Goals for the season?

[bbassi]

My goal for this year is to have a close encounter with the monster behind the house. I don't necessarily have to shoot him, but I want to see him up close. It's been 12 or 13 years since I've had a 160"+ deer up close, and I can still remember the rush like it was yesterday.

Last year I filled my buck tag 1 1/2 hours into the season.... not this year. I don't need the meat that bad.

[bunyan]

My goals this year are to take a good size doe and my first antlered buck with a bow.  I doubt I'll take a spike, but a good forkhorn?  Maybe.  I'll know when the deer is in front of me.  And as always the goal is a quick, clean, humane kill.  Oh, and my first sika deer (preferably a stag) would be Icing on the cake.  Other than that, it'll just be nice to enjoy getting back into seriously focusing on deer hunting.  My mind has been on the ducks and geese the past few seasons.

[eagle24]

P&Y buck with a longbow!  It is, and will be my goal, until I get it done.  I'm spending the first week of November in Pike Co. IL.  This will be my first hunting trip north of Tennessee and I can't wait.  My goal in Alabama will be same as always, as many as I can take with my longbow.  That usually means 2 or 3.

[George Tsoukalas]

What Ferret said. Enjoy. Jawge

[ishiwannabe]

A. Enjoy the time outdoors, and the experiences it brings. B. Take any animal I decide to quickly and efficiently. C. Introduce someone to the wonders of archery hunting. D. Hopefully connect with the bear(s) that has been raiding the yard/garbage/birdfeeders...  

[PaPaFrank]

As Gene Wensel once said, I plan on spending as much time as possible in the " Cathedral of the Pines"(or hardwoods in my case)  We are blessed with a very long season and liberal bag limits, but can only take one antlered deer. Shooting a doe or two is on the agenda but not necessary. I'm hoping for a close encounter with a buck I got a glimpse of last year, I don't really have to kill him, but I want to get close enough to feel that rush of adrenaline!!

[Crash]

I really want to kill some squirrels and rabbits this year.  I would really like to take a coyote and a bobcat with a longbow.  A doe would be nice as well.  My Dad retired this year and I would like to get to go on some hunts with him.  We haven't gotten to do that much the last few years.  We are planning on a little outing together with my sons as well.  You really couldn't ask for more than that.

[Slasher]

Originally posted by John Scifres:
Lots of meat.  Full freezer.

Me TOO!!!

My doc ok'd it as my Cholesterol is way too high... Man this fish, oatmeal, and chicken diet is getting old!!!

[AnointedArcher]

My goal is everytime I step into the woods during hunting season with my stick and string is to harvest an animal. As what has already been stated, my sucess is not measured on if I accomplish that goal, but that is my goal. And here in Michigan we have very liberal harvest quotas so I can be pretty selective on when and what I harvest.

[Flatstick]

David, to answer your questions directly:

1. Do you go into the season with a set goal for the animal you hope to take?

   Yes, I normally do have some type of goal in mind when it comes to the size of buck I want to take. But the first and foremost is to take the first doe or two that I can because not only do I enjoy the hunt but also I truly enjoy eating venison! I love the emotional & spiritual outdoor experience and savor the taste of it too!  

 2. Does the goal change as the season progresses?

   No, not usually. I generally set a goal for the area I’m hunting based on what is there. I’m lucky enough to live on the stateline and can hunt two states, in one state I hunt on private ground only hunted by the landowner and myself so my goals are pretty high there. In the other state I hunt the same ground as everyone else does in this area, my goals are lower and opportunities are fewer and far between there. But still situations come up that over ride personal goals,,one year during pre-rut I had a buck that with a couple more years on him would be an exceptional deer. But as he approached along an active scrape line he just was not acting right. As he got closer I could see why, someone had gut shot him with a slug low in the belly (gun season was still a week away!). My goals were higher but never so high to let a suffering animal walk by and die a slow death.

 
 3. Are you a follower of take any animal on the first day that you would be happy with on the last?

Not when it comes to hunting my home ground during a full season. But if I were on a short hunt in some other state with limited time I would shoot the same animal on the first day as I would the last.

Sorry for the long reply but I hope it's the kind of answers you were looking for.

[gwhunter]

It has been said to never pass on an animal the first day, that you would gladly take the last day.  

I guess I'm shooting every squirrel that gets within 5 yards of me while in the deer stand.  

My goal is a deer and a turkey with my homemade bow.

[BamBooBender]

"It has been said to never pass on an animal the first day, that you would gladly take the last day. "
That a good adage, I still ain't learned that'un myself.    

Ferret pretty well summed it up for me too.

[brendon7800]

My goal is to finish my first traditional homemade recurve selfbow before the season starts. Oct 1st around these parts. I'm trying not to rush it and make a hasty mistake, but I just want to shoot the dang thing!

Beyond that I'd like to spend more time hunting with my dad and brother. And take a turkey and a deer this season with my trad bow. (they would both be my first animals with a bow)

[Huntrdfk@Work]

First and foremost, to be able to hunt as much as possible, that alone will make my season a success.

Second, I do want to bloody three different bows this year, my Kwyk Styk, an old Bear Alaskan, and finally an osage selfbow, not neccessarily in that order....

David

[Pinecone]

My primary goal is to put some venison in my freezer while enjoying the multiple hunting destinations I travel to each year.  One of these days I'd like to take a really big antlered whitetail or mulie buck, but most of the time I'm just as happy with a well-placed shot on whatever God gives me.    .

Claudia

[Seeking Trad Deer]

Hard to improve on what Claudia has mentioned above.  

To return home safely...to enjoy the warmth of the full moon, to give my quarry a more than sporting chance, and to take no shot that results in a blood trail beyond fifty yards.  

These are my hopes...my goals...my passion.

[Noelkman]

As uncouth as it may be to put a number on an animal, my goal for elk season is a 320+ bull. The area we hunt has the bulls, the challenge is in finding one and getting close enough. That said, they changed the limit from 5pt. or better to any elk, and I would be happy with a fat cow in the freezer this winter.

For the Jan deer hunt, any legal mule deer buck is the goal.

Remember, goals are for people that are afraid to improvise.  

[Larry247]

Like most every body, i want one bigger than the last one.. It doesn't always happen that way though. Its just whatever the mood is or circumstances are for me, i've got plenty of time and i'm in no hurry to end my seson. I use to be one of those IF ITS BROWN ITS DOWN, and i can't say i'm still not like that, i've taken a lot of deer with a bow and i still have to ask myself(will another one get this close). I've found over the years that yes they will. Patience-Patience-Patience..      

[Robert Warnock]

I  have only beeh shooting trad for a month, so I don't know if I will be ready to take a deer this season or not.  However, I am now retired so I plan to spen a lot of enjoyable time in the woods. Hope to meet some old friends and make some new ones.

[Tom]

My goal is to have a safe hunting season with well placed arrows. Every deer to me is a gift that I truly cherish-regardless of sex.
 I will pass on this year's young deer and would like to shoot a bear or turkey this fall.
 There is never enough time for me to spend in the woods so I enjoy what I do have to the fullest.That stretch from Jan. to Oct. just seems so long!