Stick around long enough and you'll realize we are a family.
Sweat equity? Or don’t sweat it? A lesson in managing balance.
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
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Stick around long enough and you'll realize we are a family.
I appreciate the kind words, sir. We built this place to be something more than just a forum. Thanks to all the great members we've attracted over the years, we were successful in creating something more. This is deer camp for a new era!
Yes, it's obvious to me after reading quite a bit here lately, trying to catch up. Like I mentioned in my status recently, I'm glad to be back and you all can bet that I'll be sticking around. This will be my home for now on going forward for all my hunting info and shared experiences.
I appreciate everyone's warm welcome back, thank you!
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Oh and our pictures don't mysteriously disappear after a week. And if they did you can bet your ass I'd have it fixed in a heartbeat. Guess that's a benefit to having admins that post more than three times a month huh.
Oh and our pictures don't mysteriously disappear after a week. And if they did you can bet your ass I'd have it fixed in a heartbeat. Guess that's a benefit to having admins that post more than three times a month huh.
Music to my hears!
Much of my content/posts tend to have photos & videos with them. Most will be fairly self explanatory.
Appreciate it, thank you!
As I stood in a field today being humbled by rain drops. I thought to myself “I got off on the wrong exit somewhere in life”. After a few hours of this, you text me about your situation today and it grounded me. I literally started smiling. 40*, raining, no rain gear with me and I was happy about it.
All that made me think of this thread. Sometimes we end up places we never thought we would. Nate and I had a talk about this just the other night. Find that thing in life you’re “missing”, let it bring it back together and find joy in what you do. Let’s not forget why we do this.
All that made me think of this thread. Sometimes we end up places we never thought we would. Nate and I had a talk about this just the other night. Find that thing in life you’re “missing”, let it bring it back together and find joy in what you do. Let’s not forget why we do this.
Me too. Crazy how a couple years can change our lives. Dang. I'm about to have one kid in the house in a couple weeks instead of three. Sad, yet satisfied in the results. My wife and I put a lot of sweat equity into our kids and we are being rewarded for it. In the deer hunting world, EHD this year made me do a lot of reflecting. Sure did enjoy the time I spent in the woods this year. Zero pressure. Just go hunt. I was still blessed with a great season. I'm looking forward to reading Jesse's reply. I'm certain it will bring a smile to many. I've enjoyed seeing the girls in tow during his hunting adventures.
Man, who wrote that first post?
I'm killing it and living my own advice on a daily basis. The path this year was paved with clear, attainable expectations and we succeeded in reaching every goal we set as a family. Me personally, I'm slowly transitioning from hunting for me, to hunting for them and I'm loving every minute of it. My passion now lies in the preparation and as a hardworking father, I've come to appreciate my time afield in a much different way than I did "back in the day". I'd have been embarrassing of the buck I shot this year had I shot him in 2010. In fact, I shot one similar back then that no one has seen because of that mentality. That behavior is what I should be embarrassed about, not that buck. Feeling no shame in shooting a nice 3 year old was really one of the most liberating moments of my hunting career and I look forward to doing it again next year.
I also shot a small buck this year and it was so much fun! This year was all about zero work and all fun.
I have been arguing with myself though over my kids. This hunting over bait piles out of box blinds is weird to me. Sure I go help the guy once a week when we put corn out and check cams. But I was doing that before he offered the place to the kids. I did it because I enjoy being outside and doing things. Plus, I had never really done that kind of stuff at that level. So I enjoyed seeing that side of it. He does plots and all that also. So I will get to see that side of it this spring also.
All that being said, what am I teaching my kids about hunting? I take them on slam dunk days to slam dunk spots. Am I getting them hooked or setting them up for failure? I feel like kids today have to be entertained or they won't do it. Electronics have created this false world for them. Almost as if their brains can't slow down to enjoy them moment. They're always waiting for what's next. I guess I'm just rambling like I always do at this point. It's fun, something just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's mostly because I grew up hunting NW ohio in the 90s.
