When to quit?

[Jpsmith1]

5000 people on 3000 acres. I'd sell all my stuff and take up hiking and beer drinking.

I don't think they all hunt. They CAN'T all be hunting. There are also like 4 or 5 lakes on the property and the fishing is great. Add in recent miles of trails for ATVs and some people JUST maintain a membership to fish, to ride or to camp and drink all summer.

 

[adamm88]

I am a 49 year old man. I have missed one year of hunting since I was 12 and that was due to an injury that laid me flat for the season.

I have invested thousands of hours in scouting, map study, hanging and checking cameras and, of course hunting. Bow, gun, muzzleloader you name it, I'll use it.

In those years, I've taken 10 deer, one of which was a buck. I've spent so many hours on stand with nothing but a few squirrels to break up the boredom. I've wounded and lost a few and missed more than I care to talk about. The wounding and missing, IMO, dovetail with rarely seeing game hence a lack of experience, leading to a lack of confidence which leads to a bad mental state and more difficulty staying 'in the hunt'


Every year, the thought occurs to me to just walk away. Just leave a big pile of high dollar gear at the bottom of a tree as a gift to the next guy and quit.

As if to add insult to injury as I'm composing this, 3 doe came trotting in, clearly spooked by another hunter, hit some invisible line and SCATTERED. They winded me, obviously, even though I'm down wind, the wind is shifty and probably blew that way for a split second. Which is the story of my life.

I am a 49 year old man. I have missed one year of hunting since I was 12 and that was due to an injury that laid me flat for the season.

I have invested thousands of hours in scouting, map study, hanging and checking cameras and, of course hunting. Bow, gun, muzzleloader you name it, I'll use it.

In those years, I've taken 10 deer, one of which was a buck. I've spent so many hours on stand with nothing but a few squirrels to break up the boredom. I've wounded and lost a few and missed more than I care to talk about. The wounding and missing, IMO, dovetail with rarely seeing game hence a lack of experience, leading to a lack of confidence which leads to a bad mental state and more difficulty staying 'in the hunt'


Every year, the thought occurs to me to just walk away. Just leave a big pile of high dollar gear at the bottom of a tree as a gift to the next guy and quit.

As if to add insult to injury as I'm composing this, 3 doe came trotting in, clearly spooked by another hunter, hit some invisible line and SCATTERED. They winded me, obviously, even

I am a 49 year old man. I have missed one year of hunting since I was 12 and that was due to an injury that laid me flat for the season.

I have invested thousands of hours in scouting, map study, hanging and checking cameras and, of course hunting. Bow, gun, muzzleloader you name it, I'll use it.

In those years, I've taken 10 deer, one of which was a buck. I've spent so many hours on stand with nothing but a few squirrels to break up the boredom. I've wounded and lost a few and missed more than I care to talk about. The wounding and missing, IMO, dovetail with rarely seeing game hence a lack of experience, leading to a lack of confidence which leads to a bad mental state and more difficulty staying 'in the hunt'


Every year, the thought occurs to me to just walk away. Just leave a big pile of high dollar gear at the bottom of a tree as a gift to the next guy and quit.

As if to add insult to injury as I'm composing this, 3 doe came trotting in, clearly spooked by another hunter, hit some invisible line and SCATTERED. They winded me, obviously, even though I'm down wind, the wind is shifty and probably blew that way for a split second. Which is the story of my life.

I see your from Pa and i can relate, Im from south central pa hunt Almost 100% public on the ground.

I have 15 sits(most with my son who is 11) and have seen hunting 11 deer, I jumped 2 walking/Scouting on my way out those dont count. I currently have 8 cameras(non Cell) and have multiple nice deer. I have had three of the 11 deer in range that could be shot, My son shot the one earlier in the fall and the other two buck busted me before i could shoot. I have only seen 2 confirmed doe of the 11 deer.

I get it, i get in this funk every year when i don't have a tag punched, even if its a doe tag. Hours and miles walking to setup trail cams and a little amount of deer seen.

Last year was the the same, only a few deer seen but it came together with the best buck of my life. I don't just hunt for the meat but for the excitement of getting an animal. Those who kill deer consistently either hunt a lot, Hunt private ground or have a rabbit foot shoved up there ass.

If you need a boost feel free to pm me, I get the PA struggles. Hunting with my son is great but not seeing deer sucks. Im hoping to slip out of state to a more "deery" state for a day or two next year to keep his interest.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

I grew up and hunted pa my entire life. Was blessed to kill a bunch of pope and youngs with the compound and recurve.

In season scouting is a must, you gotta hunt where the deer are. Rarely did I sit a tree more then one time. The amount of public in central and north east pa is vast. Find fresh sign and you will be in deer.

I flew to Wisconsin in 2010 and did Dan Infalts mtn bedding and swamp bedding school, from 2010-2017 when I moved from pa, I killed great deer every year on public. Being mobile, learning how deer bed, and reading sign is key to consistently killing mature bucks.

