What Are Your Goals for the 2021 Season?

[crappyice]

Make meat…..
And what Grampy said!


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[Gobbler Chaser]

I'm going on my 3rd year of retirement and hunting more than ever. Yea I chose my days better, don't like wet weather but will be out often. Can't believe bow opener is only alittle over a month away.

[Doc]

My goals now are pretty modest. They amount to just being able to place one foot in front of the other and climb that "killer hill" out behind the house .......lol. I won't be worrying about counting points or scores or anything like that. I just want to keep a strong bow arm and participate and, add another year of hunting to the others. Keep 'em coming!

[The_Real_TCIII]

I want to make great new memories with my hunting buddies. See some good rut activity. Put some does on the ground, hopefully one early in bow season. A nice buck is always what I'm after but isnt the key to a successful season. It's certainly the key to an epic season though!


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[Caveman]

I'd like to get my daughter out after something.  She's 4 and she has really taken to hiking and fishing.  She helped me butcher my deer last year and refuses to fish unless we are eating our catch.  If we lived in Brooklyn thy'd call her a "field to table enthusiast."  

Anyway, I'd like to get her out squirrel hunting and maybe on an evening sit for deer.  

Hunting-goal wise, I'll be hunting with a handgun for the first time this year.  I've had my permit and shot CCW guns for a while, but I never had the urge to take a handgun in the woods.  This year I got a sweet deal on a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 2x scope, and I plan to take that out.  I don't think I'll carry a rifle this year, so my goal is to drop one with the revolver.  

[coonhunter]

After two years of not having a specific deer to target on the lands i hunt, I have a couple of them this year. One is a deer I thought was dead because I hadn't seen him since the winter in 2019. He just showed up a month ago in a bean field. He is a little thicker, but has lost a little tine length I believe. I'll be able to better judge when the velvet comes off. It would be nice to have a little better luck with him this year than in 2019, where I saw him from stand a grand total of zero times. It is tough because the bedding is not on this property, and that property is leased to a group of guys that live by the adage of staying on their own side of the fence, and me staying on my side of the fence, which is fine. 

The other is a nice clean 8 that managed to elude the boys from Long Island that lease the farm that I have done the majority of my bowhunting the last few years. I hope to put a youngster onto this buck on the weekends his dad brings him up. 

Other than that, I will see if I can win the shooting pot again this year with the group from the island. The kid gave me a little run last year, so maybe he will be able to get me this year. He is definitely a quick learner that listens and watches how I showed him. It only took two seasons for him to reach the final three.

[ncountry]

Mainly relax and have fun..

[G-Man]

Put nephew on a deer so he can take his 1st 

Put friend on a deer so he can take his 1st at 49 years old.

Put guests on good stands so they can get deer. 

Put friends kids on good spots for youth hunt so they can have chance at a deer. 

[wolc123]

I know for sure right now, that there are good (3.5 year minimum) bucks around all 3 of my hunting areas (two spots in WNY, one up in the Adirondacks).  Because of that, I will be upping my 1st half of the season(s) antlered deer standards from my usual 2.5 yr / 3 points on a side to 3.5 yr / 4 points on a side.

The one exception that I will make to that, is if I get a real good shot opportunity on a northern zone 4 or 6 point, during the early ML week.   To me, an Adirondack deer is worth at least double what any western NY deer is, due to the scenery and solitude up there.  

At home in WNY, the Holiday ML season, and a spectacular corn crop this year thanks to all the rain, should make filling the freezer at the end of the year a piece of cake. There should not be a need to settle for a smaller antlered deer early, around home anyhow.

[Four Seasons]

Locate and harvest two mature bucks again this season. No better self satisfaction than to beat set your sights on a specific mature whitetail and succeed in harvesting him on his own turf. 

[phade]

I'd like to just relax and enjoy the time. Hunting hard is part of that journey but it's not the purpose. Work has been obnoxious the past 3-6 months so I'd like a diversion.

Last season was uber enjoyable and a repeat would be awesome. I'd like my hunting partner to smack one out of state. He is due. My 2020 turkey and deer mounts are nearing completion in the next month or so, and that will just be fun to slide into the 2021 deer season riding a high.

