Hunting goals for 2018

[crappyice]

Give my very aging Brittany (14 in August) once last dance over some pheasant - took him once this year and he did well (okay good) but struggled. He was awesome on one bird he found, flash-pointed and kicked, and my buddy WHIFFED! I would love for Trico to scent one, point one and get a chance to retrieve one more time- if I could record it....wow!


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[JRod 8G8H]

These are all great goals i see so far. My goal would be to time the rut better. I took a couple days off this year to hunt with my xbow but missed the rut.. Saw some intense stuff but was a few days early for that all day movement... Also, would like to accomplish an all day sit during bow. Got my buck during gun...

[nyslowhand]

11 hours ago, grampy said:

Without that, everything else, and all goals are pretty much out the window..................grin.  After last year, I'll take nothing for granted.

Oh yeah, when you get to a certain age the bone & meat are much lower on your priority expectations list! The simplest of things are important; ie; just being able to get out in the woods and enjoying nature. Gruesome, but ... Life has a cruel way of dealing us cards we don't want or expect, so each year my philosophy is this one may be my last, so enjoy it to the fullest!

[Elmo]

After skipping this year I'd say:

1st goal - Go out hunting.

2nd goal - Go out hunting and bring home some venison for the freezer.

3rd goal - Go out hunting and bring home some venison for the freezer that so happens to be from a wall hanger of a buck.

4th goal - While out hunting for some venison for the freezer that so happens to be from a wall hanger of a buck, take another game species (fox, coyote, bear, etc) that brings me one step closer to Dinsdale's ridiculous list.

[blackradio]

Not pass on so many bucks and end up up with none.

[Uncle Nicky]

Not thrilled with "goals", reminds me too much of the job where they are always talking about goals. Hunting for me these days is a hobby and an escape from work, I try to keep the competition out of it.  But I do plan to do more shooting in between seasons, and I'm looking for more private land to hunt with my dog, trying to hunt public land in the fall is becoming your usual needle in a haystack, at least if you're looking for turkeys.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Uncle Nicky

[Steuben Jerry]

Not necessarily a goal per say, but I'll be trying to find the patience to shoot a bigger class buck than I've been getting so far in my hunting career. I've got several mounts in my living room that are in the 2.5 to 3.5 age range (3 of those aged by the DEC), but I've yet to drop a true trophy which to me would be a 130 or better.

A couple of years ago I passed 7 bucks on opening day of rifle with the largest being maybe 120. I was holding out for the big guy that I had on camera (attached). My neighbor shot it at 8:00 am that morning - scored 141. Happy for him BTW! Other neighbors shot all of the rest that I passed. I took one doe that year. This past year I shot a 3.5 year old. The taxi guessed it at 100 to 110. Trigger finger got itchy, and I didn't want to see him drop on the next property. There was a stud cruising around that I had on camera, but by taking the buck that I did, I took myself out of the game on that one. To my knowledge no one took him. So if that guy makes it til next year, I really want to find the will to hold off for him or another nice one.

How to you trophy takers do it? I hated passing the 2.5-3.5 year olds just to find out they all met their demise anyway. And then not taking a buck at all.

For the two pics attached, the B/W one is the one I should have held out for this year, and the daytime pic is the buck that I held out for the prior year but was dropped by my neighbor.

Both of these are exceptional for my area and they pretty much go nocturnal after the first couple of days. That doesn't help my opening day itchy trigger finger.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Steuben Jerry

[Arcade Hunter]

Do not miss a nice 10pt at 35 yds with the bow like I did this past season.

Shoot my bow every day during the summer and fall

Add one stand on the top of the mountain where the nuts are plenty.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

Learn from last year, put up a couple new stand locations,  plant some fruit tress..

Shoot another 2 1/2 or better buck and enjoy another season of being outdoors..

[Dom]

My first is to gain some strength back on my leg/foot #2loose the 15 pounds that I've gained #3 purchase a sturdy boot/shoe and finally get back to hunting/fishing as much as possible.I would also like to build a ground blind from all the downed trees/branches no more tree stands 

[Dom]

On 1/10/2018 at 5:01 AM, blackradio said:

Not pass on so many bucks and end up up with none.

I think the older/smarter ones have survived.I also think next season some Bears will be taken in the area