Fail enough, you just might figure it out

stan_wa

WKR
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
320
Location
Washington
Hey Rokslide community,

I want to share a story—a reflection on what has become the most successful season of my life. The inspiration for this post is rooted in the desire to encourage those who may have had a rough start in their hunting journey or find themselves in a dry slump.

Born and raised in Washington State, where success rates don't always compare to other western states, I started hunting at the age of 12. Fast forward to now, at 31, I've never missed a season. For the first few years, my dad and I hunted every season, but while he harvested a few bucks, I had yet to even have an opportunity.

At age 18, my first big game "success" came with a white-tailed doe tag, but it didn't excite me as it felt like a layup. Mule deer hunting each season (3pt +), I hadn't seen a legal buck on public land with a weapon in hand in my first 6 years. Rain or shine, sun up to sun down, I gave it my all, learning to love the chase despite the apparent "failure" in eating more tags than venison.

From ages 18 to 21, no legal animals were spotted.

At 22-23, a privilege came my way—a chance to join in on backcountry elk hunts in Idaho with my good friend and pastor. We were both successful two years in a row on smaller bulls. It was during these seasons that I realized the value of a good mentor, as my friend and pastor proved invaluable, teaching me more than I had learned hunting elk in 10 seasons on my own.

From ages 24 to 27, opportunities started presenting themselves in Washington. I missed a good Roosevelt due to snow in the scope and passed on a bear in the high country due to the challenge of packing it out with an out-of-shape partner. Age 28 saw me bagging my first Washington muley buck. During the season I was age 29, four of us got elk tags in Idaho and spent 10 days flown into the Frank Church Wilderness. On that trip, my Garmin watched logged 146 miles, and I saw 0 elk during our September hunt. Later that season, a friend of a friend who has 200+ days hunting elk in the Frank Church took pity on me and invited me to his best spot. After a 2-day pack-in, both my partners shot bulls about 4 hours into our first hunt. Because of the distance we hiked in and the limited time we had to hunt, I knew that by offering to spot for them as they stalked in, I was going to eat another tag. Still, I was thrilled to be part of the adventure. I was lucky to get one day to hunt solo on the way out and tagged out on a nice 3-4 buck.

At 30, my uncle convinced me to pick up a bow, resulting in a late-season Washington muley buck. Now, at 31, my best season yet includes being present when my buddy arrowed a cougar, tagging my third Washington muley buck on the high hunt, both my partner and me taking herd bulls out of Idaho, getting a black-tail doe with my bow on a second deer tag, and spotting the best mule deer of my life so my best friend could take a shot at his first muley. Sadly, that buck is still on the mountain, but we've got a good plan to find him next year.

I share this not to boast but to encourage. I have friends who hunted a few seasons, ate tags, got sad, and gave up. I hope you don't follow that path. It took me 200 days in the field before finding any real success, but now, after my best season and four years of punched tags, I've realized that success isn't just punching a tag—it's learning to love the pursuit.

What has been most helpful to me?
  • Good mentors are invaluable. Thank you, Dad, Pastor Brad, Greg, and Uncle Corey. Your investment in me has been invaluable.
  • Learn to read maps and e-scout.
  • Podcasts and Rokslide are more fun than Netflix and football.
  • Hunt as much as you can.
  • Be willing to help friends and family, even if you leave a weapon in the truck. You'll learn lots along the way.
  • Good glass is worth the money.
  • Practice shooting in the ways you will in the field, and do it as much as you can.
  • If your fitness makes you hunt an area the easy way instead of the right way, start training more.
So, I'm no expert, but I think I've failed more than anyone I know consider it took me 16 years to kill a mule deer, so I hope that in some way that’s an encouragement to you. If a dummy like me can figure out so can you. Enjoy the pursuit, fall in love with all that God created. The beauty of his creation is a reflection of his Love for you and I, and remember, success will come in its own time. Happy hunting, everyone!
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
357
Location
Montana
Glad you’re dedicated but I hope more people do give up. Or just hunt less. Have you seen the woods lately? Yes you can hike out and get away but seeing so many vehicles on back roads and at trail heads kinda sucks.
 
