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Poll - Do you think you’re going to be more or less successful this year over last?

More or less successful in 2021

  • More

    Votes: 60 83.3%
  • Less

    Votes: 12 16.7%

  • Total voters
    72
I said more. I like to have a positive attitude. It motivates me for the season. I bagged two decent bucks last year but I want to get this one buck I've been following for the last couple of years and he'll be a 4.5 year old. Saying I'll get him helps me get him.
 
I lived out of a hotel working out of state all year and tore my meniscus opening day of rifle season. So it can’t get much worse. I’ve been able to scout more being back at home. So I feel pretty confident
 
So what I am getting out of this, is that you’ll spend a week or two in search of a B&C buck then when you remember where you’re located, you’ll begin the successful journey of removing the younger dumber deer, much like myself???
I'm basically just swapping from refusing to hunt an area unless I believe I have near 100% odds of seeing a deer to refusing to hunt an area unless I believe I have a near 100% chance of seeing a buck with 18" main beams or a 16" inside spread. According to the state biologist, those criteria mean the buck is most likely 4.5 years old or older here. Not necessarily "trophy" status throughout the state but a good buck. Definitely a trophy on the coast. But I'm not one for passing a doe.

Over the years my spidey senses are pretty well calibrated for "deer in general." Not sure how successful I'll be specifically targeting older bucks. I anticipate lots of walking, lots of marking spots off, and lots of shaking my head in the stand.
 
I'm basically just swapping from refusing to hunt an area unless I believe I have near 100% odds of seeing a deer to refusing to hunt an area unless I believe I have a near 100% chance of seeing a buck with 18" main beams or a 16" inside spread. According to the state biologist, those criteria mean the buck is most likely 4.5 years old or older here. Not necessarily "trophy" status throughout the state but a good buck. Definitely a trophy on the coast. But I'm not one for passing a doe.

Over the years my spidey senses are pretty well calibrated for "deer in general." Not sure how successful I'll be specifically targeting older bucks. I anticipate lots of walking, lots of marking spots off, and lots of shaking my head in the stand.
I commend that! I want to try different areas next season possibly even more out of state hunts. I got a lot of great WMA permits in our bid system this season. Factor in that with some health issues, and I’ll be hunting the familiar areas again this year. On the bright side, at least I know I’ll have plenty of pork for next year lol
 
This is a great thread. It really points to the psychology of the hunt. Pragmatically speaking, we can discount so many factors that focus our attention negatively on our overall anticipated hunt success. I've noticed a lot of people I have hunted with over the years and oftentimes myself included, will take data I am seeing or anticipating and then draw conclusions that in my mind seem to focus more on negative data and thinking instead of positive data and thinking. There are certainly better times to hunt than others. There are certainly better places to hunt than others. there are certainly bigger deer in certain places than others. My OCD kicks in and then I get too obsessed over the data, the factors, the considerations. I feel like I begin to do best when I listen to my inner voice. I know this sounds nuts but there have been so many times something just tells me when to hunt and where to hunt and it is usually been successful. When I push it and try to over analyze it I just seem to do worse. When I just relax and listen to my inner voice, I do great. I know that sounds weird but its true. Now mind you, this is on both private and public spots that I have had relatively good experience with but other times something will tell me to check this area out and I do and find great sign. Is it God? Is it my intuition? Is it years of experience? I would like hear more information from you others about the intuition of hunting and hunters. My wife says I have a knack for this. What gets in my way is my OCD as I want things to be a certain way, to go a certain way and result in things in a certain way and if they do not, I feel like it wasn't my plan coming to fruition. I am slowly realizing that there are so many variables that in the end and in my mind I am sorting out the data naturally and I think we need to do that more as hunters. Sorry for my rambling.
 
This is a great thread. It really points to the psychology of the hunt. Pragmatically speaking, we can discount so many factors that focus our attention negatively on our overall anticipated hunt success. I've noticed a lot of people I have hunted with over the years and oftentimes myself included, will take data I am seeing or anticipating and then draw conclusions that in my mind seem to focus more on negative data and thinking instead of positive data and thinking. There are certainly better times to hunt than others. There are certainly better places to hunt than others. there are certainly bigger deer in certain places than others. My OCD kicks in and then I get too obsessed over the data, the factors, the considerations. I feel like I begin to do best when I listen to my inner voice. I know this sounds nuts but there have been so many times something just tells me when to hunt and where to hunt and it is usually been successful. When I push it and try to over analyze it I just seem to do worse. When I just relax and listen to my inner voice, I do great. I know that sounds weird but its true. Now mind you, this is on both private and public spots that I have had relatively good experience with but other times something will tell me to check this area out and I do and find great sign. Is it God? Is it my intuition? Is it years of experience? I would like hear more information from you others about the intuition of hunting and hunters. My wife says I have a knack for this. What gets in my way is my OCD as I want things to be a certain way, to go a certain way and result in things in a certain way and if they do not, I feel like it wasn't my plan coming to fruition. I am slowly realizing that there are so many variables that in the end and in my mind I am sorting out the data naturally and I think we need to do that more as hunters. Sorry for my rambling.
Don't apologize. You just described me to a T. I think if I just went with my gut I would be much more successful. I think deer 24/7/365 and have been at this for a very long time so I think my brain is smarter than me and if I just went with my instincts instead of over thinking stuff I would be a big buck killer every year.
 
