Season to season analysis: Where do we go from here?

[Jim Boyd]

Every year, most of us assess our past season and then look forward to the next one.

We consider how our previous year went and we start (hopefully) to make plans to make the next one as good, if you judged this year a good / great year – or you start thinking about how you can make the coming year better.

Here is my question – what drives you and what changes, if any, will you make for 2018?

How far are you willing to go in your search for excellence and quality in your hunting experience?

Are you willing to potentially go a year or two without a buck, either trying to improve your herd or maybe you have not seen the one that made you let the arrow fly or pull the trigger?

We all know – many is the hunter that places buck harvest as the # 1 qualifier of a good season – and they either pout because they did not get one or they make poor choices because it is mid to late season and they have not gotten one yet.

We all know, also, that many hunters could give a rat’s butt about the antlers and taking a spike or 4 pointer is perfectly fine with them… and I hear all the debates (just noise to me) – as far as I am concerned, if you are on your land / lease and it makes you happy, I love it….

Are you willing to use does solely for meat?

Do you have food plot expansion or improvement plans?

Did you make mistakes and what steps are you gonna take to correct them?

Or… maybe the past 10 seasons have been exactly what you wanted and there is NOTHING that you would change! If so, most of us envy you! I certainly do….



I will go first – since I started this thread:


2017

Got a new crossbow – practiced a lot out to 60 yards
No bucks taken – did not even sail an arrow at one
Only harvested one doe - I misjudged and shot one smaller than I should have shot – they were all around me and I picked out what I thought was a good one and the arrow spined her and made a DRT
Saw some decent bucks in SC but no great ones and no good shots were offered within 35 yards, which is my primary comfort zone
Had a great 10 day hunt in Illinois and had plenty of 100-125” in range but no monsters got close enough (got some good I-Phone video!) and the biggest buck I saw (from the stand) was probably only 140-145
I blew the best chance I had at an estimated 140-145 – at only 25 yards… with a genuine rookie mistake (I have witnesses – the doe and fawn that were at 10 yards the other direction…. You can probably guess what the mistake was)
Saw some true monsters in the beans in Sept while scouting and saw several great ones coming and going to the farm (in darkness) during that 10 day period – 140 to estimated 170 or so
My buddy killed a Booner – at 10 yards or so!
Our SC plots came out excellent – and they should have with all of the time and money we invested
We have a zone process at our SC lease that is making us better deer managers and I am delighted with the results
My hunting buddy Keith took three great does in three days - late in the season – all with an arrow…. So, every night, it was track a deer, drag a deer etc… he was on a tear! After that, we had steaks, country music, a fire and adult beverages.
Started 2 test plots with Ladino clover

Final analysis: harvest wise, a lousy year for me.
Learning wise – I have two primary take aways: I need better stand concealment and I need better stand discipline.



2018:

Practice shooting hard – get better at yardage out to and beyond 40 yards
Many stands (SC and IL) have to be moved for better concealment
I purchased 5 new 21’ Milleniums for Illinois and I have to be much better at placing these for maximum effect
When I say I purchased them – really the group that is gonna hunt purchased them and they become fixtures at the farm…. A new concept for me. Skin in the game for everyone. Better stand availability for everyone.
Adopting VSIB (virtual sign in board) for all SC and IL farms
VSIB will start the process of data driven decisions
Adding at least 3 new acres of plot areas on the SC zone that Keith and I share
Put out 10 tons of lime
Continue testing process of the Ladino clover plots – with herbicides, fertilizer and mowing
Develop better stand discipline – time in the stand is easy for me and 12 hours goes by pretty quickly – but I got picked off way too many times in 2017 – that must come down to a much lower level and perhaps better concealment will assist with this
Have not taken a buck in two years – 2018 will make three years – I am going to stay on my disciplined plan and work to take a few more does
Continue my tradition of gifts, cards, etc for my landowners
Continue to keep my eyes open for additional Midwest farms – land there is so very hard to come by
Refine and continue to work on my device that literally makes raising a ladder stand childs play – I am dying to share this but am trying to tread lightly.



OK, so – tell all…. What would you do differently, what did you screw up, what are your plans for 2018?

My season is over – as is most of yours – so, we can’t hunt but we can talk about it!


All the best in 2018!

 

[Mexican Squealer]

I deer hunt for fun and don't put a whole lot of thought into it. Something I enjoy to bridge the gap between killing ducks and turkeys. Still keep my farms in tip top shape for all critters but ducks and turkeys are what matters most in my world.