OP
stan_wa

stan_wa

WKR
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
320
Location
Washington
Glad you’re dedicated but I hope more people do give up. Or just hunt less. Have you seen the woods lately? Yes you can hike out and get away but seeing so many vehicles on back roads and at trail heads kinda sucks.
selfishly, I agree, less hunters would be better for me, and although on the macro scale, I think less hunters would be good for me. Personally, I value the idea that there might be someone out there, who is considering giving up and ends up finding a deep joy from sticking with it. And although these two things are at odds with each other, I think my post is more likely to affect the individual than the collective whole.
 

mi650

WKR
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Messages
1,720
Location
Central Michigan
Having my own land to hunt on has been the biggest boon to my deer hunting success.

I started deer hunting at 14, that was the legal age for firearm hunting back then. (I'd never even heard of bowhunting at the time.) My 1st morning in the woods, I flung a bullet in the general direction of a buck. I had buck fever so bad I couldn't hold the rifle steady. :ROFLMAO: Hunted that year and the next, then due to several reasons didn't have the chance to hunt again until I was 23.

Kill my 1st deer when I was 26, didn't get another until a couple years later, got a few more over the next couple years.

Then at 34 I bought my own land, figured out the deer here, and have gotten at least 2 per year since then. 1 year we got 6 between my son and I.
 

Yarak

WKR
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
425
This is basically the principle that Edison used with many of his "inventions"
If there is something you really want to do you will never quit until you perfect that skill to the best of your ability
 

Weldor

WKR
Joined
Apr 20, 2022
Messages
1,876
Location
z
Having my own land to hunt on has been the biggest boon to my deer hunting success.

I started deer hunting at 14, that was the legal age for firearm hunting back then. (I'd never even heard of bowhunting at the time.) My 1st morning in the woods, I flung a bullet in the general direction of a buck. I had buck fever so bad I couldn't hold the rifle steady. :ROFLMAO: Hunted that year and the next, then due to several reasons didn't have the chance to hunt again until I was 23.

Kill my 1st deer when I was 26, didn't get another until a couple years later, got a few more over the next couple years.

Then at 34 I bought my own land, figured out the deer here, and have gotten at least 2 per year since then. 1 year we got 6 between my son and I.
Grew up north of West Branch, Left in 79. I can honestly say I don't miss the orange army. That said we had some pretty good deer hunting back then. One buck allowed. Doe tags were rare. Killed my first 8 point opening day at 14. We hunted a family friends 260 acres. Used a Model 12 ,16 gauge with slugs. Ah the good old days.
 

mi650

WKR
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Messages
1,720
Location
Central Michigan
Grew up north of West Branch, Left in 79. I can honestly say I don't miss the orange army. That said we had some pretty good deer hunting back then. One buck allowed. Doe tags were rare. Killed my first 8 point opening day at 14. We hunted a family friends 260 acres. Used a Model 12 ,16 gauge with slugs. Ah the good old days.
Things have changed a lot since then. 2 bucks and doe tags are basically unlimited OTC. I put in for, and got, a doe tag when I was 15. Ate tag soup.

In my 20s I hunted on my grandparents farm in Shiawassee county, used their tax ID to get doe tags. Don't even need that now, just buy them OTC. And there's a late gun season for does only until the 1st for private property in the L.P.

Oh, and buck tags can be used for does. The DNR has gone to war on does.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2022
Messages
8
This is super encouraging! I’m just getting my feet wet in the western hunting game, grew up hunting southeast US where the success rate and opportunity is VASTLY different than out here. Last year was my first time not getting anything, and having to deal with missing my first muley because of a range finder issue. It was tough.
 

Rich M

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
5,589
Location
Orlando
Took me 7 yrs to get first deer, 4 more years for a buck. Also had a 13 yr dry spell when first moved to FL. Im deaf and had a squeaky stand couldnt hear. Go figure.

I like restricted hunts, prefer to wait a couple extra years as opposed to hunting in a crowd.
 

Maddyb

FNG
Joined
Aug 1, 2024
Messages
18
Hey Rokslide community,

I want to share a story—a reflection on what has become the most successful season of my life. The inspiration for this post is rooted in the desire to encourage those who may have had a rough start in their hunting journey or find themselves in a dry slump.

Born and raised in Washington State, where success rates don't always compare to other western states, I started hunting at the age of 12. Fast forward to now, at 31, I've never missed a season. For the first few years, my dad and I hunted every season, but while he harvested a few bucks, I had yet to even have an opportunity.

At age 18, my first big game "success" came with a white-tailed doe tag, but it didn't excite me as it felt like a layup. Mule deer hunting each season (3pt +), I hadn't seen a legal buck on public land with a weapon in hand in my first 6 years. Rain or shine, sun up to sun down, I gave it my all, learning to love the chase despite the apparent "failure" in eating more tags than venison.