I won't vote and jinx myself....last season consisted of 6 days and I was able to kill 1....if I can do that again I'll be very happy. As of right now I have another 6 day season. A kill is a win 4 me but if it just so happens to be a buck that's a nice bonus.

Set my goals low so I can hopefully obtain them......I do have a good feeling, but we'll see
 
I'm not sure how you mounted an EZV on this thing, or how you get it up the tree
View attachment 50132
but I am sure they don't run far after you hit.
Is that one of them Hickory crossguns? Looks like it might be hickory. Bet that thing is loud without string puffs. Might want to zip tie a possum on each side to dampen it.
 
I’m a late to the game hunter. Raised in a home where they didn’t hunt (dad had a felony and couldn’t have guns in the house), but honestly I doubt that he would have had enough interest in hunting to take me out anyway.
Just started rifle a couple years ago. Have been VERY fortunate to kill 5 deer in the past three years, cause I still am really clueless.
Picked up a more than nice beginner bow this off-season and am excited to start my first real archery season. First season saddle hunting as well. Needless to say, it’s been an expensive offseason.
I’m 40, but I feel like a 12yr old as far as excitement goes. Plan on hitting lots of public this year…a couple weekends on private…and whether I get anything or not I’m excited to spend time in God’s amazing creation!


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I should add that I've been studying alot in the offseason on how to get better cuts of meat when I butcher so that'll be a bonus too.
 
I’m a late to the game hunter. Raised in a home where they didn’t hunt (dad had a felony and couldn’t have guns in the house), but honestly I doubt that he would have had enough interest in hunting to take me out anyway.
Just started rifle a couple years ago. Have been VERY fortunate to kill 5 deer in the past three years, cause I still am really clueless.
Picked up a more than nice beginner bow this off-season and am excited to start my first real archery season. First season saddle hunting as well. Needless to say, it’s been an expensive offseason.
I’m 40, but I feel like a 12yr old as far as excitement goes. Plan on hitting lots of public this year…a couple weekends on private…and whether I get anything or not I’m excited to spend time in God’s amazing creation!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That excitement is a great thing. I'm 35 and been at it since I was 12 but I still have the same excitement level that I had from day one.
 
Less. My little honey-hole permission property that was 4 minutes from my house in the suburbs is getting developed, so that's out. I also have a second child now, so my opportunities to hunt the family farm an hour away or the nearest public 40 minutes away are going to be much more limited. I've also practiced with my bow a lot less this summer, so my comfortable shooting range will probably shrink down from 35 yards to 20-25, which could conceivably cost me a deer or two this year.
All that said, I'm still stoked that deer season is right around the corner, and I'll be glad to have every minute I get in the woods, regardless of what I see or shoot.
 
Less. My little honey-hole permission property that was 4 minutes from my house in the suburbs is getting developed, so that's out. I also have a second child now, so my opportunities to hunt the family farm an hour away or the nearest public 40 minutes away are going to be much more limited. I've also practiced with my bow a lot less this summer, so my comfortable shooting range will probably shrink down from 35 yards to 20-25, which could conceivably cost me a deer or two this year.
All that said, I'm still stoked that deer season is right around the corner, and I'll be glad to have every minute I get in the woods, regardless of what I see or shoot.
Ugh. Feel for you man. I lost three properties last season due to development, all close to my house and loaded with deer. Sucks. Congrats on the second tho!
 
More successful. I’m retired. I do nothing but hunt everyday from November to January. i shoot a few, but I mostly pass cuz I don’t want to drag them out from BFE. Got a little burned out last year toward the end of December and tagged out on a deer that I would normally pass on. Otherwise, I could have hunted through January too. So this season, I’m going to pace myself just a little more, take a few days off here and there and make it last longer. I define success as having a tag in my pocket so I CAN GO deer hunting. I don’t have to kill anything to savor a day in the woods. I always say, the last one to tag out wins….I’m going to win this season.
 
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