We all have goals for every deer season, whether we write them out or not. My goal for last year was to not die in a tree diaper. Check!
Where I think we often fail is when we dream up goals but don't do much in the way of making a plan to get ourselves there. This is the perfect time of year to start the work it will take for us to meet our goals come fall.
For this year, I have four goals and a plan for how to accomplish each.
First, make more quality hunts than I did last fall. This means creating enough margin in my life to accomplish honey-dos, projects at work, etc. so that I can be flexible on those days that are perfect. Also, it means guarding my scheduled hunts against the tyranny of the urgent that can creep in.
Second, perfectly execute on my bed hunts. I've been hunting bedding areas for the past two years and have yet to see a mature buck emerge from one. I attribute some of my lack of success to the fact that I seem to ALWAYS screw something up. A stick clangs, a limb snaps, my pack gets hung in tress when pulling it up... the list goes on. This year, I want to be perfect. To accomplish this, I'm going to spend the off season getting my system perfectly dialed in and practicing on a variety of trees until I can get climbed and settled in with my eyes closed.
Third, have a 3.5 yr old+ buck within 25 yards at least once. Admittedly, this goal is beyond my control. But if I can make more quality hunts and be perfect when creeping in close to bedding, I up my odds. I also hope to increase my odds by getting the most from my trail cameras. This means casting a wide net with them this summer and honing in on a particular buck or two as fall approaches.
Fourth, make it happen when the opportunity presents itself. In my life, I have connected on less than half of the buck encounters I've had. I ALWAYS seem to find a way to mess up my chance. In addition to getting my gear dialed in, I hope to increase my mental stamina and shooting abilities this off season. This may sound hocus pocus, but I'm preparing mentally by practicing some mindfulness and grounding techniques (the wife's a therapist, don't judge me). I'm also shooting at least one arrow every day at 25 yd. Finally, I turned my bow's poundage down to around 60 lb. I guess I finally realized I don't have anything to prove.
So let's hear it! What are your goals for next season and how are you going to make them happen?
Where I think we often fail is when we dream up goals but don't do much in the way of making a plan to get ourselves there. This is the perfect time of year to start the work it will take for us to meet our goals come fall.
For this year, I have four goals and a plan for how to accomplish each.
First, make more quality hunts than I did last fall. This means creating enough margin in my life to accomplish honey-dos, projects at work, etc. so that I can be flexible on those days that are perfect. Also, it means guarding my scheduled hunts against the tyranny of the urgent that can creep in.
Second, perfectly execute on my bed hunts. I've been hunting bedding areas for the past two years and have yet to see a mature buck emerge from one. I attribute some of my lack of success to the fact that I seem to ALWAYS screw something up. A stick clangs, a limb snaps, my pack gets hung in tress when pulling it up... the list goes on. This year, I want to be perfect. To accomplish this, I'm going to spend the off season getting my system perfectly dialed in and practicing on a variety of trees until I can get climbed and settled in with my eyes closed.
Third, have a 3.5 yr old+ buck within 25 yards at least once. Admittedly, this goal is beyond my control. But if I can make more quality hunts and be perfect when creeping in close to bedding, I up my odds. I also hope to increase my odds by getting the most from my trail cameras. This means casting a wide net with them this summer and honing in on a particular buck or two as fall approaches.
Fourth, make it happen when the opportunity presents itself. In my life, I have connected on less than half of the buck encounters I've had. I ALWAYS seem to find a way to mess up my chance. In addition to getting my gear dialed in, I hope to increase my mental stamina and shooting abilities this off season. This may sound hocus pocus, but I'm preparing mentally by practicing some mindfulness and grounding techniques (the wife's a therapist, don't judge me). I'm also shooting at least one arrow every day at 25 yd. Finally, I turned my bow's poundage down to around 60 lb. I guess I finally realized I don't have anything to prove.
So let's hear it! What are your goals for next season and how are you going to make them happen?
