What will you do different in 2017

[Michael Arnette]

Well, 2016 is out and 2017 is in, what would you do different next year in your archery/hunting life? What mistakes did you make that you learned from?

A few things I learned and will do differently:
1: be careful when lending equipment out. I lent out my favorite 57 pound TallTines limbs and my buddy accidentally broke them just a few days before deer season opened :/ ...no hard feelings, it was just unfortunate
2: I will be dropping draw weight. A product of mistake #1 is that I was forced to use my 62 pound limbs all deer season. I don't shoot them as well and it may have bee the culprit of 2 bad shots on trophy Whitetail. While I do like the heavier limbs for elk hunting I will be using bows in the low to mid 50s for Whitetail
3: I'll be getting a tracking dog! ... Also a product of mistake #1, 2 bad shots on trophy Whitetail resulted in incomplete recoveries (found the antlers and what was left after critters) that would have likely been found easily and within time to salvage meat if I would've had a tracking dog. Besides this I had 2 perfect shots that resulted in white knuckle blood trails and long tracking jobs into the wee hours of the morning.
4: I learned never to post anything about frontal shots on Tradgang lol (I might add that both of my poor shots were within 20 yards perfectly broadside) ...go figure? Maybe I should avoid taking broadside shots?
5: I have learned a new level of respect for those of you who shoot Selfbows! You guys are incredible and the selfbow I got recently is kicking my butt!

[Michael Arnette]

...oh I almost forgot that I learned that ambush techniques for elk can be very effective.

[Friend]

Should be a didactic thread...

Will be following this thread.

[YORNOC]

I did not spend enough time scouting. Work really hit me hard again, and my tried and true areas were dead.
I could have, and should have squeezed it in.
My son is 13 and so into all this, I cannot allow this time to pass by. I will spend it teaching him all I can. At 14-15, he will naturally think I'm an idiot.  

[Crittergetter]

For 2017 I will spend less time hunting public ground in east Texas.  
My only mistake this season was spending to much time hunting public ground in east Texas!!
FAR better hunting within 4-5 hours from home.  I'll still hunt some of my more proven spots from time to time.

[Parallax]

My bow shooting really took a back seat in 2016. I've already taken steps to correct that. My traditional hunting grounds  were hit hard last year by the effects of logging and encroachment.  so some serious scouting is in order for this year.

[mcgroundstalker]

Shoot More, Hunt More, Be Closer To God!

... mike ...    ...

[Chumster]

Retire and move to Arkansas!  

 

[jsweka]

Originally posted by YORNOC:
I did not spend enough time scouting. Work really hit me hard again, and my tried and true areas were dead.
I could have, and should have squeezed it in.      

ME TOO!!!!!

[J-dog]

just no time scouting paramedic school got in the way of alot. I also got into a club that looked awesomely promising - yeah not really - shoulda stayed on game lands. I am always looking for a way to get on private land or a good club and learned this year to stick to game lands. It is what I know and what I grew up on, while I have to work harder and go deeper to a point of pulling some overnights it is what I know best.

Medic school will be cleared up this May so promise to get some hot weather scouting.

J

[huskyarcher]

I had a pretty good season and cant/wont complain. BUT i did learn:

-It was my first fall after getting married, so next year i will hunt less in the none prime parts  of the season and more in the good part. I had burnt all my "brownie" points before November even thought about rollling around.

-I need to hunt less in the early season. I hunt way too hard too soon. I need to peak when it is good. Also kinda goes back to point 1.

-Hold under big does. Like completely under them.

-Learned that i absolutely love OH public land, and the challenge that comes with it.

Come on September!

[Sam McMichael]

I hope to be healthier in 2017 after having several illnesses and two surgeries in 2016. I hope to improve my accuracy with special attention to back tension. Also, I would like to attend a few more large 3D events.

[toddster]

spend more time scounting, spend more time shooting bow this year (firearm teaching got in way).  Build more arrows and bows.

[DarrinG]

After hunting private lands for the last several years, I'm going back to my roots and hunting some public lands. I miss the mountains and big woods wilderness areas. Already started my scouting for next year and gonna continue it through the year until next archery season begins.

[Cory Mattson]

Going to bring a large isolated piece of public land back into the mix. The last 8 years we have spend a large percentage of our hunt days in urban units which has been amazing and productive. Miss the public land - worked it for 20 years and never saw another hunter!

Better build my shooting area in the yard and work more at shooting during the season. Each year is always great - always easy - and we go into season very strong but between work - which gets busier as fall  progresses - and shortening daylight - I hit the wall and just about stop practicing by November. I hate that and my shoulders experience way more pain when I don't shoot.

I think  that is it - Things and seasons have been fantastic. We never really stop scouting or hunting. Might hunt gators? this year - haven't made that decision yet. We are going stingray hunting this year in June.
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[pdk25]

A few things for sure.  I have some elbow tendonitis issues forcing me to use a lower weight bow this year, and it has done the job.  I will continue to practice with the lightweight bows so I can clean up my release and shoot them as well as my heavier bows.  In fact, I called Brian Wessel to tell him to make me a much lighter recurve than I originally ordered.  Should be done very soon.

Work schedule changes will make things difficult as far as time for hunting, so I will do a better job of getting my trail cameras into small travel corridors earlier in the year, rather than on food plots, to hopefully see more deer during daylight, especially outside of the rut.

[Pine]

Going to sell most of my bows and the hunting property .
Let the next owner deal with the trespassers .

[Deno]

Remember what Graps said everytime I'm even thinkin' about buying hunting property.  


Deno

[shedhunta]

Plan on hunting more.  Spent most of Sept and October fishing and crabbing. Once Rut hit I gave the does a free pass.  Now I am struggling to get meat for the year.  Never ever had that problem before.  I also need to practice more.  I know I am not as good as I was or could be.  Just set up lighted backyard range so I have no excuses now.

[joe ashton]

1 spend more time scouting
2 spend more time at high elevation.
3 not buy a new BOW.
4 maybe buy a new BOW.
5 use a quiver to get arrows off my longbows.
    (Any suggestions)
6 shoot a few 3ds.