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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 am gonna say staying at the same lvl as last year would be great. I look to put three deer in the freezer and did that last year. I got my biggest buck ever with my muzzleloader last year on opening day of gun season and a doe later on. Also a decent buck with the bow. My ideal scenario would be getting three deer with the bow as that is by far my favorite hunting implement. I might have to take it out during gun season though, and that is tough around here in Central NY as the deer get awfully twitchy after opening weekend.
 
I'll tag out again, might just take longer into the season as I won't have as much time to bowhunt this year.
 
More. Last year was the first I hunted since I was about 12. I didn't harvest a deer, but learned a lot and it doesn't hurt that I actually was able to get a doe tag this year. Also, this year is already more successful in my mind since my 14 year old son decided to hunt as well.
 
I was only able to get out for our first shotgun season last year and got a decent 8 point on the last day. Starting a new job on Monday that puts me closer to my hunting ground and getting off at 4:30 I should have plenty of opportunities to get out with my bow after work a few times. Haven't been out hunting with my bow in 3 years. Of course I voted more.
 
My shooting was horrendous last season. The doe I shot opening morning I hit back in the liver, she was still alive when I found her and required a follow up shot. The buck I shot in September I hit in the neck and was lucky to have cut off the wind pipe. Missed the same buck twice, once on Halloween (15 yard chip shot, un-alert deer, I flinched hard upon release and missed by several feet) and again Nov. 12th (unknown distance between 35 and 40 yards, un-alert deer locked down with a doe, again I flinched hard as soon as I could see brown hair through my sight window and sent an arrow 3 feet over his back. Should have never even drawn the bow back... greedy) before getting back on him and killing him on Nov. 16th. If I hadn't killed him I would still be eating myself alive over that Halloween miss. I kept trying to make excuses for why I was shooting so bad, until I just accepted that I had full-blown target panic when it started happening on 3d targets in the yard. I don't want to blame my equipment, but I've found out that myself and index trigger releases just don't get along anymore, especially in high stress situations. I've been shooting well with a tension activated release and a thumb button in the yard, we'll see in September how it translates to live targets. I'm extremely confident that I'll get my opportunities, just need to make them count. I was very lucky last season that all my bad shots still resulted in dead deer, or clean misses.
 
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I voted more, because I wasn’t successful last year so I have to be optimistic! In all seriousness, I’ve been shooting my bow daily, scouting weekly as time allows, and I have a new job that is 100% remote that’ll give me some more flexibility in weekday outings.

I’m also planning to gun hunt more this year than I have in years past, so hopefully some combination of the above will mean a deer or two on the ground.
 
More. Last year my lack of success was 100% my fault. I missed opportunities at 7 deer, five were bucks, and 3 were really big bucks. I missed because 1) I wasn’t comfortable with my bow setup and did not practice enough and 2) I made big mental mistakes like not having my head in the game, not ranging my area, and not getting to my spot in time (but just in time to see the buck run through as I climbed). I can change those things this year. If I get the same opportunities, I will be more successful.
 
Less. I'll have less time to be in the woods this year :angry:
 
If them deers come through where I'm hangin and my 900000gr arrow pokes two holes in their sides after I punch the trigger while I got the ol EZV on em then yeah, I'm gonna have a more successful year.
This though :sweatsmile: is why you and weldabeast are the most interesting reads on this site lmao
 
Less. I'm committing to exclusively hunting new counties and shooting mature bucks. I'm preparing for success and anticipating failure
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???
 
Here is to hoping more successful than last year. I've been very consistent over the last 10 years with 3 doe each year and a buck on an every other year basis. Last year was my year for a buck and literally missed 3 times with my CVA on two wall hangers. Had issues with the scope sighting it in and did not make the right decision to replace it at that time. Cost me the biggest buck of my life, lessoned learned. With the amount of time I am able to hunt here in the big woods on PA I am sure I'll connect on 3 more doe but here is to getting something with antlers. I don't 'target' buck. I target deer and most likely why my buck total is only at 7. I even shoot doe in the rut, is there something wrong with me?
 
Here is to hoping more successful than last year. I've been very consistent over the last 10 years with 3 doe each year and a buck on an every other year basis. Last year was my year for a buck and literally missed 3 times with my CVA on two wall hangers. Had issues with the scope sighting it in and did not make the right decision to replace it at that time. Cost me the biggest buck of my life, lessoned learned. With the amount of time I am able to hunt here in the big woods on PA I am sure I'll connect on 3 more doe but here is to getting something with antlers. I don't 'target' buck. I target deer and most likely why my buck total is only at 7. I even shoot doe in the rut, is there something wrong with me?
In a word.........YES!
 
More. Just because I usually come out of the chute with a positive attitude. Gonna be hard to beat this one, but you never know. Definitely want to increase quantity.
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If them deers come through where I'm hangin and my 900000gr arrow pokes two holes in their sides after I punch the trigger while I got the ol EZV on em then yeah, I'm gonna have a more successful year.
I'm not sure how you mounted an EZV on this thing, or how you get it up the tree
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but I am sure they don't run far after you hit.
 
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