When to quit?

[Schmo]

From your avatar the country looks pretty open. If you have time (and distance) I have found a couple dry fires really calms the nerves before I send the real deal.

Absolutely. Got to do that last season on two deer, one at 360, another at 370. Had time to dry fire on both. It’s tremendous how much it helps calm and give confidence when you have the luxury to do it.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

One thing I’m seeing here, and it may have already been brought up but you mentioned hunting multiple spots over the course of a season. Have you tried hunting 1 spot consistently? It seems to me if you had a consistent spot that you knew intimately, knew when, where and how the animals were going to use the land in that spot you might have more luck. Do your buddies that are successful regularly jump around or do they hunt the same spot all season? I personally have fallen into the trap of grass is greener syndrome and I’m always checking someplace new, but I’m also a western hunter where game densities are much lower and seeking out new spots/animals is the norm


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[Lil-Rokslider]

You can’t kill bucks if your wife sucks.

Put that on a t shirt, and sell it in the rokslide store!

 

[Jpsmith1]

One thing I’m seeing here, and it may have already been brought up but you mentioned hunting multiple spots over the course of a season. Have you tried hunting 1 spot consistently? It seems to me if you had a consistent spot that you knew intimately, knew when, where and how the animals were going to use the land in that spot you might have more luck. Do your buddies that are successful regularly jump around or do they hunt the same spot all season? I personally have fallen into the trap of grass is greener syndrome and I’m always checking someplace new, but I’m also a western hunter where game densities are much lower and seeking out new spots/animals is the norm


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I've done both. While I'm not keeping super detailed records of deer Sightings, it seems that moving more leads to more Sightings for me.

I do hunt good spots multiple times and hunt them over multiple seasons.

My buddies have good spots but still wind up moving stands mid season. The one I'm particularly thinking of uses ladder stands while I'm using a climbing stand so moving a stand is a project for him while I can just move.

 

[manitou1]

Yeah, if I had your hunting record I would have quit many years ago.

I don't know what keeps you going.

I enjoy the experience, but getting up at 3 a.m., the gas, the equipment and tag expense, the being cold/hot, wet, etc... I gotta have some return on my investment.

 

[Fatcamp]

Maybe ask her to go with you. even if she doesn't hunt, she can be there to make sure you are safe. My wife went with me many times and just staid in camp while I was hunting. I made sure she knew how to use a gun before we were married, so I wasn't real concerned about her staying in camp.

Yup. If that's the condition she puts on it time for her to put her money where her mouth is.


Organize a very comfortable camp. Buy a dog. Teach her to shoot. Enjoy a new phase.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Yup. If that's the condition she puts on it time for her to put her money where her mouth is.


Organize a very comfortable camp. Buy a dog. Teach her to shoot. Enjoy a new phase.

She's a wonderful wife. I love her and my life is better with her in it.

She also has a genetic condition that has almost killed her a couple times that is aggravated by smoke and strong smells.

Taking her to camp could literally kill her. At the very least, the trip would be cut short after a camp fire and we'd be running for the nearest hospital.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Stats say 27% of hunters filled a buck tag last year.

I would strongly suspect that a large number of those hunters fill a buck tag every year even without stats to support it.

No doubt less than 10%, maybe even less than that, of hunters are killing the vast majority of big bucks.

My sons soccer coach has NEVER harvested a deer hunting 25 years in WI. I find that remarkable as a guy that doesn’t see killing deer as being incredibly difficult. So seeing as he has never killed a deer, most hunters have a low success rate, no doubt an even lower success rate on bucks, then narrow it down to mature bucks. I’d bet the vast majority of hunters consider getting a deer once every few years to be realistic and are happy with that. But to get a mature buck to be a once in a lifetime acclompishment. But that’s because they are relying on luck by in large. They are hunting deer, not mature bucks. It’s a different game.

I average a mature buck about every 4 years and i put a TON of time into it YEAR ROUND. I’d say i get an opportunity at a mature buck only 2, maybe 3 times a year for all my efforts. This year i’ve only had a single crack at a mature 10 pt that came in wrong for the wind i was hunting. I think the average hunter doesn’t understand what’s needed or what sacrifices are required to consistently put yourself into the position to kill mature deer regularly. Time away from family, time taken away from doing other things, etc.

You might want to think about those types of things. Then just be realistic about what kind of hunter you want to be and just be happy with the hunter you are. The reality is not everyone is a bonafide buck killer. Nothing wrong with that most people aren’t. I think most kill only a few their entire life and of those most never kill a mature one.

