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2022 Goals Thread

MNFarmHunter

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Jun 6, 2021
Messages
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Location
Minnesota
There's several other 2022 threads out there but can't find one specific to your goals for 2022.

For me, my 2022 goal is filming my hunts or more accurately, my time in the woods. There were many times where I saw deer but were out of range or not what I was after and thought to myself "I wish I could get this on camera" so that is my goal. Cost-wise, I figure I can do alot of filming off my cellphone camera so it's simply a matter of getting a camera arm and learning to use it. This isn't to say I wouldn't get a "true" camera later on but that's something I can add to later.
 
Goals during the off-season: teach myself how to work amsteel and make myself a 3 step aider and a set of USAs for a new set of beast sticks. Learn to fletch my own arrows. Dial in some of my public spots to really learn the area

Next season goals... I've incrementally improved every year as far as quality of harvest... 1st year- one button buck, 2nd year-a mature dow, this year got what I would say was a 2.5 year old buck... Def not a wall hanger but getting closer.... next year I'd kinda like to get a quality buck, but I actually care more about harvesting more than one deer for the freezer....
 
Off season- get better at shooting so I feel comfortable shooting a deer past 30 yards. Then practice one sticking to figure out if I'll like it better than my beasts/cable aiders. Then scout to figure out some new areas. Likely will invest in some better boots and clothes as well.

Next season: shoot as many deer as I can. If they have antlers great, if not, as long as there's no spots, arrows will be sent. Get my older daughter out (at least for a recovery, if not a hunt), she is 6 and very interested, my wife is reluctant.

Other: hoping to get back to Alaska to visit my brother in Juneau again, likely for salmon/halibut fishing like I was able to this past July but we've been talking about a caribou hunt as well, he will be a resident officially this year.
 
Off-season: Learn and become proficient with the one-stick method; consistent practice with my bow and in the gym; scout several public land/wma locations near me; assess any shortcomings in gear/prep.

Next season: Fill over half of my tags; successfully apply mobile hunting techniques throughout the year; play the wind game effectively; successfully apply knowledge learned during scouting to select the right locations/days/times for a hunt.
 
Off season: Scout public. Hopefully get permission on some private spots, ideally in a reduction zone. Scout those spots. Practice with my weapons and saddle/stand setups. Don't spend a bunch of time focusing on gear.

Next season: Fill the freezer.
 
Get back to what I loved about hunting as a kid...spontaneity.

Be kinder to myself as a hunter. Pack the extra layer. Take the time to sip the coffee and eat the breakfast. Sleep in if it's raining. Go fish if it's hot. Slip an earbud in and listen to a good audio book on the stand.

Ground hunt more. Really conducive the 1 and 2.

Relax. Over the years I've slipped into letting my obsessive and anxious side manifest in relation to hunting. This year I became a little more self aware of that. I haven't had the same level of euphoric, adrenaline-pumped, manic, sleep deprivation and caffeine induced "rush," but I traded it for a few mornings where I was just happy to be where and how and what I was.
 
I'm looking forward to post season scouting as much as I have been to the season this year. I plan to put boots on the ground and search out this season's fresh buck sigh and have a good game plan for the pre rut and rut for the fall. I want to get all my scouting done while the sign is fresh and not have to be out there in August bush whacking and dealing with ticks, red bugs and snakes.

I also want to expand my permission properties. I picked up a 280 acre property about a month ago and plan to scout that heavily with the rut in mind. It belongs to a cousin who doesn't hunt anymore. I have walked the place in the past but that was 30 years ago so it might have changed since. In fact, I know it has since at that time it was row crop land and now it is CRP and dense. I like that. There is plenty of open agriculture land around for food. I think this is going to be good bedding with a lot of security cover that bucks like. It hasn't been hunted since 2011.

I want to get back in tune to feel competent to hunt with my longbow. I don't think it will take a lot of time to get back in tune but trad archery isn't something you can slack on, in my estimation, and remain proficient. I have a Northern Mist classic, a straight end Hill style bow, 56# at 28 inches that I have hunted with last season. I clean missed two bucks last year (I either want a clean hit or a clean miss). One goal for this year is to get my first traditional bow deer.

I also want to refine my climbing stick set up to be more efficient. I may also try one sticking.
 
