Do you track your hunts? I want to see them!

[Jmarzey]

I started tracking hunting stats and journaling each hunt after I listened to Warren Womack podcast four season ago. Since then, I have filled four journals with some awesome stuff. One thing that I enjoy most is looking at the end of the year totals. Here are mine

• 38 Whitetail hunts
  • 4 complete days mule deer hunting
• 151 hours spent in the woods
• 3 states
• 63 doe encounters
• 15 Buck encounters
• 3 kills
  • 2 bucks
  • 1 doe
• 5 big bull elk encounters

For reference, I am a deputy sheriff on a crime suppression unit, so I have a lot of freedom with off time and such.

I am curious to see everyone else who tracks this stuff, and see what your numbers look like!
If you want to read the whole recap, check out my latest substack post:

What a Year

Once again, my favorite time of year has come and gone like the breeze. Another season full of highs and lows, triumphs and mistakes, good choices and bad, they are all now in the rearview, waving goodbye as I head on full steam towards the 2024 season. All the plans that came to fruition, the...

open.substack.com

 

[BuckTown]

No but I definitely will start next season. Thanks for this. I do journal my kills or decent buck encounters in my HuntStand app but I like how you broke down every hunt, hour, and encounter.

 

[Jammintree]

I’ve been journaling my hunts for the past 4 seasons. I’ve yet to go back through and compile statistics. I generally review prior seasons as I progress through a season to help me remember my prior learning experiences. I’ve found that reviewing my journals is incredibly useful and help me repeat success and avoid repeating mistakes. I do however want to come up with ways of making my notes more easily searchable - though I’m unlikely to take the time to digitize them.

Edit: I also keep a tiny notepad with me when hunting to write down little details worth remembering - such as: return to x stand and clear a better shooting lane / move stand 20 yards north to the hemlock. I later add these notes to my journal.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I've been keeping an Excel spreadsheet for each season for the past 7 or 8 years. It keeps track of hunt number, date, AM & PM, location description or name, GPS coordinates, animals seen, killed, missed, etc.

I also do a breakdown post season of how many hunts, how many encounters and how many kills. This is the point where I really call myself to the carpet for mistakes and I try and go back before season the following fall and reread this to get myself on track.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

Not something I've done a lot of. I probably should mainly to track dates and temperatures. I'm pretty good at remembering the stories but the minutia tends to get lost.

 

[gettingstarted]

I have been noting, weather, location, sit duration and observations

 

[Coachschaller]

I was doing some journaling and it was helpful. I really started tracking my camera videos. But, it got to be too much time and I didn't get enough enjoyment. I figure I need to find the balance of enjoyment and good data management.

 

[Bowonly]

I've kept a hunt journal off and on but have been steady with it the last 6 seasons. It's interesting to compare year to year and remember past hunts.

2023-2024 bow season:

24 morning hunts
36 evening hunts
160 does seen while on stand
54 bucks seen
10 "shooter" bucks seen
17 blank hunts (didn't see a deer)
7 shots 6 kills
1 buck and 5 does
14 yards average shot distance

 

[woodsdog2]

I have off and on over the years. Now with the tag, gallery and stats figures in the reveal app I at least have that and my other trail cam data I somewhat organize. I definitely need to do way better at this. I also rely on my scouting info in OnX.