Do you ever hit a brick wall?

[Dewey]

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.

These are the things that really get to me as a hunter. They shouldn't but they do. I'm always comparing my successes to others. I catch myself always looking at other hunters walls and their trophies. Social media doesn't help these days either when I see big buck after big buck day in and day out. I keep thinking if I work harder year after year it will happen and I'll get there. A lot of the time I don't want to except the fact that the areas I hunt are extremely difficult because I refuse to use it as an excuse.

I hunted the northwoods hard for about a 15 year stretch in the early 1990’s till about 2007. Along the way I had some great big buck encounters but they were very rare and was lucky to get one per season. Took me a long time to realize it but finally came to the conclusion that I was setting myself up for failure each and every year. Sure I was having fun but I figured if I want to kill bigger bucks I needed to change up my location. When I decided to dedicate more of my time to hunting close to home in SE WI the results were almost immediate. I know I said this earlier but you have to hunt where the big bucks are. Can’t kill what’s not around. Don’t get me wrong because I love a challenge but it gets to the point you have to decide if it’s worth beating your head against a brick wall.

[milkweed-militia]

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.

These are the things that really get to me as a hunter. They shouldn't but they do. I'm always comparing my successes to others. I catch myself always looking at other hunters walls and their trophies. Social media doesn't help these days either when I see big buck after big buck day in and day out. I keep thinking if I work harder year after year it will happen and I'll get there. A lot of the time I don't want to except the fact that the areas I hunt are extremely difficult because I refuse to use it as an excuse.

I hunted the northwoods hard for about a 15 year stretch in the early 1990’s till about 2007. Along the way I had some great big buck encounters but they were very rare and was lucky to get one per season. Took me a long time to realize it but finally came to the conclusion that I was setting myself up for failure each and every year. Sure I was having fun but I figured if I want to kill bigger bucks I needed to change up my location. When I decided to dedicate more of my time to hunting close to home in SE WI the results were almost immediate. I know I said this earlier but you have to hunt where the big bucks are. Can’t kill what’s not around. Don’t get me wrong because I love a challenge but it gets to the point you have to decide if it’s worth beating your head against a brick wall.

Good post! I didn't understand this for a few years. I thought that if I set and let smaller bucks walk that a giant would eventually just come by. You can't kill what isn't there.

[Tim H]

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.

These are the things that really get to me as a hunter. They shouldn't but they do. I'm always comparing my successes to others. I catch myself always looking at other hunters walls and their trophies. Social media doesn't help these days either when I see big buck after big buck day in and day out. I keep thinking if I work harder year after year it will happen and I'll get there. A lot of the time I don't want to except the fact that the areas I hunt are extremely difficult because I refuse to use it as an excuse.

I hunted the northwoods hard for about a 15 year stretch in the early 1990’s till about 2007. Along the way I had some great big buck encounters but they were very rare and was lucky to get one per season. Took me a long time to realize it but finally came to the conclusion that I was setting myself up for failure each and every year. Sure I was having fun but I figured if I want to kill bigger bucks I needed to change up my location. When I decided to dedicate more of my time to hunting close to home in SE WI the results were almost immediate. I know I said this earlier but you have to hunt where the big bucks are. Can’t kill what’s not around. Don’t get me wrong because I love a challenge but it gets to the point you have to decide if it’s worth beating your head against a brick wall.

This is exactly where I am at. I love the northwoods but they are extremely tough. It's hard to go after 1 or 2 shooters within a 2000 acre piece. And when I say shooter, it's about your 125ish buck. A lot of areas in the state say that's an ok buck and nothing to get too excited about. Mentally it is hard knowing you are up against really bad odds to start. Already you are putting yourself as the underdog just by choosing the areas I am. I just have a hard time letting go of places when I've invested a lot of time and effort and now I feel I'm really close to cracking this egg where it'll pay off. It seems every great hunter gets taught from a single buck they obsess over. Well I have found mine and so far he's winning against me.

Btw, sorry for highjacking the thread.

[perchsoup]

Finally decided to add my $.02.

If you've spent so much time hunting this season that you've hit a brick wall. Consider yourself lucky. A few of us are struggling with what life has thrown at us. That has nothing to do with hunting. That restricts how much, if any, time we can spend in the field. I'd much rather be at a point of burn out at this time of year. Than realizing another season just slipped through my fingers. Because my health just didn't allow me to get out at all again. Can't ever get this "lost" time back.

