On the technical side, I had a really long streak of killing deer without a miss. I have to look it up. but I'm pretty sure it spanned 11 years and 26 deer killed without a miss or wound. But on the personal side, I think it's the pride I see in my Dad's eyes when I get something, especially a nice buck.
It's either surviving 6 straight years of late season goat hunting without falling off a mountain (knock wood) or being able to meet and facilitate a hunt for at least one new person every year for the past I don't know how many years. As long as the goats don't get me, I'll keep doing it.
The time I tipped my canoe over in the river, or when I get sprayed by a skunk. One of those two. Wait, that wasn't me...
This might sound a little weird, but I think my greatest achievement so far has been learning to enjoy the hunt. When I was younger I was so caught up with getting an animal that I didn't enjoy being in the woods and being with family if we were unsuccessful. It might be interesting to note that this change took place as soon as I started bow hunting. I am sure they are connected but I can't put my finger on exactly how.
As of right now, I gotta say my preserverance for a nice buck with the bow and not settling for something mediocre to me. I set myself up on a good stand, without help from anyone. Stuck it out on the stand even though my Dad and everyone else called me crazy for bowhunting in Gun season, and connected with a heck of a nice buck for around here at 122". Just the fact I did it on my own and went through some adversity to get that deer makes it all better. Its pretty much the first time I didnt take someone else's advice, and it proved to me that I dont need their advice, I can dang well set myself up on a deer. Coolest hunting achievement by far though, was the mostly white piebald 10 pt I killed last year. Thats for sure a once in a lifetime deer, and I cant wait to see the mount this Spring.
