How do you deal with poor harvest rate in the field?

[Amos Keeto]

To me, using Lokt-Tite on gun screws is like using Phillips head screws on a gun.

 

[Mojave]

Everyone gets FOMO.

I killed a huge buck on a guided hunt, the biggest buck of the hunt by score. Someone came into camp with a buck I liked a lot better. Was jealous. Didn't really like the looks of my big buck.

WTF is wrong with me?

I had a lot of years of not hunting in my life. 2023 was a total shut out. No tags no booked hunts. No hunting at all.

I have had at least 8 or 9 other years like that. Military or money got in the way of hunting.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Everyone gets FOMO.

I killed a huge buck on a guided hunt, the biggest buck of the hunt by score. Someone came into camp with a buck I liked a lot better. Was jealous. Didn't really like the looks of my big buck.

WTF is wrong with me?

I had a lot of years of not hunting in my life. 2023 was a total shut out. No tags no booked hunts. No hunting at all.

I have had at least 8 or 9 other years like that. Military or money got in the way of hunting.

Nothing that can't be contributed to "human nature"!
When it becomes a sticking point you can't resolve, then it becomes psychological.

Don't let "envy" eat you alive! It's one of the "Seven Deadly Sins"!

 

[WRO]

I’m a slut for draw tags, land owner tags, and helping buddies on their great hunts.

I don’t **** with otc much anymore, costs more but I can generally whack and stack that way. I don’t feel I need the practice anymore.

I hire guides out of state when the opportunity works alright, that being said we can usually get it done on good tags without.

 

[Birdybird]

I am actually quite burned out right now...

 

[JeffRaines]

I hunted less after having my first kid, and then even less after having my second kid three years ago… to the point that I didn’t even hunt last year at all! It was part burnout and part guilt. How can I be out having fun when there’s work to be done at home? As a full time employed homeowner, father, and husband you know that list of work to be done at home doesn’t really shrink. Couple that with the guilt of leaving your wife holding the bag, and a family that wants you to spend your time off with them and yeah.

I dipped myself back in slowly this year. After passing numerous deer in archery season I finally took a doe at the tail end. The jerky and steaks were great, it was great to get “back in the saddle” so to speak, and now going forward I plan on it working something like this:

I’ll hunt locally for predators and deer - basically weekend warrioring it for local stuff. If I kill - great. If not, there’s no pressure. If the family wants me a weekend or if I feel the pressure to reduce the honey do list then it’s okay. Local hunts are cheap.

I’ll take one week of my vacation(out of three) per year to focus on a big hunt of some sort. Out of state tag, etc. I’m usually available for my wife to take an out of state vacation once or twice a year so she can reset - it shouldn’t cause guilt for me to want the same thing.

Of course big hunts like that cost more money and time - but think about it like this… some people spend a week every year going on a guys trip to Vegas/etc. How much does something like that cost? Between flights, hotel and spending money/food/etc I’d bet it equals up to about the same as a DIY out of state hunt if not more expensive.

 

[Rich M]

The “need” for meat and the desire to hunt. It is cheaper to buy a cow than to do travel hunting.

If you had the kids, suck it up.

I had a 13 yr dry spell 1996-2009. Would you still hunt? I hunt cause i enjoy it. Only hunt deer about 10 days/yr now as opposed to 2-3 months worth. Kill more now than i did before too.

Oh - hunting is a luxury. You dont need it to live and you wont die if you dont go.

(Trolling a lil bit but not too much)

 

[OKHunter84]

I've dealt with dad and husband guilt the last few years myself. I try my best to pretty much do whatever my wife wants outside of hunting season and she doesn't get too mad about me going away hunting. There has been more then once where a hunt was going poorly, weather wasn't cooperating and I missed the family, so I left early. Some guys wouldn't agree with that approach, but it's worked for me. Last year I had a late October hunt and it was outrageously hot, I wasn't seeing the class of bucks I was after, so after four hard days, on the fifth day I pulled the plug after the morning hunt and went home. Took my wife on a date and spent the last couple days of vacation getting things done around the house and spending time with her and the kids. Showed her she's the more important then hunting and helps me avoid burn out.

On the lack of harvesting, that's why I love being able to hunt whitetail at home after a frustrating western hunt. Throw a couple does and a buck in the freezer then it doesn't sting as bad. Maybe plan a hog or deer hunt somewhere where the population is more dense and you can shoot multiple animals.

 

[Yoder]

We have always hunted public land. I only whitetail hunt so it's a little different. The best way to improve odds is scout more and look in places people think are stupid. I also hunt mostly on weekdays.

 

[Pony Soldier]

This year was my 61st season. I spent 34 days on a horse covering as many miles as I could. The last week I spent 2 days cutting meat with my wife.

My kids wil and do spend every day they can hunting with me. This year I will start my grandson with this adventure.

When things get dry - expand your range. Half of the fun is learning new ground. In my world weather dictates everything.