 

[Yoder]

Stats say 27% of hunters filled a buck tag last year.

I would strongly suspect that a large number of those hunters fill a buck tag every year even without stats to support it.

So many people say PA sucks. I'm glad. I've killed a buck every year for the last five years. They ranged from 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 yr old bucks. I've also passed an several. I also usually kill a doe or two. My uncle and cousins have either killed bucks or passed on bucks and also kill a doe or two. My uncle's buck two years ago was a 7 1/2 yr old six point. We all scout year round, hang cameras and are constantly looking at new areas. If I see stands, I move on. I rarely sit in the same spot. The more you scout, the easier it gets. You end up with historical data. Deer are in certain areas for a reason. If conditions are similar, they will usually come back to the same areas. Once you get 5-10 good areas, you just check them before, during and after the season and you can usually get onto some deer pretty quick.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Go on a guided hunt. I know that’s not the cool thing to say on here, but you’ll probably have more fun because you’ll be more successful, and you should learn something.

 

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Been following this thread and I made an account just to give some thoughts…I’m 50, and I grew up around some pretty serious whitetail hunters. I’m a throwback for sure to an earlier mindset about hunting, but I see your problem as that of a lot of “adult onset” hunters…even though you’ve been in the woods longer. I speak specifically to archery here….but you need to learn how to kill stuff. I don’t care how many 40 yard shots a guy can make on a target. You prove that in your posts…without knowing how to close the deal with a bow you just fall apart. My father told me when I was about 12 that the if he was king of the world nobody would be allowed to buy their first archery deer tag till the brought him to 15 groundhog tails they killed with a bow. Lots of wisdom there. Learn to hunt first. Squirrels, woodchucks, rabbits, whatever with a bow. This will solve both your problems with archery…1. You’ll learn to close the deal 2. If you keep your eyes open you’ll find good deer spots.

So many folks today watch YouTube buy a bow, and expect to kill stuff. The whole apprenticeship stage has been lost.

As to where to hunt….man if I had that low of deer sightings I’d quit my job and move. Seriously. After mid October I fully expect to pass up a deer (a buck or a doe) every time I hunt. And I hunt a lot, pretty much every evening after work and of course weekends. Yesterday I saw 10 bucks and passed 5 of them. Best was a 125 inch 4x5. Oh, and I hunt with a recurve. So “passed” deer mean generally inside 20 yards.

Go learn to kill stuff with your bow. Become a predator. The rest will come.

R

 

[Jpsmith1]

Go on a guided hunt. I know that’s not the cool thing to say on here, but you’ll probably have more fun because you’ll be more successful, and you should learn something.

I am desperately trying to find the budget for this.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Been following this thread and I made an account just to give some thoughts…I’m 50, and I grew up around some pretty serious whitetail hunters. I’m a throwback for sure to an earlier mindset about hunting, but I see your problem as that of a lot of “adult onset” hunters…even though you’ve been in the woods longer. I speak specifically to archery here….but you need to learn how to kill stuff. I don’t care how many 40 yard shots a guy can make on a target. You prove that in your posts…without knowing how to close the deal with a bow you just fall apart. My father told me when I was about 12 that the if he was king of the world nobody would be allowed to buy their first archery deer tag till the brought him to 15 groundhog tails they killed with a bow. Lots of wisdom there. Learn to hunt first. Squirrels, woodchucks, rabbits, whatever with a bow. This will solve both your problems with archery…1. You’ll learn to close the deal 2. If you keep your eyes open you’ll find good deer spots.

So many folks today watch YouTube buy a bow, and expect to kill stuff. The whole apprenticeship stage has been lost.

As to where to hunt….man if I had that low of deer sightings I’d quit my job and move. Seriously. After mid October I fully expect to pass up a deer (a buck or a doe) every time I hunt. And I hunt a lot, pretty much every evening after work and of course weekends. Yesterday I saw 10 bucks and passed 5 of them. Best was a 125 inch 4x5. Oh, and I hunt with a recurve. So “passed” deer mean generally inside 20 yards.

Go learn to kill stuff with your bow. Become a predator. The rest will come.

R

I have 4 doe with a bow.

