The alarm went off bright and early this morning, and I just didn't feel like getting up. I was awake coughing most of the night and just wanted to sleep. But, I peeked out my window to find snow on the ground, and it was still falling. SNOW!!!! I jumped out of bed, dressed and out the door.
I stopped by my parent's house to pick up my oldest son, he will be muzzle loader hunting this morning. And we head to the riverbottom. There was a truck there, and I stopped to talk to the guys in it. They are duck hunting a neighboring property so they're of no concern. So I drop Austen off and I drive down the road a bit. Seeing tire tracks in the snow heading down the farm road was not a good sign. I got to my parking spot, which has been vacant all year, to find 4 trucks sitting there. 2 sets of foot prints headed to the thicket where my stand is. I loaded up, dejected, and we headed back home.
Feeling sorry for myself it occured to me. I have no one to blame but myself. I've fallen victim, this year, to my own arrogance and laziness. I put most of my eggs in the riverbottom basket, and didn't really have a back up plan. I've only got 1 treestand, and have neglected my sometimes anal scent control policy. Hm, wonder why I'm not seeing the deer I was earlier in the season???? I'm here to confess that, and to announce that it ends today.
I will get my scent control back under control, and my lacidazical approach is gone. I went into the season thinking "Hey, I'll just shoot another one on the riverbottom this year and be done with it." LOL..yeah, like it's that easy. I convinced myself that it is though.
So, in the offseason, I will do FAR more scouting and will look for new lands to hunt locally. I've already decided to lease 300 acres in northern MO with a buddy of mine next year, but don't have much locally to hunt. I will also have one more treestand in my inventory. The problem this morning is that my stand is in the woods, and without a back up.......I'm stuck. So I didn't hunt this morning at all. Yeah, the best day of the year so far, and I'm at home because I was foolish and lazy. It ends now.
In short, I've been doing alot of complaining to myself this year, and feeling sorry for myself for not getting the job done. Truth is, it's my fault. Arrogance and laziness.
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1995 Ford Ranger XL
Douglas Radial Tires
Super Blue headlights
Fiberglass front bumper
2400 pounds
98% of hunting is preperation. Sounds like you do all the right things, just not all the time. Sounds like you've got a 'fix' to your problems and you've recognized your mistakes. It happens to all of us. I've been fortunate also to have a go to stand and it has produced. I also take it for granted sometimes and do some 'but kicking' on myself also. Don't let it get you down, just pick your head up, do what you know how to do and get back out there and do.. Good luck the rest of the season..
So what's wrong with scouting now and adapting to the situation? Don't go home with your tail between your legs. Maybe get yourself a climbing treestand while you are at it. If you'd have had one today you could have hunted a new spot. I get tired of the same view all the time anyway so a climber fits my style. Chin up man!
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Visibly shaken but never stirred...
Yup, I'd say you put too much on one location you don't have the soul rights to. I hunted one tree twice this year. All other hunts have been single sits in a particular tree... but that's just the way I like to work. I may sometimes only be 40-50 yards from where I was on another occasion, but I do like to keep from trafficing up a place..
So what's wrong with scouting now and adapting to the situation? Don't go home with your tail between your legs. Maybe get yourself a climbing treestand while you are at it. If you'd have had one today you could have hunted a new spot. I get tired of the same view all the time anyway so a climber fits my style. Chin up man!
Oh, I intend to. The 1 stand I have is a climber, I'll be getting a second. This post was also a pep talk to myself, an UNtucking of the tail, if you will. I just realized this all this morning.
David, you are 100% correct.
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1995 Ford Ranger XL
Douglas Radial Tires
Super Blue headlights
Fiberglass front bumper
2400 pounds
1. How many people share these grounds with you (how many have permission to be there)?
2. Do you guys not talk before you hunt, there? I talk to the guys I share the new land with before I go there each time. It lets me use them to my advantage.....and it keeps them honest. One guy I know would get up and walk the whole dang property if I didn't keep him honest.
Mobo, you say you have a climber, why would you leave that in the woods???
You can never have enough trees to sit in for each wind! Hunting public land I have back up plans A, B, C, D..... I'll walk a new area and just look around at trees on trails keeping them in the back of my mind for a just in case!
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Big River Longbow 66" 52# @ 28"
Big River Longbow 66" 47# @ 28"
Big River Longbow 62" 52# @ 28"
Big River Recurve 56" 52# @ 28"
NewWood Longbow 58" 45# @ 28"
i'm about in the same boat with you mobow. i've been getting really sloppy. i woke up this morning and it seemed i was looking for an excuse to not go. and since i was looking for one. i found one real quick and went back to bed.
I need to get back to opening day mode.
Arrogance and laziness...
