Do you ever hit a brick wall?

[EdC]

it's about dealing with frustration

this year very very few acorns fell, just about every year I find them somewhere and the deer, but this year none

we even got a good amount of snow before Thanksgiving showing deer movements
something that rarely ever happens had high hopes this would give me an edge
but something is all wrong about what I am seeing

I guess it's a numbers game, need to put my time in and push thru
hoping for a break on why the deer are behaving the way they do this year and learn from it

[Motivated]

Great responses so far!

Frustration comes from unmet expectations. So if you're frustrated you need to think about what you expect based on what area you are in, your skill level, external pressures, and the effort you've put in. Sometimes our expectations are just not realistic and they need to have a reality check, which is not giving up but just being realistic about what you expect.

I have been frustrated, but that's because I'm expecting too much based on my limited experience and limited time hunting each season. I do well for the time that I have in the woods, but I can't expect to be a consistent public land big buck killer like many of you guys here. That takes significant amounts of time.

Frustration is different than burnout.

Burnout comes from grinding and grinding and pushing until you've got nothing left. The fun challenge of deer season wears you down and changes into a chore. I've never been there in terms of a season, because I just don't get enough days to hunt to get burned out. I am likely done for the season with six and a half days total, and that's okay with me, because I have important priorities to attend to.

I guess if you're burned out then you probably need to count your blessings that you have so much time to devote to a passion that you love. Maybe take a short break and reflect on what you are trying to do and if it's working. Maybe reflect on what you would really like to experience and switch courses if need be.

Best wishes for the rest of your season.

[brkissl82]

I look forward to hunting all year so I guess I dont experience burnout to bad. The only time I get down really is if I blow an opportunity at a big buck like I did this year. Then I just remember that the seasons almost over and how much I will miss it once its done

[Ghost Hunter]

I hit one. Would still go camp but just didn't follow through. Just hung around camp most of time. All that has changed after joining this site. My drive is a lot stronger now.

[ghoasthunter]

ive been frustrated the last month once the rut its its completely luck too get on a big buck in the big woods areas. a buck i see one day could be miles away the next looking for a hot doe. this year i decided too get my NY tag and just go out and hunt for a average deer with a rifle. sometimes we put way too much pressure on ourselves trying too kill a animal thats only 1% of the population. its nice too just go out and remember our roots and take a couple for the freezer. this year i have taken one doe early season one small buck on last day of early bow and now yesterday i took a nice young buck with the rifle. now im not stressed about getting meat for the freezer witch my family depends on for food year round. my confidence is sky high and my lethal edge is sharp as a razor now. now when i see a big one ill be ready and cool as ice when the time comes. if i dont get a shot no big deal its all just fun now. one thing is for sure is every doe i see is getting a pass so every one i pass could be 3 more deer for next year. the only thing that ever happens putting pressure on yourself like that is more bad luck. your going too rush a shot make bad decisions and reflect your attitude onto others your around. I dont go out and kill every deer last night i passed close too 20 does my thought is 20 x 3 is 60 deer next year. and for every 1.5 year old buck i took i prob let go 10 more. but if the moment feels right i pull the trigger and have fun. i love a change of pace getting out of that boring tree and stalking down a deer no matter the size is a great feeling of accomplishment. ill call it the bucket list deer next one on my list is taking one floating down a river in canoe. remembering why you love the the hunt is the best way too clear the mind and once you can do that. well hunting will just become natural and easy your not intruding when you enter the woods your simply going too your real natural home.

[tgreeno]

I believe many guys on here don't experience a brick wall. Because they are seeing deer/bucks, and getting opportunities at them. They maybe can't relate to it.

I look at my last 3 seasons. I had zero opportunities to shoot a "nice" buck. In 3 seasons I've seen 8 bucks total, 3 that I would consider shooters. Had no opportunities at any of them. That a bad season for one guy! And it's 3 seasons for me.

[dan]

So I’ve been doing some thinking lately. Some days I enjoy hunting and some days I get so frustrated and feel like I’m just wasting time. I’ve done the same with other things over the years, like golf. I hit a level where it was just extremely hard to improve and some days I would go backwards. I’m getting this same feeling in hunting. Some days it’s a struggle just to see deer and other days you have a wonderful day in the woods that just can’t beat. It really starts to effect my patience and I start to second guess everything to the point where sometimes I just won’t go hunt. I’ve started asking myself “Have I peaked in my abilities?”

