best decision you ever made hunting?

[hereinaz]

Isn’t this the truth! I hunted smarter and started figuring my area out and killing critters consistently and now everyone I know wants to come hunt.

Can I come hunt with you? Hahahaha

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Hunting solo. Looking back at my most pivotal successes hunting I was solo and made my own decisions.

 

[Slickhill]

Learning to hunt whitetail bucks patiently and methodically.
And hunting bull elk aggressively and mobile.

Above all using the wind to your advantage regardless of species.

 

[Dogone]

Hunt alone. To many friends didn’t take hunting as seriously as I do.

 

[akcabin]

To build a cabin so when I get oller like now I can still get out. And by myself. Although having the family is great. Hunt or just get out into the bush. No people, nothing. No other feelings like that

 

[judders87]

Sticking to a strategy. It was my 3rd time hunting elk in this unit. I found a place where I would see them every evening when I was there my first two times. I told myself going in to my third time I just need to be there and sit tight. Shot my first bull at 20 yards on day 2 of the season sticking to my plan.

 

[Gman12]

My best decision was to go out west and hunt elk. It had always been a bucket list thing for me and I thought it would be a once in a lifetime trip but it turned out to be an annual trip now. It is like another Christmas for me and I can't wait for September to get here. On the other hand, it really took the wind out of my sails for hunting whitetails at home. Sitting in a tree stand hoping a deer will walk by just doesn't do it for me anymore after chasing elk. It's a total buzz kill. I have taken up duck hunting at home which I like much more than deer hunting nowadays.

 

[blacktundra]

Bringing the buddy heater out for the cold mornings

 

[ChrisAU]

When you are ready to give up and go home, think of the one last things you want to try and do that first. I killed both the bull in my avatar (2019) and my best muley ever last year by saying "lets go to that ridge one last time" and "lets check under every tree on the way out" after grueling week long unsuccessful to that point hunts. Both last day harvests.

TLDR; hunt to the last second.

 

[mi650]

Being in the woods, even though I may not feel like it.


I got off work at 0300 one morning, went home and packed up. Made the hour & 1/2 drive to my grandparents farm. Got out of my car, temp was about 70 on Nov. 22nd an hour before sunrise, and the wind was howling! Actually asked myself WTF was I thinking. Decided I might as well hunt since I was already there.

I shot my 1st ever deer that morning, a smallish 7 point.


Another time, my lower back had gone out. Getting up and moving hurt like hell. Decided I was going out anyway. This time, my wife asked me WTF I was thinking!

I walked out back, climbed my treestand, and shot a bigger 7 point about an hour later. It was a pretty easy tracking job. I grabbed his rack, and as soon as I started to pull, my back slipped back into place!!

 

[Still Hunter]

Hard to pick a best decision but this one stays with me.

Once when I was about 22 years old I was deer hunting out of an old tree stand. Last day of the deer season. I just wanted some meat. I had both buck and doe tags. About 125 yards out in could see a deer walking through the trees but I could not discern whether it was a buck or a doe. Watched it meander along through the trees with legs moving along and occasional open spots through the trees, and I thought to myself, what do I care, next open shot through the trees where I had a good mid body shot, I would shoot it. But when the opportunity arose I could not bring myself to shoot. Mainly because I just was not 100% sure what it was. So I crawled out of the deer stand and decide to put a stalk on it. After about 10 minutes I got ahead of it and was waiting for it to walk into a small clearing where I would have a great shot. In walked the prettiest little Bull calf you ever saw in your life! Exact same color as the whitetail deer on the property. That rancher would have kicked my butt, kicked me off that Ranch forever and I would have had to pay for that calf. No money would have replaced that little bull calf!

just solidified again, that you do not shoot unless you know exactly what you are shooting at. I will never forget it.

 

[speakforthemind]

A couple years ago I started wearing electronic muffs, now I have a suppressor. Related, I also started wearing "concert plugs" to indoor shows. My hearing is still good but I wish I took better care of it sooner.

I just got into hunting trips with my dad in the last couple years. I'm glad we are still able to do this but could have started sooner.

Hunt for meat, enjoy being in nature.

Built a wood blind for the cold days.