Did you check off any goals?

[courtgreene]

I got 1 deer with my PSA 300 BLK upper and another with my late dad's model 94 (30-30). I still have a lot of season ahead of me, so I'm not going to share the rest of my goals- they might not come true.

I totally understand, but I’ve got two bucks and I’m out of doe days in my area, so MY season is over.

 

[H&Hhunter]

My goal this year was a trophy mule deer with a bow, 190” or better.

Second on the list was a non typical freak.

Third is a mature over the hill on the downward slide buck.

I caught a quick glimpse of one buck that might have gone 190” during a blizzard back in early November. I put a stalk on an old timer on the down side of his potential day before yesterday. Other than that in 3 months of hunting I’ve only seen immature bucks and does. I might have 3 hunting days left in my season. I think I’m going to stick to my guns and either complete the goal or eat tag soup.

We have two cow elk in the freezer for meat so I don’t need to kill a small buck or a doe.

The really cool thing is how much time I’ve spent outdoors hiking and really intensely glassing. I’ve found deer, elk, several bob cats, coyotes, new country and am completely satisfied whether or not I shoot a deer. I’ve gotten to know this unit and I’ve figured out where to find critters in places I’d have never thought to look in the past. It is amazing what you see when you spend the time carefully looking.

 

[22250Rem]

My goal was to fill 3 deer tags this year, for the first time ever. I've gotten 2 in one year quite a few times, but never 3. This year I got a buck and a doe on my South Carolina hunting trip back in September, but so far I am skunked up here in the northern latitudes. Came very close to getting a buck up here a couple Saturdays ago. He snuck in at last light from my left silently on wet leaves and was in plain sight no more than 20 yards from me. I Couldn't move without spooking him, as he was already eyeing me suspiciously, wondering what he was seeing at the base of that big tree. He took a few steps; got downwind of me and his nose sounded the alarm. Then he took off like a rocket in the direction he had came in from and I never got a shot. He would have been the first deer to fall to the new CVA Scout in 444 Marlin, and that was another goal for this year that didn't get realized. Also came up empty with the crossbow this year, but overall, I'm not complaining. I already got two this year and there's plenty of years that I got zero. There is still hope, though; muzzleloader season closed today & late muzzleloader reopens Dec. 26th and runs through the 1st of January. So the possibility of a 3rd deer still exists.

 

[Wyo82]

My goals were pretty simple this year, but I checked off some.
1. Draw a damn elk tag! Check! (29 years of waiting!)
2. Take an animal with my own hand loaded cartridge. Check!
3. Go pheasant hunting for the first time in about 15 years. Check!
4. Go duck hunting. Check!

Duck hunting (and pheasant/grouse/quail) may just be my new passion. I think if I could do it consistently I may just tone down on the big game hunting for awhile, at least for myself. My kid is just finishing Hunter safety so of course he will be applying for tags and I’ll happily take him out, but for myself I may just start leaning towards birds.

 

[irishlad]

Yup,

Get the pup at least 50 retrieves her 1st season.
Bonus was one was a Wood Duck.

 

[KansasTrapper77]

I’m terrible about taking pictures of myself, but I successfully shot and killed a small whitetail with my Ruger Flattop .45 Colt with my own hand-loads. I had set my personal max distance with the firearm at 25 yards and this guy came into 7yrds spooked and came back to 15yrds and I got him on the second pass. Piled up less than 20 yards away.

 

[EMC45]

Got my son out on his first "hunt" for a youth only day. Heard them, but didn't see them. Still had a good time.

 

[9x56MS]

Yup,

Get the pup at least 50 retrieves her 1st season.
Bonus was one was a Wood Duck.


View attachment 1185323View attachment 1185324View attachment 1185325

That bird is almost as pretty as your dog. Congratulations on both.

 

[Hookeye]

Wanted a deer w my new recurve (Blackwidow PSA2)
Only got a small doe though.
No shots fired w my new to me rifle (Ruger #1).
Kinda crippled up for most of season.
Better now, so heading out w cuz to do some stand work for next yr (move or take down).