 

[Johnnybobcat]

Capitalize on hunts closer to home, and become extremely efficient with time. Incorporate the kids on some scouting trips and you will lose your guilt. Success will come back

 

[Mtndawger]

Get smarter and more patient with your basic approach to hunting. Do your homework. Learn more about your area and about how the animals behave in It through the seasons. Is it about killing something or is it about being out there with them and having an overall experience? Take a look in the mirror and assess your motivations and adjust. Make other adjustments in your life so you aren’t compromising everything and optimizing nothing.

 

[wind gypsy]

Unless a family is actually relying on wild game for meat, whether or not a guy kills should have no bearing on whether he feels guilt for being away from wife/kids to go hunting.

 

[Dos Perros]

Unless a family is actually relying on wild game for meat, whether or not a guy kills should have no bearing on whether he feels guilt for being away from wife/kids to go hunting.

Sometimes easier said than done.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Similar scenario, my units I hunt are all 3+ hours from my house so scouting with a toddler and busy wife is virtually impossible.

To that end, I haven't killed an elk in nearly 20 years since switching off compound to recurve, but I still go every season and grind it out. Doesn't take away from the experience for me at all, could have killed 3 different bulls last year with a compound between 50-70 yards, simply outside of my effective and ethical recurve range, and bull tags are hard to draw in WA.

I guess I'm a lucky guy (or a terrible husband/father), when I walk out the door for hunting, I'm focused on the achieving the mission and returning home unharmed until I'm out of unit and back on the highway home and have no guilt or reservations about pursuing my passion or what I'm missing at home.

 

[Koda_]

When you have a family its very hard to justify an established pattern of unsuccessful hunts. Even more so if your the only one in the family that actually goes hunting.

 

[wind gypsy]

When you have a family its very hard to justify an established pattern of unsuccessful hunts. Even more so if your the only one in the family that actually goes hunting.

I could see that especially if a guy is always buying new gear to "help be successful". I've got a buddy who's been on 4 or 5 out of state elk hunts and never killed one. I know his wife questions why he's spent so much $ and time on it without success and it eats at him a little.

I haven't experienced extended droughts on my western hunts but have eaten a fair number of tags. We bought deer hunting land near home in 2021 and spent a boat load of money on tractor and implements and habitat improvements. 4 season on it now and still haven't shot a deer on it. I feel plenty of guilt for time away but in no way does having not shot anything on the land play into that. I think the fact that my wife well understands that it's about the journey more than the kill in most instances that has never made me feel any pressure to punch tags so my time away seems more worthy or justified.

Plus, she doesn't want any more animals hanging on the walls anyway

 

[Dos Perros]

I hunted elk this year with a 7 year old bow, and some clothing going on 10 years old. I don't spend a lot on gear, really just replace what breaks or fails. I certainly felt some guilt coming home empty handed this year, mostly because I never even felt like I was 'hunting,' just dudes absolutely everywhere, or no elk where they weren't. I came home grumpy. Felt like I wasted my time. I don't like being like that. Life is too short. I've got a 6 and 10 year old at home. Decided I'm not going to hunt easy-to-draw stuff anymore when I could just take them fishing and have way more fun.

 

[Amos Keeto]

I could see that especially if a guy is always buying new gear to "help be successful". I've got a buddy who's been on 4 or 5 out of state elk hunts and never killed one. I know his wife questions why he's spent so much $ and time on it without success and it eats at him a little.

I haven't experienced extended droughts on my western hunts but have eaten a fair number of tags. We bought deer hunting land near home in 2021 and spent a boat load of money on tractor and implements and habitat improvements. 4 season on it now and still haven't shot a deer on it. I feel plenty of guilt for time away but in no way does having not shot anything on the land play into that. I think the fact that my wife well understands that it's about the journey more than the kill in most instances that has never made me feel any pressure to punch tags so my time away seems more worthy or justified.

Plus, she doesn't want any more animals hanging on the walls anyway

Back in 1975 through 1979, I made an annual pilgrimage to SW Colorado to elk or deer hunt.
Fat boy flatlanders don't do well in mountains OR higher elevations!
But I was younger and able to do fairly well. I killed one small fork horn mule deer.
I got married in 1979, I already had an elk hunt set up for that fall.

After realizing the fiscal impact that hunt had on our marriage, I took her on a mulie hunt in 1980.
It didn't take long for me to realize that if I hunted my beloved east Texas:
1) I would have more time to hunt
2) I would be much more successful
3) it cost a LOT less money
4) hunting could be a half day affair instead of a week
5) fat boy flatlanders are MUCH more comfortable in flat ground and lower elevations! LOL!

Yes! I enjoyed Colorado, but I never missed spending the time and money it cost to go up! Besides, that 896 mile drive was a bear! My deer lease cost the same as a Colorado "Non-Resident Elk" tag!

 

[Wrench]

Lower your standards to raise your average. If you hold out for 300" bulls in a unit that produces 5 of those a year for all hunts combined, you'll be disappointed in your odds. If you can be happy with a legal animal in that unit, you just upped your odds to those on the harvest report.

If you hunt every daylight hour and have done your homework, you're probably able to triple your odds as most guys don't hunt all day.

At the end of the day, is it about experience or making meat? If you chose one over the other.....you better go home exhausted or relaxed depending on your choice.