TEmbry

I exceeded my goals already.

Got a nice pronghorn buck with my bow. (August)
Got my first whitetail with a bow, doe.(September)
Got my first whitetail buck with a bow, during gun season on grounds very pressured those 2 weeks (November)

Im not sure what I wrote for my goals prior to season...But I do know I am still on cloud 9 for my season. I still need to harvest 2 more does for the freezer, and I have 4 turkey tags left. Other than these, Ill be smacking ducks until winter is winding down.

racewayking

I'm still working on mine! My goal was to take 2 bucks in Illinois and wanted to exceed 140" on each and wanted nothing smaller than a 10 pointer.

Opening day I passed on a 9pt that would go in the 130's, he was missing a g-4 that cracked off and was a nice 3.5 year old buck. I wouldn't have another shot on a 130+ buck until I killed my deer November 4th, he taped out at 137 and some change, a few inches shorter than I was going for but was at least a 4.5 old or older deer that I passed last season several times. He was also running off the other big bucks so I thought but haven't seen anything over 110" since shooting him.

I still have a couple of doe tags and a buck tag and haven't had a shot on a mature doe since the rut ended. I usually take my does after the rut so I will finish off the year hunting into December which I have rarely done in the past. Had I hunted the stand I intended to yesterday I would have whacked a doe but I hit my Buck stand instead

This year also saw more pressure than ever on the property I hunt, so far three bucks have been taken off of it and one hunter never washes his gear so I think the area got jacked up. I also got busted twice in Brown County on two great deer that I would have shot, that experience reminded me that I need to branch out and hunt new areas to grow as a hunter. I also have a goal of shed hunting this winter and have lined up a few great mentors that I want to get out with shedding.

There is still a month and a half of Bow season and I am optimistic. More deer will find their way to the freezer soon! Either way my season has still been a success so far.

Germ

Pops423

I'd have to say yes. When I started my season, I had high hopes of scoring a P & Y buck. As the season went on and my hunting opportunities were far and few between I decided I wanted to take a respectable buck with my bow. I no longer rifle hunt and wanted one with a bow. As my season went on, my spot was invaded with hunters. Even though I'm one of only 2 people with permission guys kept showing up and parking anywhere and hunting all over. The landowner doesn't post and doesn't seem to care either. he wishes they would ask but doesn't want to cause any problems, which I respect. So my chances, I felt were going down on seeing the big bucks because of all the no sighting days I spend in my favorite woodlot.

November 11th provided me a chance to take a nice buck and I choose to take it. 2 days later, one of my P & Y 8's showed up in the back yard and stood beside my treestand.

bowmanaj

Yes and No... Yes, because my goals were to get a buck, and to get my first bowkill. I did not get a buck with my bow, but I did get my first bow kill, a doe back in October. Im regretting passing on a particular buck I passed 2 times. Would have been a good 1st bow buck.

Good thread, its interesting to see everyones personal goals. Overall, I can not complain even though the season has gotten harder throughout the weeks. I got my first bowkill so Im counting my blessings.

cooter144

Congrats to those who have achieved their goals so far.

For me this has been the slowest hunting season that I can ever remember as far as buck sightings.

I have not seen any bucks older than yearlings and my goal is to take a 125+ inch buck.

The season is not over though and I am not giving up.

I will be in my stand this weekend looking for a big buck. They should beon the movelooking for the remaining estrus doe's.

Washington Hunter

Yes and no.

Initially I wanted to take a nice Mulie buck on my hunt in September. A cracked limb halfway through the huntended that plan a bit early.

Late season I reverted to the goal I had last year, as I hadn't yet acheived it. I wanted to shoot a buck with at least four points on either side. When my buck came in yesterday there was no question that I wanted to shoot him. I did. He met my goals. I'm happy.

IAhuntr

I was fortunate enough to fufill my ultimate goal for the year, and it was a quest of a particular buck in which I had to start from scratch.At firstthought it seemed to be more of a pipedream, but aslast season progressed I became obsessed with the harvestof that buck.
Several times last season I saw an extremely nice deer much closer to home than I normally hunt and he really gotstuck in my mind. I saw him numerous times throughout last fall and winter and I thencommited tosee if I could find a place to hunt him somewhereclose to his home range. Most of the properties were of the no-hunting variety, butI was fortunate to secure permission on a verysmall parcel next to the woods that I believed to be his core area. I scouted the area throughout spring and summer. At the first of this season, I passed up a very nice mature130" ten point at ten yardsalong with several other bucks throughout the first couple sits. In late October Iwas lucky enough to harvest the particular buck I was after and have since seen three other extremely nice mature bucks from the same stand. I also filled an antlerless tag out of the stand last week.
My only downer for the year was that my daughter shot her first deer ever with a bow from my stand a couple weeks ago, but after an exhaustivemultiple day search we were unable to recover that buck. Truth be told, I'd easilygive up my success this season to have her have recovered her first buck. We were both heartbroken and it was the last thing I wanted to have happen on her first deer, but it is a chance you take anytime you release an arrow and she understood that from day one. She is quite the trooper and I am as proud as can be of her in the way in which she has handled the situation. That night in the stand with her will be forever embedded in my memory as it was truly one of themost excitingmoments of my life.
I still have gun season coming up next weekend and regardless of the outcome, I've already surpassed my personal goals for the year. Bow hunting is my primary interest. Gun hunting is more of a social event with friends.
Next year's goal has already been implanted as any of the three bucks at my new spot should easily fit the bill at harvesting a 150" deer, but first and foremost I'll look forward to helpingmy daughter getting a second chance.

gri22ly

Yes, it has been an awesome year!!!!!

From most important to least.

Goal #1 was to make a new friend in the hunting world, I'VE MADE 2!!!!

Goal #2 was to help the guysI hunt withreach there goals, 2 DOWN AND 1 TO GO!!!!

Goal #3 was to take a P&Y from public land, GOT'EM!!!!I had a side goal to take the new archery non-typical state record........ No big deal, I hope he lives 10 more years and breeds every doe in the country.

Bowhunter2001

I have let 37 deer walk this year so far. The largest is a perfect 10 140" buck. I have had several other 10's and 8' not quit as big walk. I have a picture of a 10 or larger with a 3 to 4 inch kicker on his G2. I haven't seen him yet. Depending on his width, I may wack him because I like kicker and drop tine bucks. I bow hunt my 135 acre farm by myself. I have some standing corn and beans plus 5 other food plots just for my deer. Gun hunting around me was very slow this year compared to years past. I usually go up and police my ground during gun season. I took a picture of the 140" 10, the 130" 10, and the 125" 8 all within 22 yards of me. I will try to post it here. My friends think I am crazy but I want to kill a 160" plus or I will let them walk. I have pictures of most of these deer. I have jumped up at least 50 turkeys twice now. I have seen pheasants and quail each time I hunt. I haven't killed anything but I enjoy watching my propertyand its wildlife. It makes it a success for me.