# Next deer season's pledge...



## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

My pledge is to be less picky. I will no longer wait for "the bigger one to get a little closer", when there's a full bodied deer right in front of me. I will no longer pass on a perfectly good shot at THIS buck, while waiting on THAT buck.

* I passed on 2 8 point bucks waiting on a 12 pointer and didn't get anything.
* I passed on a full bodied half racked buck, that was 2 1/2 years old or so and didn't get anything.

I'm fine with passing on the fawn that strolled passed my stand and the 3 point buck that stood, at 8 yards, watching the 8 pointer in the distance, because they're were too small/young. Greed isn't an excuse, it's a disease and as of right now *I'm cured*, as I refuse to pass shots on perfectly good sized animals, any more. 

Does anyone else have a "pledge" of what they intend to do for this fall's deer season?

Bowhunter57


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

My pledge is to wait for a biggin'. I killed my first 140+ inch deer this year. It was such a different experience than what I normally have that it is worth the wait.

I killed my 100th lifetime whitetail this year. It's no longer about quantity for me.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

waiting has got me skunked in the past.....darn camera's show the few good ones around but never to be seen during daylight hours....never filled the buck tag this year....passed on a small one and that was the only one saw....Oh well..... always next year, God willing


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## dsoy28 (Apr 30, 2010)

Was my first year putting down the crossbow and hunting a compound...so as expected my pledge is to not screw EVERYTHING up ha. Still don't regret it though

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## shorebound (Apr 26, 2008)

My pledge for next year is to try not to get all excited and sit in my stand every night after work to early in the season. I always do it and this year I suffered the consequences after the first two weeks I had a 60 yard circumference that the older wiser deer would not come into. I shower I neutralize i walk through the cow patties on the way to the woodsI hunt the wind but I still think the deer smell me. So next year a little more patience/selecting the better days will hopefully remedy this issue 


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## bankfish (Sep 3, 2012)

My pledge for next season is to shoot one with a recurve. Been bowhunting 30+ yrs, shot a lot with my old compound, shot a few with a crossbow, now its about time for just a stick an string! I have a Hoyt takedown I use for summer carp shootin, hopefully it will serve me well in deer season. With a lot of practice!!!


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## ski (May 13, 2004)

To take my son out more with me. Fishing too. 



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## Ready 2 Hunt (Jan 26, 2013)

I pledge to quit screwin around. Next year i hopefully will not put 45 hrs in a stand on 15 seperate hunts and see at least a (singular) deer. Thats right, not one single sighting. Yet, everyday anywhere from 5-9 deer cross through my back woods which is not huntable due to city limits. There is nothin like wakin up at 6 am on Feb. 4th and seeing a big ol doe standing broadside at 25yds. 1st year. Such a disgraced newbie


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I'm just going to go out and enjoy the season. I just like those cool fall mornings in a tree stand. 
After 37 years with recurves and compounds, this was my 1st year with a crossbow. It was more challenging than I thought it was going to be. Getting used to the horizantal mass took a bit to get used to.


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## Ready 2 Hunt (Jan 26, 2013)

crappiedude said:


> I'm just going to go out and enjoy the season. I just like those cool fall mornings in a tree stand.
> After 37 years with recurves and compounds, this was my 1st year with a crossbow. It was more challenging than I thought it was going to be. Getting used to the horizantal mass took a bit to get used to.


Have to admit, there is a sense of tranquility bein out in the woods while an alberta clipper rolls through. Very peaceful.


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## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

I am going to practice a ton more! would like a new bow but missed twice and wounded one this year.... i got 2 does but one had to shoot twice.... not fair to the animals if I dont do all i can to make sure i can put the shot where i need to! might need to get an eye exam too! lol...


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

More practice on 3d deer targets this summer. I can shoot the dots on my layered block target all day long. But I shot a nice 8 pt (not able to recover) and missed two does during season so hopefully shooting at a deer shaped target instead of a square will help. Also considering a single pin sight to simplify things. Gonna ditch the food plots this season cause the deer don't hit em with all the at crops around. Instead I'm gonna focus on planting apple trees and improving on exhisting habitat.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

My goal main goal is not to make any blaten stupid mistakes. Im going to try and find my AKC blue fawn hunting stock beagle to complete my pack, get another double stand and try and get my wife out in the field to deer hunt with me.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

shorebound said:


> My pledge for next year is to try not to get all excited and sit in my stand every night after work to early in the season. I always do it and this year I suffered the consequences after the first two weeks I had a 60 yard circumference that the older wiser deer would not come into. I shower I neutralize i walk through the cow patties on the way to the woodsI hunt the wind but I still think the deer smell me. So next year a little more patience/selecting the better days will hopefully remedy this issue
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Good for you! Some guys never catch on to this situation! I read somewhere by a guy who's killed a few more than me, that if you walk thru a woods once, you leave enough scent that the deer can still smell your presence for several days afterwards!!


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## fishmeister (Jul 29, 2004)

I pledge to not enter my honey hole until November 10th.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

to take a deer with a flint lock rifle....


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

I hunt public and have a few spots that are a lot longer of a walk that I want to do at 6am in the morning, so sometimes I get lazy and hunt the closer spots I have. I pledge to take the long walks even if I'm tired because I don't get to hunt as many days as I'de like.

I also agree with Bowhunter57 in that I'm not going to be as picky next year. I've passed numerous "nice" deer in the past 3 seasons and haven't shot a buck. This year if I see a nice full-bodied buck I'm going to take the shot.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

It depends on what you want to get out of your hunt. I used to shoot anything brown that gave me a high percentage shot. Got to the point where you look at a pile of small antlered deer without a wallhanger to show for it. In 2002 I shot a 6 point and decided that I wouldnt shoot another buck unless it was going on the wall. After 7 seasons of not shooting small bucks it finally happened to me. I ended up shooting a 135" 10 pointer. In the 7 seasons I probably passed over 150 different bucks. Its not the biggest deer but one that I look at daily and am very proud of. The following year I got a 125" 8 point which is also on the wall. Let me tell you eating your buck tag for 7 years can be very tough to swallow. When the moment finally happens it makes up for the sacrifice 10 fold. I do not consider myself a trophy hunter. I just want a deer that I feel proud of. Keep at it and eventually it will come together for you.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

My pledge is to get into the woods at least once. Never made it this year.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

I pledge to shoot shoot atleast a 180inch next year!!!!!! By the way I pledge that every year! 

I enjoy every adventure I have in the field. Some years I shoot a buck some years I don't.. When I do it is always a mature buck and I always shoot a couple of does. I am happy with the style/method of hunting that pertake in.

I will still plant food plot even though the poacher down the creak benefits from them. I will still spend 100+hrs in a stand. I will still hunt public land for gun season even though I have 1800ac.'s of priv land to hunt. One thing I will do a little different is I will hunt a 100 ac. property which sits less than 3 miles from the 230+inch was killed by the Ohio river. I will also put out more Cam's on my property's. I am sure I have forgot a few things. Oh yea... Next year I will have a graph that I will write down every hunt which will give detailed info Temps wind date wether conditions moon and so on...


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