Getting better?

[rfickes87]

Im going into beast year 3. (I'm 31 and been killing them since age 12 but never really beast style except on accident).

My first beast year in 2016 was a bust, it was very hard to give up my old faithful spots. When I actually had time to hunt I hunted spots on wrong winds and did a lot of other stupid things out of habit.

Year 2, 2017 was much better. I had a chance at a 110 and then wounded a 130 . For my area of PA that is a fantastic deer. I had found about 3 or 4 good bedding areas too in my second year that got me on those bucks. That was the first time I ever spring scouted...

Now this year, I've been out scouting all spring. I scout with a purpose like never before. I'm so confident i can always go straight to the bedding. I have found what i think are about 6 primary bedding points in hill terrain. Probably 2 dozen total bedding areas.
My confidence for this season is thru the roof!! I think year 3 will be a great year.

[MN_DeerHunter]

Yes I am progressing but still have a ways to go. I shot the biggest buck I’ve ever seen on stand last year using beast tactics. Luck had a lot to do with it but beast tactics put me in the area I was hunting.

I have been scouting similar areas since and have successfully found additional buck bedding areas. Wether or not they pan out in the future is to be seen.

[GWsaddleuser]

Kinda staying the same.
Hope this bed hunting will work for me this coming year or the next. I'm gonna give it a go this season cause I'm ready for a change.
Probably be hunting mostly transition areas during the morning, beds in the afternoon and scouting every chance I get.

[Brian1986]

I would say humbly that I feel I am getting better at hunting big bucks. I think I learn something new just about every time I'm in the woods. I think we should expect to keep on getting better as long as we have the want to & ability to put in the effort, take on the challenge, and keep asking and trying to solve "why?" when we see something in the woods. It seems every new thing you learn leads to another why question to solve. Maybe that's why hunting is so much fun.

[dan]

For me, my results are getting worse, but Im still getting better... Its a matter of how you measure better. Im hunting and scouting for myself less than in my younger years, Im giving up on very remote almost kill you to get to spots, worrying more about friends and family than kills, but Im still improving on my knowledge base. At least I like to think so... A few months ago I ran into an article that was just awesome and had some great tactics in it. I new the guy had to be a beast by the way it was written so I looked up to see the author and it was me Wrote many many years ago... Seems I can teach myself now.

[Twenty Up]

Unfortunately I feel to be a“successful” beast requires lots of time. Between scouting and then hunting. Everyone is at different stages in their lives with various amounts of free time. Our definition of success in the woods can also be impacted by this free time, as well.

That’s why, in my opinion it’s silly to gauge a deer hunters success by inches or number of kills. I think a sit by sit ratio between seeing & harvesting your quarry (be it a buck, doe, mature buck, etc..) is far more accurate.

[boldlygo]

For me, my results are getting worse, but Im still getting better... Its a matter of how you measure better. Im hunting and scouting for myself less than in my younger years, Im giving up on very remote almost kill you to get to spots, worrying more about friends and family than kills, but Im still improving on my knowledge base. At least I like to think so... A few months ago I ran into an article that was just awesome and had some great tactics in it. I new the guy had to be a beast by the way it was written so I looked up to see the author and it was me :shock: Wrote many many years ago... Seems I can teach myself now. :think:

Proves you've forgotten more than most of us will ever know lol!!

[JAK]

I voted getting better. Since finding the beast I've been scouting more all season long. I feel I've come a long was as a hunter in the last year.

[Bogle]

I voted yes. It hurts more than it used to but my results are better.

[oldrank]

Getting better with my knowledge base... Worse with physical abilities.

[Ack]

I'm definitely seeing improvement....scouting a ton and learning why the sign is where it is, hunting an area with better bucks, hunting smarter and with a purpose.

Had as many or more opportunities at good bucks in the last three seasons than I've probably had in the previous 30 years of hunting.

[Evanszach7]

Better- set a goal this past winter to identify 50 new bedding related spots across 4 public properties with workable access. 90% of my topo and ariel scouting panned out (was probably 50-60% last year). Transferable terrain and habitat knowledge is pretty accurate and useful here. 3 of the spots are overlooked and within 100 yards of access points.

Spent the spring categorizing the spots by time of year (early season, pre rut, rut, and late season). Based those on cover, food, pressure, sign, and wind. Very confident in pressure dictating the overlooked spots to become hotter later (Halloween- mid November), might have hunted them too early in years past.

Feel more organized and confident with a solid plan heading in to this season. Should be able to see the day’s wind and based on the time of year, pick from a list, scout my way in, and have solid options while stacking some throughout the year. Big jump from keeping these in my head or an app and overlooking my own spots or second guessing myself on stand.

[dan]

Better- set a goal this past winter to identify 50 new bedding related spots across 4 public properties with workable access. 90% of my topo and ariel scouting panned out (was probably 50-60% last year). Transferable terrain and habitat knowledge is pretty accurate and useful here. 3 of the spots are overlooked and within 100 yards of access points.

Spent the spring categorizing the spots by time of year (early season, pre rut, rut, and late season). Based those on cover, food, pressure, sign, and wind. Very confident in pressure dictating the overlooked spots to become hotter later (Halloween- mid November), might have hunted them too early in years past.

Feel more organized and confident with a solid plan heading in to this season. Should be able to see the day’s wind and based on the time of year, pick from a list, scout my way in, and have solid options while stacking some throughout the year. Big jump from keeping these in my head or an app and overlooking my own spots or second guessing myself on stand.

Well thought out plan of attack... I like it!

[Kraftd]

Trying to be honest with myself and voted staying the same. I definitely feel like my overall knowledge and approach continue to get better all the time. That said, I just have not been able to dedicate the time to spring scouting in particular that I know will be necessary to really make a leap, especially on pressured public.

As I said in another recent thread, my plan this year is to in-season scout more than I hunt, and focus on the two best and biggest properties I have scouted over the last 5 years instead of spreading myself thin. I will say, it has been a long time since I have hunted just to hunt, and not had a sound plan going into a sit, so in that regard I'm getting better, but I know I have another gear to truly say I'm getting better at hunting mature bucks, not just bucks I'll be happy taking, which is usually a 2-3 year old most places I hunt.

[docwaters]

Definitely improving, thanks to the Beasts and my decision to implement the tactics I am learning herer, the podcasts, DVDs, and videos. My knowledge is increasing exponentially and last year I was able to locate a buck bed in the spring and kill the buck last season. What a rush and sense of accomplishment. It has only made me more motivated to improve and learn, plus try new approaches. I am using a saddle this season for the first time. Loving the journey.