What will you do different in 2017

[trad_bowhunter1965]

In 2017
1.I will give thanks to our Lord and Savior.
2.shoot my longbow more.
3.Hunt more both big and small game.
4.build strings.
5.make the move to wood arrows
6.get in the best shape of my life.

[kennym]

1. Make my ladder stands SILENT one way or the other. If it means scrapping them, so be it!

2. Be more adaptable,too easy to hunt the same ol same ol. Deer pattern us no matter how sneaky we are.

3. Hunt the ground more- see # 2--  Got ghillie - will travel....

4. Remember to pick a spot the size of a freckle, done pretty well on this but need to stay with it.

5. NOT--NOT--NOT build a new bow. Already having trouble with this one....

6. Maybe convert some of my homebrew hangons and tree ladders into just ladder stands, don't really like the sidestep to the stand anymore.(and they are silent)

[vintage-bears]

Pick a spot!

[TooManyHobbies]

I tend to set up too close to trails, then shoot over the back of every deer I can. I will spend more time practicing those close shots.
Scout more during the off season.

[TexasTrad]

I am going to practice shooting from a tree stand all year long!

[CRM_95]

I'll be changing several things. This was my first year with a trad bow, so I learned a lot. I'm not going to use trail cameras. I got hung on up on hunting one spot because I had a few good bucks coming in. Another thing I'll do is scout more this spring. I need a better setup for a south wind. I'm also going to find one good place for a pop up and leave it all season long. I got rained out a few times that I would have been able to hunt if I'd been in a pop up. To date most of my practicing has been at 15 yards. I'm going to practice a lot more this summer at 20-25. I'll still keep my shots close, but I think practicing at longer distances should help my shooting up close too. I'm going to build a couple ladder stands 10-12 feet high. Most of my treestands were set up for compounds and it makes my shot angle a little steeper than what I'm comfortable with. I'm happy with my season though, I knew when I started this would be a journey. I made some mistakes this year, but I learned from them and hopefully next year will be my year.

[pdk25]

Originally posted by kennym:
.........

2. Be more adaptable,too easy to hunt the same ol same ol. Deer pattern us no matter how sneaky we are.

..........

THIS X 2!

[wood carver 2]

I'm going to finally kill something with a bow!!!
     
Ever since I started hunting the hard way, I've eaten a lot less game. LOL.
Dave.

[Friend]

No expert since it generally takes me three years to be attain moderate competency in setting up on a property.

Passed up 22 separate solid shot opportunities on bucks from the ground last season…did pass on an approximate 135 class at 15 yards….Saw two beasts at 35 yards

Passed up 46 separate solid shot opportunities on bucks from the ground, thus far…Have had two close encounters on true beasts and have had 4 biggins from 35 to 50 yards…did pass on a 145+ class at 10 yards

Have now isolated three locations with a concentration of mature animals. One in particular has 5 different large bucks routinely being photo’d emerging from a 40 yard wide section…the smallest near 150 class...oddly, no pics of does….None of the aforementioned three locations are being hunted.

Looking forward to the end of Jan thru March to strategize, identify optimum setup locations and to effectively concentrate trails…much prep work to be accomplished.

Plan to be spending much more time hunting areas that potentially have much more mature buck activity.

Still may only turn out to be a dream, yet an inspiring and motivational one.

[modr]

Shoot less deer,be more selective.

[Nantahala Nut]

I learned that no matter how hard you hunt or how good you are, you are limited by the quality of the ground and herd you are hunting. I'm glad I gave it hell for two seasons here but it's time to move to better ground. I am definitely a tougher and wiser hunter for the hardship but my freezers been empty through 2 seasons.

[Altiman94]

Going to spend more time scouting.  Also committing to shooting my bow more.

[SuperK]

1. Don't forget to thank the good LORD for every day you are healthy enough and have the strength to go hunting!  I'm in my mid 60's and I see lots of men my age that aren't able to!

2. Don't forget to thank the good LORD for a place to go hunting!  Things can change from one hunting season to the next so don't take a hunting area for granted.

3. Use heavy arrows.  Not only do they make your bow quieter, they really do penetrate better.  You can never get your bow too quiet. I gave up carbon and have gone back to wooden arrows.  Plus wooden arrows seem to be more forgiving of bad releases.

4. If setting up ground blinds, be careful that  you don't get a glare off the shoot-thru screens when the sun sets or rises.

5. If setting up ground blinds, make sure you don't have any small saplings in your field of fire.  I had a nice buck come in right at last legal light and I couldn't tell if he was in front or behind of a small sapling 12 or so steps from me.  (also see point #4)

6. Do everything humanly possible to keep from developing target panic.  Because most folks do sooner or later, find out ahead of time what it is and how to cure it.  It has been a tough battle but I think I'm getting through it!

7. I bought a Lansky sharpener and next year (Good LORD willing) I hope to see if I can tell a difference in blood trails from file sharpened or honed broadheads.

[Fletcher]

First will be to scout more this winter and spring.  Will be semi retiring in June so that will bring in many more possibilities.

[MnFn]

1. More practice if that's possible.
2. Practice more from a treestand
3. Shoot a bear bigger than 6'.

[Trenton G.]

I got a big dose of humbling experiences this season. This was the first year since I've started hunting that I haven't killed a deer with some sort of weapon. I knew that my luck couldn't hold, but it was still a bit disappointing. Still, I totaled it up today and I got out exactly 50 times and spent over 120 hours in the woods and had a blast doing it. It's not all about shooting a deer, and I still had a lot of awesome experiences in the woods this year. In 2017, I want to continue to put in  as much time as possible. Gonna be tougher since I will have to start college, but I'm still going to try and get out as much as possible. I also want to expand my hunting range a bit. I've been hunting the same 3-4 pieces of public since I started hunting, but I'd like to look for a few more spots. Also, I want to continue to improve my shooting skills. Shooting as much as possible is also up at the top of the list, which shouldn't be to hard to accomplish. My final wish for 2017 is to try and get my dad into trad archery. He shoots compound and seems to have lost the spark for bowhunting. I hope that maybe shooting a recurve will give him a new challenge and reignite the flame.

My #1 goal for 2017 is to find a good lease to hunt on. Been without a good place to hunt for 3 seasons now after 15yrs on a great place ended in 2013. I'm ready, just have to find the right place!

Bisch

[RiverRat5]

I was just telling my neighbor today that 2016 was my worst hunting season to date. Due to work the days I did hunt ended in some poor shooting when opportunities were presented. So for 2017:
1 find more places to hunt, having more stands or ground blind options
2 shoot in the field more, stump shooting, from my blind, etc
3 hunt out of state
4 NOT eat tag soup

[twitchstick]

I just want more time to hunt.

[degabe]

Don't have cancer surgery the second week of bow season and be on a no weight restriction for two months. It all came out good I'm back to shooting but season closed on Jan. 1. There is always next year.