Pressure is all relative. I thought pa bad bad until I moved south. Our gun season starts August 15th and goes to Jan 1st. Deer are wayyy more pressured and skiddish but it’s 100 percent to possible to kill them with the stick and string. Gotta apply the same technique as I mentioned before.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Just to prove it’s possible, feel free to pm me and I will help ya any way I can sir. I’ve hunted all over the state but mostly the north east and central on game lands.

 

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I’ll give a last little bit of advice here, take it or leave it. I think you are focusing on the wrong things…”easily measurable”…like shot sequence, numbers deer / sit, things like that…numbers. If you really want to become a good deer hunter first become a woodsman, the rest will follow. That’s not an easily measured thing, woodsmanship, but it’s THE key here. As an example, lots of emphasis on shooting/accuracy/mechanics above.

One of the absolute best whitetail hunters I know is John Hale from southern Indiana, a traditional archer. He’ll be the first to tell you he isn’t the best shot in the world. He has killed dozens of mature whitetails, still kills big bucks routinely, on public ground. I mean 4 1/2 yr old and older bucks. How? He’s a fantastic woodsman. He gets really really close. He shoots his bucks at 10 yards. He knows his area and he knows deer. My father was super analytical about whitetails, Gene and Barry are that way too. I’ve inherited that mindset. John just KNOWS deer. It’s something I really admire.

How to become a woodsman? Get out there ….focused on everything going on… not just what you think should happen on a specific deer setup. Find a good woodsman mentor. Spend hours in the woods. I spend many, many more hours in the woods not actively deer hunting than I do on stand in any given year. Eventually the puzzle starts to come together. At 50 I feel like I’m just starting to catch on…pressured whitetails can school you like no other big game out there!

R

 

[Jpsmith1]

I’ll give a last little bit of advice here, take it or leave it. I think you are focusing on the wrong things…”easily measurable”…like shot sequence, numbers deer / sit, things like that…numbers. If you really want to become a good deer hunter first become a woodsman, the rest will follow. That’s not an easily measured thing, woodsmanship, but it’s THE key here. As an example, lots of emphasis on shooting/accuracy/mechanics above.

One of the absolute best whitetail hunters I know is John Hale from southern Indiana, a traditional archer. He’ll be the first to tell you he isn’t the best shot in the world. He has killed dozens of mature whitetails, still kills big bucks routinely, on public ground. I mean 4 1/2 yr old and older bucks. How? He’s a fantastic woodsman. He gets really really close. He shoots his bucks at 10 yards. He knows his area and he knows deer. My father was super analytical about whitetails, Gene and Barry are that way too. I’ve inherited that mindset. John just KNOWS deer. It’s something I really admire.

How to become a woodsman? Get out there ….focused on everything going on… not just what you think should happen on a specific deer setup. Find a good woodsman mentor. Spend hours in the woods. I spend many, many more hours in the woods not actively deer hunting than I do on stand in any given year. Eventually the puzzle starts to come together. At 50 I feel like I’m just starting to catch on…pressured whitetails can school you like no other big game out there!

R

I am largely analytical. It's how I'm wired and how I have succeeded in every other venture I've undertaken. I don't think it is a thing I can "turn off" I do spend a lot of time in the woods and Im always looking to spend more.

On the topic of mentors... i have been trying to find a mentor. Everyone seems to be busy or wrapped up in their own lives and survival or too protective of 'their' spots or whatever. A "guide service" here in Pennsylvania offered a big woods/mountain seminar in April of 24 and I'm hoping they do it in 25. I'll be there with my boots on.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I am largely analytical. It's how I'm wired and how I have succeeded in every other venture I've undertaken. I don't think it is a thing I can "turn off" I do spend a lot of time in the woods and Im always looking to spend more.

On the topic of mentors... i have been trying to find a mentor. Everyone seems to be busy or wrapped up in their own lives and survival or too protective of 'their' spots or whatever. A "guide service" here in Pennsylvania offered a big woods/mountain seminar in April of 24 and I'm hoping they do it in 25. I'll be there with my boots on.

Haven’t read the whole thread, but one theme emerges.
You’re in your own head -as you know.
To use a terrible analogy, it reminds me of the 40 year old virgin movie. You’re so busy putting deer on a pedestal thinking they’re some crazy difficult ghost like thing to kill that you don’t ever think you will.

They’re not that smart, and you’re not that bad of a hunter. Stop overthinking it and PICTURE yourself killing the deer. And relax. It’s supposed to be fun

 

[fatlander]

Do you know anyone locally that’s a killer?

They’re not going to be at a seminar. They’re going to be scouting, shooting their bow, turkey hunting, mushroom foraging, fishing, etc. Buy them a beer, and pick their brain. Don’t ask to follow them around or then take you hunting. Tell them what YOU do, show them where YOU hunt and how YOU hunt it on maps, and ask them what they’d do differently.

How often are you hunting the same deer? They’re not dumb. They know when you’re there more often than not. They might not know it immediately, but they know you were there. The first sit is typically the best sit. If you haven’t killed a specific buck by your third sit, your odds have decreased significantly in my experience. If you pay attention over time, your overall deer sightings will also decrease with each sit.

