What did you learn about Bowhunting this year?

[Josh Perdue]

As the title states what did you learn about bowhunting this year? Im always looking to learn and feel everyone has room for improvement. I learned a few lessons from mistakes I had made this year. What mistakes did you make that you learned from?

I lowered my bow and dropped my rope when getting out of the stand one evening without first checking directly behind my stand. When I dropped my bow rope a nice little buck spooked but continued feeding right under my stand. He snuck up on me without me knowing and I had 5 more minutes of shooting light. I should have kept my rearend in the stand a little longer.

I also learned vanilla makes a nice cover scent.

[JamesV]

I learned that a saftey harness can save your life and that it can restrict your shooting directly behind your stand and save a deers life also.

[paul87250]

i learned a little patience!!  

[KevO]

I learned that vanilla don't work as a cover scent for me.  Even after showering, keeping clothes covered in baking soda inside a rubber tub, etc., deer still wind me, alas, I stink!  That's what I learned.  :>)

[threeunder]

To take advantage of the time you have and hunt while you can.

I worked harder this past year than ever to be competent in the accuracy category.  Short more this year than the past 3 or 4 combined.

Virgnia's squirrel season came in the first weekend in September.  I didn't hunt.  Didn't want to "mess up" my spots for deer season.

Finally, Virginia's deer opener came on the first Saturday in October.  Had a good hunt with friends....then 4 days later, I was in the hospital.  That lasted a week.  Then I wasn't truly able to hunt for another 2 weeks.

I've learned not to take my time for granted and to hunt when I can.  Hard lesson learned, but I will  not forget it.

Ken

[rraming]

I learned what I knew, pick a spot not a direction.

[kennym]

Pass on too many perfectly good bucks, and its tag soup for ya!

[BDann]

I learned a few things, several of them at Solana.

1.  My treestands have been way too exposed.  Have more cover in front!

2.  Be still!  I'm way too fidgety on stand.

3.  I carry way too much junk with me; I don't need all that extra stuff, just the basics.

4. I know this already, but seem to forget every time a critter shows up.  Pick a freakin' spot!!!!  

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Hunt where the elk are, DOH  

[T Lail]

too much work and not enough hunting makes me VERY unhappy !!!!!!!!!  :mad:

[juneaulongbow]

Time to change my strategy where I hunt. Not enough good trees for a treestand so I'm going to build ground blinds.

[Jmatt1957]

to be more patient, let the medium size bucks go by.

[Hot Hap]

That hunting in Dec.-Jan. is not quite as much fun as it was 40 years ago.

Hap

[Josh Perdue]

I also think i need to move stand sites more often, i hunted one stand 4-5 times without any activity, and the day i moved got a kill

[Matthew Bolton]

Picking a spot helps. Also using a different shaft than normal will make you miss a deer by an incredible margin. All of that and I can't bring myself to shoot fawns that are just out of spots. No matter how much I tell myself I will shoot the first thing without spots.

[PeteA]

I learned a ghillie suit can help get stick bow close. Had 4 deer with 10 yards this season. That was one of my goals. Next season I need to convert these close encounters into shots.

[moleman]

I learned that taking deer off the ground is way more satisfying and more of a rush than hunting them from a tree could ever be!

[stykbow67]

SEE THE ABOVE POST!!!     :help:lol

Steve

[D]

That evidentelly I'm terrible at it

[Brazos]

I learned the deer are quite safe.