[Five Seasons]

mine have not changed from the past 3 seasons. I'd be very happy with a 3.5+ and 2 doe. I'd be satisfied, yet a little uncomfortable with two 2.5's if they're nice racks, unique or big bodied. I most likely would not take 2 though. I will still not shoot yearling bucks. I'd be disappointed with just a single deer in the freezer regardless of sex. 

editing because f'n phade nailed it ya bastard. My real goal here is to enjoy some time in the woods. To get my 2 oldest out there at least once each. To get a little me time in the woods and to be safe doing it.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Belo

[dbHunterNY]

every year i have a massive list that isn't related to my hunting alone. only thing different this year is that for myself I'm hoping to tag out in KY with a rifle, OH with a bow, and WNY or Albany with a bow within my 10 day roadtrip. looking for mature bucks in the first two and at least 3.5 years old here in NY. not an easy task but what the hell if i come up a little short i'm still doing good. lol

[Gobbler Chaser]

My goal is not giving a sh*t about anything but hunting from Oct 1st till after the holidays this season. Heck it's only 3 freakin months, leave a guy alone.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Id love to get another nice buck with the crossbow this November. Most of all it’s about spending time with family and friends. As harvest time winds down everyone needs a break, not so much physically but mentally. 

[wolc123]

I am on the fence on this one.  If his rack dont get busted up, he will be slightly larger than the 2.5 yr 6 point that I killed last year.  He has a similar "crab-claw" antler but on the opposite side of what "Joe" had.  

I took this picture of him yesterday and he seems to be a full time resident at our place. I am pretty sure that he is the same buck that i passed multiple times here last year when he was 1.5.

I watched him for about 5 minutes yesterday and he has at least 7 and possibly 8 points.  It looked like there was no brow tine on the crab side but maybe an extra 1" sticker.

It is mostly about the meat for me though, so he will likely have to put a few pounds on that frame for me to use a precious buck tag on him during the first half of the seasons.

I would get more meat from antletless deer if I could, but they seem to be rarer than hens teeth around here.

 

Joe:

Edited September 12, 2021 by wolc123

[Shoots100]

My main Goal is to have a better outdoor experience than the years before, while being accompanied by friends and family.

Harvesting something, is just icing on the cake.

 

 

 

[Slickfins]

Hunt at least once every weekend starting 10/1.

Kill 1 squirrel this year with my boys in tow.

Trap at least 1 coon this year. Took my trapping course at home last year so this will be my first year running traps. I am hoping for 2 actually so I can get caps made for my boys.

Shoot one deer with my boys by my side. It truly gets no better than having them around to enjoy the moment.



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Wait, you can do the trapping course all online this year?


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[SilentStalker]

17 minutes ago, Slickfins said:

Wait, you can do the trapping course all online this year?


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No hijack, but...

Not sure if they are still doing it, but you can email  [email protected] and find out. A bunch of us took it last year/this year online. Although I wish i had done it in person and plan to regardless. 

 

[ApexerER]

My goals are always the same, to enjoy the woods and my time with my hunting buddies....

Leland, if you want to get out for some bushy tails let me know. I haven't gone squirrel hunting in 25 years...

[DanD]

1. Get my ~4.5 year old son out for a sit/walk or two during deer season (if the weather cooperates).

2. Fill the freezer (2-3 deer) as fast as possible (wife is due with our third boy on 12/30, but there is no way she makes it that long).

3. Get my dad on a deer (last year was the first time in 5 years of coming to NY that he didn't get at least one doe).

4. Explore new areas to hunt (especially if there's snow on the ground).

5. Booner or bust...

[Daveboone]

To enjoy as much time outside as I can. 

If I am lucky, I hope to take a good meat deer during early ML season, hopefully with my flintlock. That allows me to enjoy the whole rest of the season taking my time for another deer. I always take the first (early ML) week, and then the last week of the season off. Ideally, I usually take my last (sometimes first)deer the last week end. 

[Einsamer Krieger]

To be one with the woods and nature.  If I score, well, that just sweetens the pot.

[Four Seasons]

Goals for this year. This or This. 

[Water Rat]

I'd be happy just to get some enthusiasm back. Last year was a horrible season due to the EHD in my area.

I'd like to catch another bobcat too.