State of confusion in my bowhunting life...

Well from what I gather from all the posts, is there seems to be some dislike/confusion for the term "next level". When I mentioned it I didn't invision being escorted to some stage in the woods and being crowned and given a plaque that says I made it to the next level congrats. I don't see it as a magical place that others can not obtain.

It was more of a personal level per say. Take what I have achieved to this point and what I could do to achieve more. Thats really all it is. Do I need to gain more knowledge about what I do? Better land? Move to another state (for you atlas lol)? Smarter about how I do it? Put in more time and work harder (not sure that's possible)?etc....

Its pretty much the same with a lot of things in life. You progress through your career. You progress through school. 1st grade...next level 2nd grade... to college and beyond. You progress through different levels of sports. Pony league, little league, babe ruth, high school, etc...

The game of golf is similar as well. Is a person satisfied shooting mid 80's? If so that's fine. If he wants to get into the 70's what does he have to do? Low 70's? Scratch? When he's scratch how does he continut to challenge himself? Play tougher courses? Better competion?Nationwide tour? It's all about how far you want to take it. And there really isn't any right or wrong. It's up to the individual.

This whole level concept pertains to the INDIVIDUAL. It is not a blanket concept used for comaparisons between people especially from other states. I think that's where some of the confusion about the terminology comes. It pertains to most everything in life. There is no .... I'm at a higher level than you. More of I've achieved a higher level of success than I previously had. Why would hunting be any different?

Hell I don't think I can break 100 in bowling. I suck! I'm a level 1 lol. But you know what? I don't really care. I have no desire to pursue bowling 200+ games.

 

I took both my bowling and hunting to the "next level" this year.

 

Fred Eichler completed the slam with a recurve. Ever seen his shows? He'll shoot a fork horn in a skinny minute!...lol

Somebody needs to tell him to stay on his level. This notion that you must "progress" is ludicrous (especially the way some define it).

I agree with this...AND that this is where the rub comes in. As much as you wanna say it, there are many who DO want to use the term as a blanket statement (for others and themselves).

My question is (and I'm not picking on you at all.....we see it all the time), why does this have to be "declared'?

I have changed my mind. I didn't get skunked this year on bucks (so far), I've just decided to move to the next level.

 

I'm not "declaring" anything. I don't even know what I'm going to do yet. It's simply asking for opinions or advice from others in the same situation. It's not some sort of announcement lmao.
And pretty much these forums are for this kind of stuff...... discussion on hunting topics. I felt like talking about it. Nothing more.. nothing less. Some just choose to make it more than it really is.

 

Since this concept is all new to me........can I get a ruling?

What if I go 3 years without killing a buck? Am I:

1. Just not getting it done?
or
2. Given a pass (even glorified)...because I declared I am now at the next level?

I'm (of course) kidding (personally). But just in case.....can I declare, retroactively?

 

You summed it up very well here. As I was saying people were taking the saying to literal and personal.

One could say atlas years ago has took his posts and rebuttals to the next level, he uses the quote feature so much better now than when he first joined the message boards. :p

 

it's hunting .... not rocket science .... have fun and shoot a freeking doe next year

 

You cant shoot the big one if you dont have a tag, cant get any simpler than that. Good lord yall over analyze stuff. If that monster isnt the first one that walks in range, and hes targeting one specific buck, then he would have to pass other ones.

I will say it must suck to have only one buck tag, never had that to account into my life of hunting before and it really has to suck. Good luck to you whatever you decide. I will say I held out for a big deer for my area, and I didnt take a buck for 6 years with my bow, and it sucked, but honestly passing the smaller bucks and finally getting to slam a nice one, made it all worth it in my eyes. May I also add, the buck I shot was one that has been passed for two years on my property, go figure, some do stay around when you pass them.

 

Who cares what a little piss pot like you has ta say

 

I must say this thread is very entertaining. So many variables and if guys have to talk about being on the next level?? Gee! It is what it is. Bowhunting! a Hobby!! Have Fun!!

I have had a fair measure of success, but Lord I ought to! Been at for over 40 years. If I decided for some reason to go out and kill little bucks next year then that's my business, not my buddies or anyone else's.

I had a customer that came into the shop often. He had what was considered by most as good private ground to hunt in the big Wabash bottoms. Hunted for at least 3 years and could never even tag a doe. This guy was quite wealthy and some prime private ground came up for lease, (same county) which he did lease. The following years he killed several does and at least 1 P&Y Buck each year. I guess he became a much better hunter overnight? LOL!!