 

[Jim Boyd]

You and I are worlds apart, Squealer.

We have a giant turkey population that we ignore on an annual basis and focus solely on the deer.

I invited CurtisUGA down a few years ago and I think it took him all of about two hours to kill a big old gobbler.

At times, I wish I was more well rounded!

 

[Mexican Squealer]

I hear you Jim, always enjoy your posts and enthusiasm. I rarely miss a day of deer season and love to hunt the Midwest. Guess I love it all but love the ducks and turkeys a little more than the pine goats.

 

[transfixer]

Myself and the guys I hunt with did not shoot any does this year, and will likely continue that next year, we'd like for the population to recover in our area, we did take two or three immature bucks for meat. We have hogs that we haven't gotten serious about hunting yet, hopefully that will change,

We hunt because we enjoy it, killing a deer is secondary to most of the guys I hunt with, we enjoy the camaraderie of deer camp and just plain being in the woods, will likely do a couple more food plots this spring.

 

[kevincox]

Practice shooting my bow more and in different positions that may arise in hunting situations. And aim Well behind the shoulder as a aiming points as a couple inchs can end up being a shoulder shot(Did twice in 2017 season)��
Put in plots as I skipped this step on 2 tracts in 2017
Look for a quality farm in Iowa, Illinois, or Ohio(3 preference points currently for Iowa)

 

[Jim Boyd]

Great point, Kevin - forgot about Iowa and I am sitting on 4 points.

Find us a quality farm, brother!

Can’t go in 2018, however - my Midwest plans are already locked in.

 

[XIronheadX]

I'm going to make sure all my stand spots are nice and comfortable so I can sit up there and take pictures with my son or granddaughter. I have to remember to take a plastic spoon next year, because my laughing was louder than her slurping the peaches out of the cup. But, we still saw lots of deer.

 

[swamp hunter]

I'll be in the Real Thick Woods all week next week.
Husky 455 Rancher and a GPS with Flagging tape.
Got some thick young Pines growed all to heck and a million Low Bush Acorns growing in them 20 foot Oaks.
Just got to cut a trail that nobody can see.
I'm gonna Wear them out next Season...

 

[lonesome dove]

We only take bucks that we will mount. I was fortunate to kill the buck of my lifetime (32 point non typical ) and 2 days later a 125 inch 9 pointer. Two other good bucks were shot on our place too.
My 2018 goals are to build more box stands. Plant at least 6 food plots, and hopefully my young brother in law will get him a wall hanger. My grandson will be 2 in August, so hopefully he will get to come at least 1 weekend to deer camp. Everything else would just be gravy!

 

[Elephant]

1) Practice more consistently at 40 yards.
2) Add another climber (would make 4) so I can play the wind a little better.
3) I have three little kids...so expanding local honey holes is a must. Got lucky this past year hunting a 30 acre spot that yielded a solid three year old. I can do better. Need to chip away at area rather than barging in. Ole Nanny of the area owned my tail all fall.
4) Be more aggressive with this spot first two weeks of bow...then let it sit till thanksgiving week.
5) Entrance and exit has to improve
6) Pray harder in stand

 

[livetohunt]

2017 was great but I didn't harvest a buck..Missed a booner at 17 yards(small unseen branch) and saw him several more times. I can go years without shooting a buck, the fun part is everything that leads up to the shot. The challenge!

In 2018:
I will have more land to hunt.
Put in elevated blinds in key spots for better bow shots.
Work to improve my property through timber stand improvement and food plots.
Continue to shot my bow year round and practice from a chair for the blinds.
So much more to add but this is a good start.

 

[NUTT]

Mr. Jim,
Love these threads lately! Thanks for bringing your encouraging and team spirit here always.
2017 started off doing what we are doing now and that is talking about what is to come later in the year. I bought a new obsession bow so I could shoot less lbs and still keep good speed. Shot all year and of all things, went to a one pin sight the week before I left for Illinois due to eye sight issues! My hunt was pretty hum drum to begin with and if it weren't for play by play hunting with you, livetohunt and rstallings and other friends in the group text I would have been ready to throw in the towel early. I shot my biggest buck on November 9th that grossed a tad over 171. Nothing I did other than grunt loud enough for him to hear it at the right time and make an 11 yard shot!
2018 started off bad. Lost 420 prime acres and the opportunity was also lost to continue hunting with some great fellow hunters. Managed to keep enough tracts to go back but wonder how long it will last. I'll continue to stay fired up through the year and I have already bought 3 new millennium lock ons to hang. Will do some touch up paint on a few stands as well. While I wait on 2018 fall, each time I walk in the house I will admire the buck I was fortunate enough to kill in 2017.
You the man and will take a giant this year!

