Austin/WI

Allright, so this word came up on another post and thought it was being misused a little bit, so the question is:

Are you able to do all that you desire to do, during the deer season, aside from killing a deer? The killing of a deer in this question is irrelevant. We all want to get a deer during the season. But I'm asking, were you able to do everything else that you desired to do, besides taking a deer or not getting one?

For example: Did you get out as much as you wanted to? Did you get to hunt the places you wanted to? etc.

Please give some examples/stories with you responses too. This should be an interesting and informative thread.

I voted no on this. I didn't get to nearly anything that I wanted to do this year. Between schooling and work, I was lucky I even got into the woods. I still had a good year and learned something new everytime I did get out, but I didn't accomplish most of what I desired to do at the beginning of the season.

HuntinGUS

I voted "not even close". I took a new job Nov 6th 2006 and it screwed my season up. I tried my best to push my start date back to Dec., but was given an offer to start early that I could not refuse.Due to this I did not get to hunt very much in late Nov/early Dec.[:@]

Each year it gets worse for me it seems. It's like I cannot get enough of it no matter what I do or how much I hunt. I have started scouting early and more often, hanging more stands in the spring and planting foot plots all in the off season.

The desire is there, but the time is not..................for me at least.

Austin/WI

I know the feeling, School inconveniently starts two weeks before season opens here in WI. I got out three weekends for bow, and three days during gun season.

GoGoGadgetGuardian

i voted mostly. I go to school and was able to hunt about 3-4 days a week with my schedule. However, i missed the last 3-4 weeks of the season due to winter break and went back home to florida. My desire is always to be in the woods as much as i can. It is a place to escape from the civilization and relieve stress. shooting a deer only puts the icing on the cake.

rybohunter

While I "desire" to hunt every day all day the entire season, I know that is not realistic. Actually I don't think I could hunt that much, I'd need breaks to butcher the deerBut I've been fortunate that I've found a way to get in the woods every chance I could and most years that is quite a bit of hours looged. I have tried to set myself up that I can do that. I would never take a job that didn't allow me to a lot of time to hunt unless I was truly desperate.

mauser06

last season was my FIRST bow season. i cant really vote. i guess i did everything i wanted to. hunted WAY more than expected. seen more deer than some guys in the state seen all year. seen a handful of good bucks. seen 1 legal shooter buck and got a shot at him.

i kinda kick myself for not taking shots at some of the does i could have shot. i WANTED to get a kill under the belt but didnt. i just wasnt seeing the numbers...and the herd isnt what it used to be, so i let them live...plus i kept telling myself if i want horns i gotta let them walk...they are "bait" in a few weeks

and my wildland firefighting training royal ruined the best weekend of the season. cant remember what weekend...it was THE RUT. the good portion of the rut. think the weekend before the last. i had 3 days to hunt...but spent 4 days at training. nice, crisp, cool fall days...talking to all my buddies every night killed me.."oh man they are chasing hard core! etc etc" but thats life...the spring training is opening day of spring gobbler...and next year fall will fall in bow season again im sure..so i got it over with...

this year i got alot more goals and objectives etc...i sure love this bowhunting deal though....wish i didnt get into it...i never knew what i was missin! lol...now its LIFE. debating weather to scout for deer and turkey tomarrow or to fish...i want a couple stands hung soon.

archer58

I'd hunt almost everyday if I could. I have more desire than time unfortunately. My family and work come first.But, it's my desire that gets me out in weather and conditions that most would not attempt. When you only have 1 day or 1 1/2 days a week to hunt, you take what you can get.
I wish PA would pass Sunday hunting.

dukemichaels

Being completely honest.. I did exactly what I desired to accomplish last season. Hopefully furthering my own evolution and education as a bow hunter.

My desire has risen however.. and will hopefully continue too as I reach elder ages.

My first several years in the deer woods were full of little desire to kill anything, I just lovedbeing out init. My 'own desires' were more focused on the lake.. and I fished to great lengths to become greater and fill that desire or fire that was within me. As the years went bymy desire to fish shrank as I became so much better at it.. My desire was now within the woods. I have met every desirable point since 2003 that I have set for myself before the opening of deer season. The desire to accomplish more burns deep within me as the years pass..Desire is what has set me apart from many others.. I think.

That.. and living in Illinois.. where B&C's hide behind every tree.[8D]

JimPic

I missed the whole hunting season because of an injury and surgery.I didn't start shooting my bow again until mid-January.Hopefully this year will be differant

atlasman

Years ago I decided that I would rather spend my life doing what I WANT to do rather then what I HAVE to do. I worked my butt off in grad school and chose high paying and high demand careers which when combined with my wife's salary allow us to pretty much write our own ticket (we are both in our early 30's). I have the finances but recently time was a little bit of a snag.......I fixed that with a new contract and I will now have a great deal more free time to work with. It was a long tough road to get to this point but you know what they say.........."if you do what everyone else does.........you will get what everyone else does"

Now the question is how much do I want to do??..........we'll see. My scheduled retirement date is when I am 47 so I will have a LOT of years to fill (god willing) with lots of hunting, fishing, and golf.