Do you remember all your kills?

[stash59]

No!! I started bowhunting 45 years ago. Gun hunting 42. I remember alot of my kills. I used to keep a written count of them all. Kinda like making a notch in a gun. But decided 1 day to stop and I tossed the notebook out.

I realized I was only doing it to try to compare myself with others. To show myself I was better. Than most.

To me now, there's no need to keep score with hunting. It's personal. When I want, the best memories always come back to me. Some are kills, some are misses, some are unusual or interesting things seen because of, or while hunting. Most of the best ones are good times with family and friends. Around campfires or while processing the meat!!!

[MikePerry]

They are all in there somewhere, I have a photo album with all my buck kills but have slacked with doe pictures the last 15 years , been hunting deer since 82, hunted at least 3 states a year from 86-2010 down to just two states now, I average 5 a year including doe since about 88 so it’s a lot to remember , but when I see the picture or think of a certain hunting spot they come back.

[hambone]

I remember all my buck kills.

[Hooks1]

No way I can remember all of my buck kills. The first buck I killed was in 1959 at age 13 and yes 1959 is correct, I'm 71 and my dad had it mounted for me. I have some old pictures of some of them and can still remember those hunts but I lost most of the older polaroids due to fading out. Many bucks I never got a picture of but I kept the racks and could remember the hunts but for some reason a thief took them. There were many that if I had the money at the time should have been on the wall. I don't like to do numbers of bucks killed but it's 100+++

[Ack]

I've kept photos of all my kills and go through them every once and awhile to re-live the memories, but for the bucks I don't need that memory jog....I can remember details from all of them, and could probably walk you to each tree that they were killed from.

[Bonecrusher101]

I created a journal in the notes section of my phone. It's good for refrence

[pilgrimhunter]

No. I remember some. Started hunting in 97 at the age of 13. Grew up in a household of boys and filling the freezer was the goal. Now that I am married with 4 kids I still try to fill the freezer. (We live in a high deer population area... Way to many does). I keep a very vague journal of my kill numbers and any key info. (I really want to start keeping better records) I would have to check again to be sure of the exact number but it is close to 120. And to be honest i have probably shot close to that many more on damage control permits. (I know. I know. But if you were the farmer you would do it to) So no, I don't remember them all. But like someone else said it really isn't about keeping score but rather the enjoyment and the time with friends and family. Lots of good memories hunting with my dad. I remember driving 2 hours to one particular farm with dad and 3 boys stacked in a regular cab 1984 Toyota pickup. :)
I look at some horns and I can't quite pull all the memories back but others are as vivid as when they happened. And not all those memories resulted in a kill.

OK this is putting me on a trip down memory lane! Thanks!

[Edcyclopedia]

I have photos of most everything. One glance brings em back

X2

Although not quite as many as the Master MUD

[Buckshot20]

If I see the rack I can recall it like yesterday. After the buck jogs the memory and gets it going the does come back. The first couple deer I killed were does. I remember them well. My wife has started a photo album for deer. I kinda like it because I know some memories will slip with time and its nice to look back

[llcooljames]

Ive only killed 3 bucks, I remember those. I remember most of my doe kills but im sure im missing some. I definitely remember the 2 times I missed big bucks with my rifle inside 40 yards.

[<DK>]

Dewey had a great idea awhile back about cards or tags laminated w short stories and info to keep w each trophy or pic. My grandpa doesnt want to keep trophies anymore but he sure kills them! So Im gonna take them whenever I move, keep them on a wall together and make some cards w short stories/dates. Ill probably just do them for all of mine as well and I might as well keep my tag #'s on it like were supposed to...

[<DK>]

Im only 29, been able to hunt deer since I was 11 - so far I remember every shot or encounter, especially w a bow. Its getting tougher bc I concentrate more on buck encounters these days trying to retain that information. Really enjoyed Warren Womack's podcast bc he has every one in a journal and can reference it quickly. I have kept a general deer log since 2012.

[magicman54494]

I've lost count a long time ago. I remember most of my bucks. Photos and the racks help jog my memory. 40+ years of hunting is a lot of stuff to remember.

[Kraftd]

At least a vague memory of most of them and all of my bow kills pretty clearly. At about 25 deer total with 18 bucks, so a little easier than a lot of you. A few of the older smaller bucks are starting to get a little hazy.

[perchsoup]

Last year, I spent some time to document all my kills from when I started hunting. My memory isn't very good with most things in everyday life, but it is vivid with hunting. I am glad I took the time to do it. The number of kills is less important to me than the story of the kill. Some of the people that hunted with me or helped me track etc have passed away or no longer hunt or live around here. It is good to take time to remember and reflect on those times.