Ive been an avid bowhunter since i killed my first deer ever with a bow at age 13 now at 32 Ive never hunted deer with a rifle and never wanted to. But my question is does anyone else go through lows, for example: i hunt religiously from opening day until the first rifle weekend every season, i usually quit working during hunting season bc thats always how serious about it i was but the last 2 seasons though still practicing, you couldn’t pay me to hunt. Idk what it is, like this morning, i had all my stuff set up and ready to be in the stand before the sun came up, but i woke up, sat for a bit and debated then went back to sleep. This being the 3rd season and i havnt hunted yet, its almost like i feel like i dont know what im doing or like im a fraud even though ive been in the woods and hunting my whole life. Is this normal? Am i just being a punk about this or will it pass? Thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Maybe you’re burning yourself out a little being so intense about it? I get this way too in my own way. The way it happens for me is I’ll buy new gear, get it all together and practice how I want to carry it, how I want to set up, etc. and get myself all psyched up about it. Then sometimes (not always) when it’s actually go time, I also second guess everything I think I know about hunting and question if I should even do it. Mind you I spend pretty much all my down time listening to hunting content or watching it on YouTube etc. if I’m not with the family. So I’m basically living it in my head basically year round. So just from that, in hind sight I think I’m likely overdoing it mentally anyway if nothing else. Good places to hunt for me are always at least 1 hour + away so in reality I don’t actually get to get out much to hunt. But by time I do, sometimes there’s just something stopping me. I’m always alone. Don’t have any friends interested in hunting. No one would really care if I got a deer or buck or how “good” the buck is one way or the other. So I find self motivation can be hard for me. I find ways then to kind of mentally reset about the whole thing and basically go one step at a time and try to take the self-induced pressure off myself and remember why I like to hunt to begin with. For me it’s an adventure of just literally going out in nature and experiencing it. For me it’s almost not about even getting a deer. Of course I eventually want to get something and put meat in the freezer etc. but I find trying to be disciplined with the big-picture mindset of why I like to hunt to begin with helps a lot. Takes the pressure off and is a lot more enjoyable for me. Not trying to prove myself to anyone or even to myself. Just enjoying the trip whether big or small. When I keep that in mind, I also find myself much more motivated and end up logging a lot more time in woods than I normally do otherwise. Hopefully all that is somewhat helpful for you. Give you a similar but different perspective. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow thanks man! While reading that i thought i was typing it, i had thought about that actually bc im the same way. All my downtime is hunting, hunting , hunting, everything i do is geared to either get me money to hunt or have downtime to hunt and everything in between. Same for me, i live in S. Louisiana and all the good hunting is in the north, closest wma to me is about 45 min but i hunt the most about 3hrs north of me. The traveling is a little inconvenient but it doesnt bother me. But man im picking up what youre putting down, i shoot my bow every day year round, i may miss a handful of days through the year practicing whether i hunt or not. Anyways the post this morning was bc i was thinking i was burnt out from it the passed 2 seasons which is why i didnt hunt ( i was also deployed both seasons so i couldnt) but when i didnt go this morning and currently beating myself up for it, it just made me question what im doing all together. Im also in the fitness industry and i understand lows and high with working out but thats not my passion like hunting is i never knew i could or saw myself getting burnt out on hunting, and i agree also its not about killing for me, its being in the woods that does it for me, harvesting is just a huge plus. Im optimistic as the season just started and im sending the wife and kids to Disney world for a week before Christmas so i have no excuses not to be in the woods those 6 days at a minimum. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Sometimes just switching things up if hunting only private go public. Mainly stand hunting, go to still /ground hunting. Sleep in and hunt mid day. Switch up your goals. Do some small game hunting. Reset your mind set.
You definitely have to find that balance. Ive gone through the buildups and been let down more than my fair share. It can definitely take the wind out of your sails. Just remember any obsession needs to be a healthy obsession. Moderation and keeping tabs on how high a pedestal to be on is key.
Oh yeah definitely, i only hunt public (dnt know anyone with private) and i switch between stand, saddle and ground. I even switch between my recurve, compound and xbow. I do the all day sunup to sunrise sits, i do the midday mostly (my most success has been around 1pm♂️). Small game is religion lol when i was in school our school would shut down opening weekend of squirrel season (still does). Alot of times ill deer hunt the morning in a stand, get down and take my 20ga and get couple squirrels or rabbits and then on the ground in the afternoon with the recurve for hogs is my typical hunting day. As i type this i tealize i may be experiencing that options paradox (i forgot the name) but basically you have so many options to choose from you end up doing none of them. these forums help alot, as the guy above said im in the same boat, my wife and kids are my friends and all my adult friends being in Louisiana only duck hunt and fish (which i domt do either) no one my age i know bowhunts. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
No woman I know bow hunt, save my daughter's friend. I taught the kids but they are way too busy and don't anymore, definitely no one my age. The grand kids are too young. Sounds like you should learn a bit of fishing, talk some of them into hunting. Maybe just take a hike or kayak with no serious intention of killing anything, but, take the bow with you. A surprise kill could just be the jumpstart you need.
Oh yeah for sure! I thought I was the only one in the world to feel like that. Yeah that’s about all I think about, plan for, play with, etc. outside of the family too. I admit playing with the gear is about half the fun for me. If I lived in a better area to hunt and had more time it would probably be a different story. I still get out when I can with what I have to work with and enjoy it for sure. Just trying to be happy with the stuff I do have ya know. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I typically burn out if I'm repeating steps. So repeatedly not seeing anything from stands.... chasing nocturnal bucks... hunting the same land... or hunting with the same people or solo. Switching things up always helps. Then the reward is sharing your harvest with close friends and family... and that just adds to the enjoyment of harvesting, butchering and cooking your own food. Food is something that unites people... I never really thought about it until we were talking together as a family and when asking the kids what some of their favorite vacations were... food was always one of the top factors that made a trip good or bad. So being able to deepen our respect for the food we eat just amplifies the entire experience for us. I harvested a nice 4x4 whitetail a couple weeks ago and tomorrow we're going to a close friends place to enjoy one of the last warm weekends while cooking up an array of venison, beef and pork to make an epic Mexican style taco feast. Another nice change this year is my youngest daughter has grown a keen interest in archery and hunting in general. The whole family had a part in butchering, which was also a welcomed effort. Also, I look forward to getting setup to try saddle hunting! I think lulls are normal... pretty much everything I do has moments that are great and moments that I'd rather be doing literally anything else. Just take it in stride but don't let it slip away!
Make your game happen on another court! I equate bowhunting to Basketball, and you cannot call yourself a basketball player if you only shoot from the free-throw line! It's time to dribble! it's time to face another opponent-one that isn't familiar! It's time to shot from anywhere but the free-throw line. Set a goal, save for that goal, and execute! Go west! Go to Africa! Get out of town! You are stuck in "everyday" and it is time to find those places where adventure meets discovery!