So take a break, get some rest. Reanalyze your situation. Then get back out there when your ready again. Even if it's only scouting and prepping for next season!!!

Yep. If you’re burnt out consider yourself lucky. Most of us have restrictions on our hunting or access to good land to some degree but don’t forget why you love hunting and don’t forget most of us on here have it better than others. Social media, the internet and even this website can be disheartening if hunting for you becomes only about trophies or a kill.

I’ve got friends and family that can’t spell cat either and some see and shoot more bucks than I do. But they have certain things in their favor that I don’t. I know for a fact these guys wouldn’t last half a season on the ground I hunt because they couldn’t get on deer. There’s plenty of land close by with more deer. But I keep coming back here because I love the land, the challenge and the memories I have here. The satisfaction from any success here lasts a heck of a lot longer than if I had it easier.

[Kraftd]

Another great beast thread.

Dan alluded to it, but perspective is the most critical thing to avoiding frustration. Every now and again a twinge of it sets in for me, and I quickly remind myself how incredibly lucky I am to spend the time outdoors that I do. I think perspective is honestly my biggest strength as a hunter. I'm not wired like some of you guys with that never ending drive and need to better the last buck. Wish I was sometimes, but my ability to enjoy the little things and be real about what I'm facing helps get me in the woods and keep me in the woods, and usually pays off.

It's been freeing up a little as my kids get older and I've been able to get a couple of good folks trained up under me at work that has taken a little bit of that burden off, but I've been petty real with the fact that I don't scout enough and the public I hunt is very low deer density (sub 10 psm) and gets pressured pretty darn hard. I've learned to feel success even seeing a doe or a yearling buck, and have staved off looking down on 2 and 3 year olds, knowing that that will hopefully be a good building block for the future.

TGreeno, I read your journal buddy, and man it feels like you're doing everything right and keep waiting to see the kill post. Your experience and feelings on it mirror what I have come across on the public I hunt. I've been hunting private that I've hunted for quite a while at the same time, and my success has been night and day to how I hunted previously, gives me the confidence to know that it really probably is just the quality of the deer herd on the public land I hunt, since I'm finding good success on decent but certainly not primo private. Since I'm able to find success on my private spots, the public remains a great challenge to hone my skills, but man, if it's all I had, I'd be really grinding to keep going.

Same with you Tim, the effort you are able to keep putting in in the Northwoods is incredibly commendable. That'll test a guy, but man, still more fun being out there than not. If I wasn't hunting I'd be out hiking or paddling, or fishing or something anyways, so try to remember getting a deer isn't the end all be all.

Finally, man, the comparing and competing really can turn toxic in a hurry. Can't help but think about my grandpa and his brothers. I'm sure there was good natured competition over who shot the biggest buck, but I know darn well, they were all happy to get any buck. Getting back to that wouldn't be half bad. I like shooting big bucks as much as the next guy, but there's so much more to it than that.

[Tim H]

Thanks Dave! Great insight!

Yeah perspective is everything. Don't get me wrong, I won't ever bash or come across as jealous of other hunters success. I just say congrats and move on with my day. I suppose what bothers me is how I am perceived or what I think people perceive me as. I just don't like to be the guy who's working hard and not showing success so then I am looked at as not credible or a clueless hunter. Essentially it's what have you done for me lately kind of thing. Most people close to me don't understand how difficult it is and I honestly can't explain it to em. People like to see results.

I know I'm a good hunter. I know I have what it takes to be successful in the northwoods. It's not if but when. I have the patience to make it happen. I just need to get that stuff out of my head and focus on what I'm doing.

[dan]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

[stash59]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

Amen!!!!!

[briar]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

Super post, super true. I think for me it isn't the outside world that I care about, it's the internal frustration of wanting to be better, wanting to learn, and spending a ton of time and perceived effort and simply not progressing. It's almost like a person that wants to lose weight and is eating good and exercising and it's just not happening. Eventually most just cave in and give up the dream. Everybody can tell them they are fine just how they are, but until they believe it, it just doesn't matter

[Rich M]

In my opinion the guys who have long term "success" are in love with the entire process and the actual kill is almost a let down as the process is over. When you love what your doing you are having success all the time as opposed to constantly looking at everything leading to the kill as work.

