Hunting Journals

[emt137]

With reading posts about hunting stories and How-To's occasionally I saw references to some guys keeping hunting journals.  

I'm curious how many of you have them and the kind of information you keep them in?  Do you log info or make entries while you're in the field or do you wait until you get back to your vehicle or camp?

I've been thinking about starting one and was just curious what and how the rest of you use yours.

[stringstretcher]

The more info you can include, the more you can get back out of a journal.  You can pattern the deer?  Get info as to the times of feeding?  Movement patterns.  And most of all, be able to remember any thing that you put down, other wise, it gets lost in the old storage ben.

[2Blade]

I started keeping Hunting Journals in about 09. I log in after every hunt just to tell where I was and what I saw and at what time. It helps because we cant remember everything. Theres been many times I look back on an old journal entry and go "Oh yea I forgot about that" It gets addicting thats for sure. Dont slump on details your mind will thank you after a few hunting seasons and it all blends in together.

[ron w]

Started mine in 88', where I went ,what I saw, weather and temps. and deer sightings. Have been doing it ever since. I wait till I get home or back to camp to put down my info. Over the years it's neat to see the patterns that develop. I see most of my deer and deer activity around Veterans day plus or minus 2 or 3 days. That being said I do not see a lot of deer in my neck of the woods! I average seeing 3-5 deer a year....I know that because of my journal!!    

[elkbreath]

I did this for about 7 years religiously while I was younger, writing constantly about every sound I made, wind direction, elk location and response, etc...

I know without a doubt it made me a more effective elk hunter, by allowing me to critique my stuff and get better rather then just keeping doing the same ole things those around me were doing.

give her a go, its worth your time either way.

[emt137]

Thanks for the help!  What about maps and that sort of thing? Do you include them? Printed from the interest? Hand drawn?

[ron w]

I don't include maps, most spots I have hunted for years and years, I do include the names of stands and places that I or friends have named. But you can make your journal yours and include any thing you want.

[Stumpkiller]

I keep a log of harvest info so I can remember where and under what contitions I have taken deer.  But not a journal of hunts or days afield.  

That I keep and play in my mind.  ;-)

[Bernie B.]

I keep a hunting journal for each time I go out.  In it I include:

Date, morning or afternoon hunt, state I'm hunting (I hunt Iowa and Wisconsin each week), which stand I'm in, temperature, sky conditions, wind direction, what game I've seen and what time the game showed up.  Also, anything out of the ordinary I'll write about.  

 I started writing these in 1968, then didn't complete them for a couple of years, so started again in 1975 and have every hunt recorded.

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[eagleone]

After years of telling myself to do it, I started a journal this year too and I'm glad I did.  I have been just recording time,date , place of hunts and animal sightings.  Then what the critters were doing. General weather, ie hot cold windy sunny kinda thing too.  I know I should be more accurate with weather/moon/ times and such but........ one step at a time.
I have already enjoyed rereading it and look forward adding more.

[huntnmuleys]

i dont keep one on my hunting right around home (probably should), but do on all of the hunting trips i go on. nice to look back and remember stuff. helps if your writing a story to have extra details laying around as well...

[goldflinger]

I have kept a journal since 2008. Mine is simple and I fill it out after I am back home, or sometimes in the truck taking a break for lunch. I record the date, time of entering and exiting the stand, wind, temp, and what I see of interest and the time. If I get a shot or connect, I get to usually fill up a page or two writing about the encounter so I can relive it in the future. I usually have my two boys hunting with me and I record any of their sightings, Turkeys, deer ect. It is fun to look back and see what happened on the same day last year, or prior years. I also enjoy rereading hunts that have passed.

[Butts2]

Kept one for a long time and I write in it numerous time a day, with pretty good detail. Below is actually parts from day one this year. I just write in those tiny pocket sized pads and replace yearly

4:30 a.m alarm 49F Elk Bugled a dozen times near by my camp throughout the night as well as Coyotes going bezerk at Lord knows what time.
Ate breakfast on the trail going further back country. Jumped a couple Mule Deer by the sound they make bounding and had an Elk delay me in the dark while continually barking at my presence. Finally made it to the meadow I want to get to by daybreak, sun came up in the East AGAIN! Sure as heck there was a herd waiting for me, I counted...

[SheltonCreeker]

Started this year. Not just hunting but all things outdoor and archery related. Thru the off season I wrote down what time of day I practiced what type of target I was shooting at and how many arrows I shot. Kept track of any problems areas or any areas I was working on specifically. Also kept record of work I would do in preparation of the hunt such as food plot info when I hung stands and what my anticipations for those stands are. As far as the hunting itself. I keep what equipment I hunted with weather conditions wind direction my location and a short summary of the hunt. I don't look at it as just a tool for me to look back thru but for my children and grand children to look back and see how much of this I dedicated my life to and how important it was to me. Wish some of my relatives had done the same. Regardless of what you details you keep I think it will all be beneficial. Good luck. It does take some effort making sure you do it each day or trip afield.

[Red Beastmaster]

I started "Hunting Notes & Lies" around '88 or so when I switched to traditional bows. What began as a hunting journal became a diary of sorts. It's full of family news, events, and my thoughts. I'm almost finished with my 8th notebook.

I don't write in it every day but I do record every hunt (where, what, weather, sightings, etc). Sometimes I have to catch up if I get behind a bit. I usually write before heading off to work in the morning.

A journal really helps settle "dissagreements" with the mother-in-law.  

[stagetek]

I've kept one since 1981. Wished I'd kept one when I started in 1967. I include the weather, wind direction. Stand location. Number and type of deer seen and the time. The direction they came from and left. When I arrived on stand and the time I left. The "things" that happened at the cabin during that trip. And, finally, my opinions, thoughts and actions about the day.

[wooddamon1]

I kept one for a short time. Reading this thread, I'm starting back up. I love the idea that my daughters could read it later and see how much this stuff means to me and how they filled my thoughts as I watched a sunrise or sunset.

It will also include all the details of the hunts as well, of course...

[KSshrewman]

I've thought about it and never seem to slow down enough to do it.  Good point abou it being a part of you your family can read later. Sounds like I need to slow down....and try it.