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Did not realize how much I have let modern bowhunting change me...

M

madplotter

PMA Member
I just realized this weekend that I got too obsessed with food plots and prep work that I took alot of the spontaneity and fun out of my experience.

Lost my 49yo BIL in 2022 so I spent the spring and summer helping his family with the estate and I will say that was one of the most demanding times of my life. So much emotion and differing opinions on what needed to be done that by the time season arrived I had not done a thing to prepare. Our families were close and it knocked the wind out of our sails. Been a tough deal ever since. That fall I just enjoyed being out there.
In 2023 we built a house, that certainly saps all of your energy so for one the few times in 40 years I never saw the timber. Fast forward to this year and my prep has been more on farm stuff and less on direct hunting but at least I managed 3 small late plots. I am going to slam in another little brassica plot, I know it's late but weather may not bother it too much. I will seed in the crop ground with rye this week as well as our corn wont be out for 3 more weeks due to a late planting.

I am kind of at peace with it all. Gonna try a couple new sets and spend some nice stress free timber time. Bit of a ramble but I can't be the only one who expects too much out my hunting. Anyone else make their hunting more stressful than it should be?
 
madplotter said:
Anyone else make their hunting more stressful than it should be?
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Add me to that list, The last few weeks I have been able to sleep better knowing I dont have a giant deer to hunt. Took my son on his first ever sit last week. That made my entire fall in 1 hunt.
He doesn't go more than a day or two without begging me to take him hunting again. He will be 3 in November.
 

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I haven’t stressed, but I also can’t enjoy it if there isn’t a big one around to hunt. Hunted 10/1-3 and saw zero deer and was super bummed. Pulled a cam at the end of that last sit, and had multiple big bucks on it, even though they were in the middle of the night, it’s still reinvigorated my drive to scout and hunt.
 
gsquared23 said:
I haven’t stressed, but I also can’t enjoy it if there isn’t a big one around to hunt. Hunted 10/1-3 and saw zero deer and was super bummed. Pulled a cam at the end of that last sit, and had multiple big bucks on it, even though they were in the middle of the night, it’s still reinvigorated my drive to scout and hunt.
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Every single hunter experiences that!!! It motivated me to hunt more spots & then hunt a lot during the rut hoping for a cruiser.
The one part where I’ve personally changed…. In say, my teens & twenties…. I kinda had a pressure to get a buck. Age & success changed that for me…. I really do consciously think “I love being outside. I love just watching. I appreciated Gods great creation & experiences. Nature is peaceful & cleansing. This is good for the mind & soul. On & on”. I’ll literally go sit out there where I’m 99.99999% sure I will not see a shooter. I don’t go pound it like I used to but I’ll always go out- even if I know I won’t be shooting a buck. If I don’t shoot a buck…. I’m ok with it too. I was not like that in my younger years. Shooting a buck is awesome & so wildly fun when it works out. But I still love it when it doesn’t work out. I’ve said this one before but these kids who hunt to post them on instagram & Facebook …. If that’s the PRIMARY reason u hunt- you won’t love it & stick with it. Or take the other amazing elements from it.
It was seriously a mental game for me 20+ years ago…. I remember targeting a buck saying “this will be so cool to show my buddies & post a pic”. My internal conversation changed that mind set “that’s not why I hunt!!!!!! That’s a fun bi-product later. Take in the moment”.
 
Sligh1 said:
Every single hunter experiences that!!! It motivated me to hunt more spots & then hunt a lot during the rut hoping for a cruiser.
The one part where I’ve personally changed…. In say, my teens & twenties…. I kinda had a pressure to get a buck. Age & success changed that for me…. I really do consciously think “I love being outside. I love just watching. I appreciated Gods great creation & experiences. Nature is peaceful & cleansing. This is good for the mind & soul. On & on”. I’ll literally go sit out there where I’m 99.99999% sure I will not see a shooter. I don’t go pound it like I used to but I’ll always go out- even if I know I won’t be shooting a buck. If I don’t shoot a buck…. I’m ok with it too. I was not like that in my younger years. Shooting a buck is awesome & so wildly fun when it works out. But I still love it when it doesn’t work out. I’ve said this one before but these kids who hunt to post them on instagram & Facebook …. If that’s the PRIMARY reason u hunt- you won’t love it & stick with it. Or take the other amazing elements from it.
It was seriously a mental game for me 20+ years ago…. I remember targeting a buck saying “this will be so cool to show my buddies & post a pic”. My internal conversation changed that mind set “that’s not why I hunt!!!!!! That’s a fun bi-product later. Take in the moment”.
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I have this same thought at times and I agree, it’s a terrible reason to hunt. I enjoy the peace and quiet but I’m also driven to succeed. I need to think there’s at least a chance at a good buck, otherwise I’ll just hunt does close to the road. I’d hate being a rut-only hunter like everyone else, but I’m leaning that direction just to have some reasonable odds.
 
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