From ages 18 to 21, no legal animals were spotted.

At 22-23, a privilege came my way—a chance to join in on backcountry elk hunts in Idaho with my good friend and pastor. We were both successful two years in a row on smaller bulls. It was during these seasons that I realized the value of a good mentor, as my friend and pastor proved invaluable, teaching me more than I had learned hunting elk in 10 seasons on my own.

From ages 24 to 27, opportunities started presenting themselves in Washington. I missed a good Roosevelt due to snow in the scope and passed on a bear in the high country due to the challenge of packing it out with an out-of-shape partner. Age 28 saw me bagging my first Washington muley buck. During the season I was age 29, four of us got elk tags in Idaho and spent 10 days flown into the Frank Church Wilderness. On that trip, my Garmin watched logged 146 miles, and I saw 0 elk during our September hunt. Later that season, a friend of a friend who has 200+ days hunting elk in the Frank Church took pity on me and invited me to his best spot. After a 2-day pack-in, both my partners shot bulls about 4 hours into our first hunt. Because of the distance we hiked in and the limited time we had to hunt, I knew that by offering to spot for them as they stalked in, I was going to eat another tag. Still, I was thrilled to be part of the adventure. I was lucky to get one day to hunt solo on the way out and tagged out on a nice 3-4 buck.

At 30, my uncle convinced me to pick up a bow, resulting in a late-season Washington muley buck. Now, at 31, my best season yet includes being present when my buddy arrowed a cougar, tagging my third Washington muley buck on the high hunt, both my partner and me taking herd bulls out of Idaho, getting a black-tail doe with my bow on a second deer tag, and spotting the best mule deer of my life so my best friend could take a shot at his first muley. Sadly, that buck is still on the mountain, but we've got a good plan to find him next year.

I share this not to boast but to encourage. I have friends who hunted a few seasons, ate tags, got sad, and gave up. I hope you don't follow that path. It took me 200 days in the field before finding any real success, but now, after my best season and four years of punched tags, I've realized that success isn't just punching a tag—it's learning to love the pursuit.

What has been most helpful to me?
  • Good mentors are invaluable. Thank you, Dad, Pastor Brad, Greg, and Uncle Corey. Your investment in me has been invaluable.
  • Learn to read maps and e-scout.
  • Podcasts and Rokslide are more fun than Netflix and football.
  • Hunt as much as you can.
  • Be willing to help friends and family, even if you leave a weapon in the truck. You'll learn lots along the way.
  • Good glass is worth the money.
  • Practice shooting in the ways you will in the field, and do it as much as you can.
  • If your fitness makes you hunt an area the easy way instead of the right way, start training more.
So, I'm no expert, but I think I've failed more than anyone I know consider it took me 16 years to kill a mule deer, so I hope that in some way that’s an encouragement to you. If a dummy like me can figure out so can you. Enjoy the pursuit, fall in love with all that God created. The beauty of his creation is a reflection of his Love for you and I, and remember, success will come in its own time. Happy hunting, everyone!
Way to keep at it! And I love that moving over to bow coincided with all these animals, I am in the process of moving over to bow.
 
OP
stan_wa

stan_wa

WKR
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
320
Location
Washington
Way to keep at it! And I love that moving over to bow coincided with all these animals, I am in the process of moving over to bow.
Yeah, I don’t know that it was necessarily being a bowhunter makes you better. I actually don’t think that’s the case at all maybe more so being a person who is fully dedicated which involved me going to bowhunting made me better
 

Stalker69

WKR
Joined
Apr 12, 2019
Messages
1,801
Well I don't know about that. Look at our goverment, they been failing for 3 years now. And no matter how much or how bad we tell them they are failing, it don't seem to soak in. Some people are just so stupid, it never changes.
 

SkyHunter

FNG
Joined
Jul 14, 2024
Messages
13
Location
Arizona
Yeah, I don’t know that it was necessarily being a bowhunter makes you better. I actually don’t think that’s the case at all maybe more so being a person who is fully dedicated which involved me going to bowhunting made me better
It might not make you a better hunter, but it's sure a lot more fun! That said, I still get out there with the rifle/muzzleloader if that's the current season.
 

Scoot

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
1,640
Well I don't know about that. Look at our goverment, they been failing for 3 years now. And no matter how much or how bad we tell them they are failing, it don't seem to soak in.
3? Just 3??? 😁
 
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