This is an odd post, and seeing as it's coming only a mere week and a half into our archery season, it may be a bit in haste. However, this season was one I was really getting anxious for. Normally, as July rolls into August, I'm aware of the upcoming season, but I'm too busy enjoying my summer to get REALLY into it. This year, however, I was really pumped. I was proactive all summer with minerals, cameras, redid two plots, etc. I was ready to go. Then the season came. I've been out quite a bit. I've seen my fair share of deer so far, lots of young bucks, fawns, etc., However, I'm not "feeling" it. I don't know if it's the lack of fall like temperatures, the other obligations and priorities in my life, or what, but I just don't feel excited being out there right now. I used to spend most of my free time at work (like now) browsing the forums, reading up on hunts, asking more questions, researching what more I could do hunting strategy wise in season, etc., I now find myself spending more time researching plot maps, drafting letters of interest looking for land, etc., I actually am more excited about the prospect of finding my own ground and buying it, than I do hunting the ground I have now. I think it's a combination of things. For one, I've learned over the past few seasons that my parents ground is gorgeous for recreation, lacking in hunting. Access to major areas of interest are few and far between and with the crop rotation of the leasing farmer, it makes it pretty much a sure bet many mature deer can stay within the confines of the standing corn, and seeing as he picks our property last, and often after archery has closed here in PA, it's not a great situation. Secondly, I'm battling non-life threatening health issues, but it weighs on my mind daily. I do enjoy hunting, and I don't believe I'm losing the spark, but for some reason, I just don't have the excitement I've had in years past. The only positive to this is I used to put so much pressure on trying to get a buck, that sometimes THAT made impossible to enjoy. As for now, I could care less if I shoot one or not, and maybe that's a good thing in the long run. Anyone else ever experience this?
I haven't put any extra time into this year. In fact, quite the opposite. This year came up on me fast and before I knew it, it was late September. I go out and sit and though I would love to see and shoot a couple big deer, the fire is not what it once was. I shot a big buck last year, my first wall hanger so that might have a lot to do with it. I love bow hunting, but part of me wonders how much longer I will do it. This year is an off year for me, there was very little excitement for the opener and even now, two weeks from the rut I still can't get super pumped. I love my time in the woods but I'm not as excited as I used to be.
As far as deer harvest...year 1 through 3 was a learning experience for me (1/1/0). Years 4-5 were pretty solid so far (3/2), year 5 was rough (1), and year 6-8 have been good to me (2/2/1 so far), bow kills in parenthesis. As far as property management, this year was up and down. We got our first food plots in, but they failed pretty miserably. We tried and couldn't get any mineral licks to take, so that was also a fail. Stand placement has been great though, and with alot of changes coming next year, were pretty excited.
Definitely an off season for me. I've shot my hunting bow 5 times this year. Haven't been out bowhunting once yet. Spent the Spring and all Summer moving. I hope to be bowhunting in early/mid November.
Not the kills. I've been lucky enough to tag out either in archery or rifle 4 of the last 5 years. It's not "off" because I haven't shot anything. It's "off" because I find myself fiddling with my phone on stand more than I do simply sitting with earnest excitement.
Kills pretty much show how into the season i was. It correlates back to when i was probably out partying instead of hunting (more interested in 2 legged deer at the time).
Soon as you see one booner you will be feeling it again Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
The past few years I've put a lot of pressure on myself, hit it hard, and came up empty chasing after monster racks only. This year, I'm taking a different approach. Work being stupid busy has help, but so have the kids sports and such. Of course I'm still chasing after the big bucks, but I'm not going to pass on a good mature buck. I'm still very much into hunting and I wouldn't call it an off year at all, just taking the pressure off. I want to have more fun with it.
Ive had those feelings before and most of the time they arose because of the stress of life and the pressure I placed on myself during each hunt. I like to slow it down now and just relax in the woods. If I am not having fun I am not going hunting. Just slow down a bit and relax.
Yes - Ive felt the same way for the last two years and it comes and goes for me it seems. Last year my wife was pregnant and we found out both of our dogs were in advanced kidney failure the week before seasons started. I got to sit in the stand to bowhunt exactly one time and felt terribly guilty about it. I ended up wounding a doe that I never found during that only sit and after that I just didn't have the mindshare for it and really didn't want to leave my wife alone to take care of the dogs so I didn't get out again. I didn't even have the craving for it. This year between taking a new position at work, selling our house, a 5 month old son, and a pending move halfway across the country.......I got exactly one sit in. Luckily I doubled up and that lone sit and killed two does. I got to scratch the itch with that sit and now I won't likely make it out again this year as the move is coming up in two weeks. I'm not even thinking about it anymore right now as I have way too much that I still have to do. I might get the itch towards the end of November once we are settled in IL and if so, I'll volunteer for Justin to go sit in a tree and run a camera just so I can get out there for a few sits. I'll be on a lease in IL next year with a real legitimate chance at a big buck for the first time in my life. I suspect next year I'll go at it hard as my life will (hopefully) be a bit more stabilized and I'll be in a great place to kill the buck of a lifetime. While I have very little focus on hunting for this year, I absolutely can't wait to start learning a new place next year and anticipate I'll be giving it 100% next year.
