2020-2021 Season Goals thread

[hickslawns]

With much honor and appreciation I am proud to begin this season's goals thread.

I have minimal goals this year. Be safe. Thank God. Fill the freezer.

I've put cameras out. Haven't checked them yet. I've shot once. I've glassed fields multiple times. I'm at a point where (maybe) I am maturing as a hunter. No need to put goals on my list that pertain to antlers. A mature buck is the goal whether 110" or 159".

 

[Westdesign03]

I like it. My goals are fairly simple too. Put all the knowledge I’ve learned this off season studying how to hunt sign and read the land into practice and see how much further it gets me this year. Mainly wanting to just have as much fun if not more than last year too.


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[Wildlife]

Good one Phil! I appreciate your annual goals thread.

Perhaps a couple of minor changes for me this year.

• To hunt for the biggest and most mature buck on the properties that I have access to.
• To NOT shoot the local project buck!
• To venture out more onto Ohio public lands and utilize my Lone Wolf Alpha II system more.
• To invite either a youth or rather, any person that is new to hunting deer, and offer them to hunt out of any of my setups they wish to hopefully get themselves their first deer.
• To harvest a deer within each season; bow, rifle and muzzy.
• To come home safely, all in one piece and completely unscathed from any unforeseen brutal weather conditions each time.
• To hopefully meet more new faces at this year’s ‘Strouds’ - ‘TOO’s annual Deer Camp and try catch up with all the others while tossing back some beers or whatever while hanging out around the campfire.
• To appreciate every moment while afield and take in all of Mother Nature’s beauty and to become more acquainted with 'GOD' and all his blessings.
• To hopefully fill my freezer once again with some of the best organic meat a person could possibly bring home to his family.
• To do more coyote hunting much earlier in the winter months.

I think that pretty much covers it for me.

Good luck everybody! May you all accomplish whatever goals you have in mind for this new deer season.

 

[giles]

Thanks Phil!

This is the first full season I can take my daughter off the property. So my first goal will be to get her a deer on the same property I killed my first. Complete the circle...

My middle kid (Kody) is also old enough (IMO) to take his first deer. So I have that on my mind. He will also be making the first deer camp showing for himself.

Lastly, I want to be a part of @Quantum673 getting his first trad deer.

I’d also like to see him or michael drop a monster, but I ain’t giving up my spot.

 

[rooster85]

Same as every year. Just hunt! I have a few out of state hunts planned and I’ll just be stacking meat in the freezer.


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[Bowkills]

Thanks Phil!

This is the first full season I can take my daughter off the property. So my first goal will be to get her a deer on the same property I killed my first. Complete the circle...

My middle kid (Kody) is also old enough (IMO) to take his first deer. So I have that on my mind. He will also be making the first deer camp showing for himself.

Lastly, I want to be a part of @Quantum673 getting his first trad deer.

I’d also like to see him or michael drop a monster, but I ain’t giving up my spot.

R u doing apprentice liscences? Just wondering.

 

[Quantum673]

My goals are pretty much the same as years past.

Thank God Everytime I get in the woods.

Use the time in the field to honor all those before me.

Harvest my first Trad deer. Hopefully with Giles and Redneckfugger in the woods with me.

Celebrate everyone's harvest just like it is mine. Only exception is the kids I celebrate them like it is a winning lottery ticket.

 

[Fletch]

Goals???? After all my health issues last hunting season, I'll just be happy to be back in the outdoors... Never made my Illinois trip last year, instead was in the hospital... This year my 85 year old brother will be heading out with us, so it should be interesting getting him back up in a tree... As always I'll be in search of that 700 lb black bear....

 

[giles]

R u doing apprentice liscences? Just wondering.

No, I don’t believe in that. I have my kids do the online thing and make them want it.

 

[Dannmann801]

Covid has made me change some travel plans this year - my group was supposed to go to Canada for fish camp for a week, that got cancelled.
Last fall I started talking with @Fletch about going to NJ this year and hunting bearz, but have not even been considering following that thru until this covid shitshow is contained. (But I'm still gonna give it a try some day, maybe next year if the invite still stands.)

This year I'm going to do like last - I'm going to hunt more, but less times. Instead of running myself up and down the road each weekend, I'm going to hunt fewer times and take longer stretches of time to do it in. 4 day weekends instead of 2 - I'm considering taking the whole week of Strouds off - and if I get hooked up on my SIL's family farm in KY I'd like to take 9 straight days during the KY gun season (and play with ALL my toys). But everything is iffy.

 

[Bowkills]

Taking kids to the woods is the biggest goal for me this season. Hopefully let them fill the freezer. goal two is going after a buck of a lifetime I laid eyes on the other day.

 

[Fletch]

Covid has made me change some travel plans this year - my group was supposed to go to Canada for fish camp for a week, that got cancelled.
Last fall I started talking with @Fletch about going to NJ this year and hunting bearz, but have not even been considering following that thru until this covid shitshow is contained. (But I'm still gonna give it a try some day, maybe next year if the invite still stands.)

This year I'm going to do like last - I'm going to hunt more, but less times. Instead of running myself up and down the road each weekend, I'm going to hunt fewer times and take longer stretches of time to do it in. 4 day weekends instead of 2 - I'm considering taking the whole week of Strouds off - and if I get hooked up on my SIL's family farm in KY I'd like to take 9 straight days during the KY gun season (and play with ALL my toys). But everything is iffy.

Dan.... The invite most definately will still be there.... You have my number, just give me a call.... Bear population is only increasing with state lands being closed to hunting... Here's one in my neighbor's yard on Fri...

 

[Big_Holla]

Thanks for starting it up for the season Phil!

