Long Range goals......
04-17-2007, 04:40 PM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Heaven is my home, temporarily residing in WNY :)
Posts: 6,679
RE: Long Range goals......
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I've found my long range goals in hunting have changed. What started out as a quest to see if I was capable of getting close enough to "A" deer to make it happen......has evolved, greatly.
I conquered that part. I then moved to wanting to take the best deer in my woods....or AT LEAST put myself "in the arena" of attempting to take one of these animals. Did that.
I NOW find my goals (short and long term) changing quite frequently. After talks with my wildlife biologist (something I urge everyone to think about)....my goals have turned to the betterment of the herd I hunt......for the long term. Getting "A" deer, to ME, isn't of great importance, anymore. I want to have a healthy, content herd to hunt for years to come. I'm not even talking about "QAM". I'm talking overall health of the ENTIRE herd. I think the quality of the bucks will take care of itself.
I hear VERY conflicting stories when I sit down with neighboring land owners/lease holders/hunters. I saw a TON of does, this past year. A friend who leases land near me only hunted there a few times. He saw 46 deer in those sits......38 of which were bucks. he took ZERO deer off this tract (120 acres). Another neighbor saw a lot of does, too. He took ZERO bucks off the property.
I hunt about 60 acres (land I actually HUNT) that'sabuts a triangle of land that includes a "Sanctuary" of sorts (parks system) of about 200 acres. The total triangle encompasses 700 or so acres. I know all the guys who hunt these grounds LEGALLY. We're a close-knit bunch.....and we all have similar outlooks. We're lucky in that regard.
I've got my eye on ONE buck that I have a history with. Besides him......I'm likely not to target a buck, this season (never say never, though.....there are bucks that likely grow old and die in these 700 acres that are NEVER seen by a man). Does will fall to all of us, in numbers, though. Our biologist thinks I could take as many as 18 off these properties without affecting deer sightings, too much.
Do you guys do an assessment like this each year? I know some of you aren't lucky enough to be in this type situation, but I'm wondering if you go into each season with "A" game plan (no pun intended
).
It would be nice to revisit this thread at the end of our seasons to see how we managed our "game plans".
Thoughts?
I've found my long range goals in hunting have changed. What started out as a quest to see if I was capable of getting close enough to "A" deer to make it happen......has evolved, greatly.
I conquered that part. I then moved to wanting to take the best deer in my woods....or AT LEAST put myself "in the arena" of attempting to take one of these animals. Did that.
I NOW find my goals (short and long term) changing quite frequently. After talks with my wildlife biologist (something I urge everyone to think about)....my goals have turned to the betterment of the herd I hunt......for the long term. Getting "A" deer, to ME, isn't of great importance, anymore. I want to have a healthy, content herd to hunt for years to come. I'm not even talking about "QAM". I'm talking overall health of the ENTIRE herd. I think the quality of the bucks will take care of itself.
I hear VERY conflicting stories when I sit down with neighboring land owners/lease holders/hunters. I saw a TON of does, this past year. A friend who leases land near me only hunted there a few times. He saw 46 deer in those sits......38 of which were bucks. he took ZERO deer off this tract (120 acres). Another neighbor saw a lot of does, too. He took ZERO bucks off the property.
I hunt about 60 acres (land I actually HUNT) that'sabuts a triangle of land that includes a "Sanctuary" of sorts (parks system) of about 200 acres. The total triangle encompasses 700 or so acres. I know all the guys who hunt these grounds LEGALLY. We're a close-knit bunch.....and we all have similar outlooks. We're lucky in that regard.
I've got my eye on ONE buck that I have a history with. Besides him......I'm likely not to target a buck, this season (never say never, though.....there are bucks that likely grow old and die in these 700 acres that are NEVER seen by a man). Does will fall to all of us, in numbers, though. Our biologist thinks I could take as many as 18 off these properties without affecting deer sightings, too much.
Do you guys do an assessment like this each year? I know some of you aren't lucky enough to be in this type situation, but I'm wondering if you go into each season with "A" game plan (no pun intended
).It would be nice to revisit this thread at the end of our seasons to see how we managed our "game plans".
Thoughts?
04-17-2007, 05:05 PM
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 7,208
RE: Long Range goals......