I’ve been on this site for about 5-6 years now and have learned a lot. I read about some of you guys on here patterning bucks or it seems like you’ve got some awesome bedding nailed down and you put down some big bucks. I just seems like this is a level that’s just hard to get to. I’ll admit I haven’t scouted near as much as I should but then I look at the stuff I have scouted and feel like I’m missing something and haven’t put the pieces together, or have no idea how to approach hunting it.

My goals for next year are to scout more hunt less, and focus either on one public land or if I focus on multiples limit my areas (I’m bad about going in blind looking for new areas)

I did not read any responses, but I would like to respond to your post. I see a lot of people go thru what your going thru, and I think a lot of it is because your comparing your success to others... Its not apples to apples. Your success is limited to the spots you hunt and the deer that live there. I know guys that can't spell cat, even if you spotted them the "c" and the "t" that out do me kill wise almost every year. Heck, some of them have there own show... Some of them are on prime spots, and some spend a fortune to succeed. What will get you past your issue is coming to the realization that its not a competition. You need to enjoy hunting, and care a little less about success in killing big bucks.
Obviously you can do things to improve your success, but you need to realize that is indeed limited to the difficulty of the properties you choose and the size and quantity of the deer that live there.
For example, there is a swamp I know of that has more larger animals than the ones I choose to hunt, but the difficulty of hunting there and never ending same type of cover make it really hard to narrow down.

Bottom line, choose the right properties, and set your goals based on what you can achieve there, rather than what others are doing.

[briar]

I hit a wall in the last 5 years. I used to just like to hunt and killing deer meant meat on the table, then I stopped liking deer for whatever reason and that driving force was gone. Since that was the case, I became more selective about the deer I was after and it was "ok" and I got my 3 best bucks in 5 years, but when I would look at photos of them I wasnt proud anymore, so I expanded my hunting range searching for a deer I could be proud of and it just never worked out. I stopped being excited when I would just see a deer and I started to feel like what I wanted where I lived required more than I could give. I even took up a traditional bow to "make" it fun again. Just didn't work. Our season just ended 2 weeks ago and honestly I'm so happy its over. I still go sit in the woods for something to do, but my days of hunting are all but over. The old saying goes "the ends don't justify the means" and that's where I'm at. Maybe it will spark again but after 30 years, it's kinda like watching the same movie every hunt for me. Hope you find a way to get back into it, it's a heartbreak losing something you used to enjoy.

[<DK>]

I hit one every few seasons.

Sometimes you can break through them. Sometimes you need to readjust and change directions.

Good post man

[sir_tob]

This year was sorta tough for me.. last year I saw 3 bucks in the 130 class, but this year I musky fished all bow season, and got back to completely nocturnal bucks after 3 weeks past the opener. I sat as close to the beds as possible.. granted im in big woods not marsh. it's not easy and by the time they are completely nocturnal it's really tough. Oh well, bow season next year should be good. I did find one buck on a trail cam that moved during daylight 7am but I wasn't in that area. I'm still learning for sure, and Dan's advice and videos are by far the most advanced for any real hunting and this board is a big help.

[Mossyhorns]

I actually felt as if I had kind of hit a wall in my learning before I started studying this forum and watching Dan, Mario, and Jeff and the THP guys, and listening to podcasts this past summer. Started deer hunting when I was 12 and I’m 30 now, this season was one of my best. After all the studying this summer I got actually revitalized to start this deer season. Pumped up, and I have never found so much sign and saw so many deer and went as far as i did this year. I feel like I just busted through that wall and I just started my new hunting journey. Can’t wait to get in there before it greens up late winter and find me some stuff to hunt for next year.

[greenhorndave]

I’m super early in my hunting journey even thought I’m probably as ancient as Dan. Yeah, a fossil.

About the only thing I’m frustrated with is consistently getting on deer. Just about the time I start getting the hang of getting on deer in swamps, they partially freeze and turn into wastelands. Farmland without bedding in the property becomes a crapshoot on if they will hit food on this property or adjacent properties. Super low odds. Promising public is jammed with cars during gun season.

But... I scouted an area I was going to blow off on the way to hit some hill country ridges nearby and found a ton of sign. Didn’t see any deer back there, but hotter sign helped keep me fired up. Then I spot a good buck that I mentioned in live from the field.

I’m getting better, but it’s going to take time. I don’t think I’ll burn out if I keep having close encounters of the hooved kind.

