When to quit?

If misses are that big of a factor that is where I would start. Why are you missing? Over confidence in shooting ability, equipment issues, environmental factors, nerves? Get a shooting coach or go to a school. Do the majority of your practicing the way you hunt. Add some pressure to your practice sessions. Do 3D courses or precision rifle competitions. Honestly evaluate your abilities and work on your weaknesses. Good luck!!!!
 
NMJM said:
If misses are that big of a factor that is where I would start. Why are you missing? Over confidence in shooting ability, equipment issues, environmental factors, nerves? Get a shooting coach or go to a school. Do the majority of your practicing the way you hunt. Add some pressure to your practice sessions. Do 3D courses or precision rifle competitions. Honestly evaluate your abilities and work on your weaknesses. Good luck!!!!
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As I said in another comment, antlers turn my brain into mashed potatoes.

I have put a tremendous amount of pressure on myself to take a buck that the mere presence of antlers makes me forget my name and shit myself. With a bow. With a rifle, I was and am MUCH more confident and I shoot my rifle less.
 
Well, my 24 bow season ends with a small victory and a heart break.

Sat the same generally area tonight that I saw a nice buck yesterday refined my stand site a bit, moving about 75 yards. Kind of what I think is called a 'staging area' little area just outside of a field.

Sat here since about 1:30 right at sunset, i catch movement 50 yards to the front of me. Antlers it's an 8 point.

Get set and ready watch him do a little scent posting on a branch. Steps behind the tree i planned as a 'screen' and I started to draw.

CREEEEAAAAAK!

Something on my bow made noise.

Yeah, he didn't like that and bounced off.

But. In my own way, I won. I beat his nose by playing the wind, i figured the spot, refined the stand site and still lost

I'm very happy if it isn't clear by what I'm writing. Did I want that buck? Heck yeah I did. Is this a victory? Heck yeah it is
 
Jpsmith1 said:
Partly related.

Over the time I've been archery hunting, a part of the strategy I've worked on is to become the best shot I can with a bow.

To this end, I've moved to a hinge release and I use a thumb button very rarely during practice and I use the thumb for hunting because, well, animals don't always stand still.

Watching squirrels in particular, trying to shoot one make the target panic monster that I locked in a cage with the hinge just start to smile because he knows that, if I start trying to shoot small, twitchy targets like that, he's gonna break out and take over.

Is that just part of the whole thing, trying to keep TP at bay while focusing on a small, mobile target?
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Buy a crossbow. If you just want to kill stuff, that's the way. I had to finally switch to one last year. I'm hoping after my shoulder surgery I can go back to my bow. It's not as cool as bow hunting but it's a little easier. It's like close range rifle hunting.

I didn't read your last post before I wrote the message above. You did everything right and had a shooter in range. That's definitely a win.
 
Jpsmith1 said:
Literally all of my hobbies are focused around trying to kill stuff.

If I'm not actively hunting, I'm shooting, Scouting, planning, prepping, training or working to afford it all.
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Sometimes its good to give things a break an go do something else for a while.

I'll park the dirtbikes for a year, then its shooting that gets put on hold. This year I wont hunt at all, even though I bought tags.
 
Over the years my hunting has evolved so that i now do things differently than those I hunt with and who got me started. With that in mind…Stand up and look in the mirror. The only thing holding you back is you, and you are the only one that can figure things out for yourself. It’s a lot easier to put yourself in situations where you can be successful if you are self aware and honest with yourself.

You can kill a target at 100 yards but miss chip shots in the woods. Change how you practice. Add some element of stress to your shooting routine…visualize, shoot while winded for exercise, shoot while being timed, have mosquitoes buzzing in your ear etc.

Keep a detailed journal and analyze each hunt to find the holes in your game. What were you expecting to happen, and what actually did? What worked and what would you do differently? Where were (or weren’t) the deer, what were their feeding/bedding areas, how did you approach etc. Deer are really elemental and not some mythical unicorn, so you can figure things out a change your odds.

If you can’t sit in a tree all day or don’t want to, find other ways to hunt. Ground blinds may give you more freedom to move. Still hunt so you get a slightly different view with each step. Find seasons where snow is likely and do some tracking. Get a ghillie suit and go play sniper. Go have fun in your own way.

