When I learned the most...

[whitetail_downer100]

This season was the first in my life that I have gone without harvesting a whitetail, and the first time since I was fourteen that I have gone without a bowkill.  Let me be the first to tell you that it was not from a lack of effort.  I was licensed in three states (PA, VA, and NC) and hunted a fair amount.  Due to my training at The Basic School in Quantico I had far less time to hunt then I desired but I did hit the woods on every available weekend.  I even had a few encounters with a giant that I have been hunting for three years in PA, had him as close as 14 yards but in thick cover with no shot oppurtunities.  A few evenings in VA I could have taken does but it would have meant very late nights on base and a whole new set of problems that I did not want to deal with.  Anyhow, in all of my efforts not being rewarded I learned more then I ever imagined possible.  My question for you all is when did you learn the most; was it through success, failure, or a combination of the two?

[Mudd]

I think I learn both ways.

But I tend to remember those lessons taught by failure soooo much longer and better.

God bless,Mudd

[bowmac]

I think mostly from my failures to close the deal. The sucessful ones I always think of as doing everything right and luck was with me. Failures I always see as something to learn and improve on, at least all but one time. Several years ago (and yes I was 50+ years old with going on 30 years of bowhunting experience) I completely blew a situation. I had spent the better part of 2 years pursueing one Buck (family called him unicorn I call him "should have been"). Anyway I finally got my chance at 15 yards broadside during a rut. I was so busy staring at his 200+ rack that I think I broke every Cardinal rule on Traditional Bowhunting. As I was drawing, shaking and staring (at his rack) my shot went way high. Above the lungs and under the spine. As he ran off laughing the fletch end of my POC dropped to the ground covered in some blood. We spent three days looking for him only to see him tending some does. As another year came and went he was still doing his thing and I could only admire him. At the time I didn't talk about it or even want to, I felt I had failed. Some years have passed and Unicorn finally got hit by a truck on the road. Reflecting back now it don't bother me to talk about it and even laugh at my own mistakes. Dealing with a second return of Cancer now has let me realize there really are no failures just learning processes. I now enjoy every outing sucessful or failed as just being there is what really counts. I also still have the fletch half of my POC and I had wrote with a marker on it "Should Have Been". It sits in the Archery Shop and reminds me of the moment.

[straitera]

The more time in the woods the more I learn. Next year will be my 49th year to bowhunt. Single greatest revelation was building a pitblind. I dug approx 4' square & 3' deep, then surrounded it w/deadfall leaving enough room to shoot standing in most any direction. Saw things I'd never seen before or since especially too many animals coming from downwind.

[Friend]

Taking in and absorbing the events of numerous experiences has provided knowledge and continued reflective enjoyment.

My learning has been greater when humbled an acknowledging the fact I don't know enough to fill a thimble.

[Tom]

My successes are the direct result of my failures but seem to have more than my share of luck filling the freezer.
  Can't suceed without trying and learning from failure is key to success.

[Duker]

Going without a bowkill has never been a failure for me , just being in the woods and fields is success enough  

[Two Wolves]

Years ago I took it personally when someone would ask if I had "got my deer yet", and I would answer no. (note: those questions always coming from non-hunters)I'll admit that, starting out, that was my only goal... to score. Many "close calls" and failures were teaching me some of my best lessons. I just didn't look at it that way. Heck, if "failure" was my teacher, I must have a Phd in White-tail hunting!    It's all been sort of an evolution for me, as it is for most. Years of relative succes has give way to less "success" beacuse the former "quantity over quality has been reversed. Now I have even made it harder. I have sold my wheel bow and have bought a longbow. I'm sure I will have to go thru another evolution cycle to gain confidence with my long bow but for me, the quality of the hunt is much more important to me. Don't get me wrong, I still want to score and score big but that is not the most important thing anymore.  

[Bow Bum]

Good question:

I probably learn more from the failures. However, if it were not for the occasional success I would run out of steam trying. As a result probably not have made it through the failures.

Maybe I'm just successful at failing... LOL

Brian

[Northwoods]

From someone who still has volumes to learn, one of the coolest parts of bowhunting is that it is a continual learining process.  The close encounters that trad hunting necessitates offers alot of fuel for the learning process.  Whether an experience results in learning I think comes from
1. the experience and ability to ask the right questions - why did this or didn't this work and how can I improve on what i'm currently doing -
and
2. using those answers to adapt what i'm doing now.

"Successes" need to be reviewed as critically as "failures" to ask what went right for them to be as effective in the learing process.

Ted

[whitetail_downer100]

Thanks for the feedback guys!