Cant say that I have really. I get worn out/beat/tired/exhausted (mentally & physically)/ have a zillion other things on my plate to attend to outside of hunting hours/ etc... But, that's what drives me. I'm into each and every hunt like it was my last chance to kill a big buck. And the next day..... I'll work just as hard to put the pieces of the puzzle together until someone tells me I can't be in the woods anymore for the year. Game on! I'd tell you to take some time off, appreciate the finer things, have fun, dont pressure yourself etc.. but I cant or won't. Get out there and get it done! JMO
My sightings are WAY down this year. I find myself checking my phone more than in the past or day dreaming due to lack of sightings. But I still look forward to getting out and enjoy my time on stand. But I wouldn't complain at least seeing a deer one of these days LOL. However, last year I getting close to finishing up my degree and had a lot of stress between school and home life. I lost my drive and just wasn't into it at all for the first the 3/4 of the season. Then a friend invited me out with him and 2 other guys and I started having fun again. I enjoyed talking about the hunt, having a beer afterwards with them, etc. Maybe consider trying to find someone to hunt with. It might help, you feed off of others excitement.
Good to know some have experienced it before. NY, wish I had your drive. I do in a lot of things in life, hunting seems to not get it. A lot of it is my fault in that I don't have access or haven't tried to access other ground. Frankly, I think some of it is that I'm bored hunting this property all my life. It's good for a few weeks of the year. The rest of the time, I'm watching resident deer (mostly 1.5yr olds) meander around. Couple this with the other things going on in my life, it just doesn't get me very fired up.
I have it happen when I hunt the normal properties I almost get bored with them. Last year I traveled to Ohio for the first time, it helped because I was there to "hunt" not worry with chores, what else needs completed, what could I be working on etc. Try a hunt somewhere else even if its public ground near you. Break the norm, good luck!
I think you're being a bit quick to feel that it's an off season. We aren't even to the rut yet, you still have plenty of hunting for something to happen and it's probably because you aren't seeing as many deer or as big of deer. A lot of it has to do with the weather we've been having so far. Just wait until the daytime temps drop, you will see more deer (and bigger bucks) and it will put a spark in your rear. Also, don't make hunting feel like a chore and don't define success as killing your biggest deer yet or killing more deer than last year. Define hunting by how much fun you are having, make it your hobby and remove the stress and work aspect of it and you will enjoy it more.
If you think a season is bad cause you havnt put a deer down remember it could be worse. I will attach this picture of a friend of a friend that still gets out no matter what. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150227980425133&set=a.10150265008240133.501634.656775132&type=1&theater
This is good advice here. I will admit that I am in a bit of a funk so far this year. I'm hunting a new property, and so far I've only been out there twice, but neither hunt was successful. The property I used to hunt, which was sold due to the owner falling on hard times, spoiled me a bit as I saw a deer pretty much every time I was out there. I also went for a quick sit at my grandma's a couple evenings ago, but didn't see anything. I have to remind myself that it is still early and a lot of the crops are still in the fields, which they weren't at this time last year. Stick with it, things will turn around once the crops are harvested and the weather cools down a bit.
I keep getting into it more and more every year. And the fact that my wife is loving it more and more helps. I feel like I learn so much all the time. The past month and a half or so I've even been waking up in the middle of the night thinking about what the deer are doing and why. Where exactly certain bucks are bedding. I want to know what they are doing, thinking, what their next move is. I try to figure out the demeanor of every buck that I have on camera, when he was where and why. I also try and keep track of how and when every buck dies. On bucks that I know don't get killed by people, I still try and figure out what happened to them even if it isn't completely logical. I want to know the age of every buck killed, what the conditions were like, what was he doing when he was seen/shot. I even try and keep track of what does are where, even though that is next to impossible. I feel myself being completely consumed with everything that has to do with whitetails. So to answer the question, no I don't ever feel like that. It probably has something to do with me being half crazy though.
Well y'all made me feel good. I've had a rough. Season having moved and on new grounds, leases ( which as an Ohio/pa guy I'm not used too). I'm in the tree for the 17th time ain't seen a deer all season. But my fire and desire burns bright. That's better than being on great land with no passion!! Thanks
That was me last year. Lost my 2 best long time hunting spots and my vacation for the rut was spent chasing ghost like elk. I didn't even care to bowhunt cause I didn't have a place worth hunting.
