How to gauge success? Results or Process?

[johndeere506]

Do you judge a season successful by tagging the level of buck you are after (2.5, 3.5, older)? Do you call it a success because you followed a process of scouting, plots, learning, whatever you set to do?

I once read somewhere that [glow=red]if you are results driven it will lead to disapointment, if you are driven by the process its more rewarding[/glow]. I understand that because sometimes the process is what gives us a year round hobby (obsession...) and the results only happen on a day or two. However, I dont agree, and feel like thats not something a big buck serial killer would say or think.

To me, I love the process of scouting, trailcam pics, food plots, aerial scouting and planning, and the amazing days spent in the stand with weather that just makes you feel blessed to be alive. Im a planner, its my personality. But, I need to shoot big bucks. Thats the plan. Sometimes it doesnt work and you change plans, change spots, change tactics, whatever. A season or so of tag soup is no big deal but if Im not shooting what Im after, something has to change. I really do love scouting and plotting and things, but I wouldnt do them if it wasnt helping shoot good bucks.

For me its the results that deem the process a success.

How do you view things?

[Justin85]

Results.

Not to say I don't enjoy the failures (learning experiences) along the way.


If I want peace and serenity in the outdoors, I'd take up hiking year round rather than carry a weapon from Sept-Jan.

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[seazofcheeze]

I'd say results but only over the long term (whole season). In my opinion, a guy can't be results oriented short term or he would question his methods. What if you scout a bed in the spring, setup and hunt it first time in during the fall, the buck is there, the wind is right, he has consistently exited the bed in your direction (let's assume you have trail cam pics to validate) but the buck exits the opposite direction during your hunt jus due to bad/dumb luck. You did everything right (in this ideal scenario) but you never saw or shot the buck. If you are results oriented short-term, you just failed...but, in my opinion, it was actually a successful setup/hunt and if repeated often enough, will eventually lead to success (long term results). Just my .02.

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[BigCedarJack]

Is both and option?

Also for me there was a time when the result I needed was to tag a big buck and I felt sorely disappointed when I didn't. But now I have many desired results of a hunt, of a season, etc. I now feel the success of many types of accomplished results, and now and then I tag a big buck too. Being a hunter has fundamentally effected who I am as a person and my personal growth.

[Magic man]

I would say it is a bit of both but the process is more important than the result. I always look at my favorite quote and how it was taken out of context. Lombardi said "winning isn't everything it is the only thing" gets quoted a lot. He always regretted that quote and said he meant "winning isn't everything the effort to win is the only thing that matters". So to me effort and process are more important, they build character. You can sometimes get great results with little effort.

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[Dewey]

If you asked me this 10 years ago I would have absolutely said results gauge success. As the years go on I enjoy the process more and more every year and gauge my success on how well I complete that process. It doesn't always have to result in a kill and actually some of my most memorable seasons ended up with me eating my tag. The things I learned during those years was enough for me to consider them a success. It's all about the chase to me now. It's not the end of the world if I don't tag a buck by the end of the season but in the end that doesn't change my desire to try even harder next season. Failure + learning why you failed breeds future opportunity and that is the part I love.

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[dkoy85]

I love the process, but I love where it takes me... and that is hopefully sitting behind a dead mature buck. So, I guess if I could just go out and shoot a big buck every year without scouting and putting in the time then I wouldn't enjoy it as much... but if I put in the time year in and year out and didnt have an opportunity at a mature buck I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much either. For me the process and the results work together, if that makes sense.

[hunter_mike]

For me, every season is successful. However some seasons are more successful than others for many reasons.

I also get results every season. A kill is a type of result. A big buck sighting is another type of result. A spike buck sighting is also a result. I love all of the results. Some results are much harder to achieve which makes them more exciting.

Pretty much I love hunting and its impossible to pin down one single reason why.

[johndeere506]

I love the process, but I love where it takes me... and that is hopefully sitting behind a dead mature buck. So, I guess if I could just go out and shoot a big buck every year without scouting and putting in the time then I wouldn't enjoy it as much... but if I put in the time year in and year out and didnt have an opportunity at a mature buck I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much either. For me the process and the results work together, if that makes sense.

I agree thats a good way to put it. Ive wondered before if I tag out the first week of season because it was easy or I got lucky, what the HE|| am I going to do for the next 3 months? lol

The process is fun for sure, but doing it you have at least some expectation (or strong desire) for success.

[Stanley]

When you take on any project the end results are huge. If you put a roof on your house the process doesn't keep the rain out of your house. The end result does. Medals are awarded for results not the process. A die hard big buck hunter isn't satisfied with the process alone. He is after results.

I think a persons competitiveness determines if they are satisfied by just competing or competing to win. At a golf tournament there are guys that know they can't win. Those golfers are satisfied with the process. Then there are the real competitors they know they can win and are not satisfied with anything but a win.

So to gauge success, it will be different for a lot of hunters. It is more of an individual thing rather than an aggregate thing. For me I love the process and the anticipation of the hunt. If I am not successful, I certainly am not satisfied with the results.

[jmaas07]

For me it's a bit of both. I enjoy scouting and planning my hunts for the upcoming season, its rewarding to do the work and come up with a plan and then stick to the plan throughout the season and do everything in my power to give myself the highest percentage of killing a good buck. Each hunt can be a teaching tool and learning along the way is part of the process. As long as I'm learning and sticking to my plan throughout the season that is a success. With that said, eating a tag would be disappointing, so I will also gauge my success on killing a good buck I am happy with...I'm a much happier person after killing a buck

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[fishlips]

Both. I'd love to say process, but I know if I don't get the results I would like in the near-term, I am definitely disappointed. Looking back though I have definitely progressed as a hunter, even though the results might not necessarily show it.

Results, as with anything, are instant credibility.

[dkoy85]

I love the process, but I love where it takes me... and that is hopefully sitting behind a dead mature buck. So, I guess if I could just go out and shoot a big buck every year without scouting and putting in the time then I wouldn't enjoy it as much... but if I put in the time year in and year out and didnt have an opportunity at a mature buck I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much either. For me the process and the results work together, if that makes sense.

I agree thats a good way to put it. Ive wondered before if I tag out the first week of season because it was easy or I got lucky, what the HE|| am I going to do for the next 3 months? lol

The process is fun for sure, but doing it you have at least some expectation (or strong desire) for success.

I've often thought that way about tagging out early too. I recently moved and am now within an hours trip to hunt some good land on the east coast in 3 different states, so I'll have a pocket with 5 buck tags... so thankfully that is no longer an issue, even though it hasn't been too much of an issue in the past when I had 1 buck tag

[Hawthorne]

Im both. If you enjoy the journey then you lose, your a winner cause you tried and enjoyed it. If your all about results and then if you don't succeed your a loser.

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[ajsawyer]

The times that I've been driven by comparing myself to other people have always been the least enjoyable. I realized this and quit playing those mental games a while ago, with no regrets.

Now, if someone at the check-in has a SLOB and I've got nothing, I can honestly congratulate him and move on to my next opportunity without dwelling on what might have been.

These days, I judge a season based on whether I gave it my best effort and stayed true to my goals - regardless of what anyone else is doing. I gotta say though, 9 months is a long time to wait if I didn't accomplish what I wanted to!