Trying to get the itch back

This has been the first year I haven’t hunted in I don’t know how long. And that decision was a few years building. Last three years, not seeing a single deer all season, and this year the rest of the hunting group isn’t seeing anything this year either. The spot I’ve hunted is in the northern 1/3 of Wisconsin, all forest and swamp.

I think it really started around 2009, when the property owners of the land the “shack” is on had to dump their primary house and moved to the hunting land permanent. Needless to say that resulted in a huge increase of traffic into the woods year round, though the trails they used for ATV didn’t go through where I setup. In 2015, I started getting pictures of a 2 1/2 year 9 pt. Plus a number of less impressive bucks. He kept coming back when I wasn’t in the woods until last picture I got of him in 2017. 2018 we heard report of somebody not far away getting a 9 and I never saw him again. That same year I ended up with 9 different bear, coyotes and a wolf on camera. And that is when things really went downhill.

Nobody else in the group does any work for better hunting. They found a spot they liked, built a stand and now just show up when they want to hunt. No scouting not brushing or tree thinning. I’ve done what I can, attractants, mineral, and tried to make a kill plot without much success.

This winter, I’m going to drop a few trees to thin the canopy to and try growing some clover. My youngest daughter graduates high school and another is getting married in June. So I should have more time after that than I have the last handful of years. I also inherited a son-in-law who father owns 80 closer that I might be able to use for a doe. There is a public spot that I think should be good close to home also.

 

Yeah it is hard to stay motivated with lessening returns. It is nice to sit in the woods but we all do it with the goal of shooting a deer. I also understand where you are at in life a daughter getting married kids in college, you do not have time or $ to be all in. Trust me it gets better and easier.

 

Feeling bad about doing something or not doing something always stinks. I deal with the opposite thing right now, feeling bad about hunting so much with a family at home. Or feeling bad about working so much with growing kids. I am personally trying to just do what I feel like doing, and not bashing myself for doing it. If you want to hunt, hunt. If you slow down for a year or 2, then enjoy that too. I am trying to enjoy the ride and not be so hard on myself personally. Preaching to myself here really.

p.s. new scenery is the way to go I think also. Hunt a completely new area or state. Staying in a spot because it has always been the spot is a recipe for apathy.

 

Another thing for me. I keep myself jazzed by watching and listening to a lot of hunting stuff. Bowhunt or die show/podcast and a lot of THP and podcast. I can’t hunt quite as much as I would like because I have a career and mouths to feed so that helps keep the passion alive when duty calls.

 

IMO one of the hardest things to do in hunting is to realize when a spot isn't working out and move on to another one. In your case, it sounds like much of your lack of motivation stems from the property you're hunting and the situations you find yourself in. I feel like you would be reinvigorated if you cut bait and went off on your own to do something different - whether that's door-knocking for permission, finding a lease somewhere, or diving headlong into the public land hunting boom. Northern WI has no shortage of public ground to check out and sometimes a change of scenery can really do you wonders.

 

My very first thought after reading this post was, "He needs to find a different spot". Justin's comment is spot on IMO.
Your spot sounds pretty dismal. That does not make for being motivated at all. With a very busy family life, it is tough to have the motivation to take time away from it to go hunt a spot that you have hardly any confidence in.

 

Kinda in a rut myself. Been hunting the same couple spots for several years now and still seeing good bucks. Just not great.
Have some old spots that were great in the past, just further drives.
Need the to look at some old haunts and find a couple new ones.

 

Hunting for BIG bucks can take a toll on people. It's very seldom as easy as made out to be watching hunting shows.
It can be done but takes alot of desire/ sacrifice.
If you are seeing " good" bucks, chances are good you'll see a great one sometime.
Everyone bitten by the " Big Buck" bug should realize not every area in the usa grows big bucks consistently like southern iowa.

 

Excellant point, I will never forget after shooting a couple for the wall I was sitting in a tree and a young 8 pointer was playing in the food plot and I was dismissive. Then after the buck left I thought to myself who the hell do you think you are? 5 years before that my heart would have been beating out of my chest I would have gladly shot that 8 pointer. Kinda dawned on me that day, hunting is supposed to be fun not a **** measuring contest.

 

Hunting is what WE make it as.
Some have little time/ places to hunt and are over the top happy to shoot a fawn (and they should be),,.
Some have good spots to hunt and may try and wait for a buck only.
Some have GREAT spots and Time and $$ to pursue thier dream.
I will shake the hand of anybody that shoots a deer of any size and tell them " good job"¡

 

Everybody that hunts likes to kill big bucks. The difference is, how much we want to let it consume us. I hunt for big bucks, does, and just the whole ordeal. I don’t consume myself with hunting big bucks. I give two ****s about thermals, rut stands, funnels, blah blah blah. If I have a big buck come in range great. I will try to kill him. If not, I will take a doe and be happy.