What is the ONE thing you learned last year and will remember this season?

[regulat0r]

we all know that bowhunting is a life long process and we should learn at least one new thing every time we step into the woods...but what is ONE thing you learned last season(mistake/observation/tactic etc...) that you will follow this season?

for me...it's not to burn out a stand location!!! at the beginning of last season i had a bunch of great bucks on trail cam and plenty of sign around. i sat in one stand for morning and evening hunts for several days in a row...i went from seeing a few deer opening weekend to not seeing any thing after that yet i continued to sit in the same stand.

this year i have several stand on different areas of my property and differnt properties all together. i will try to set a goal to not sit in the same stand location during the same day...

what will you do differently this season???

***runner up*** when i am ready to pack it in...STAY FOR 20 MORE MINUTES...i climed out of my stand twice last year and jumped 2 bucks that would have walked up to me!!!

[wdswtr]

Heck this is an easy one for me. Something I will never ever forget again, well I hope I wont, Bend at the waist when way the hell up in a tree at that big bruiser or your going to miss the shot. I kicked myself all the way back to camp in the dark cause as soon as I punched that trigger I knew I didndt do the bend. My old bow I had and orange sticker on the riser above the sight to remind me off all the proper steps before releasing that arrow. Worked great for a stupid little reminder.

[erussell]

When you have a big buck within 60 yrds of your stand chasing doe, dont grunt because he will take his doe somewhere else.

[growalot]

If it ain't broke don't try to fix it!....in my case if you've been successful for 15 years shooting instinctive don't go to sights just because you won one...you'll end up loosing a buck of two life times

[sweet old bill]

at 69 years young growing old sucks, the mind is willing but some days the body is not.

Now in the area of bow hunting one of the best ideas that I use is have a small feather tied on the bow ( either trad or compound ) so you can see as you sit in your ground blind and or tree stand any changes in the wind.

If you use a new drop a way rest plan on not using your bow to push brush away from you if you are taking a walk. A guy stopped by and asked if I could change and setup his bow for his old WB rest. Seems he pulled off of the drop a way rest the cord that make it go up and down during a walk into his hot new stand. The first time he was aware of the proble was when a 8 point buck walked pass his tree stand at 15 yards and the rest would nopt do anything.

myself I found that being retired I try to shoot every oher day a few arrows to keep up my shooting eye and also bow arm / shoulder strength .

[SteveB]

Always take toilet paper.

[ny hunter]

+1 for toilet paper.

[Lawdwaz]

Always take toilet paper.

Or have two pair of socks on.

And, NEVER pick up a single glove near a tree stand.

[steve863]

So what's so tragic if one forgets toilet paper? Why would one use a sock or glove? Lots of leaves on the ground in the fall that can be used. Humans were using these more natural methods quite well for thousands of years before Charmin double ply was ever invented. LOL

[G-Man]

watched and learned where the bear come onto my property..last year always in groups..moved a stand closer this year i hope to catch one as a single!

[WNYBuckHunter]

Make sure that your safety harness will allow you the freedom to take shots behind the tree without you having to mimic a contortionist. I fixed that with a new harness that has a longer strap, as my old one cost me a big buck last year.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

when trying to skin out a big buck, a hook used to hang up a bicycle does not have the required load capacity...lol. That, coupled with loading it on my wheeler cost me 7 trips to the Chiropractor. It is amazing how it waited to fall until I was totally under it and trimming around the neck...

On a serious note. I lost my first deer last year. The shot still bothers me. I should have taken the extra step during the stalk to get rested on a tree. I believe I jerked the trigger and hit forward. Hard to believe that going into my 30th year of deer hunting I still get excited and can let it get the best of me. I guess I will quit when it doesn't ..lol

[landtracdeerhunter]

What I thought to be 3 black bears running straight at my stand, 3 little arrows in my quiver, and thinking it was all over for me; I had bought the farm. Turned out to be a neighbors loose black angus cows. ( It was a little foggy) Always bring your glasses! Not to mention, I had to quit a little earlier that evening.

Edited September 27, 2011 by landtracdeerhunter

[ny hunter]

Culver good thing it did'nt fall on you.since you were alone could have gone bad real fast.

[Deerthug]

Heck this is an easy one for me. Something I will never ever forget again, well I hope I wont, Bend at the waist when way the hell up in a tree at that big bruiser or your going to miss the shot. I kicked myself all the way back to camp in the dark cause as soon as I punched that trigger I knew I didndt do the bend. My old bow I had and orange sticker on the riser above the sight to remind me off all the proper steps before releasing that arrow. Worked great for a stupid little reminder.

That is my problem also. I always forget to bend at the waist. Missed out on killing a large coyote last season cause I didn't bend at the waist. The orange sticker sounds like a great idea.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Culver good thing it did'nt fall on you.since you were alone could have gone bad real fast.

I wasn't alone....it was in my buddy's pole barn...but it did land on top of me. One last effort to get back at me for taking him I think...lol. Funny now and we joke about it but it hurt like hell. There are now 3 welded eye hooks 1/2" diameter and they are bolted through the rafters. I did a load test with me and my buddy so that was over 500 pounds. I think I am safe this year

[nyantler]

I learned that is no such thing as a chip shot when shooting at a nice buck...I learned the hard way last year.. spent the afternoon tracking a nice buck that was following a bunch of doe.. I caught up to him and had him broadside at 40 yards.... a little downhill shot but nothing crazy... I missed him completely with my 870.... I have never missed a deer with that gun...ever... I think the shot was so nice that I already had him butchered and was eating tenderloin before the bullet left the gun... just goes to show you...nothing is for sure... lesson learned.

[nyantler]

***runner up*** when i am ready to pack it in...STAY FOR 20 MORE MINUTES...i climed out of my stand twice last year and jumped 2 bucks that would have walked up to me!!!

You do realize that even if you stay the 20 more minutes.. you'll still get out of the stand and jump 2 bucks that would have walked up to you...lol.. thats how Murphy's Law works

[biggamefish]

I learned that be ready no matter what. I walked in and was on state land 100 yard form the trucks and there was a wide racked buck trotting away from me because I was just walking in on the trail. It was nice to see him though. Be Ready ALL the Time.

[SteveB]

So what's so tragic if one forgets toilet paper? Why would one use a sock or glove? Lots of leaves on the ground in the fall that can be used. Humans were using these more natural methods quite well for thousands of years before Charmin double ply was ever invented. LOL

2 words - poison ivy.

[ny hunter]

OUCH!

[biggamefish]

Been there steve it sucks. I learned quickly after that to identify it.

[Dom]

turn the ringer off on phone totally for got its agood thing nothing was in my sights i would have been pist probably would have shot the damn thing

[crs740]

If you see a shooter, and he goes out of sight and you attempt to call him back with a grunt or rattle bag. Grab your bow as soon as you are done because he can come back in a hurry and you don't want to be caught with your pants down with a shooter at 10 yards like me.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

If you see a shooter, and he goes out of sight and you attempt to call him back with a grunt or rattle bag. Grab your bow as soon as you are done because he can come back in a hurry and you don't want to be caught with your pants down with a shooter at 10 yards like me.

A little advice.....hunting with your pants down will have two possible results....frostbite or you will end up in some online registry,,,lol