Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Caleb the bow breaker on October 28, 2010, 04:56:00 PM
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All,
having a little pity party and need someone to snap me out of it. Missed three deer last year and totally sapped my confidence. Layed off for a while and then started back shooting harder than ever over the summer. Season started Sep 15 and have been out as many times as possible. To date I havent even had a deer close enough that I could have shot it with my muzzleloader and for added dissapointment had one of my stands stolen. What the heck man. I am not the kind of guy thats hung up on a buck either. I just like to provide a little meat for the family and enjoyment for myself. Its like the deer just dont like me anymore. Gun season starts Nov 13 so I have about two weeks before everything gets shot up. Somebody tell me how to break this curse. LOL
C :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:
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When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.
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Caleb it can change in a heartbeat...I felt snakebit last year then bam, I have a Booner on the ground. It comes down to hangin' in, BELIEF, and making the shot. You can do it!
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Your right, it sounds like a pity party. Ya' just need to snap out of it and remember, if you have not had even a deer in muzzeloader range then your bow is not at all handicaping you.
Get out there and do some scouting, the deer are starting to make a little sign. Find a gooden' and hunt him. You still have two weeks. Don't make it sound so short, that is plenty of time for a buck to cross your path.
Every day we have above the grass is a gift directly from God, we all need to realize that.
Hang in there and God Bless,
Nathan
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Sounds like you have forgot why you are out there. Enjoy nature and remember a harvest is a bonus
Chin up
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That $hit is all a part of hunting.Deal with it! :scared: That should have got you out of it,And be patient it all works out in the end.If you have to do an Indian deer dance,Strip to your skivvies and run around you neighborhood yelling come here deer-come here deer as loud as you can for at least an hour.Then you wont have to worry about the next two weeks. due to being in jail
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You wouldn't be a trad guy if you wanted to go the easy route, your just paying the price now for the enjoyment you will get when you do connect.
Dan
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The good thing is that you have ample time to modify and/or reposition your setup. The best part of the season lies ahead. Keep the faith!!
How ironic it is that it may actually only take
one good encounter to make a poor season a grand success.
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There is a reason they are not in the area. Get the heck outta there and find a different place. Last year my most productive location completely shut down. Never saw a deer and I still don't know why. I found a better place and will hunt it this weekend!
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Hey I know where you are coming from. I didn't see hardly a deer the first two weeks. Then missed a 8 pointer the end of the third week. Then missed a spike the next week. I was ready to give up but then I remember that just being able to hunt and be out in nature is what its all about. Just having fun. I still haven't killed nothing and today is the last day I will get to hunt this bow season. Its the first year I haven't killed a deer with a bow in about 7 years but I have had a blast. Just have fun!!! Its hunting not killing. Go enjoy what God has created!
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Like the gunny says, Maybe we should take a trip to mamby pamby land you jackwagon! Now snap out of it, draw to anchor, and lace the next one in the boiler room. Tissues?
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Does your archery only season go on after gun season ends? Some of my fondest memories were spent years ago with me and my recurve in a tree long after gun season had closed when there was snow on the ground and it was soooo quiet. Never killed a deer that late but saw several, missed a doe, and had the woods all to myself. It was great.
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caleb, i have been hunting hardas i can this season and have only seen one doe 50 yards away headed away. last year, i never had a deer with in distance, and never seen a buck at all. year before that never seen a legal buck, never had a doe in distance. that has been my traditional archery experiance. so... dont feel bad. at least you are seeing deer. sit and wait, it will happen......sooner or later
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1 shot in 5 years and hit a small tree between me and the deer. I have seen one fawn this year in 7 days. I am HOPING to see one during the running this week - see keep hoping, it's all good. Stuff can be replaced
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Originally posted by Zradix:
When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.
That is VERY sound advice. :thumbsup:
I will be the first to admit that I came close to hanging it up several times due to discouragement. But in the end I hung in there and stuck it out because this is something I really wanted to do. To be honest, once I tried a trad bow other methods of hunting just didn't seem to mesh with me...they lost much of their appeal. There's also a part of me that didn't want to be a quitter so I was always able to somehow muster up the determination to keep at it. And I am so glad I did!
Once you get that first one - and you will - you'll smile when you recall these times of discouragment.
Good luck to you. :thumbsup:
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Caleb, seriously, I haven't even taken a shot in over 2 full seasons now. Hang in there. I had the biggest buck of my life 10 yards away last year, broadside, looking the other way and I never tightened the string. I was sick about it, but happy to be there at the time. It will happen for you.
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Just like the directions on a shampoo bottle, but with a twist of words: Practice. Hunt. Repeat.
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Hey Caleb next time you are sitting out there and nothing is happening, take a look over your left shoulder, we are all out there with you. One of the neatest things about this site is the commarderie of all us old die hard tradtional shooters. The "brotherhood" we all belong to. When you are feeling the most alone is when the most of us are there with you.
If these words of encouragement don't get the job done, pop a squirrel.
