End of the season what do you hope to have accomplished?

[BowtechHunting]

As the deer season winds down what were your goals? Ultimately, did you set out to kill a big buck? Was your goal merely to have fun? Maybe taking someone hunting and putting them on a buck? A 170 inch buck on the wall? Hunting Beast style and killing one? Lets hear what you set out to do and what you actually did.

I haven't put nothing on the ground yet! No time with work, girlfriend, class, and everything else that keeps me from hunting. Next week I got all week to hunt, so I got time. If anything, I just want to tag a doe...and a nice buck if he walks by. Hunt to the last minute!!

[Stanley]

Lot of great answers.

[JRM6868]

My main goal was to get my son a deer this year. We had 3 sits together and saw 15 deer and two close calls. Still have a little over a month left and he still wants to go so hopefully he can seal the deal this season.

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[Brad]

My goals for hunting was to get a bow kill on tape, which I did, I just didn't recover the deer which sucked. I also wanted to kill a personal best with a bow, which I did, I beat my previous best by about 25" or so. To me that is huge, I killed the buck on purpose, it was during the rut, but I set up in that spot for a reason and though he didn't come from the exact spot I expected, it wasn't far off and he did what I was hoping he would do.

With a gun I wanted a respectable buck, I took a 16" wide 8 point that I am very happy with. I am still in the stage where a decent buck is something that jumps out right away as a buck most hunters would want, and around here a lot of guys would wack the deer I shot so I feel I have met these goals.

I also wanted at least one doe, I shot one with a bow that I didn't recover which I am mad at still, but from a management standard I am reasonably sure she died so that would count as a doe removed from the herd. I still wished I would have found her, it still makes me sick to this day. I also shot a very nice sized doe with a rifle, so that took care of the doe issue. I also have a buck tag for next year in case we have earn a buck.

For antelope I messed up, I wanted a 14" buck and mine fell way short, which is my usual case, I just cant tell the difference between a 12" buck and a 14" buck at any distance over 100 yards. While I shot a pretty buck which was above average for the area I hunt, I did see a few other bucks after I shot mine that in a perfect world, I would have preferred. I also took a doe antelope that had a pretty carmel cape, I am going to mount her and have her on a habitat scene with last years buck.


I am 100% satisfied with my season, I wished the antelope buck would have been bigger but we had fun and a lot of laughs so it was made up for in the experience. I also wish I would have got the doe I lost, and I would have liked to have got all the kills on tape, but I had a camera go down on the antelope hunt and gave up on that. All in all it was the best hunting season I ever had.

[magicman54494]

My hunting season had ups and downs. It started out bad but finished great! I killed my biggest buck by tracking which makes this year a huge success. I hunted the U P for the first time and had a great hunt. I didn't tag one but was successful tracking there twice. One I let go, the other I missed. I had the best season for tracking snow which was great. I learned a lot this season but I feel there is so much yet to learn. My bow season didn't go as planned but I'm still at it. As usual, I can't wait til next year! I'm hoping that Edcyclopedia and I will do a hunt together next year!
And best of all I'll be getting together with a bunch of guys from this site to do some ice fishing this winter.

[BackWoodsHunter]

There were tons of highs in my season, yet all I can focus on are the negatives. I had the opportunity to join a deer culling program where we are paid to shoot does and I really screwed up on that. On my first sit I had a doe come up directly under me then walked straight away from me keeping a broken off oak tree between us the whole way. By the time she hit a shooting window I was shaking so bad I didn't settle the pin and put an arrow in her guts. Then close to the end of the season I sat on the same property and had a doe and fawn come in. It was a steep angle but I shot the fawn right down into the boiler room. I saw her alive the next day with a slight limp. It was a lung hit but apparently only one. These properties are all tiny woodlots so no room to run a deer til it expires. I spent the next 3 days there neglecting studying for exams just hunting/searching for this fawn. I might add that both bad hits occurred on an evening hunt and I woke to rain both of the following days. The second doe it rained on and off, more on than off, for 3 days. I feel that I gave it my all trying to recover this deer and I am still puzzled at how it survived. Makes me sick every time I think about this season. Enough of being a downer I guess, I just feel crappy.

I started running cams in July and picked up a good buck in northern WI. I had an encounter with him last yr during the rut as well. This year during the rut conditions in weather were identical to last year when I saw him so I picked up midday and moved to this area. Sure enough I saw him, then I saw him again during gun season when I set up in the darkness on opening morning in a spot I thought he would likely head too. To me this is a success because I was after a particular deer and managed to have 2 encounters with him. No kill though.

