Goals of a Bowhunter
Massachusetts
Alright bowmen! We are all cut from a different cloth and each have unique goals/ambitions every year. However, I'd like to think we all have one common goal and that's to harvest something, right? Well, I'm sure that's partly true but some of us may view our time in the outdoors a little differently. For example, a new hunter may set a goal to actually just see a live deer on the hoof from his/her tree stand or a veteran hunter might want to kill another 5-6 year old wall hanger he/she's been after for years. Others might have something else in mind. I have 3 main goals this year - 1. Learn more about the animal that I am pursuing (observing more often; focus on better film documentation/take better notes). 2. Gain access to at least two private land spots near my home. 3. Keep helping others / be a good steward of the resources and to be a lot safer out there. So guys/gals, what's your main goal(s) for this season? One of my goals includes being safer and helping others so on that note I am in the zone 10 and southern NH area. If any of you do not feel comfortable preparing or hanging your stands alone, need help clearing lanes/travel routes, need help tracking or dragging during the season, or need assistance with anything you don't feel comfortable doing alone and would like an extra set of hands feel free to PM me and I will gladly find time to help you out. The season is approaching fast so if you are rushing to get stuff done please be safe in doing so.
Every year it’s kind of a quiz, or rather waiting on the results of an important test. Did I prepare correctly, did I read the signs right? We’re my assumptions correct? Am I just a lucky asshole who is full of shit, convincing myself that I know what I’m talking about?
I guess my goal is to not only get a deer, but find some kind of proof that I know what I’m doing. If I don’t get a deer, but I learn something...I guess that would be good, but then I wouldn’t really be sure that I had learned anything until the following season.
Ugh, anyhow...my goal(s) are to: 1. Get a deer. 2. Prove that I’m actually learning something about deer hunting (I’m getting better). 3. Take away more understanding of how deer do...anything. 4. Prove to myself that I have a good handle on the concept that hunting areas change and dry up/become more productive depending on the season (early/late), and demonstrate that I can actually make use of that a idea.
Enjoy nature and the comradarie,.. overall have fun!
Oh and #2 goal is,... AVOID THE MUD!
#1 remain realistic, Im on public land in central ma. " this aint kansas". #2 be humble enough to recognize that the big bucks are still smarter then I am, and learn from my mistakes rather then getting mad. #3 I want to paddle out of one of my river spots with a deer in the kayak. Also buckshots offer to help other hunters is awsome, thanks
Rely more heavily on climber, and make some kind of a smooth operation out of it.
Some years I feel more scattered and less focused... I think this is one of those years. Wife in school and with added practicums this fall and all, I may have to change my hunting a bit to make it work, and may end up with less time afield overall or odd differences, like more AM's vs PM's - which makes light verification scouting prior to set up tougher, and thus a little harder to sit on the hottest possible sign. That said, I have a lot of new areas that I'm investigating. All public, all will get pressure, but which I'm optimistic about and excited to learn as they will yield years of potentially good hunting. So, what are my goals:
1.) Get out a little more than in the past with my kids. Odds of seeing anything in this situation are basically zero - we laugh to much and they eat to many snacks :) - but that doesnt matter. It's just awesome.
1a.) Meditate. Just be able to sit in the woods, in the quiet, and process stuff. Just be saturated with the natural world and relax into it.
2.) Kill food for my family to enjoy. First legal deer offering a shot I feel good about Ill hopefully be able to bring home. Hope to do that early in CT... Unless I miss an "easy" (if you are a new hunter, I'm kidding, no shot is "easy") shot like I did last September, then proceed to see a bunch of deer all at bad angles or without a good shot despite being close enough to throw an acorn accurately at...
3.) Continue picking brains (thanks guys) here and off here to learn more about these animals and hopefully connect on a 3.5-4.5 + YO buck.
Same every year shoot the first deer seen then go for a big boy. If I had a dollar for every time this happened I’d be mighty poor but that’s the usual game plan.
Hunting one area almost exclusively with a couple of climber spots to jump on when things go dead. But. Not chasing after it. Maybe it qualifies as A Zen approach.
Trying to make longer sits a standard, especially the morning into midday slot. Hunting more at mid-day during the rut especially. No smalls. No, immature/halfway -there -bucks.
. I would rather not do the drag on a " freezer deer "when deer activity is abundant because the great one could be walking around. I try never to stink up my best spots simply to get meat. But this year since it starts early I intend to harvest a "food deer" (doe or big monster buck is fine by me ) as early as possible but it must be plump or I'll pass.
Most of all I want to be out there with a good Spirit and a clean conscience. I want to walk away from the season with no burden or regrets.
switched ends of the state and our first baby is due in oct... goals for this year are to get on deer in the big woods, balance family time, 3 yr old or better unless it looks like i'm gonna get out like 3 times then that spiker might get it
Nice goals guys! Stillhunter- not a problem, I hate to see people struggle, always offering up assistance when needed. Bowandspear I have one roast left from the two bucks I got last season. I will definitely be trying the pastrami.