The hardest thing for most people to grasp about successfully killing whitetails is the concept “less is more”. I’m sure it’s pretty tough to hear that you need reps killing stuff to also hear, less is more. The early stages of figuring out deer is tough. By the time you figure them out, they’ve figured you out. If you don’t know how you’re going to hunt specific areas next year, you’re already behind the 8 ball. Scouting next year will only further put you behind.


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[Jpsmith1]

Do you know anyone locally that’s a killer?

They’re not going to be at a seminar. They’re going to be scouting, shooting their bow, turkey hunting, mushroom foraging, fishing, etc. Buy them a beer, and pick their brain. Don’t ask to follow them around or then take you hunting. Tell them what YOU do, show them where YOU hunt and how YOU hunt it on maps, and ask them what they’d do differently.

How often are you hunting the same deer? They’re not dumb. They know when you’re there more often than not. They might not know it immediately, but they know you were there. The first sit is typically the best sit. If you haven’t killed a specific buck by your third sit, your odds have decreased significantly in my experience. If you pay attention over time, your overall deer sightings will also decrease with each sit.

The hardest thing for most people to grasp about successfully killing whitetails is the concept “less is more”. I’m sure it’s pretty tough to hear that you need reps killing stuff to also hear, less is more. The early stages of figuring out deer is tough. By the time you figure them out, they’ve figured you out. If you don’t know how you’re going to hunt specific areas next year, you’re already behind the 8 ball. Scouting next year will only further put you behind.


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I try not to hunt any one spot more than 2 or 3 times per season.

To me, the idea of hunting a specific deer is laughable right now. I get that people do it and are successful doing it. I dont have the skills to do so.

The biggest 'killer' of deer i know personally is a coworker and friend. He's filled his buck tag and multiple doe tags for as long as I've known him. When I ask him questions, he kind of shrugs, laughs and says "i dont know, it's just luck" lights up and smokes a buck.

 

[fatlander]

And here’s one more thing I’ll point out that I think most people who get caught in a struggle rut forget.

You cannot ever play the game at the animal’s level. The stakes are so vastly different between you and him that you will never fully meet him where he’s at. When you lose the game, you climb down, drive home, and enjoy a hot dinner. When he loses, he’s dinner.

Try to keep that in mind in the decisions you make surrounding how you hunt. It’s absolutely life and death for him. Every decision he makes is about survival, period. Spare the rare occurrences during the rut when he throws caution to the wind, which happens way less that most people want to believe, he’s thinking about living.

Find the chink is the armor, exploit it once or twice, then move on. Some bucks seem to and even become unkillable. Tip your hat to them and learn something.


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[fatlander]

I try not to hunt any one spot more than 2 or 3 times per season.

I didn’t say spot, I said same deer. They’re distinctly different. Just because you’re hunting 250 yards from where you hunted yesterday, or last week, doesn’t mean you’re hunting different deer.


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[Jpsmith1]

I didn’t say spot, I said same deer. They’re distinctly different. Just because you’re hunting 250 yards from where you hunted yesterday, or last week, doesn’t mean you’re hunting different deer.


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That's useful. I've wondered what constitutes a "spot" or an "area" i understand that deer have a home range within which they mostly live.

 

[WyoBC_99]

This is a huge thread, with a mixture of what appears to be sincere, good advice and just jokes. I see one thing that I can relate to and I want to share in hopes that it may help you.

If you're coming 'unglued' when a buck presents, that's something that you can address with mental practice and killing does. It's clear that your goal is to kill a legal buck, but sometimes the best steps to climb the mountain might be switchbacks or even going around the far side. It might not be so direct as to just kill the buck. I have seen this process work out well in both myself, and a close hunting buddy. It can be very helpful to get the reps in killing does where it's easier to stay calm. Take the long road - the other approach doesn't seem to be working.

 

[Jpsmith1]

This is a huge thread, with a mixture of what appears to be sincere, good advice and just jokes. I see one thing that I can relate to and I want to share in hopes that it may help you.

If you're coming 'unglued' when a buck presents, that's something that you can address with mental practice and killing does. It's clear that your goal is to kill a legal buck, but sometimes the best steps to climb the mountain might be switchbacks or even going around the far side. It might not be so direct as to just kill the buck. I have seen this process work out well in both myself, and a close hunting buddy. It can be very helpful to get the reps in killing does where it's easier to stay calm. Take the long road - the other approach doesn't seem to be working.

Part of the plans.

After making a couple other "bigger ticket" purchases like the boots I just ordered this morning and the new rest I'm shopping for now because I can't bring myself to trust this one, I'm looking to a high fence place to get some reps and meat.

Pigs are delicious and fairly budget friendly

 

[bowhuntercoop]

What part of pa? I have many friends in that state the consistently shoot deer on public. I moved in 18. I will give you on x locations of spots I’ve killed deer on public. I have no desire to hunt up there and i know you can get on deer year and after in the right bedding areas.