I'll admit, I tend to put a lot more pressure on myself than necessary with regards to a lot of things in life including hunting. While I can sit and simply enjoy a sit on stand watching anything and everything, I would be lying if I said there wasn't an ever present internal "clock" ticking down in my brain with each passing day of the season. Maybe it's because I feel at this point my hunting game should be improving with each season, and my measure of success is a deer taken, or maybe it's simply because I did have a dry spell of taking bucks up until last year. Regardless, I always seem to put too much pressure on myself for taking a buck, and I can get very antsy until I do. It's not necessarily productive, nor does it really fully harm my enjoyment in the woods, but at times, I really wish I could just let things play out as they do each day and not worry so much about taking a deer. Anyone else seem to have similar expectations? I know some hunters start putting pressure on themselves as the season nears its end, but we're now just entering the 2nd week here in PA's 6 week season.
i think the second you stopping worry and thinkin about it so much and enjoy the woods more, that monster buck will walk right in front of you when you least expect it....
I used to beat myself up over those things but it seems the older I get the more laid back I am while in stand. Dont get me wrong, I work my arse off scouting ect ect. but when the season is in, I dont let it get to me. I think its because I do all the hard work in the off season so I can ejoy the actual hunts more!
I hear ya Matt. Unsure of the solution. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have the same clock ticking. My solution. Kill does. Hunt hard. In the end, if you can say you gave it your best and you still have a tag, you have no reason to be upset with yourself.
Pressure happens man, specifically when there are a lot of people watching to see what you do and waiting to prove you wrong Either way, it's how that is dealt with that makes the difference and anything can happen at any moment whether it be the first day or the last day!
Been there, done that...won't do it again...I'm thinking kids are what changed my mindset/approach to hunting. I still try hard, because that's my approach with everything in life...but I just enjoy every hunt - regardless of outcome.
I don't care what others think like I did in my younger days but I do get frustrated with our current situation here in the CWD area of Wisconsin.
I pretty much sit in the stand and smile anymore, The only real pressure i feel is to stay out of certain stands until the rut kicks in full swing and the wind is perfect for that particular stand site.
If it wasn't a challenge, it would be called killing, not hunting. I get burnt out really quickly. I watch the guys I hunt with back home strategize and re-evaluate their tactics when things are not going their way, i.e., killing a target buck- they are true HUNTERS. Myself- not so much. If things dont just pan out for me, I get frustrated. I lose sight of the bigger picture and lose motivation. Each time I dont see something from a stand, instead of using that to fuel my drive, it just burns me up. Oh well...
I can relate. I have a different take on the subject. Pressure is a good thing. It brings out the best in you. Compete with yourself, self motivation, the drive to succeed, etc.... My philosophy (for a lot of things) is simply out work the next guy in anything I do. I just about kill myself trying to be the best I can be at anything. At the end of a hunting season I mentally and physically feel like I've been run over by a truck. But for some strange reason..... that's what I love about it. I absolutely work my tail off and do whatever it takes to get it done... PERIOD! And yeah among all that I still enjoy the finer aspects of being out there. But, I'm out there for a reason and a goal and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it happen. If it doesnt'? I can sleep at night knowing there's not an ounce more I could have gave.
Yep, happens every year to me about the time November hits. I usually get about 7-8 days in November to hunt, and during this stretch, I stress myself out. Maybe it's the sun up to sun down hunting, lack of sleep, or the fact that chasing whitetails is addicting, I'm not really sure. However, I wouldn't really want it any other way. If I were to just sit back, and let the season pass by me without putting this pressure on myself to complete the task at hand, then I don't think I would be able to look back and tell myself I gave it everything I had.
All I can do is scout hard and set up in spots I think will produce each hunt. For me, it really is that simple. If I do not connect, then I know I gave it my best shot.
I do. I hate waiting for the rut. Its a great time to be out but i dont wanna have to rely on it. I know its only a matter of time before i get a shot at a decent buck but I would personally rather shoot it early and then spend the rest of my season picking off doe's. Rifle season is not an option for me, its nothing but dumb luck (will the spooked deer run past you?). I'll always pressure myself to get tags filled in archery.
If I don't fill my buck tag in early archery, I feel like it's over. I have mixed feelings about rifle season.
I seam to put to much pressure on everything I do in life. It ruins things sometimes, but I do not know any other way.
Its funny this is brought up. I wrote a post a year or two ago on another forum about this very thing. I too, got caught up in the "season isn't a success unless I tag a big buck" thing. I put so much pressure on myself that it started being less and less fun. You see, around here, there are a lot of people who know me as the "big buck" guy. I have had a string of six or seven years where I tagged a good buck almost every season. So, I started feeling the pressure to continue this. The problem was, it wasn't much about doing it for my own personal goals, but to "live up" to everyone elses expectations. I finally realized it wasn't about anyone but myself. I am my own measuring stick and I decide what is a successful year. The first season after I realized this, I had one of my most enjoyable seasons I could remember. I did not arrow a single deer, but took lots of pictures of ones I could, even a borderline 8 that I left walk. That 8 was taken by a 13 year old at our hunting camp in deer season. Talk about satisfaction from my perspective! It was so neat to see this kid take his first buck, a nice, respectable 8 to boot. I learned thats its the experiences that make the hunt, not the trophy's on the wall.
Maybe it's the fact that I already had a shot at a good buck and choked, so I'm often wondering whether that was my only shot. I'm confident I'm going to see deer, and lots of them, but I just lack the confidence to say, "I have five weeks, and I'm going to get a shot at a good buck." Anyways, looks like a great wind for a good stand tomorrow:D
