What would you say are your 3 best qualities that make you a good bowhunter? What are 3 qualities that most hinder you? (*Note - Where you live or lack of unpressured land is not a personal quality) Me? Good: 1- I thoroughly enjoy nature. Tagging a buck has little to do with what I feel is a successful hunt. If I needed a kill a would inconsolably frustrated. 2- Research. I love to do it. Whether it's gear or tactics, I love to learn what's out there. 3- Tracking. Hate if it's mine, but I love tracking hit deer and have become quite good at it over the years. It's a very tangible puzzle that is fun to put together. Plus I learn a ton about deer movement through the woods. Bad: 1- As the season progresses, I get lazy with scent control. 2- I constantly struggle with second guessing myself. Shoulda, coulda, woulda... 3- I often get so tied up in the details that I often forget to take in the whole picture. Hyper-focusing on one deer or stand or tactic, and lose sight of other opportunities.
If people are honest this should be a great thread. Good 1 love of the woods. 2 Love the stealth of a bow and everything about bows. 3 Have plenty of time and patience to hunt. Bad 1 Second guessing 2 Knowing that I should move but getting lazy and thinking I'll see what happens. 3 Late season letting weather dictate if I hunt or not.
Good: 1) Always mobile, not over hunting areas or stands 2) Scout more than I hunt 3) Pre plan each stand entry/exit for winds and thermals Bad: 1) To many hands in other pots. (waterfowl, dogs, kids, sports, ect) 2) Sometimes not being aggressive enough 3) WORK! Working 72 hrs a week on a fixed schedule cuts into hunting BIG TIME now.
Cool idea for a thread. Me: Good: - Years of deer hunting experience since I was literally 4-5 years old. - Very observant - High competency in mechanics and complex mechanical systems. Environments and deer patterns are mechanical systems in my view. - Predator instincts, I generally feel when deer are near me...like an extra sense. - No fear of heights, climbing, walking to and from stands in the dark. - No deer can make me shaky or give me buck fever. Bad: - Worlds worst procrastinator. - I tend to rely on and take my skill set for granted and get lazy. - I have trouble keeping my mind on hunting when I have work that needs to be done. - I don't always devote 100% of my effort, poor weather can easily make me stay in bed. - I've never been as fervent about learning as much as I could about archery mechanics and/or keeping up with modern technology as I could have. - Admittedly, I get more enjoyment out of managing deer than killing them. - I get lazy and pressed for time during season and often will pass up deer I should take for management reasons (does) just to avoid having to take time to dress it out and process it.
Good 1) I'm actually pretty damn stealthy when it comes to stalking in on animals 2) My passion to go out there for weeks at a time is as high as ever. Always looking forward to the next adventure 3) planning the logistics of a trip. Anymore whoever goes w me on a hunt typically just leaves it all to me and says they will pay me for half of whatever the bill comes up to. Bad 1) I really don't even like deer hunting that much anymore 2) patience... I have the will power to do whatever necessary to be successful but I get way to antsy after more than 3 hrs in a tree stand. I hate sitting still not doing anything lol 3) scent control. I play the wind religiously but don't use any of the products or regimens most guys seem to follow.
Good: I love doing work in the off season I like to but stands in strategic locations I go in with lower standards to have fun Bad: I don't go very much I don't do scent control the best I don't practice much during the season Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good 1-Can sit extremely still and quiet for hours. 2-I love sitting in treestands 3-I put a lot of effort throughout the year so when season is in I have them almost pinned. Bad 1-I sometimes hate waking up for morning hunts 2-get lazy towards the end of the season and don't hunt in as far. 3-hate walking with just a small light so deep in the woods. always feel like someone or thing is watching/following.
Awesome thread idea! Good: 1. I spend a lot of time learning my set up, and practice in as many hunting situations as I can think of; I also always shoot my bow before every hunt. 2. I am extremely consistent with scent control, and always double checking my gear. 3. I'm always out early and stay late, weather (unless hazardous) doesn't keep me from going in the woods. Bad: 1. My phone temps me a little stop much sometimes. 2. If I see a buck in a particular set, I tend to over hunt the area. 3. I tend to get a little excited on my way to the stand, and "run" to it. So I'm not as stealthy as I'd like to be. Elite Energy 35 Ninja 29" 70lbs. QAD HDX HHA Optimizer Pro Easton Axis TRU Ball NAP Killzones HHS Hybrid
Good: 1. I practice borderline religiously. If I can shoot a little everyday, I'm happy. 2. Land Nav was one of my favorite training exercises. I love looking at maps and figuring out terrain features. 3. I really enjoy being on the hunt. It's a rare time in my crazy hectic life that I feel in complete control. Bad: 1. This is only my second year hunting. I don't know the land as well as I'd like. That will come with some years. 2. I put no stock in scouting last year. I relied on others to tell me where to go. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Great thread Fitz! Good: 1. I absolutely love being in the woods during autumn. I feel so much closer to God being in His creation during that time of year. The smells, sounds, colors, etc… set my very soul on fire!!! 2. Archery hunting EXCITES me – I can’t wait to take my bow out hunting… no matter what game I am pursuing. I killed so many animals with a shotgun or rifle that hunting actually became boring. 3. I practice often… and have my equipment checked at the local bow shop throughout the year. Bad: 1. I HATE hunting alone… I’d much rather share the whole experience with someone else. I actually shake with as much excitement at someone else’s success as I do my own. 2. I’m not a “morning” person… so I tend to only hunt afternoon /evening sets. (Unless I have someone to hunt with and they want to go in the morning… then I’ll hunt all day!). 3. I’m not an aggressive hunter. I’ll sit in one spot all dang day – WAITING for a deer to show up; verses getting off my butt and actually go… well, HUNTING! 4. I overhunt an area because I haven’t taken the time to ASK more landowners for permission to obtain more opportunities. (Except for Turkeys… I’ve got a ton of places to hunt those – so many in fact, I actually second guess myself on where to go).