 

[cam88]

2017 was a up and down year I didn't hunt as hard this year mainly stated around the house and hunted some public and private. I was fortunate to harvest a 8 pt in Indiana Thanksgiving week!! My 2018 goals are to really focus on the little stuff to make me a better public land hunter.

 

[davidhelmly]

2017 was a fantastic season for us, Cindy had a spinal fusion in August with a lot of complications and we honestly didn't think we would hunt at all in 2017. Being the strongest willed and toughest woman I've ever met she proved me wrong and was actually running camera for me in ground blinds by early Oct and from a tree by mid Nov! Around Halloween we bought Cindy a youth bow and she was able to start shooting around 20# and shot religiously and got stronger by the day, she was back up to her normal draw weight "50ish" by the second week of Dec and was in a tree hunting. She only got to hunt 4-5 times all year but we both passed decent bucks, her just beings able to get back in a tree and hunt made it the best season I can remember!!

We've got tons to do before next year, stands to move, bows to shoot, scouting to do, sheds to find and then all of the normail food plot/feeding related stuff.

We had numerous good bucks make it thru the season so I'm going out on a limb and say that next season could be the best we've ever had>

Jim, looking forward to you and Keith coming down for a visit!!

 

[Jim Boyd]

We are very proud of Cindy and we stand in awe of your devotion as a husband.

Looking forward greatly to the visit.

 

[elfiii]

Compared to years past this year was so so. Compared to the last 7 years it was a good year. Our population is beginning to make a slow comeback. Me and one other both took nice 9 pointers. I haven't killed a deer since 2010 intentionally because we just haven't had the population and I haven't seen a buck that suited my fancy.

I didn't score mine Boone and Crockett. I scored him "Heart Thump" and he made my heart thump and I trembled just a little bit after the shot. He's not my biggest but he gave me the sign that tells me I still love deer hunting and I'm not jaded about it so yeah, it was a great season.

We've had a moratorium on killing does since 2008 and that will continue. Our doe population is recovering and that has brought the bucks back. We had a couple of bachelor groups on camera this year that had 4 or 5 shooters in them along with several up and coming suspects so the future is looking much better than the last few years.

2018 goals are pretty simple. Habitat wise we are good to go. There is deferred maintenance on interior roads and weeds etc. are trashing up food plot borders so I will be running some orange two cycle equipment during the off season cleaning things up.

My two trailers need a permanent shelter so a 24' x 24' pole barn is likely in the offing this Spring once turkey season is over.

Which brings me to turkey season. The last few years I've spent turkey season calling for others and I've been successful at getting several novices their first. This year I'll be focusing more on calling for me just because I'm not getting any younger.

I plan on doing some 'yote hunting on my place too. My trail cams are turning up more pics of 'yotes than I care to have around on a regular basis so I'm going to put up some stiff resistance.

Other than that 2018 will be another no pressure year. Every day I'm in the woods is a great day. Every day I'm in the woods deer hunting is an unparalleled great day and that's the way it ought to be.

 

[humdandy]

Plant bigger plots and move stands.......pretty much what I do every season.

I've already started.

Good luck!

 

[rutnbuk]

Not much I do- other than scout for fun this time of year. Hard to 'manage' my areas as I have 3 members that kill "my" deer all year long- their names are Ford, Chevy, and Dodge! However-had one of my best years despite having some tasty tag soup in Pike County Il, so not anything I would have done differently. I did misread how many Does I have on one tract and probably should have tried to take one or two more. I checked one my my yote traps the other morning and counted 20 deer there. Go figure. I will say on a very personal note- one of the things I struggle with each year and try to keep a handle on it- is not letting this passion I have -become an idol. Some years I am sad to say it has taken on that ugly title and I don't want it to go back. So in 2018 I will keep the Joy and passion- but work to make sure it keeps it place- well behind my Savior and my Family. Seems like we have had a rash of ridiculous threads lately- this ain't one of um...thanks Jim.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Great reply Rutnbuck - amen!

I ate tag soup also - from two states...

Let’s hang in there brother!