I know I fall into the kill=succeess category and I'm constantly frustrated. I have friends who just love the process and they seem to enjoy every scout or hunt. I see a lot of guys on here just killing themselves week after week, but to them, that killing themselves is fun.

I find I enjoy the process a lot more when I'm not worried about killing something. It is more fun to scout and more fun to hunt when "success" isn't required. That in itself is success.

[Kraftd]

Thanks Dave! Great insight!

Yeah perspective is everything. Don't get me wrong, I won't ever bash or come across as jealous of other hunters success. I just say congrats and move on with my day. I suppose what bothers me is how I am perceived or what I think people perceive me as. I just don't like to be the guy who's working hard and not showing success so then I am looked at as not credible or a clueless hunter. Essentially it's what have you done for me lately kind of thing. Most people close to me don't understand how difficult it is and I honestly can't explain it to em. People like to see results.

I know I'm a good hunter. I know I have what it takes to be successful in the northwoods. It's not if but when. I have the patience to make it happen. I just need to get that stuff out of my head and focus on what I'm doing.

I feel ya on worrying about the hard work not paying off. I get what you're saying, I'd have hard time explaining it to my wife, and she even knows how much I'm gone! Honestly, I plan to print out my journal this year with a little editing to share with her and a few people to try and give a little perspective to them on how much I think about this and that I'm not just wandering out to the woods and getting lucky once in a while.

For me, honestly, it's you guys here that I know by and large see things in a similar way that I do, that drive me and that in a weird way I worry about letting down. I'm pretty good at not worrying about people who I know don't really get it. Most of my buddies who hunt aren't beast guys by a long shot, and they think I'm one heck of a hunter because I've gotten pretty good at knocking down a couple of 2 and 3 year olds every year.,and sprinkling in a mature buck every 2-3 years. I stay humble and brush it off, but then I turn around and look at the guys here and know I'm a loooong ways from the hunter I can and want to be. All part of the journey.

[dan]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

Super post, super true. I think for me it isn't the outside world that I care about, it's the internal frustration of wanting to be better, wanting to learn, and spending a ton of time and perceived effort and simply not progressing. It's almost like a person that wants to lose weight and is eating good and exercising and it's just not happening. Eventually most just cave in and give up the dream. Everybody can tell them they are fine just how they are, but until they believe it, it just doesn't matter

That person trying to lose weight... If he or she has a goal to lose 50 pound in a month but only loses 10 pounds, is he or she succeeding slower than excepted or did they fail? Growing as a hunter and getting closer to your goals "IS" succeeding. Are you seeing more bucks? bigger bucks? Are you finding the sign? Are you making good set ups? Its not easy, and its not supposed to be. If it was easy everyone would be killing giants.

[HunterBob]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

Love this quote. Thanks for the reminder Dan!

[briar]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

Super post, super true. I think for me it isn't the outside world that I care about, it's the internal frustration of wanting to be better, wanting to learn, and spending a ton of time and perceived effort and simply not progressing. It's almost like a person that wants to lose weight and is eating good and exercising and it's just not happening. Eventually most just cave in and give up the dream. Everybody can tell them they are fine just how they are, but until they believe it, it just doesn't matter

That person trying to lose weight... If he or she has a goal to lose 50 pound in a month but only loses 10 pounds, is he or she succeeding slower than excepted or did they fail? Growing as a hunter and getting closer to your goals "IS" succeeding. Are you seeing more bucks? bigger bucks? Are you finding the sign? Are you making good set ups? Its not easy, and its not supposed to be. If it was easy everyone would be killing giants.

Totally understood. I'm not after a giant, heck I'd settle for feeling like I have some kind of foothold on what it is I am looking for. I know it's super hard, I see some of the best guys here, like you working your tail off and still at it after months. I get it and I know everyone earns their stripes. Maybe this is my year to break through

[westmichigander]

At the end of the season most will have forgotten what you killed, or didn't kill. The only ones who will remember are you, your family, and a few close friends. And those people care about you because of who you are, not because of what you shoot... If you choose to hunt public land, or the same small pressured parcels, your simply not going to kill the size or number of deer guys on big leases or private managed lands are killing. Every success comes with sacrifice. I have hunted nearly every day since early September and still have not shot a buck and im perfectly ok with that.
The greatness of a hunter is not measured by his wall, but rather by his heart, drive, and willingness to help others.

I needed this! It's been a long season for me with no "success" of a kill but success on everything else you've stated.