I expect to see deer. I hope to see a shooter buck. Things normally go as expected, not as hoped. I hope that improves in the future.
Hope to see deer, Hope not to see someone's coon dogs wonder thorough my set, Hope not to see some trespasser wonder through my set, Hope not to have the neighbors tear a$$ through the woods on their four wheelers at 8 a.m. Basically I hope for a lot of stuff, but never and I mean never expect anything here.
I hope to see deer but I expect anything to happen. For me the areas I have access to are small and there are too many things out of my control. For instance a neighbor could plant a large bean plot and try as I might deer are going to want to be there in most cases versus the oats and clover I plant. Usually though early season is pretty predictable. Cameras tell the story there. Around last week of Oct first 2 weeks of Nov that all goes out the window for me and any thing could show up. Thats part of the fun in it right?
I used to expect my Hunt/plans to always come together. Since then I have realized that God put nature out there for us to enjoy and to get us away from our everyday lives. So now I go with the hope of being able to take it all in for what it is.
pure HOPE 99% of the time. I will never bet on those sneaky devils..if they would just do what I ask we would both be content...well, I would be.
I expect to see deer because of all the work I have put into my properties. Also, hunting the wind and weather conditions (fronts moving in and severe weather changes) raise my expectations. Does it mean it always happens, no but I do all I can to put the odds in my favor.
95% of my hunting is public land so it is nearly always hope. But any day in the woods is a great day regardless....unless the critters have me cornered....
My stand is fairly productive, I could say I expect to see deer because I usually do but it is hunting so I always hope I see deer. Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Every time I go out I plan on shooting a p&y buck or a doe. That was I pay attention and gives me motivation to be in the tree as much as possible. But still only actually kill an animal a few hunts a year Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kind of surprised. I read guys posting on these boards year after year after year that they know exactly where a buck they are after is bedding and they set up right on him.........or they had one patterned through cams or visuals and went in after him..........or they were tucked into a funnel running tight to a doe bedding area when a front was heading in and they knew he'd be on his feet. Where are all those guys??? What I wanted to ask them was...........if you were in that tree, at that time, ready for that buck because of all your hard work and knowledge of your land and whitetails in general.......that's awesome. Now do you go to your stand every time with that confidence/expectation of events about to unfold?? If so, how often are you wrong?
If I know where a buck is bedding, I expect to put Britney or myself in a spot to get him in bow range. Britney bow range is 15 yards until last year and now it is 20 yards. My expectations are higher early in season or late season when the bucks are more predictable because they are going to or coming back from a food source. Some bucks are more predictable then other bucks. I generally do get us in bow range at some point of hunting him but I have no control of when he moves and if he will get to us before dark. We don't do a lot of morning hunts early in the season or late season. Too great of a chance of blowing it. Since we hunt from the ground, we usually are limited to one shooting lane through the weeds, grass or cattails. I make the shooting lanes so the buck has gone slightly past us so they don't pick off the shooting lane or us. We have had a lot of bucks over the years in bow range but no shot. Once they are bow range... I hope Britney or I get a shot. Here are examples of two bucks we have hunted in the last few years. We hunted him 8 times. Out of the 8 hunts, we saw him 6 times. I had him in bow range 3 different times in one hunt and never got a shot. Britney had him in bow range once and got busted. Britney was after this buck. Out of 6 hunts we saw him 5 times. 3 times he was in bow range for me but Britney wanted him. Britney was in bow range of him once but I set her up on the wrong side of a weed patch. No shot. The last hunt he was within 50 yards of Britney but too far for bow so she put the bow down and grabbed her rifle ( Youth Season ). Shot him with it at 70 yards. I wish we had trees here. Not only would I expect to get us in range... my expectation of getting a shot would be a lot higher. No more hoping. Tim
Couple more examples of targeting certain bucks and expectations... Hunted him 3 times. 2 hunts early season and 1 hunt late season. Saw him 3 times. 2 times in bow range. Passed him on the second hunt because his buddy was a little bigger during early season. His buddy ducked the arrow and it still makes me mad !! Killed him with a 15 yard shot during late season. Here's his buddy that ducked the arrow... 2 hunts for him. Saw him both hunts. In bow range once and he ducked the arrow. One hunt. In bow range but no shot. Wind swirled and his buddy was standing 4 yards from me. That buck spooked a little. The one I was after... turned and walked away on account of it. 3 hunts. Saw him twice. Bow range once. Killed him at 12 yards. 2 hunts. Saw him 1 time. In bow range once. Killed him at 12 yards.
3 other bucks I targeted... 2 hunts. Stalked him the first hunt when he was in velvet. Got within 20 yards and he walked to me to 6 yards. Straight on... no shot. He spooked. 2nd hunt... passed him at 25 yards. He didn't look that big without velvet. Greed got me on that one. Found his sheds that winter and he grossed 148. Stupid mistake and still kick myself on that one. 1 hunt. Got done with work late and decided to go after this buck for the fun of it. Was interested in another buck but not enough time to hunt him that day. Passed the old 4x4 at 20 yards. This buck is why I passed the old 4x4. 9 hunts. 3/4 of a mile to get into the spot to hunt him so 1.5 miles of walking each hunt. I put a lot of miles on hunting him. Saw him 4 times. Had him in bow range twice. No shot the first time. The second time I had a doe decoy set up. He got nervous and swung wide but still gave me a 30 yard shot. He ducked the arrow or I botched it. I keep telling myself it wasn't the latter. It was a long sad walk back to the truck. Tim