I have been arguing with myself though over my kids. This hunting over bait piles out of box blinds is weird to me. Sure I go help the guy once a week when we put corn out and check cams. But I was doing that before he offered the place to the kids. I did it because I enjoy being outside and doing things. Plus, I had never really done that kind of stuff at that level. So I enjoyed seeing that side of it. He does plots and all that also. So I will get to see that side of it this spring also.
All that being said, what am I teaching my kids about hunting? I take them on slam dunk days to slam dunk spots. Am I getting them hooked or setting them up for failure? I feel like kids today have to be entertained or they won't do it. Electronics have created this false world for them. Almost as if their brains can't slow down to enjoy them moment. They're always waiting for what's next. I guess I'm just rambling like I always do at this point. It's fun, something just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's mostly because I grew up hunting NW ohio in the 90s.
You have to start somewhere and the fact of the matter is blinds, corn, and iPads are a great way to put deer in front of them while they stay "engaged" in the hunt. It's on us as their dad and mentor to progressively make the experience more and more "real" over time. You're only setting them up for failure if you're not educating them about the experience and explaining the situation so that they understand it's "Level 1". Set realistic expectations for what the next levels of "the game" look like and make sure they're participating in the preparation. This is why one of our goals this season is to get Kaydence on a deer without the aid of bait. It's one step towards a more realistic future and if we fail, so be it, but she's going to have a firm understanding of why the hunting was harder and why it was important to take the training wheels off.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
You are feeling the same stresses most of us feel that are ate up with deer hunting and also want the best experience to get our kids hooked. It is a tough balance in the early years and years where it's tough to find a deer. At times you feel you have to bait and hunt the ways as @bowhunter1023 mentioned just to get them to want to go again the next time.
Jenna took a lot of time off from deer hunting and where we left off was just starting to ween her off of using bait. This year we were all about comfort for her getting back in the saddle. We tried hunting in Michigan only to have several deerless hunts (without the use of bait). Her reaction to that type of hunting was refreshing as she was just happy to get out and do it again. My frustration of not seeing much prompted us to get her that Ohio deer license and reward her for all her hard work in nursing school. I also knew she should definitely see deer. The buck she killed this year was not standing over a bait pile but rather made his own decision to close the gap and work his way towards us in our elevated heated shack blind. It is a balance for sure.
Bowhunting in my opinion is the best way to get them thinking about the chess game we all love instead of always sitting over bait and in a blind. I say that because Allen switched last year from using the crossbow over to the bow and has really started to engage in that strategy talk. In the past it was crossbow on shooting sticks pointed at the bait pile, dad right there to help with everything. It was a chore for me in many ways just to get the set-up right. I kept telling him the ease of climbing a stand and having the bow in hand would surprise him. That first season with the bow made him realize there is (can be) more to learn and see when you start looking past a pile of corn or carrots. This year had to be the best year for him hands down and he hasn't even flung an arrow yet. He is looking for trails, checking trail cameras, looking at potential trees for stands, looking for scrapes, rubs, poop, etc.. Hearing him tell the story of how the big buck snuck up on him and he didn't get the shot yet he was shaking like a leaf made me so happy. To hear him re-live that moment many times this season and other new encounters makes me proud. He is evolving into a thinker and doer in the deer woods. I still hope to have him fling an arrow yet this season!! I simply cannot wait for that story!
I have one kid with that drive. I think the other two do it to just spend time with me. As time goes on I guess I will have to adjust my blanket style hunting with them. Still learning
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Don't get me wrong, Allen still has a tough time putting that phone down LMAO!! I tease him that is how the big buck came in on him so easy.
Stressless
Active Member
Great contemplation written out - well done Jesse, it's a timely read and good individual reflections in the comments. I'm just back from a week of "Sweat Equity"at my camp, found and read this thread just now after discussing near term tasks I'm planning around the camp with the Mrs.