For your home life…you can text by satellite with newer iPhones or get a garmin inreach mini to do the same. Speaking from experience…Sometimes people knowing you have a way to signal for help is all they need to not worry, which gives you more freedom to branch out on your own.

Bottom line is you aren’t happy with the current results. Start making some changes and enjoy a new round of learning and self discovery.
 
Jpsmith1 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about her medical issues.

I can share that we have never had a fire in all our hunting camps. We use generators or propane for heat and cold.

When I met my wife I had only slept in a small tent while in remote country. We now have a fifth wheel, popup and a wall tent and use each when appropriate. This is a direct result of meeting her needs to be comfortable and happy. Whatever it takes is the point I'm making.
 
Fatcamp said:
Sorry to hear about her medical issues.

I can share that we have never had a fire in all our hunting camps. We use generators or propane for heat and cold.

When I met my wife I had only slept in a small tent while in remote country. We now have a fifth wheel, popup and a wall tent and use each when appropriate. This is a direct result of meeting her needs to be comfortable and happy. Whatever it takes is the point I'm making.
Click to expand...
There is a very real fear not of OUR fire, I know how to build a fire that burns clean or I would buy one of those smokeless fire puts.

It's OTHER'S fires. Smoke drifting in on the wind is enough to send her running for the house.
 
Yoder said:
Buy a crossbow. If you just want to kill stuff, that's the way. I had to finally switch to one last year. I'm hoping after my shoulder surgery I can go back to my bow. It's not as cool as bow hunting but it's a little easier. It's like close range rifle hunting.

I didn't read your last post before I wrote the message above. You did everything right and had a shooter in range. That's definitely a win.
Click to expand...
I've considered it on more than one occasion.

Yes, I definately consider it a win. I beat him, 'fair and square'
 
Yoder said:
Buy a crossbow. If you just want to kill stuff, that's the way. I had to finally switch to one last year. I'm hoping after my shoulder surgery I can go back to my bow. It's not as cool as bow hunting but it's a little easier. It's like close range rifle hunting.

I didn't read your last post before I wrote the message above. You did everything right and had a shooter in range. That's definitely a win.
Click to expand...


Does a crossbow qualify as a bow during archery season?



P
 
Pharmseller said:
Then heck, crossbow with a scope!
Click to expand...
So, my plan for next archery season:

>Scout transitions harder.
>Build a QUIETER mobile setup. I love my summit stand but it LOUD AF.
>Definitely going to replace that noisy rest. Might wind up with a crossbow.
>I have a message out to a guide service up in the north-central part of the state. If the cost isn't prohibitive, I will probably do that.
>I am going to look hard at doing a few "high fence" pig hunts.

The last two are budgets depending. I get an 'allowance' of sorts for my outdoors pursuits. I also have some bigger ticket items coming up to buy. New boots, a new rest and maybe a crossbow. Eats up money fast as nobody here has to be told.

>I'm also going to seek out a farm or two to hunt groundhogs on.
 
Pharmseller said:
Give him some resources.

Telling him the what is less than half of the solution. Showing him the how completes the circle.





P
Click to expand...
I went to my local shop asking for coaching and explaining a high level overview of my problems.

I was given a little coaching, but not at the level I think Jason is talking about.

I'm planning to shoot a winter 3D league I may look into the Shot IQ full system following Christmas.
 
Definitely understand the frustration! Was an odd year where I hunt also. If you don't mind what state and type of land are you hunting? Public/ private? How much pressure are these areas seeing? I feel the relaxtion being out there but if your not getting this maybe take a year off to see if you miss it before selling out....
 
tchance21 said:
Definitely understand the frustration! Was an odd year where I hunt also. If you don't mind what state and type of land are you hunting? Public/ private? How much pressure are these areas seeing? I feel the relaxtion being out there but if your not getting this maybe take a year off to see if you miss it before selling out....
Click to expand...
I hunt in Lawrence County in western Pennsylvania. It is a large block of private land (approx 3000 acres)

It's members only but there are something like 5k members. How many hunt archery? Idk. It seems like there's a stand every third tree, but a lot are old and haven't been used in a long time based on condition of the stands and straps.
 
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