It's worth it though. I see more deer, and feel more "connected" to nature, as opposed to sitting on a metal stand. Unintentional pun, I promise.
 
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