Take a 3,000+ acre WMA that I've been trying to figure out and break it into 1 sq. mile area to learn like the woods in my back 40. Been seeing some decent deer but have had no success getting anywhere close and sealing the deal. I've been trying to hunt fresh sign on the entire WMA. Going to take a step back over the next few months and just heavily scout one small portion of this land until I find a couple good handfull's of setups for next year without the worry of bumping the deer.
And as the second priority, continue to educate myself on 2TC and start practicing before the summer rolls in. Right now using 4 20" Heliums. Pondered a 1 stick setup but figured if I was going to carry a stick at all, I mine as well keep carrying the other 3 also since that system works really smooth for me (other than hauling the weight around). If I can get a good grasp of the 2TC I will definitely be more willing to leave the sticks behind for most hunts.
 
- draw a moose tag
- limit gear purchases to NEED ONLY
- find a way to lift the curse my great friend and hunting buddy has on him - he just can't connect year after year, but keeps on trucking... (suggestions?)
 
- draw a moose tag
- limit gear purchases to NEED ONLY
- find a way to lift the curse my great friend and hunting buddy has on him - he just can't connect year after year, but keeps on trucking... (suggestions?)
Is the curse your friend has a Moose curse? If so, I know nothing about hunting them except what I have seen on TV. That said, maybe try the total opposite of what he is doing. If calling, maybe still hunt only. If still hunting, try a stand in a funnel area. If calling alone you might call for him and try to draw one by him. Hope this helps. A long dry spell feels like a curse, no doubt about it.
 
- limit gear purchases to NEED ONLY
^this!!!
I will continue practicing with my bow (this has been a habit for last 3 years and I love shooting arrows) but will pepper in practice with my rifle this year. I had a few misses during gun season and I have to think it’s just cuz I shoot one bullet to make sure my scope is on and that’s it. I want to feel as confident with my gun as I do with my bow.
 
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Hunt more.
Quit making up reasons to not go, to late to go out, wrong wind, to hot, to cold.
Need to remind myself that every sit doesn’t need to be a 4-6 hour sit with perfect conditions.
Going out to SD for a solo archery antelope hunt. Goal is to do as much homework and online scouting as possible to increase my chances to be successful however the goal for the trip is to have fun learn something and if I get to notch my tag that will be the icing on the cake.
Just picked up a revolt x and need to get it dialed in and practice at longer distances. I’m pretty decent out to 40. Goal is to make my current 40 yd group my new 60 yd and tighten everything else up.
 
1. Scout, scout and more scouting! I found a few new hunting grounds this season that had great buck sign so I plan to invest the time to learn these areas well.
2. Continue to expand my hunting range to neighboring states. Adding NJ this season will give me four states (home state of NY, CT and PA) all within an hour or so of driving time.
3. Take at least one deer from each state I hunt in.
4. Set a new personal high for total deer take.
 
Is the curse your friend has a Moose curse? If so, I know nothing about hunting them except what I have seen on TV. That said, maybe try the total opposite of what he is doing. If calling, maybe still hunt only. If still hunting, try a stand in a funnel area. If calling alone you might call for him and try to draw one by him. Hope this helps. A long dry spell feels like a curse, no doubt about it.


No my buddy's curse is on whitetails. The last few years, the deer just seem to be coming to me and not going to him must at all. When they do he has shot badly or got bad luck. I'm making him sound like a rookie, but that just isn't accurate - more than anyone else he has taught me the ropes of deer hunting. He is the most solid hunting buddy a guy could ask for - always on time, never complains, shares everything he has and so on.
 
Great thread.
#1 - my first saddle deer. Close - again and again
#2 - more 3D - really enjoy it, not sure why I don't make the time
#3 - more bow practice to help with 1 & 2
#4 - more turkey hunting...

I wish I was a headlight on a north-bound train
 
If I have already found this topic, then I should think about it.

First of all, buy a new scope for your Savage 110, as the old one is already worn out and does not always hold zero. My choice fell on the Monstrum S330P after reading this source. This is most likely my main goal, since for a couple of months I can’t decide what to take. Then a few more shots and as much practice as possible. And of course, sort out your equipment in order to stop buying a lot of unnecessary things.
 
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