Unless something drastic changes in the places I have to hunt, my goals (for deer) will probably remain to shoot as many does as I can, and take a mature buck. And hopefully to eventually take a 150+ buck in PA with my bow.
Now as far as long range goals for hunting in general go, I hope to take a trip west for elk at least every other year, continue to add new species to the list of those I've hunted for and do my best to maintain a good image of hunters.
Now as far as long range goals for hunting in general go, I hope to take a trip west for elk at least every other year, continue to add new species to the list of those I've hunted for and do my best to maintain a good image of hunters.
04-17-2007, 06:19 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 3,465
RE: Long Range goals......
my goal for now is to bag a buck with my bow. i will shoot a doe or two this coming up season, passed on them this past season and now i regret it. and when i say buck i mean a shooter. around 115 on the low side, though it would be difficult for me to pass a 100 8 point uup if i have my bow in hand.
long term is definitely hunt different animals. elk, mulies, speed goats, alligator, wild boar, world slam of turkey, moose, black bear, grizzly, and eventually a african safari. and the list goes on, im still very young in the scheme of things, so hopefully i can make things happen as i get older.
myy graduation trip for high school will be either a muile/antelope combo or a elk hunt out west somewhere. two years away and im already drooling. ill prob get to knock down a hog or two this summer if the plan doesnt fall apart for a possible georgia trip.
long term is definitely hunt different animals. elk, mulies, speed goats, alligator, wild boar, world slam of turkey, moose, black bear, grizzly, and eventually a african safari. and the list goes on, im still very young in the scheme of things, so hopefully i can make things happen as i get older.
myy graduation trip for high school will be either a muile/antelope combo or a elk hunt out west somewhere. two years away and im already drooling. ill prob get to knock down a hog or two this summer if the plan doesnt fall apart for a possible georgia trip.
12-17-2007, 02:37 AM
#18
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Long Range goals......
Interesting topic to revisit.
I got absolutely berated by a fellow forum member for stating that I had a season many would love to claim. It's got NOTHING to do with numbers of deer taken (why I made that statement). It's got everything to do with meeting one's goals.
If your season's over......How'd you do?
I got absolutely berated by a fellow forum member for stating that I had a season many would love to claim. It's got NOTHING to do with numbers of deer taken (why I made that statement). It's got everything to do with meeting one's goals.
If your season's over......How'd you do?
12-17-2007, 03:08 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Posts: 4,436
RE: Long Range goals......
ORIGINAL: shed33
My goals have changed, especially my long term goals over the years.
Today my long term goals are to stay active in the NASP program along with taking at least a student or two a year hunting that otherwise would not have the opportunty. Did that with over 300 students again this year. Teaching them outdoor skills and archery within our PE department and "Flex" classes. My "flex class"was Outdoor Ed.
Personal for hunting. I will keep this short and sweet. Hunt only the mature animals in my areas. Let the young grow up. I wanted to kill two mature bucks4.5 or older this year with my bow,one down one to go.
Continue to work with habitat enhancement and landowners. I have two different jobs lined up for my summer business with private land owners.
Being asked to come on board with RUTJUNKIE has definately made me re-think and possibly reprioritize my 08 hunting goals. Getting hunts on film whether it be bow, rifle, muzzle or short range..with my wife and kids.. and or family.. getting a camera person or persons to film.. Lots of work there to do for me.
My goals have changed, especially my long term goals over the years.
Today my long term goals are to stay active in the NASP program along with taking at least a student or two a year hunting that otherwise would not have the opportunty. Did that with over 300 students again this year. Teaching them outdoor skills and archery within our PE department and "Flex" classes. My "flex class"was Outdoor Ed.
Personal for hunting. I will keep this short and sweet. Hunt only the mature animals in my areas. Let the young grow up. I wanted to kill two mature bucks4.5 or older this year with my bow,one down one to go.
Continue to work with habitat enhancement and landowners. I have two different jobs lined up for my summer business with private land owners.
Being asked to come on board with RUTJUNKIE has definately made me re-think and possibly reprioritize my 08 hunting goals. Getting hunts on film whether it be bow, rifle, muzzle or short range..with my wife and kids.. and or family.. getting a camera person or persons to film.. Lots of work there to do for me.