Cougar where did you move from to?
For me, 1. Enjoy family and friends while afield. 2. Educating about the outdoors and helping others to get their first few animals. 3. Seeing nature at it's best. Deer is a bonus as if I see one, I have done my homework and put myself in the right spot. 4. Having clean kill and being able to process it for the table for same family and friends.
Sosso nailed it. Only thing I would add is if the opportunity presents itself, mentor a new or young hunter.
The only goals I have in archery hunting is the woods are my church (sometimes I fall asleep in church and sometimes I have to rise to an opportunity). That is how I feel about archery season.
moved from south easton to belchertown. hockomock swamp to the quabbin !
Cougar that’s like a 50% drop in deer numbers. On the bright side is easier driving on this end.
Cougar - BTown is awesome and definitely super quiet compared to eastern MA. The quabbin is one of the most beautiful places I've had the pleasure of growing up near. But ouch the deer numbers for you will seem non-existent. I moved from the zone 7 area (Ludlow/Belchertown) to the Zone 10 area two years ago and now Southeastern, NH so you can imagine I am still in my glory days seeing/ spooking deer almost every outing hahaha. Put yourself in the right spot and you will see deer but don't expect it to be like out east. Get ready for way more bear and moose sightings, also I believe some of the biggest and beautiful coyotes that roam north America live in and around the quabbin area.
Everytime I go out I am trying to kill the target animal. Have lots of fun along the way, and help out friends/family/anyone on here that needs a hand. Like buckshot said, if you need help just reach out!!
Hunt exclusively out of a saddle; Switch to fixed blades and hunt with them exclusively this year; Refine my locations, all are new this year; Enjoy and appreciate every minute I get to sneak out to hunt;
I hope for a safe and successful season. My goal is to make every shot opportunity my best. Get back together with good friends, eat good, have some laughs and hunt...can't beat it. I sometimes wonder what do guys do who don't hunt. Sept through Jan is the best time of year. Good luck in the deer woods.
Enjoy the woods, limit hunts to 3X max per location, keep a detailed journal on dates/observations/weather and stay safe.
Unrelated, but, Buckshot, where'd you grow up. Petersham for me. Quabbin as a backyard growing up is AWESOME eh :)!
Will, I grew up in Ludlow, MA near Belchertown. Not far from Petersham at all. I killed a nice 8 pointer in Petersham on one of the quabbin hunts a few years back. Been doing the quabbin hunt for 15 years and have been hiking and fishing it even longer. Only place in MA where I hunt that I don't expect or have a goal to kill something. Especially in recent years, I just love walking around that place. My brother, father, grandfather, 2 uncles and I have been hunting petersham east of I think its called barre rd for years. My grandfathers friend Bruce owns land around there that we used to access a big piece of pretty much "private landlocked" public land if that makes sense. After the quabbin hunt its usually littered with deer for smokepole season. Since my grandfathers death and my fathers major transplant surgery I haven't been there in 3 seasons. I might just make it a point to visit old Bruce and take a walk with the ML this year. Thanks for the reminder man.
1) Don't let hunting come before God and family. I love hunting, this is hard for me sometimes.
2) Enjoy every moment in the woods, regardless of whether I shoot a deer or even see one.
3) Only take shots that I'm 100% comfortable with, no shots that I may later regret taking.
4) Hunt out of a saddle. Not sure why, just seems cool and I like the idea of trying to be mobile while not toting my climber around on my back.
The major goal for me every year is to put the chess pieces together and try and figure out the game. I mostly hunt the same areas every year. Each area is usually good for a specific time of the year. I have my early season spots and my rut spots and then my late season spots
Each spot I will try and pick out a single deer that I want to try and take. Sometimes it works, some times it doesn’t. The patterns tend to be the same every year but there will be slight changes to their travel from the previous year. Could be as little as 50 yds or as much as 100. Could be a new doe has taken up residence in my rut spot ( that usually throws everything to hell )
When I can go “ checkmate “ to a specific deer. Then I have accomplished what I set out to do in the preseason. Still after this one. Have had in range once each year for the past 3 seasons but couldn’t get it done. Tines are a little shorter each year but the mass is that much greater. Going to get to the point that I will Let him walk on by out of respect for the game he has played so well the last few seasons
#1 bore the hell out of you guys writing my live hunts from the NY cabin. #2 get the princess an opportunity to get a shot at a deer. She has had 1 chance in 5 or 6 yrs. and missed a doe.
#3teach a young buck the wayz of the woods.
#4 shoot a deer out of my first yr saddle hunting.
#5 Film everything