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The worst day hunting is still better than the best day at work ... it will happen just enjoy the journey .... good luck for the remainder of your season
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Caleb, I have been out almost every other day. I have had 7 misses this season so far. Its not discouraging for me, because I was that close, but because I saw the big picture instead of focusing on the little spot my arrows either went high or low.
I laugh at myself, and now I'm hunting with a bow in the gun season. I haven't hear to many shots fired in my area, so either they aren't seeing them, or they are being selective.
Just the other day, 7 does came with in just 20 yards of my blind, and then the next morning, I was in a differant area of the property and they snuck in behind me at just about 12 yards. I can't take a doe in rifle season as its now bucks only.
I have seen just 3 bucks, but at a distance so far. It will happen, we hunt with traditional bows because its just not easy, we choose to hunt the hard way, and man I'm stoked even just seeing the game.
I wish you luck as you continue to persue what we love to do.
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Thanks for all the words. You guys are the best and really put some perspective on things for me. Its tough sometimes when everyone else you know hasnt given up their training wheels and are having success. Not that it would have mattered this year even if I had a bazooka. LOL. Shot my bow yesterday and sharpened my heads. Helps me get my mind right for stuff.
C
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I don't associate the type of bow (wheel vs stick) with success and never will. When hunting with a bow, any bow, it all boils down to the hunter. I feel that hunting with a stickbow is a huge advantage on many different levels.
True story.
Couple years back, I showed up to hunting camp with my curve ready to get it on when I found out that particular weekend was the MD early muzzleloader season. Two other guys were hunting the property that weekend and were perplexed when I showed up with my bow. One fella had a back up rifle and offered it for my use but I declined. Guess who drug a deer out of the woods that weekend? Yep, me. While back in camp, the other two guys were intrigued by my Border TD and asked "how do you shoot that thing without sights???" So, I proceeded to produce 4" groups on the backstop. I remember one guy remarked, "No doubt you can kill deer with that bow, nice shooting...". While I didn't get a monster buck that weekend, that 100 lbs deer helped keep my kids in deer burgers and to me, that's what it's all about.
Sometimes the best laid plans can go to pot over a small over looked detail. It happens to all of us at times. If I shoot over a deer or drill a tree, ect, I just look at it as the deer won out that particular day but there will be more days to come when I'm restocking the freezer.
I will tell you this, if you draw back and question that you will miss the mark, more then likely, you will miss as you have already talked yourself out of the shot.
Stay focused.
Regards!
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Keep the faith.
I missed the first half of the season recovering from surgery. Then I missed a shot at a deer yesterday -- perhaps because I am still a little weak from the surgery, but maybe because I just blew the shot. That doesn't matter because it is in the past now.
I made a vow to "keep the faith" that I have in my shooting and that I have in my hunting, and not get down on myself. I will be even quieter in the woods, concentrate harder, make my shot sequence even more solid, etc.
The worst thing to do is to be impatient and question your confidence. When the going gets tough...... be tougher.
Good luck.
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I've been out several times with my bows and with my Encore 209x50 and I've only seen a wise old doe with two yearlings still in tow. Oklahoma has been hot and dry and the deer aren't moving well. I just blame it on the weather and until it gets cold with a bit of moisture in the air, I don't expect to see much.
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Your just in a slump. Happens to everyone, even top athletes. Go out with a positive attitude and enjoy yourself and things will fall into place. As far as your treestand getting stolen, all I can say is "what a creep". That person will get thiers. It was stolen in front of God and he wont let it go.
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Just hunt every chance you get. If the deer are not coming to you, then go for them. Hit the ground and go for it. I missed lots of shots last year. This year I'm 2 for 3. Just hunt. As for Nov gun season. Get in the middle of the thickest place you can find and make a set up. The big boys run to hide when the guns go oFf.
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You've just discovered why the body can go for weeks without food.
As for missing.... The fact is every miss ends with a hit! You need perspective not encouragement. :archer:
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I once went 4 years with out a deer down. (Oh, that probably doesn't help, does it.) Bamm then my luck changed. It would not have changed, had I QUIT. Hang in there and remember bow hunting is meant to be fun.
Joe
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You can come to Maine if you want to feel blessed with deer where you are. I have bow hunted Maine for 21 years now. I have had four deer in range in that time. I scout and set up in feed areas and on trails, but still get very few opportunities. I have close to 40 hours so far this season with no sightings, but plan to be in the stand tonight for the last night of bow season. Don't give up
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Dude, chill out, at the very least you get to go and try your best. Hunting is not a guaranteed event. Some of us are bogged down in serious times, and wish we could go out more. Every time I start to sniffle about my lack of hunting luck, I think hard of every Man and Woman wearing our colors across the sea. It's enough to snap me out of it. Just think the Deer are trying there best to survive, give them some credit for being better at it than most of us.
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I know what you feel... 2 years ago, I pass more that 30 days in the bush and nothing... And every body and there dog were taking moose around me... So I guess there is year like that. And it is not for the lack of moose, there is about 70,000 up here!! Keep the faith and get back in the bush!!