What did you learn this year?

[ishiwannabe]

I learned a lot.
A "fatally hit deer" is not always so.

Hard blood trails are eased by good help.

I CAN shoot well if I do my part. LOL.

Wild boar  can  taste good! Thanks Homer...  :D  

After losing two great hunting buddies to cross country moves, I learned there are new ones out there.

People have different ideas as to what sharp is.

Bears have an uncanny ability to disappear.

Im not good at shooting groups, but I am good at decapitating dandelions.

I am sure there are more, but I was thinking about it and figured I would throw this out there. Please add anything that you learned...

[Pat B]

I learned that a missed season because of financial and medical reasons isn't as bad as one might think...especially when there are places like TradGang to tag along with the other hunters vicariously.

[Over&Under]

Great Thread Jamie!!

I share some of your findings, such as I can shoot well if I do my part.  

I can add these:

I learned that many shot opportunities can only be had by using a traditional bow.

Shooting in the dark is WAY different than in the daytime, even when shooting instinctively.

Taking or I should say MAKING the time to hunt with family and friends is way more worth it than just talking about it and regreting it later.

My form was not nearly as good as I thought it was.

[doowop]

I learned that switching from righty to lefty is not that hard and that I should have done  it years ago.

[Steve Kendrot]

I learned that postponing the hunt of a lifetime because of uncertainty is a sure way to ensure it doesn't happen. Thanks to the motivation provided by a new friend/hunting partner, went on my first DIY elk hunt this season. Turns out its not as unattainable, expensive, or as big a deal as I always thought. Am planning on it being a regular occurrence from here on out! Just remember you won't find "Someday" on any calendar!

[Angus]

Good thoughts, Steve! Carpe diem, because if you don't, you'll find that someday just passed.

[John3]

I learned that holding out for only a mature buck will leave you with unused tags...

My commitment was I would only kill a nice adult buck or any unlucky doe that I could get close enough to.  

A great season with many close encounters!  Getting close and spending time bowhunting is good enough.

[LA Trapper]

I need to take more time off next season.

Billy

[Dave Bulla]

I learned that it's better to have a job than unproductive time on my hands.

I learned that getting that job just before hunting season starts really cuts down on your hunting time.

I learned that hunting is not as important as caring for my family   :D  

Even at 8 yards, the thick part of a bucks shoulder blade can stop an arrow from a 65# bow.

I learned that even several years after his death, I still miss my best friend and huntin' bud every time I go out to hunt.

I learned that Tradgang is STILL the "next best thing to being there".

[gregk]

I learned i dont hear as good as i use to, therefore i need to sit still better.

I learned i need to save a little vacation time for hunting the rut.

I learned that my 2 year old can now reach the bottom of my bow rack, that i need to move it.

I learned by listening to the guys at work talk about this and that coming loose on there compounds and "not havin' a allen wrench to fix it" makes me appreciate my longbow that much more.

[wapiti792]

I learned that shooting a great deer with a compound bow is nowhere near the feeling of shooting one with a recurve.

I learned that even at 12 yards a Booner buck can be missed.

I learned that my friends now think I am either weird or some kind of purist for going trad only...AND I don't care.

[craig1955]

Make time to scout. Even if it is 100 degrees in September.

[Whip]

The most important thing that I learned is to diligently follow up every shot, no matter how non-fatal a hit may appear to be.

[ron w]

I learned that it really don't matter what you see on an outing....guess I knew that all along!I Learned next year I should spend more time in the Adirondacks with a bow in my hand and a Cat quiver on my back.I learned that any time spent out is good time spent....I guess I knew that also!

[bornagainbowhunter]

I learned something that I already knew, if that makes sense...
Always trust your instincts when hanging a stand, do not listen to someone else or second guess yourself.

I learned that 4 days scouting and 1 day hunting on a 5 day trip really pays off.

I hae learned to stop wanting so much and thank God for the blessings he has already given me.

The best things in life aren't things.

[BradLantz]

I've become a believe in heavy arrows and single bevel 2 blades.

More people care about horn porn than I ever imagined.

Arkansas G&F commissioners SUCK

[kat]

I learned to trust my instincts.  What someome else thinks doesn't change things that I believe are true.

[doctari]

I learned to stick to Ash arrows for hunting.

I also will use my ears more than my lips.

I appreciate and Love God first, than my family and friends, than what I like to do.

 

[Izzy]

Deer do have memories and will avoid a permanent stand.Oh yeah one more thing, as soon as I switch my bow for a rifle a good buck will present a 5 yard broadside shot on the ground.  

[Dick in Seattle]

I guess I learned I'm not as old as I sometimes think I am, and grabbing an opportunity to go on your first real bow hunt at 71 can be a ball... and successful.  (Javelina in Texas)

I also learned that if you keep at it, you can learn to build a decent laminated bow.  I built nine last year, even two piece longbows, which I was really nervous about.

I also learned that building bows is a marvelous excuse to buy numerous really big tools!

It was a good year.