Most put way too much into this!

2 hunters:

Hunter A is very knowledgeable, has fair ground to hunt, and has proven that he can consistently take one of the top bucks on the ground he is hunting given the chance to put his time in.

Hunter B is a nimrod, knows basically very little about hunting big bucks other than the basics, play the wind, hunt funnels, etc. He is a good archer and can shoot a bow very well, and has some pristine private ground to hunt that gets no pressure besides him.

Hunter A gets to only hunt weekends

Hunter B gets to hunt everyday

I'll put my money on Hunter B every year and come out ahead, because IMHO there is No substitute for time spent in the woods. There are a lot of right places but you have to be there at the right time

Dan

 

That's it I've come to my decision. I've decided to regress.

Look out mr. spike YOU are in serious danger next season!

 

I notice there was not a threat at a doe ...... C'mon NY....you can DO IT!!!

 

No Kidding!! A Mature Ol Doe can be one of the Toughest targets a Bowhunter ever faces!

Dan

 

I'm with the "next level" being horse poop! Shoot what makes you happy. I really think it's a matter of progression like someone mentioned previously (which most deer hunters go through), where smaller bucks "don't do anything for you" after a certain amount of time. My hunting area doesn't have very many BIG bucks, in fact they are quite few and far between. Like I said before, I just try to kill a good (realistic) representative of MY hunting area. Many deer hunters would laugh at what I call a "decent buck", but I live in SE Pa, not Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, or Wissconsin.

I have let a couple small but legal bucks go past me without incident this season, but that doesn't put me at a higher level than another hunter who would have killed one of them. It just gets down to what makes you OK with yourself as a hunter. I probably will not fill my buck tag this season (I couldn't locate a "decent" 8pt I hit during the rut), but I had my chances and that's all I can ask for. I'm OK with that!

 

So, there's different categories and sub-categories in this next level?

Big deer with gun.....medium deer with bow.......smaller deer with trad tackle.......how do these rank?

I'm kidding...................................kinda.

 

I don't want to get into equipment choices because like everything in BowHunting it is a personal choice. I've been there done that. I shot recurves for several seasons and killed my share of game. In "68" I wondered what the first bow I saw with all them wheels really was. I have no desire to go back but then anyone that does that is their choice.

The thing that really bothers me is if someones hunts with a compound and thinks he is somehow better than someone using trad gear. The same can be said about trad shooters that somehow think because of their equipment choice they are somehow superior. To use a phrase earlyin used "Horse Poop!!"

To me as long as a guy hunts within his means and the abilities of his equipment then I'm all for him and he is a true Bowhunter. If a guy is shooting trad and consistently making bad shots and losing deer then he needs to think about A- practicing more, B- cutting your effective range to shorter distances, C- rethinking your equipment choice.

The same can pretty much be said for a compound hunter!!

My range has shrunk over the past few years because of my eyes, but I know that and limit my shots accordingly. I won't take anything over 40 to 45 yards anymore. If you shoot longer ranges you really need to be able to read an animal and know when conditions are right and when they are not.

There are times when a 20 yard shot is a No go and there are times when a 40 is a Slam Dunk. Learn the difference and abide by it regardless of what the longest range is that you will shoot

The 2 biggest Bucks I have killed were both less than 20 yards, one was only 3 yards.

Dan

 

This is going WAY off topic.

 

I was poking fun at the logic, Josh.....meaning....the "next level" apparently has categories for equipment and the actual hunting?

Should make sense, now. But, really........do we really need all these monikers?

 

To go thru the season and kill a buck or doe, to me, is: Success

To go thru the season and not kill a buck or doe, to me, is: Fail


Pretty simple logic for me.

 

To get the buck within 10 yards is the hunt.....what I/you kill it with doesn't matter (to me).

Me, either. The work required to become proficient with your weapon of choice has already been done .....(or not)..at that point. But, nothing you or anyone else does, hunting, matters to me.....including what you kill.

Now....are you finding it alot easier to get on your top end bucks, now vs 2-3 years ago.?

I see the same amt. it seems.....yr to yr (bucks I would like to take). So, am I finding it a LOT EASIER? No. Am I seeing more deer that, in the past...I would have taken? Sure.

I hope there's no category for that....lol.