I got caught up in the age thing and set my goal for a "2.5 yr old or better buck" this year no matter where I was hunting. Where I do most my hunting a 2.5yr old has a rack inside the ears with 6-8points on it. A lot like a 1.5yr old in areas of high nutrition but the racks tend to have a little more mass when they are 2.5 by us. That was my goal. I passed on a deer that fit this description broad side at 18yards. I felt good about that.

My other goal was to video tape a successful hunt. I captured the hunt of my girlfriend killing her first deer. That was successful to me.

I hunted more public land than ever before and saw deer of some sort or the other on almost every sit. A few of these were blind sets which means I am getting better and reading sign and setting up in the right spots.

[E72]

My main goal was to help my 8yr old son get his first deer. He shot a young doe early in Oct with his crossbow and then an 8point in Nov, so my year was a lot of fun. Although I laid eyes on but didnt kill my target buck Id been hunting for two years ,I shot a nice 8 out of a ground blind using decoys. A first using either one for me. Im hoping the big one makes it through to next year, trying to get a pic right now. Also working to get permission on some ground with a little more timber.

[Edcyclopedia]

I hear you Magic - me too! I'll do the leg work this year and you can show me where I went wrong

My season started with great expectations after my offseason scouting proved to be very positive.
Didn't connect on a buck but saw a decent amount of deer within range - all got the pass.
Until the last day 20-minutes of firearm season - Meat for the table...

[NightwishMike]

I am still pretty new to hunting so my goal for the year started the same as last year: get a deer. Mission accomplished.

To top it off it was my first deer with a recurve. That still makes me get goosebumps thinking about it!

Now I am trying to fill the freezer. I have been seeing a lot of deer per sit but haven't been able to close the deal a second time. Still a lot more season left!

Just got my heater body suit too so these morning sits shouldn't be so cold anymore

[virginiashadow]

My goal was to kill one deer with my recurve due to my limited hunting time. I killed a doe with my recurve and a buck with my compound. Goal accomplished. My goals will change next year as my hunting time will quadruple as compared to this season.

[Haus86]

I didn't get to hunt much this Fall, but I accomplished my goal and moved back to Iowa!

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[Black Squirrel]

Still working on it. I have pics of a nice buck. The last of which was Dec. 20th, so he made it throught the gun season. . However the pic was at 3:00 in the morning. I'm pretty confident he is bedding on the neighbors property. I just don't think he makes it to my side of the fence till well after dark. I would be happy just putting a doe in the freezer at this point. Passed a small 6 friday night, was hoping he was a doe.

[Z7WIBoy]

For me it is not what I accomplished but I learned as I just wrapped up my season tonight and eating all my tags. I learned that ladder stands suck and mobility is key. Burning out a 60 acre private makes for a bad season. Scouting has to be on list for next year. Will try again to kill my first buck with a bow. I did put the leg work and sweat into the 60 acres I just burned so next I have to either save it for me or take my son who will six. I can say I did accomplish taking my son who is 5 now out hunting and getting him excited about now hunting to the point that he want to retire his little Fred bear recurve and get a compound like daddy. All in all an exciting season just had to swallow my tags!!!

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[BigHunt]

For me it is not what I accomplished but I learned as I just wrapped up my season tonight and eating all my tags. I learned that ladder stands suck and mobility is key. Burning out a 60 acre private makes for a bad season. Scouting has to be on list for next year. Will try again to kill my first buck with a bow. I did put the leg work and sweat into the 60 acres I just burned so next I have to either save it for me or take my son who will six. I can say I did accomplish taking my son who is 5 now out hunting and getting him excited about now hunting to the point that he want to retire his little Fred bear re curve and get a compound like daddy. All in all an exciting season just had to swallow my tags!!!

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Ive been there time and again .....good luck scouting

[Zap]

For me it is not what I accomplished but I learned as I just wrapped up my season tonight and eating all my tags. I learned that ladder stands suck and mobility is key. Burning out a 60 acre private makes for a bad season. Scouting has to be on list for next year. Will try again to kill my first buck with a bow. I did put the leg work and sweat into the 60 acres I just burned so next I have to either save it for me or take my son who will six. I can say I did accomplish taking my son who is 5 now out hunting and getting him excited about now hunting to the point that he want to retire his little Fred bear recurve and get a compound like daddy. All in all an exciting season just had to swallow my tags!!!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Too bad.....what state do you hunt?