My goal this year is to kill a few deer. In the last several years I've kind of lost the fun in deer hunting, several things along the way just made it not the same anymore. It didn't bother me a whole lot that I didn't have venison in the freezer, something I never thought I would admit. With Covid happening I realized how important having a freezer full of venison was to our family. My Michigan goal will be to do some hunting here around the house and state land as well as do some hunting on the farm we used to hunt, on a recurring open invite from the farmer and his family. Perhaps then I can also try to heal some old wounds with an old friend as well. Time will tell but it's worth getting out and trying anyway. As for the kids the goal is to get Allen his first deer with a bow and to get Jenna in the woods as much as she can during her last year in Nursing school.

 

[Schu72]

I'm going to try to get my oldest out during bow season for the first time this year. I'm not very confident there will be much of a sports season this year, so we may have a few extra weekends.

I also found what I think is going to be an amazing funnel on the big farm I hunt. The real challenge for me is going to be getting away from hunting the honey hole at my Mom's place long enough to give this new spot a legitimate chance to produce.

 

[Spencie]

My goals for this season are simple:
1) keep practicing my social distancing by being in a stand as much as possible. No different than any other year.
2) continue to build my property into a deer hunting Mecca for my grandkids to inherit.
3) spend quality time afield with my family
4) kill a mature buck
5) improve my relationship with my kingdom of nut gatherers.

 

[bowhunter1023]

• Get Kaydence on her first buck
• Hunt smart and hard in pursuit of a mature buck
• Keep "The Streak" alive in Year 17
• Help my buddy Jimmy finally kill his first buck, or at least help recover it with him
• Enjoy Strouds with my TOO brothers
• Kill a doe during the late season

Beyond that, I just wanted to be safe, hunt as much as it makes sense, and enjoy every minute I put into it. I've had some miserable seasons in the past due to a poor perspective. I feel that I've overcome that mindset and last year was a great year to reset. I'm excited about maintaining that momentum.

 

[hickslawns]

With much honor and appreciation I am proud to begin this season's goals thread.

I have minimal goals this year. Be safe. Thank God. Fill the freezer.

I've put cameras out. Haven't checked them yet. I've shot once. I've glassed fields multiple times. I'm at a point where (maybe) I am maturing as a hunter. No need to put goals on my list that pertain to antlers. A mature buck is the goal whether 110" or 159".

With our population taking such a hit from the EHD (estimated down 50%), I might need to change my goals to something more realistic. Outside of the normal goals of being thankful for the opportunity to hunt and staying safe. . . .Meat in the freezer. Meat of a male deer. Button buck or 3 year old. Antlers? Whatever. I'm learning more about myself as a hunter right now. I am learning I don't get as excited to hunt when there are not many mature deer left. I am learning the number one priority is filling the freezer and enjoying my time in stand with no expectations in regards to antlers. Looks like my second line of my original post sums it up well: I have minimal goals this year. Be safe. Thank God. Fill the freezer.

 

[Bowkills]

I guess it's good to look at this thread while there is plenty of time left in the season to reevaluate. So I've had good things happen so far but am lacking in satisfaction of fall. I haven't killed any squirrels or caught any fish, or put a deer in the freezer!!!! I get caught up every year with antler dreams and I wish I could get over it. I enjoy trying to kill a mature deer it's thrilling and a memory on your wall, but it takes away a shitload of time I'd spend doing other things I love (and argue all you want a mature buck or nanny tastes like hell to me compared to younger deer). Fall is just way to short. Youth season is coming up and I'll be tickled spending time with my almost teenage daughter. It would be nice to be able to freeze time each year and do everything fall offers. Life isn't all about deer hunting but it sure is easy to make oct 25-muzzy that way....self exam on this windy day.

 

[giles]

Thanks Phil!

This is the first full season I can take my daughter off the property. So my first goal will be to get her a deer on the same property I killed my first. Complete the circle...

My middle kid (Kody) is also old enough (IMO) to take his first deer. So I have that on my mind. He will also be making the first deer camp showing for himself.

Lastly, I want to be a part of @Quantum673 getting his first trad deer.

I’d also like to see him or michael drop a monster, but I ain’t giving up my spot.

I need to work on these. At least Michael got a monster!

Seems my youngest kid, Levi, is the only one with the drive still. He wasn't even a consideration when this thread started. He is the new goal for first deer.

#fackjon

 

[Bowkills]

Still isn't over folks!!! It's awsome seeing folks on here hunting in the last hours of this deer season. It's absolutely beautiful outside after going a month or whatever without the sun. 2020 deer season goals were pretty much met for me and the family with two deer in the freezer. My 11yr old daughter's deer and boy missing a buck was the highlight of my season. We put two in the freezer which isn't the best but it is still extremely welcomed. I hunted 0 sits from a traditional hang on or climbing treestand this season. We do gun hunt in comfort from a tower blind. I climbed a few trees and sat on branches and could have plunked a few deer which is neat. Ground and pound is the go to method for me anymore very rarely hunting the same spot or same sq mile for that matter. This season IVe only had one buck I should have, could have shot that made my heart skip a beat but it was iffy permission wise. After talking to the owner after the fact I should have been done in December. I've spent more time driving around nwoh open ground looking for a big one (unsuccessfully ) than hunting like most years. I have some final sits planned for the rest of the week starting Thursday night when I can get away from babysitting until the closing hr. It's been a good year with a touch of time left I'm still giddy with excitement and anticipation for the hours remaining. It will be icing on the cake if I see deer within 100 yrds not running away from me. that's the last goal for this deer season. I may truly shit myself if a shot is presented.