A Bit Frustrated...

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   Between work and illness consuming most of my available hunt time, another deer season closes with me failing to put the squeeze on a deer. Was in hopes that the final doe season would give me an opportunity to test the old 99 on something besides paper. I think next year we'll try to be a bit more serious and reserve some personal days off work for hunting instead of trying to do it all on the weekends. More time in the woods = more success in the woods. I'd guess that for me personally, that it takes an average of 5-7 days or more in the woods per deer. Anything less is just "luck", or very high deer density. Anyone else have similar theory on success averages?AW

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Adobe Walls Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .30/06 SpringField Joined: 09 August 2003 Status: Offline Points: 373	Topic: A Bit Frustrated... Posted: 24 December 2003 at 07:18
	Between work and illness consuming most of my available hunt time, another deer season closes with me failing to put the squeeze on a deer. Was in hopes that the final doe season would give me an opportunity to test the old 99 on something besides paper. I think next year we'll try to be a bit more serious and reserve some personal days off work for hunting instead of trying to do it all on the weekends. More time in the woods = more success in the woods. I'd guess that for me personally, that it takes an average of 5-7 days or more in the woods per deer. Anything less is just "luck", or very high deer density. Anyone else have similar theory on success averages?AW

SteelyEyes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Joined: 21 July 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 879	Posted: 24 December 2003 at 08:09
	I don't know about success averages per se but I know the more days in the woods the more the payoff. It's hard to hunt seriously on weekends only for me. I don't ever really get "in the groove" until day 3 at the minimum. Sure, I'm hunting from the time I push (not slam) the truck door shut but it just takes time to switch from city mode in your head and movements to hunting mode. Any day hunting beats about any day doing anything else outside a harem tent so the more of those you get in the better your year will be. I think just about everyone has been skunked a time or five. I guess it builds character or something.

Adobe Walls Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .30/06 SpringField Joined: 09 August 2003 Status: Offline Points: 373	Posted: 24 December 2003 at 09:09
	SteelyEyes, I can identify with the need to completely switch gears mentally when you get in the woods and begin the hunt. I find the more time you have the more relaxed you become and the easier it is to make the transition. It's almost like getting acclimated to high altitude; your body needs time to better carry oxygen and your brain needs time to become the hunter rather than just the "worker bee" that you are the other 49+ weeks of the year.AW

bcboy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 12 June 2003 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 169	Posted: 24 December 2003 at 10:19
	Weekends stink!!! In a good area I feel confident if I have 4-5 days, farthest areas on day 1 and work back closer to camp. Weekends are different as I hunt above eveeryone else...pretty sure the deer know what going on thou.
	open sights, open minds

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Posted: 24 December 2003 at 10:24
	I love to hunt even if I don't kill something. But seeing game is important. I transistion to hunting in about a 50 foot walk from a vehicle. I think AW is pretty close, with the 5-7 days per kill. last year I spent 43 days hunting whitetails and got 5. This year health and work has kept me to a mere 12 days, and I got one rifle and one archery kill. Because I can't drag or track too far, I'm really waiting for snow. In the early archery season I had to pass a lot of shots, some as close as 8 yds. I just wasn't sure I could drop then on the spot with the shots I was given. Consecutive days in the field is more metally relaxing, and a week would be great. But consecutive days hunting really is tuff on the bones. BEAR