This is a long one guys. Alright, well with the 2008 PA archery season now officially at a close (with the exception of late season), and it was a season of ups and downs for me. Sort of an emotional rollercoaster, with the final week being one long lasting plunge. I'll put it right out on the table here, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself in the closing weeks to put a buck down as I haven't done so since 2002. I've said it on here over and over that I really never became SERIOUS about bowhunting until two years ago. Don't get me wrong, all through college I hunted when I could, but paid little attention to wind, scent control, and I hunted the same two or three locations all season. The past two seasons, I've put a TON of work and preparation in. Everything from planting food plots, post-season scouting, map creation, stand rotation/selection, entry/exit route planning, scent-control, playing the wind, etc. I suppose this increased effort which has resulted in two more years of tag soup has me really questioning my abilities as a hunter. This was also the first season I kept a journal. It was a fun process, and I've learned a lot from it, so here's a statistical breakdown of my season, and some analysis on my end. So, along the lines of GMMAT's thread, looking over this, what can you say about my season? Where did I make mistakes? What could be changed? What is positive? Am I really one of those guys who simply doesn't get it? I'm extremely frustrated at why I can't seem to put a buck on the ground in archery season, and it seems year after year it's the same old thing. Anyways, let's look at some stats: Total Sightings: 158 Approx Different Deer: 35 Approx Number Of Deer Within Shot Window (30yds under): 75 (All Six Bucks Included) Busted (Known): 0 Sits: 40 Morning Hunts: 6 Missed Days: 3 Total Time on Stand: 5085 Minutes (84.75hrs) Buck Total (Different Bucks): 6 Largest Buck: 115-120” 8 Point Smallest: 5” Spike Buck Sightings Prior to November 1st: 2 (Spike, 6 point) Buck Sightings After November 1st: 13 Stand Locations: 13 Total Sites Acreage Hunted: 90 Major Accomplishment: First Turkey with a Bow (Nov.1) My take on this season in terms of positives is that my deer sightings were through the roof compared to last year. The fact that I wasn't busted once (known) was a MAJOR improvement, and I believe it can be attributed to my greater attention to scent control, and playing the wind. I did manage to take a turkey with a bow, which was an accomplishment. I had all 6 bucks I saw this year in range (I only saw 2 last year and neither were in range), although only the 115"-120" was a shooter, and I couldn't get him to turn sideways for me at 25yds, and eventually ran out of light. The 75 deer within my shot window is not an exaggeration (I think I estimated on the low side), so many of you are probably wondering why I didn't take even a doe. Well the timing was always wrong. Early in the season, I passed quite a few due to temps in the evenings, and then after late October, I passed all of them due to the hope of them drawing in the bucks (which they did at times). The remaining shot opps were yearlings, and I don't take them. Personal decision. Anyways, statistics aside, I'm still feeling a bit down, and not really having a ton of confidence at this point. A few points that are disconcerting are the fact that I only saw two bucks prior to November. That tells me I wasn't hunting buck locations, rather I was hunting primarily doe areas. The problem being is that, my 13 locations were spread pretty even throughout the 90acres, and there's only one small section I haven't touched which could be an early season buck location. If that turns up empty next year, it's a safe assumption that our property really doesn't hold the bucks in the preseason. Anyways, I did see some amazing things this year. Tons of turkeys, button bucks head butting, gray foxes playing tag, and some of the most amazing sunsets ever. I'm healthy and alive which
Wow, I have never thought about all that stuff. I could probably guess the numbers I have seen and about how much time I have spent hunting this season but that is impressive. I was actually thinking of starting a log this year but never did. Now I am thinking I might have to!
I think you can and will drive yourself crazy hunting that way........trying to analyze what you did on paper will eventually (sooner then later) get you all messed up between the ears....just my opinion. You can't see on a piece of paper what really happened in the woods. Maybe your approach to and away from your stands is less then ideal.......maybe you move a lot in your stand......maybe you have your stands set up in poor locations........then again, maybe you are doing everything right and just are not in the right stand on the right day. I just think it is neary impossible to gain the sort of answers you seek from a set of stats. I'm not saying they can't be valuable, just not sure they will give you the answer you are looking for. You saw a boat load of deer........had a nice shooter in bow range but he zigged when he should have zagged. That's life. Sounds like a pretty nice season that was seconds away from being a great one. Hang in there man.......pretty soon the stories of the one you almost got blend right into the one you have at the taxidermist.
That's true. I suppose looking at statistics may not be the best way to analyze the hunting season, but it's weird, because looking back at my logs, I saw a lot of deer, I was in and around the doe through the rut, but it just didn't come together. There have been worse seasons. I just need to shake this buck monkey off my back :d
I went through the buck monkey for 4 years until I got my first this year. Don't get down, although I know it's tough at times. Keep at it though, you can't kill them if you aren't hunting.
That would be an amazing year for me Matt! Since 2004 I have only seen 5 or so deer and 3 of them was this year! I don't have any answers to help you other than a bad day hunting is better tha a good day at work. I still haven't been able to arrow me some meat for the freezer but I ain't quiting now!
Well my man let me just say a few things from an old fart's perspective......All the new gadgets and scientific approach is great if you like that kind of thing...but even with all of it, the deer still has to present itself in range. Doesn't happen very often but when it does you get to feel the rush....Hell the Indians and Boone didn't even take showers and and wore the same clothes for weeks & they piled em up.....The new technology makes it somewhat easier and fun to play with but you still have to be in the right place at the right time....there are so many influences that can change the deers behavior (dogs, people, coyotes, other deer, neighbors baiting....on and on) Hang in there and realize how lucky you are to be in a situation that allows you to be out!!!!! SB
Atlasman is absolutely correct about being in the wrong stand at the wrong time. For the past 3 or 4 weekends I have been traveling home from school to hunt, and have only been sitting in 2 or 3 different stands. We have a two-man ladder stand that I had sat in a majority of the times, and had only seen a few does, a spike buck, and a small 4-pointer. Well this past weekend I decided to sit in a different stand, one I had never sat in before. My Dad sat in the 2-man ladder stand. I saw several does and a small buck. My dad saw a 12-pointer that would probably score in the 160's and a big wide 8-pointer that would have scored around 130. I was so angry that I didn't sit in that stand that morning, but heck it's impossible to predict exactly how deer are going to move. There are so many variables that can effect the way that the deer move. Just stick with it and keep a positive attitude. It sounds like you're seeing plenty of deer, and your dedication to hunting will eventually pay off.
