quiksilver

My goal, as it is every year, is to harvest a buck with my bow.

I set the bar at a 120"+ buck for this season, whichis the cream of the cropfor my area. Early on, I passed on a few deer that I normally would've shot, that were in the 90-100" range. I logged a lot of stand time, andhad over 30 encounters with bucks this season, and only three times were the deer big enough to top the 120 mark. One never came into range, and the others... well...

I had two golden opportunities on what was, by anyone's standards, a trophy whitetail and blew them both. I've never blown a shot at a trophy buck until this year, and it's really eating at me. Those wounds will fester until 9/29/07, the dawn of a new day.

I settled for a1.5 year old 4x4 on the last huntable day of the archery season, because it was my last chance to fill my buck tag with the bow, but I really had one of my worst seasons in recent memory - external factors ruining my hunts - weather not cooperating -and myself being unable to seal the deal when an opportunity finally did present itself.

I filled my tag, but I expect a lot more out of myself. I really have a sour taste left in my mouth over the '06 season, but I'm sure that will drive me in '07 to go the extra mile and get it done. The clock is ticking to 2007.

RTA47

My goal`s have changed over the years, I used to put alot of pressure on myselfto tag a certain buck or to tag a certain number of deer but not anymore.
I really don`t seem to care as much about all that as i used to.
I don`t know if its just me getting older? Orit may be if factafter all these yrsi`m just now understandinghow enjoy all ofmy hunting and just being outdoors? It Maby a little of both.
I have to admit I forgot one goal i set for myself and it was to help my son take his 2nd deer and he did 2 weeks ago a small doe.
So I have lots to be thankfull for thishunting season, I took 3 does and one decent 7pt buck.
My son also took a deer and no one i know was injured while hunting.
I also have about a month and a half left to hunt for a anotherand maby bigger buck? And if i don`t thats ok! I will just smile on the last dayi hunt at the end of the season and say I can`t wait for next yr.

SRBowman

My goal was to have a safe and fun hunting season all around, and if it included killing deer that would be a bonus, which I accomplished!

Sylvan

Like I said in an earlier post, having goals associated withkilling somethingisn't something that even enters into the equation for me. Just as you can't seem to relate to hunting with no goals I can't relate to hunting with them.Like I said before, deer hunting is just what I do. It's a choice and a life style. Kinda like flying planes wouldn't be a goal of a pilot but ratherthat's just somethinga pilot doesthen for me killing a couple of deer each season isn't a goal, it's just what I do. Now of course I would prefer to take a trophy buck just like every body else and pending on the year I may pass on several small buck in the hopes of a chance at a bigger one but sooner or later I wind up taking a couple deer.What theywind up being isn'tall thatimportant to me. Might be a couple doe might be a couple small buck or some combination. Again, it really doesn't matter.I don't set out each seasonto take an animal that fits some arbitrary criteria but rather to just be a deer hunter and enjoy the entire process and the outcome whatever it turns out to be.

Now BobCol19-65 said he has a goal to shoot striaght. That does make sense to me. Devloping specific skills to become as good a hunter as possible are goals that I can relate to. Just like the pilot may want to develop/improve his navigational skills. But again, flying planes for the pilot and killing deer (sometimesbig ones)for me are just a given part ofa life longprocess. I don't seethem as goals.

But again, I'm sure I'ma bit on the odd side of this... but I find it a little strange that people actually set an actualgoal of killing a deer that fits some pre-specified criteria. It's fine with me that so many do this, I just can't relate.

C-WOODS-SHOOT

My goal was to have a dead deer at the end of every released arrow when hunting. So far so good.

txmarshmonkey

My goal is to SEE a deer, ANY deer, while I'm carrying my bow! Still hasn't happened this year but I've got another month to go.

BobCo19-65

Not IMO. We're just the minority.

FWIW: For those who may not know of this vidoe, it may be something you could ask for for Christmas. It a good interpretation from the Wensel Brothers about what hunting and natureis all about. It's not a total hunting (or traditional) video, but something that you could easily watch with your significant other.I know my wife has a better understanding on why I hunt after watching the video.

http://www.brothersofthebow.com/html/primaldreams.html

Rick James

Great video. We havea projector setup at the shop and this is one that we have playing quite often. We have a picture of Wensel and our shop owner together signed by Gene there as well..........

HuntinGUS

My goals are the same every year.First, I hope to be able to spend time with my Dad, Brother and Nephew at our hunting Camp.
Remain same, Have fun and make memories!

The deer kill is a bonus for us that adds to the memories.

GMMAT

Again.....these are great to read. Congrats go out to a lot of guys.