I'm on the back side of the 18 holes of life. Both kids grown and gone, they're successful and doing well, one thing we share via various "SM" is texts, videos and such of wildlife and the outdoors... In my thread of videos and pics - of the camp where I took them as children - are what I now find that centraly ground us as adults, nature, the vast majority are just of nature - not self filmed hunts, Big Dead Buck etc. Nature's what we share now between the family. Both children, now adults, have come back to the camp by themselves or with a single friend or significant other - to enjoy the place, share where they visited growing up... and to revisit the ghosts in their memories. By the grace of God, I'm not yet one of those ghosts, the acceptance that I will be and that the camp will be where I'll be specifically remembered for what I created is driving force for my investment in sweat equity. They rejoice when I may get a "Big Buck" but we revel in the pics and videos of wild critters, landscapes, "nature" throughout the year.
"I guess I will have to find the balance."
My father never hunted deer- he put sweat equity into the land to better it for use and enjoyment by everyone.
Their grandpa's used time with the water and land at the camp to connect with them, always taking time to go at their speed inside their comfort zones.
Their uncle Bill, my only brother, was literally the WorstDeerHunterInOhio but had a passion for chasing them. He exemplified a saying of mine, "Everyone's good for something even if it's a bad example." He allowed me to show my kids how a totally flawed methodology to habitat management can be overcome with time, focused effort and vision.
The balance for me is enjoyment of putting in a hard day of labor while I still can, with the outcome of improving the property for enjoyment of nature via recreation. Sweat Equity - cutting the view to the pond didn't do diddly squat about making it a better "deer" property. Don't sweat it - The internal reflection I got sitting on the deck Wednesday evening, the last night of this visit after getting a multitude of small chores done was priceless. Thinking that my kids, and hopefully one day their kids will come back and have the ability to do the same with something our blood, sweat and vision made possible brings a sense of gratitude and satisfaction. I want to get a nice buck this year, doing a number of things to increase the probability that I'll get an opportunity -but- every single one of the habitat improvement tasks to that end are designed to improve overall wildlife and recreation opportunities foremost.
I'm on the back side of the 18 holes of life. Both kids grown and gone, they're successful and doing well, one thing we share via various "SM" is texts, videos and such of wildlife and the outdoors... In my thread of videos and pics - of the camp where I took them as children - are what I now find that centraly ground us as adults, nature, the vast majority are just of nature - not self filmed hunts, Big Dead Buck etc. Nature's what we share now between the family. Both children, now adults, have come back to the camp by themselves or with a single friend or significant other - to enjoy the place, share where they visited growing up... and to revisit the ghosts in their memories. By the grace of God, I'm not yet one of those ghosts, the acceptance that I will be and that the camp will be where I'll be specifically remembered for what I created is driving force for my investment in sweat equity. They rejoice when I may get a "Big Buck" but we revel in the pics and videos of wild critters, landscapes, "nature" throughout the year.
"I guess I will have to find the balance."
My father never hunted deer- he put sweat equity into the land to better it for use and enjoyment by everyone.
Their grandpa's used time with the water and land at the camp to connect with them, always taking time to go at their speed inside their comfort zones.
Their uncle Bill, my only brother, was literally the WorstDeerHunterInOhio but had a passion for chasing them. He exemplified a saying of mine, "Everyone's good for something even if it's a bad example." He allowed me to show my kids how a totally flawed methodology to habitat management can be overcome with time, focused effort and vision.
The balance for me is enjoyment of putting in a hard day of labor while I still can, with the outcome of improving the property for enjoyment of nature via recreation. Sweat Equity - cutting the view to the pond didn't do diddly squat about making it a better "deer" property. Don't sweat it - The internal reflection I got sitting on the deck Wednesday evening, the last night of this visit after getting a multitude of small chores done was priceless. Thinking that my kids, and hopefully one day their kids will come back and have the ability to do the same with something our blood, sweat and vision made possible brings a sense of gratitude and satisfaction. I want to get a nice buck this year, doing a number of things to increase the probability that I'll get an opportunity -but- every single one of the habitat improvement tasks to that end are designed to improve overall wildlife and recreation opportunities foremost.