What right now is the hardest part of bowhunting for you? Myself would be over thinking to much from my equipment to stand placement.
Waiting, it's so close but yet so far. I know the first morning I sit down in my stand I go....whew...a big sigh of relief.
Mine would be picking the right stand. Last year I would have had a 160" 10 pointer if I had picked the stand I planned to hunt that morning but instead hunted a stand 80 yards away and got busted by the deer. I always overthink my stand choice and drive myself nuts.
What's all that in the background?............... :d :d http://forums.bowhunting.com/yaf_postst237_Give-him-a-score.aspx
Thats been my hang up for the last 5 years or so. I'm finally figuring these 4.5 year olds out some what but my stand placement has got to get better. I always seem to put myself about 10 yards out of range when I get set up in a good spot. Too many times I've had to watch a 140"+ buck walk on by at 25 to 35 yards being thats a tad out of range for my recurve. I've got to get my **** together on this, this is a must when it comes to fine tuning my stand placement!!
I have MECHDOC on my old stand this year, the stand can have multiple shooters walk through within an hour as they work a fenceline. I hunted that stand too many times last year and missed an opportunity on the buck I wanted to get. This year I am going to hunt the stand that has less traffic but has the higher chance of producing that 160" that got away.
One of the most dificult things for me to do is to try and keep track of deer movement at three or four different places at the same time, then try and quess which one to hunt.
Having been extremely ruff on myself when I was younger and acquiring some aches and pains that go along with the age, I would say its staying that extra hour on stand on morning hunts in bitter cold weather.
Simply put, children and my job. Right when hunting season starts, so does harvesting. And any free time left I have after coming home or on my day off is put into my family. Poor excuse, but the crop is our money and it doesn't pay to leave it in the field. So, I loathe for the ability to take vacation days in the dead heat of the rut, but taking a week off when fall comes doesn't exists for farmers.
Gaining permission to hunt on land. It's a pain in the butt really. So much research and attempts for so often the word no. This is the hardest aspect of bowhunting. One that can leave a sour taste in anyone's mouth.
You are correct there sir!! My job is a milk hauler, same thing applys with me as well if I am short on help. 7 days a week, 365 days a year my truck is on the road. I'm lucky I've got a few decent employee's the last few years, doesn't always work that way.
Schultzy, I'm glad someone else knows where I am coming from. It just flat out sucks that the schedules coincide with each other.
I know where you are coming from in reguards to harvest. Kids... well Tyler hunts and looks like Britney will too so getting a day off does mean a hunting we will go. The wife is very good and puts up with a lot between work and hunting. She is a good one!! Tim
TJF, I knew you could relate as well. It isn't like I am complaining, I love my job. Farming is definitely a "freeing" profession when compared to other careers, despite the lack of "free" time during hunting season. You gotta love the fact your kids are getting to the age to hunt with you. At 3 and 10 months, I am a few years off until I am able to share in those same experiences.
figuring out which land to hunt. I have 2 private parcels to hunt & public land. Not sure which will be most productive.