Gut feelings

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bowfreak8
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Re: Gut feelings

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Wed Sep 19, 2018 10:44 pm

If you get that gut feeling just go with it. I've ignored it too many times and have been burned.


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Mossyhorns
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Re: Gut feelings

Unread postby Mossyhorns » Thu Sep 20, 2018 12:57 am

I second guess my self way too often on deer and I need to quit doing that and just go with where my inner me tells me to go
Yeah, well....sometimes nothin can be a real cool hand.
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Boogieman1
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Re: Gut feelings

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 12:08 pm

To me, a gut feeling is nothing more than acquired knowledge and time spent in the woods. In terms of a baseball player when a big league batter digs in at the plate and begins to work the count. He will get a "gut feeling" of what pitch is about to be thrown. Why? Because he's been in the situation so many times he is able to take a high odds guess based on past experience.

Sometimes it works out sometimes it don't. You take that knowledge and farther educate your gut.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Lockdown
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Re: Gut feelings

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:31 pm

There have been a few times over the years. These are the kills that stand out.

2016 when I killed my #1 target buck during rut. That buck was all over my small rut grove the year prior. I had my mind made up that if I hunted it hard but smart I’d catch up with him there. After a morning hunt watching the does browse around with a relaxed demeanor, my gut told me he wasn’t there. I wouldn’t be able to stomach hunting elsewhere and have him show up on cam...

I just felt the odds of him cruising in there or chasing a hot doe in on the evening hunt were astronomically low. I decided to switch it up and hunt a small piece of lowland 2/3 mile away and ended up catching up with him. He was bedded with a hot doe in the cattails and popped out 75 yards away an hour before dark.



Another example was ‘08. The wind was marginal for my set and a pheasant hunter walked the neighboring property shortly before sundown. I felt the odds of that stand producing were super low even though I did have a nice trail coming from bedding that hadn’t been affected.

I didn’t overthink it, it was all gut instinct. I packed up and moved to a different preset about 400 yards away and got set up right as the sun hit the horizon. 10-15 minutes later an 8 pointer read the script and I ten ringed him at 18 yards. I remember Dad saying “That was a damn good call. Most people would have just sat there and hoped for the best.”. It wasn’t a big buck but I was pretty proud.

Sometimes you just have to go for it. Block out all the questions and doubt and don’t look back.
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street28ss
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Re: Gut feelings

Unread postby street28ss » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:52 pm

Lockdown wrote:There have been a few times over the years. These are the kills that stand out.

2016 when I killed my #1 target buck during rut. That buck was all over my small rut grove the year prior. I had my mind made up that if I hunted it hard but smart I’d catch up with him there. After a morning hunt watching the does browse around with a relaxed demeanor, my gut told me he wasn’t there. I wouldn’t be able to stomach hunting elsewhere and have him show up on cam...

I just felt the odds of him cruising in there or chasing a hot doe in on the evening hunt were astronomically low. I decided to switch it up and hunt a small piece of lowland 2/3 mile away and ended up catching up with him. He was bedded with a hot doe in the cattails and popped out 75 yards away an hour before dark.



Another example was ‘08. The wind was marginal for my set and a pheasant hunter walked the neighboring property shortly before sundown. I felt the odds of that stand producing were super low even though I did have a nice trail coming from bedding that hadn’t been affected.

I didn’t overthink it, it was all gut instinct. I packed up and moved to a different preset about 400 yards away and got set up right as the sun hit the horizon. 10-15 minutes later an 8 pointer read the script and I ten ringed him at 18 yards. I remember Dad saying “That was a damn good call. Most people would have just sat there and hoped for the best.”. It wasn’t a big buck but I was pretty proud.

Sometimes you just have to go for it. Block out all the questions and doubt and don’t look back.


I think those examples are almost more important than the ones where you set up thinking it's a good spot. Knowing when your spot isn't that great and actually executing a move to a new spot I think is what a lot of guys struggle with. I have been guilty of it in the past but I feel I am much better about it now.


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