State of confusion in my bowhunting life...

Some of you guys take the term to literally. Going out after a certain buck or certain age class buck and succeeding is taking it to the next level.

It is just a little saying, two simple words to describe upping ones game.... That's all.

 

Another perfect way to say the same thing.

 

The problem lies when you want to take it from upping one's game....to THE game.

 

Not following you there?

 

I've targeted older age class bucks the past 2 seasons and failed. Tried to take it to the next level. Is succeeding that important? Everyone is saying that eating tag soup is part of it. The question I have is:

Am I already at the next level since I'm eating tags for 2 straight years?

or

Do I suck at hunting older bucks?

 

To answer your question, you failed at filling your tag but in my eyes you only really failed if you did not have fun or did not learn anything about yourself or your quarry in the process.

 

I'm not sure they're mutually exclusive!

 

Thats what I'm afraid of!

 

I was mainly being sarcastic but I still don't view it as upping ones game necessarily, it's more like choosing to limit the game you will take. If a guy eats tag soup for years and ends up killing a slammer what did he "up" his game from? To each their own, it's all good with me.

 

Honestly, what is the difference between what I was saying and what you are saying here? In the end it is the same result but using different words to describe it. I feel we are saying the same thing, but trying to define the terminology from different angles.

 

Yes you suck and I am talking from experience. :D Joking !!!!!!!!! No you don't suck. It's tougher or more challenging or trying up one's game or trying to take it to the next level. Pick a term as they all means the same thing.

Safe to say... most hunter will try to progress in some aspect the longer they hunt. We like challenges. It might be the weapon we choose to hunt with or the class of buck were after or the specie of animal we are interested in.

Hell Altasman does it... he just doesn't want to admit to it. On his out of state trip... he set a goal. It wasn't just to shoot any buck but one with at least so many inches. The same reason many go out of state to hunt. I don't remember him shooting a lesser scoring buck at the beginning, midway or the end of his hunt to fill his tag. He picked his challenge and stuck with it. To me that is trying to up your game or taking it to another level.

Does he hunt the same in his home state?? Does he hunt strictly for a certain amount of inches ?? Will he shoot a lesser buck later in the season just to fill his tag ???

If he answers yes... that is two different levels of hunting to me.

Tim

 

I've been thinking about this. Since I didn't kill a buck with my bow this year......I think I'm on my way!

 

I am getting the same thing out of his post. This means he agrees with us... he just doesn't realize it yet !! :D

Tim

 

Since you are a Trad hunter... you were already living the dream.

Did you just ground hunt with it this year ??

Tim

 

I'm just messin' around, Tim. I did pass on a couple bucks I'd have shot in the past (one that makes me wish I'd shot him, sometimes). But, I also just didn't get it done.

I was really just joking around.

I had a great season. I had a blast.

Heck...I still have a few chances, too.

With the bow in hand.....I hunted off the ground 0 times.

 

I was just joking too !!

I thought you were planning on hunting off the ground with it. Never heard if you did or not so I was just curious.

Tim

 

But it has been said here numerous times that this "net level" can't be achieved without letting smaller bucks walk............and what if he just kills an older class buck without setting out to specifically do so?? Not good enough for "next level" status?

But if he is the second buck to walk by it proves he does?? Weird logic.

I see..........so actually the passing of bucks is irrelevant if the mindset of the shooter is not right as well?? LOL........this stuff is priceless man. Sadly it can't be laughed off as beer fuled ramblings around the campfire, but funny regardless.

I just can't agree with "thoughts" that have no foundation in the truth.

So does everyone. In case you missed it...........

Nah...........just another dude hunting in Illinois.

 

OK.........so answer my question then. EACH guy kills 1 slammer over 5 years but only one of them chooses to shoot 3 other solid bucks along the way as well while the other passed or didn't even get a chance at them.

Hunter 1...........1 Slammer and 3 Solid bucks in 5 years

Hunter 2...........1 Slammer in 5 years


Who is on the "next level"??

 

100% false. I had no goal in mind other to have fun hunting with my brother.

It wasn't a challenge.........it was an opportunity to hunt a deer I have ZERO chance of ever seeing at home.......and the only reason the reality of that possibility got a chance to sink in was I was at full draw on him very early in my trip. If I knew my trip was going to be cut short I would have stuck one of those bucks I let pass........in fact, looking back I should have regardless.

As I did in Illinois?? No.......no one from the east coast would. It's a different world there. Talked to a 22 yr old kid that had 4 bucks over 150" (1 over 170") already and was pissed because he hasn't killed a "really big buck" yet. No sense even comparing the two because the "levels" have nothing to do with the hunter

No......in or out of NY.

I might shoot any buck on any given day...........then again, I might not. All depends what the season is telling me as it unfolds.

 

Hunter 1 and Hunter 2 are on the same level if you are talking about older buck hunting prowess. Because talk is only talk, and getting it done is the measure of success when someone "takes it to the next level".