Good: I have an uncanny ability to know where to set up and hunt, especially for mature bucks. I wish I could explain it. People tell me I should charge guys to pick stand sites for them. Bad: 1) I am not the best bow shot, mainly because of intermittent target panic, SO frustrating. 2) I HATE, HATE, HATE getting up in the morning, so I hunt mostly 9am to dark. 3) I cannot take the cold at all lately, so come mid-late November I'm pretty much done for the season.
good good shooting with the bow good doing per season scouting good after the shot bad can not sit still in stand for a long time hate sitting in a tree in late season get real frustrated after not seeing any deer after a week in stand
Good: 1) I shoot a lot and know my bow inside and out. 2) I have exceptional eye sight. I always see deer before I hear them. 3) I can find things to make a hunt enjoyable even without any deer sightings. I love being in the woods with my bow. Bad: 1) I am partially deaf, I never hear deer (see above). 2) After all these years I rush my shots and often struggle to say where my arrow hit. It's why I started using lighted nocks. 3) I have an extremely bad back so I fidget and can't tough it out when it gets cold. I miss a lot of good hunting from mid-November on.
Good: 1. I put in a lot of hard work in the off season. Running multiple cameras, shooting, planting multiple food plots, trimming shooting lanes and trimming out stand entry and exit routes. 2. I hunt hard - I take about 2 weeks vacaction Oct - Jan and hunt no matter the weather and just love being in the woods in the morning watching the woods come alive. 3. Entry and exit, I use the terrain specifically creeks and ditches for entry and exit. Bad: (sorry just have more than 3, can't narrow these down) 1. I over hunt stands. 2. I don't let the wind dictate what stand I will hunt (see #1). 3. I can't sit on the stand for very long. 10 am in the morning and I'm ready to go home for a nap. 4. Even though I'm in great physical condition my body tends to sweat a lot when I am walking to the stand no matter the temp. Can't serve me well with scent control. 5. I'm a self taught hunter (for the most part) and lack experience - only been hunting for 4 previous seasons.
The good: 1. I love to scout I go all year long I actually enjoy it more than hunting. 2. I never get bored or second guess myself on stand I can sit all day no problem if I'm there I have good reason to be 3. I think my best quality is my ability to track wounded game I have become very good at it I love helping my buddies track their deer. The bad: 1. I love a good plan but I tend to over analyze things sometimes to the point it will prevent me from going hunting at all paralysis by analysis 2. If things go wrong such as running late, spooking deer on the way in, taking too long to set up etc. I get very annoyed and lose my focus and not pay attention like I should 3. It's just about impossible for me to let a legal deer walk by. I have let some small bucks walk and I won't shoot a fawn but mostly if I'm presented an opportunity I'm taking it this is the main thing I wish I could change I set goals every year and most years I come up short. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good: Determination Able to look at all the factors and determine a kill stand Fitness to hunt hard and long Bad: Attention to specific details Poor ability in identifying food sources in the big woods As I am getting older and have more obligations, the less I spend scouting
The good: 1. I have alot of patience 2. I seem to always have a strategy. 3. I'm usually very well prepared heading into the season. The bad: 1. I tend to get lazy as the season wears on. 2. I don't adjust my strategy when the situation demands it. 3. I probably pass too many deer. Blessings...........Pastorjim Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
GOOD. I never quit trying to improve my hunting ground and techniques I never give up. I hunt as hard the first week as I do the last. I know what type of hunting Im good at and try excel in those areas. BAD. I HUNT TO MUCH I DONT SHOOT MY BOW ENOUGH SOMETIMES I DONT FOLLOW MY GUT AND THAT LEADS TO ME SECOND GUESSING MYSELF
Good: 1. I love being in the woods, so I rarely get burnt out. 2. Patience. Goes hand in hand with number 1, because I'm content with sitting all day. Peaceful 3.i set goals and stick to them. I'm happy watching deer in their natural habitat. So it helps with my overall QDM. Bad: 1. I love being in the woods. So I often put my scent out to much by just simply walking out of season. 2. I often over hunt stands. 3. I move a lot more than I used too. Hoping to cure that with the nex addition of two LW alphas.
