Shoot more to increase my draw weight, learn woods better, and help husband get some food plots in behind our house.
Increase my effective range. Scout a few new spots I already have in mind. Buy my new bow. Don't just settle for spots I think just might be ok. Shoot some 3d.
Overall I need to learn more about hunting. I know a lot because hunting is my dad's life and I love hunting with him. He's tought me a lot but I want to be able to take those skills somewhere not hunting with him to really see what I know. I'd like to scout a lot more this summer as well. I can't plant food plots or hunt during the rut where I'm at so knowing where the deer have food sources, water travel routes to those areas are key to harvesting a good buck around here. Oh and shoot my tail off. I've noticed shooting my bow is similar to golf. Muscle memory is key to being successful. The best part is shooting my bow is free in the backyard!!! Good luck to everyone in their off season endeavors!
Get better at tuning my own bows Like to work my way up to at least 80 yard shots in practice this year. Do a lot more practice with fixed blade broadheads at longer ranges. This should tell me how well bow is tuned and how well form is. Make up a lot of arrows. Tired of only having a dozen setup. Hunting cabin needs a few repairs. Make my shooting lanes longer at stand sites Scout out new areas Get my aging butt into better shape!
- Get my first bow - practice my tail off over the summer - get myself in better shape for climbing trees - tag a buck
Boot leather is your friend. While being efficient with the bow is a big part of hunting, Extending the range is more suited for gun hunting. IMHO If we spend more time scouting and tracking deer, we will learn their habits. Learn where the eat, sleep and water. Learn their escape routes. Finding large groups of rubs and scrapes this year will give you an Idea where to start next season. Find and take mental notes where acorn trees are but more specifically white oaks as the are usually the first ones taken. If we do all this scouting we will gain the information as to the best place to put a stand or blind for the 15 yard chip shot. Most bow hunters say they like the challenge of getting up close. This is how the good bow hunters that I know do it.
Moving out west in a few months so I'm going to get in mountain hunting shape and practice at long ranges and get to where I can shoot comfortably at 50 yards.
Thin some brush and clear up some shooting lanes on stand sets on our property. Probably set a new stand or two as well. Before spring, try to whack a few coyotes, and thin the squirrels before the season ends.
Put everything I learned from this season into action for next season. Make for sure two blinds for late season and for my dad to hunt out of. Hoping to get a new bow and if not, practice more this offseason than I did last.
Plot prep and planting, practice, prep trees for stands, funnels, brush in ground blinds, go through all equiptment, few spots to scout, hopefully do some shed hunting during scouting and land prep, helping a neighbor in his prep, and try and fit all that into the least amount of time so can focus on new addition to the family in a few months. Hoping to get things set early so can have the actual hunts as efficient as possible to spend as much time with the family as possible. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good plots. Upgrading a few things on my bow and increasing my effective range Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Got a buddy in colorado that hunts antelope with a recurve, a call and a decoy. He doesn't shoot more the 15-20 yards and gets his every year.
More practice and having fun is my main focus this next year. Scouting a lot more... Have been hunting mainly field edges my first two years bow hunting. Want to find transition zones and rut corridors. Have a WMA a mile from the house and have never stepped foot on it. Make the last few upgrades to my bow - New rest, quiver, and arrows.
Hmmmmm....short list: Homestead Property: -Prep the homestead for the logging set to occur after season closes. -Put in a culvert crossing at the homestead over the creek. -Hinge/clean cut/top cut a LOT of trees left behind by loggers at homestead for multiple purposes depending on location (bedding, cover, transitional or lighting to plots). -Straw/Pine needle treat the known beds in the bedding areas. -Clean out and remove sticks/trees from encouraged trails. -Thicken up the northern hinge cut border to neighbors. -Plant 3-6 more 4-5ft tall pines/spruces along with many more 24inchers through our local forestry department yearly sale and a local nursery for the taller ones. -Prep and frost seed more switch in and around the bedding area on our property. -Divert/Change main quad trail to location around exterior of property not through middle. -Discuss with two/three neighboring land owners about purchasing their back 1 or 2 acres attached to our family property. Swamp Property: -Shed hunt the bedding -Scout hard the southern sanctuary owned by the state which cannot receive hunting legally -Prep 2 to 3 new stand locations now in anticipation of use next year. -Plant over 50 white pine trees throughout the property and maybe more along a neighbors line for future sight blocking from suspected poaching. -Purchase/Plant one or two apple trees for landowner. -Clean out preferred trails -Discuss hinging idea with landowner. Riverbottom Property: -Discuss what it would take or what we need to do to be only bow hunters on property. -Depending on above....prep a food plot location near bottom on West side of property. -Scout the bottom hard as we've only ever really hunted the top flat. Michigan Public: -Visit for first time and scout HARD. New Property: -Attempt to pick up one or two bow only but all season long properties to hunt as when gun season rolls around we become limited to only the homestead property. Equipment: -Gave consideration to a new bow but doubt it will happen. Instead re-visit building heavier arrow and plan to get brand new string for bow. -At least 4 more new stands and re-examination of all old ones for safety. Habitat Manipulation and website: -Have 4 planned visits to properties of other respected landowners of mine that have awesome small acre set ups. Looking to learn, share and expand what my website offers and spotlight some others and their businesses (some seed, others habitat work/consultation). **more but this all came to mind quick while on lunch break. -
Busy boy lol Next year will be my first year hunting so I plan to scout and mark out the property I will be hunting on (250 acres to explore!)
