I'm going to start keeping a detailed journal this year of all my hunts (and everything else). Id like to set something up on my computer where I can just log the information after every hunt. I guess a spreadsheet of sort? Wind direction, hours on stand, stand location, sightings, etc.... What else do you journal keepers record? Do you have something setup on your computer? Pad and paper in the back of your truck somewhere? Keep all your info in your brain? Go out... use your instinct... wing it?
I am going to waste your time and tell you I do this every year...for the last 10 or so. I have the information, number of deer seen, what time etc for the first weekend and maybe the second for the last 10 years. After that I suck and forget to write anything down
I think a journal is another good tool to use to get you more info on how deer move different times of year in your areas, different weather, from one season to the next. i can remember where and when I see a shooter, but alot of times forget about the smaller bucks that may have grown this year into something special, and where they were hanging out last year. But yes when November rolls around and sightings go up it is hard to keep track.
I have kept a deer log for the last 4 years. I just like keeping track of what I see and where. I only have 1 hunting spot, and it is only about 15 acres, so not sure how much it really helps fromm year to year, I just enjoy doing it. I am also in the middle of printing every buck picture that I have gotten on my trail cams, going way back to 2005. I have a 500 page album that I will have full by the ime I am done. My deer log includes..... Temp, wind direction and speed, what stand I sat in, every deer I see, where I saw it, and where it was headed, if it was a fawn, buck, or doe, and what time I saw the deer. I also include what date the farmer starts taking out the field that year, and if it was beans or corn. Also what time I get into my stand, and what time I get down.
I think keeping a journal is a great idea. I will have to write down all the info I remember from last year and get something started for this year. I just started hunting a new location (state land) last season. I have a good assessment of one area out of the fourteen. This year I'm set up in two of the areas and I plan to be able to move to other spots as needed. Yes, I believe a journal will prove to be another useful tool. C
Last year was my first year for keeping a journal. I loaded a spread sheet application onto my Blackberry and I was able to log every sighting just after it happened right from the stand. I plan to do the same thing with my Droid. It may seem a little high tech but there was a day last year where I saw 8 different bucks and multiple does in different locations at different times. There is no way I would have remembered all of the times and such by the time I got home.
I built a spread sheet in Excel last fall. It seemed to work fine for me. PM me if you'd like me to send you a copy.
I kept one for the past two seasons. I made an Excel spreadsheet with columns for the date, time on stand, stand location, wind direction/speed, high/low temps, and details of the nights events (deer sighted broken down by button buck, yearling, doe, buck, and where these deer entered/exited, and at what approximate time). It's been interesting to look back and see the patterns the deer show in relation to weather and environmental conditions as well as food source changes.
I once kept a very detailed journal of sorts... 7 years worth actually.. and I just re-read it recently. I should still keep it.. but I don't.. age has proven me a bit lazy it seems. Anyway.. it was like a book of knowledge.. I put it all down.. moon phase that sit.. temp.. wind speed.. wind direction.. even bucks walking which way in accordance to these winds. I even wrote of the food sources that were within bow range of me.. although that was only for like the first 3 years of this journal.. but it was neat to see the species of tree I was in and relation to deer movement numbers. Obviously I learned the overwhelming importance of the oak species.. in particular the white.
Do you guys actually write this stuff down as you're hunting or do you go back and enter it from memory?
I've never devoted or taken the time to do a journal. I know it's probably something I should get into the habit of doing as it would probably help. Lazy ass ol' Iowa country boy I guess.
I have been considering starting one. Not so much on the technical aspect of it all, but just about the hunt. I want it to be something or my family can look back on many years from now. I loe to read Pappa Bear's old notes and wish to do the same.
Memory... How many rounds can you go back and recall: total score; score on each hole; the exact ydg you had for each shot on each hole ---- what club you hit---and how many putts you had, total? It's not hard to remember the details of a hunt, either.
Exactly. I use an excel sheet and memory. Pretty interesting to breakdown each stand site, wind direction, temps, etc.
Good point. I can remember pretty detailed information of rounds I've played 10 years ago. I also remember some I'd like to forget:p. I think it's going to be pretty cool at the end of the year looking back at all the information and analyze what happened, when and why. Could be a useful tool in the future ....... or it could be no help. Can't hurt I suppose.
I've been doing this the last couple of years and have found it helpful. It seems like each year I add more information. I now record moon phase, wind speed, wind direction, weather conditions, conditions relative to the hunt/stand (field just harvested, wind night before causing acorn drop, etc.), and the details of the hunt. I put it in a Word doc and write it out rather than in Excel because I enjoy writing it, and having it in more of a story form makes it more interesting to go back and read. But there really is no wrong way to do it.