[Dewey]

Nothing wrong with stepping away for awhile to refresh your mind. I hit a wall on Tuesday after coming home from opening weekend of the gun season. Had the last 6 days off of work and haven't even felt like hunting. Been hitting it hard this season and my body finally said that's enough for awhile. I came home from up north feeling sick and really run down so figured I better re-charge the batteries a bit. That's fine because outside of hunting the northwoods I really have no desire to hunt with a gun anymore. My plan was to gun hunt the local marshes till today but I just wasn't feeling it. Been getting caught up with sleep, chores around home and monitoring the local hunting pressure daily. I'm well rested and hoping to finish out the season strong.

Picking up the bow again starting next weekend even though the muzzleloader season is open. I would rather fill my bow tag instead of taking the easier route even though I own a muzzleloader. Unfortunately we have another statewide antlerless only weekend coming up the weekend after. After that it will feel good to be back in full camo again and no more blaze orange. At least I'm not included in the stupid Holiday Antlerless Hunt at the end of the month.

[tgreeno]

I did not read any responses, but I would like to respond to your post. I see a lot of people go thru what your going thru, and I think a lot of it is because your comparing your success to others... Its not apples to apples. Your success is limited to the spots you hunt and the deer that live there. I know guys that can't spell cat, even if you spotted them the "c" and the "t" that out do me kill wise almost every year. Heck, some of them have there own show... Some of them are on prime spots, and some spend a fortune to succeed. What will get you past your issue is coming to the realization that its not a competition. You need to enjoy hunting, and care a little less about success in killing big bucks.
Obviously you can do things to improve your success, but you need to realize that is indeed limited to the difficulty of the properties you choose and the size and quantity of the deer that live there.
For example, there is a swamp I know of that has more larger animals than the ones I choose to hunt, but the difficulty of hunting there and never ending same type of cover make it really hard to narrow down.

Bottom line, choose the right properties, and set your goals based on what you can achieve there, rather than what others are doing.

Dan, I understand your answer, and have a few comments...

I can't speak for others here, but for my expectations. Thru my scouting, I believe I'm putting myself in best areas possible. I wouldn't sit a spot, if I didn't feel I had a chance at a mature buck every sit. Every season, I feel I'm choosing the "right" properties. And believe I'm putting myself where the mature deer live. I am trying to learn, why I am not seeing mature bucks! And I'm struggling as to why! Am I really on the wrong property? Is it the wrong timing? Or did I just miss him? Did he see or hear me while I was setting up? Those are the 5 questions I ask myself after every hunt!

[Dewey]

I did not read any responses, but I would like to respond to your post. I see a lot of people go thru what your going thru, and I think a lot of it is because your comparing your success to others... Its not apples to apples. Your success is limited to the spots you hunt and the deer that live there. I know guys that can't spell cat, even if you spotted them the "c" and the "t" that out do me kill wise almost every year. Heck, some of them have there own show... Some of them are on prime spots, and some spend a fortune to succeed. What will get you past your issue is coming to the realization that its not a competition. You need to enjoy hunting, and care a little less about success in killing big bucks.
Obviously you can do things to improve your success, but you need to realize that is indeed limited to the difficulty of the properties you choose and the size and quantity of the deer that live there.
For example, there is a swamp I know of that has more larger animals than the ones I choose to hunt, but the difficulty of hunting there and never ending same type of cover make it really hard to narrow down.

Bottom line, choose the right properties, and set your goals based on what you can achieve there, rather than what others are doing.

Dan, I understand your answer, and have a few comments...

I can't speak for others here, but for my expectations. Thru my scouting, I believe I'm putting myself in best areas possible. I wouldn't sit a spot, if I didn't feel I had a chance at a mature buck every sit. Every season, I feel I'm choosing the "right" properties. And believe I'm putting myself where the mature deer live. I am trying to learn, why I am not seeing mature bucks! And I'm struggling as to why! Am I really on the wrong property? Is it the wrong timing? Or did I just miss him? Did he see or hear me while I was setting up? Those are the 5 questions I ask myself after every hunt!

Are you 100% positive your really hunting mature deer?

Sounds like a really dumb question but I see guys all the time trying to kill bucks that don't even exist where they are hunting. That will get you frustrated in a hurry. You can't kill what's not there. Mature bucks are like a completely different species. Unless I have some type of confirmation they actually live where I'm hunting I won't even waste my time there. It's an odds game. Put yourself where mature bucks are more concentrated and your odds having multiple encounters will rise dramatically.