Antlers turn my brain to mashed potatoes

 

[Yoder]

Been following this thread and I made an account just to give some thoughts…I’m 50, and I grew up around some pretty serious whitetail hunters. I’m a throwback for sure to an earlier mindset about hunting, but I see your problem as that of a lot of “adult onset” hunters…even though you’ve been in the woods longer. I speak specifically to archery here….but you need to learn how to kill stuff. I don’t care how many 40 yard shots a guy can make on a target. You prove that in your posts…without knowing how to close the deal with a bow you just fall apart. My father told me when I was about 12 that the if he was king of the world nobody would be allowed to buy their first archery deer tag till the brought him to 15 groundhog tails they killed with a bow. Lots of wisdom there. Learn to hunt first. Squirrels, woodchucks, rabbits, whatever with a bow. This will solve both your problems with archery…1. You’ll learn to close the deal 2. If you keep your eyes open you’ll find good deer spots.

So many folks today watch YouTube buy a bow, and expect to kill stuff. The whole apprenticeship stage has been lost.

As to where to hunt….man if I had that low of deer sightings I’d quit my job and move. Seriously. After mid October I fully expect to pass up a deer (a buck or a doe) every time I hunt. And I hunt a lot, pretty much every evening after work and of course weekends. Yesterday I saw 10 bucks and passed 5 of them. Best was a 125 inch 4x5. Oh, and I hunt with a recurve. So “passed” deer mean generally inside 20 yards.

Go learn to kill stuff with your bow. Become a predator. The rest will come.

R

I've never seen 10 bucks in an entire season let alone 1 day.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Been following this thread and I made an account just to give some thoughts…I’m 50, and I grew up around some pretty serious whitetail hunters. I’m a throwback for sure to an earlier mindset about hunting, but I see your problem as that of a lot of “adult onset” hunters…even though you’ve been in the woods longer. I speak specifically to archery here….but you need to learn how to kill stuff. I don’t care how many 40 yard shots a guy can make on a target. You prove that in your posts…without knowing how to close the deal with a bow you just fall apart. My father told me when I was about 12 that the if he was king of the world nobody would be allowed to buy their first archery deer tag till the brought him to 15 groundhog tails they killed with a bow. Lots of wisdom there. Learn to hunt first. Squirrels, woodchucks, rabbits, whatever with a bow. This will solve both your problems with archery…1. You’ll learn to close the deal 2. If you keep your eyes open you’ll find good deer spots.

So many folks today watch YouTube buy a bow, and expect to kill stuff. The whole apprenticeship stage has been lost.

As to where to hunt….man if I had that low of deer sightings I’d quit my job and move. Seriously. After mid October I fully expect to pass up a deer (a buck or a doe) every time I hunt. And I hunt a lot, pretty much every evening after work and of course weekends. Yesterday I saw 10 bucks and passed 5 of them. Best was a 125 inch 4x5. Oh, and I hunt with a recurve. So “passed” deer mean generally inside 20 yards.

Go learn to kill stuff with your bow. Become a predator. The rest will come.

R

Summer can be a difficult time for me to find field time. Just happens to be groundhog time.

I'm a refrigeration technician and on call brutalizes your life during the warm months. I'm the boss, too, so even if I don't have to drop everything and run to the call, I have to be there ti help and guide younger techs and sometimes to talk customers down off the ledge when a minor issue makes them freak out. Turning 50 next year SHOULD lift some of that burden. Once you're 50, according to company rules, you don't have to be on call anymore. I'll have phone duty but shouldn't have to run as much.

I've taken small game with a bow. Rabbit. Groundhogs and rabbits and a pig with a handgun.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I've never seen 10 bucks in an entire season let alone 1 day.

I think I did last season. If you count the baby spike with like 2" pencil stubs as a buck.

 

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I have 4 doe with a bow.

Antlers turn my brain to mashed potatoes

4 does in what? 20-30 years with a bow? That’s my point. Set a goal - kill 20 or 30 small game animals with your bow. Then the shots at does come easy, then the shots at bucks come easy. Squirrels are fantastic eating. Learn to be a bowhunter if you want to be a bowhunter. You’ll NEVER learn that from shooting an arrow at a deer every few years.

R

 

[Jpsmith1]

4 does in what? 20-30 years with a bow? That’s my point. Set a goal - kill 20 or 30 small game animals with your bow. Then the shots at does come easy, then the shots at bucks come easy. Squirrels are fantastic eating. Learn to be a bowhunter if you want to be a bowhunter. You’ll NEVER learn that from shooting an arrow at a deer every few years.

R

I started bow hunting in 2010. Took my first animal in 2011