Do you have this "game" all figured out?

My problem is finding the food sources during the season. It's constantly changing, as I'm sure it does everywhere. My problem is, everyone owns 40 acres here, not many tracts of 200-500 acres. So if the deer move 40 acres over to do their chowing down, it may be on ground I can't access. Happens all too often to me, especially late in the year. Do I have it figured out? That varys from season to season.

 

If I just want to kill deer(bucks and does) I don't need to know anything more than I already do.

To target a specific mature buck and all that jazz, you likely need to learn that individual buck's personality so that leads you to always be learning.

 

right there with ya!!

and no, it isn't all that hard, but yet kicks my butt everytime I go into the woods with that thought in mind... there is almost always something that I learn each time I step into the woods, no matter what weapon I have in my hands. I HAVE done the take 5 years off thing, and it took a couple seasons to get back to where I once was. It was like I had to relearn a few things that at one time came very naturally...

 

If you asked A-Rod I bet he'd tell you he doesn't have it figured out. That's what makes all the greats in their sports as great as they are. They never think they have it figured out. They don't want to have it figured out. The moment you think you do, you stop trying to become the best at what you do (whether you realize it or not). Listen to Tiger Woods interviews (which I'm sure you have). His only goal is to become better. Never satisfied with his game. He could win 75 majors and 400 tournaments and at the end of his career would tell you he's just trying get better everyday. Will NEVER tell you he has it figured out.

 

Different definitions of "figured out" I guess.

 

Wait a minute...

My son knows how to hit a baseball
A-Rod knows how to hit a baseball

They both have the game of baseball figured out?

My other son knows how to hit a golf ball
Tiger knows how to hit a golf ball

They both have the game of golf figured out?

 

Jeff, you still havnt answered my question....

And i have a few more things to ask now that ive read a bit,

Have you ever bowhunted deer outside of your home state (maybe with Rob in PA?)? And were you successful?

 

i have sooooo much left to learn. Figured out? Not even close.

 

When I can walk into the woods and kill a deer, no, THE deer, every time I go in the woods, thats when I'll have it figured out!

 

I agree with TX and that's what I'm trying to say.

Jeff,

I agree that killing a deer isn't brain surgery. Yes you find a trail that they use and setup. Eventually you will kill a deer. That part isn't rocket science. I agree 100% that it really isnt' that hard for someone to kill a deer. Hell my son was in the woods 8 minutes and killed his first deer. I just disagree with your theory that means the hunter has it figured out. Because he saw a trail, set up on it and killed a deer? He has it all figured out?

I hate to keep using analogies with sports, but that's like saying someone hit a ground ball they have hitting figured out. They knew enough that when the ball is pitched to them they have to swing and hit it. If they succeed hitting it then they have hitting figured out?

On the flipside I hear what you're saying about people making it out to be more than what it is also. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of them. I dont' think they are mystical creatures with supernatural powers. I dont' need to make it sound harder than it actually is to make me feel better about it either. I'm just saying it's not hard at all to kill a deer. Most anyone can do it relatively easy. Just like most anyone could probably get a piece of a pitch in baseball. Just fail to see how that means they have the game as a whole figured out.

Tell ya what. Take that same person that walked into the woods the first time, saw a trail and killed a deer that eventually walked down it. He figured it out. Tell him the next day to go kill a 4.5 year old buck. Get back to me when he has that one figured out.
I

 

Nope, not at all.

 

NY, I know what you're getting at but there's a huge difference.

Let's analyze Baseball and Bowhunting for instance.

In order to have baseball figured out, you have to understand different hitting schemes, pitching schemes, understand how to steal in order to keep yourself out of a double play, you understand 1st and 3rd situations, you have an opponent who (at any higher level of baseball) has the game figured out as well. You have to figure out what hitters will be placed in what order in the other team's lineup, determined by which pitcher they expect to see from your bull pen. Understanding when you can pull a fake bunt, double steal on a left handed pitcher. There is so much to figuring out the "game" to be able to succeed at any level. Executing on the knowledge that you have is completely different. It's the "head writes the check but the body can't cash" type of deal.

With bowhunting the opponent only "hits, runs, throws, and catches" or a combination of those items. They're much less complex and therefore much easier to "figure out." But just the same as anything else, executing on the stuff we have "figured out" is the difficult part.

 

Slick, I took the better part of 8 years off (thanks to a little somthin' called BAD marriage :d). . I was able to kill deer without any problems but I remeber going into my local shop and asking the guy behind the counter "What's with all the kid bows hangin' up?" lol! Man, things can change in a hurry! :d

 

I know about 10% of the tip of the iceberg, which means I don't know squat.

 

Give it 4 more seasons and get back to me.

 

I have the basics covered, but I still learn something everytime out. Going on self guided hunts to strange tracts of land in other states with 5-7 days to figure it out and get an opportunity can tell you pretty quickly how well you know the game. I have been able to accomplish this for myself and have helped others figure it out in their woods in an afternoon or two, but success still comes too infrequently for me.

 

Doesn't it depend on what we are talking about?

To just kill a deer...any deer...is a helluva lot different game than someone trying to hunt specific animals for instance.

The question was if we think we have it "ALL figured out" which to me would mean we have nothing else to learn.

Since I don't kill the mature bucks that I'm after every season then I guess I don't have it all figured out.

 

My definition of "having it all figured out".....

WHY a buck is choosing this specific bed...

Where he goes if pushed....

How the various moon phases will effect his travel, morning, mid-day, afternoon.....

Where is he feeding.... What trail does he take based on time of year, wind direction, etc.....

Which doe bed he is likely to scent check first and from which direction....

You get the point..... Sure, we all know he beds, eats, boinks, etc, but that doesn't mean really know ANYTHING about him.

 

I'll preface this by saying I'm simply trying to expand on that statement and am NOT trying to get into an argument with anyone.

On one hand you're right, deer hunting isn't hard. A similar example, I take great pride in the fact that I've won several buckles riding broncs and team roping in amateur events across the states and it wasn't really that hard. Now had I chosen to ride NFR quality stock or rope against PRCA ropers, well it would have been alot harder because I would have had to step up my game alot. But that doesn't diminish the fact that I'm proud of those old buckles.

Now put that it in hunting terms. Deer hunting in itself isn't hard until you make it hard and that can be done several ways. Here's a few scenarios:

1. Hunt one buck exclusively
2. Hunt areas of low deer density or areas of high hunter density (i.e., pressured public land)
3. Hunt land you've never set foot on before, knowing you only have a week to get it done.
4. Hunt in the mountains or other terrain that test your mental fortitude
5. Hunt in extreme weather conditions

Those situations definately make it more interesting. So you're right, deer hunting isn't that hard but how you go about it can be.