That was my goal this yr, to move that ladder stand LOL

 

[Hookeye]

Its moved. Decent 8pt.on camera at 2 am LOL.
Moved stand yesterday, got it finalized today, deer tracks over jeep.and boot tracks

Musta been a bunch through last night. And yes, right by my ladder stand..literally the path is next to it.

Night time, those deer know what theyre doin.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Checked off another one this morning. FInally baptized the 110 Tactical 6.5cm using Nosler ballistic tips. So I'm up to 4/5 of my original goals, but I added a 6th. Need to get one with my Henry 45c and my old model 94 and I'm done for the year. Am I still in the man bunn club since I actually took a deer with my 6.5cm??

 

[Axis II]

The last 2yrs i gained 100lbs and can no longer climb stands. I haven’t shot a deer, let alone a buck in 2-3yrs. This year i knew it would be hard on me dragging, loading, etc. so i decided if its not at least 120” it was walking. I ended up doing it with this guy and yes, even with help, it sucked dragging, cleaning and loading.

 

[22250Rem]

I did forget one goal for this year that I checked off. I had forgotten all about it when composing my previous post, (#28) of this thread. Last November I got a decent size doe with the crossbow and my son made a goodly amount of venison jerky from the meat I gave him. So this year I finished off the last of it while sitting in the exact spot I shot it from and just about an exact year later. Was hoping for a repeat of last year but no such luck. At least I achieved my goal of consuming some of that jerky in the exact same spot I got it from. It was a good snack for a slow day in crossbow season, waiting for a big one to show up here: . Maybe next year? Stay tuned.

 

[Jeff62]

Yep. We are overrun with pigs aka corn thieves.
I’m doing my part and plan to keep on.

 

[Jcon72]

The last several years I've switched to deer hunting with a revolver instead of a long-gun (shotgun, in our state). After finding my birth-year gun in the form of a Ruger 3-screw Blackhawk in .45 Colt, this summer I decided that it needed a chance to hit the deer woods with me and draw some blood for nostalgic reasons. My 50+ year old eyes just don't work as well with pistol sights as they used to, but this doe cooperated and gave me an open shot at 30 yards. The cast 250gr SWC tier-1 handload did the trick and she only went 20 yards before finding her final bedding place. While this won't be my long-term hunting handgun, it was nice for a 52 year old gun and its 52 year old hunter to make memories together, old-school. And even more special with my wife being there as well. (Sorry for the not-so-good pic, but I took it later after hunting hours with a flashlight in one hand and my phone in the other. With another either-sex deer tag to fill I hadn't wanted to disrupt the woods with a photo session during the last hour or two of shooting light.)

 

[Patocazador]

It was a good snack for a slow day in crossbow season, waiting for a big one to show up here:.

Pretty barren looking IMO. Try searching for a late-season food source and set up there.

 

[22250Rem]

Pretty barren looking IMO. Try searching for a late-season food source and set up there.

It's basically a travel corridor. They usually come through at dawn & dusk. Got that nice doe right there in 2022 crossbow season in the early afternoon, though. During this past rifle season, just before dark, I had a small buck silently sneak in from my left on wet leaves and he winded me from 20 yards away before I could slowly get into position. If the breeze had been different I'm pretty sure a 444 Marlin would have had me getting the knives & field dressing gloves out.

 

[courtgreene]

The last several years I've switched to deer hunting with a revolver instead of a long-gun (shotgun, in our state). After finding my birth-year gun in the form of a Ruger 3-screw Blackhawk in .45 Colt, this summer I decided that it needed a chance to hit the deer woods with me and draw some blood for nostalgic reasons. My 50+ year old eyes just don't work as well with pistol sights as they used to, but this doe cooperated and gave me an open shot at 30 yards. The cast 250gr SWC tier-1 handload did the trick and she only went 20 yards before finding her final bedding place. While this won't be my long-term hunting handgun, it was nice for a 52 year old gun and its 52 year old hunter to make memories together, old-school. And even more special with my wife being there as well. (Sorry for the not-so-good pic, but I took it later after hunting hours with a flashlight in one hand and my phone in the other. With another either-sex deer tag to fill I hadn't wanted to disrupt the woods with a photo session during the last hour or two of shooting light.)

View attachment 1187241

Great job. One of my goals for about eight years now has been to get one with my .41 mag Blackhawk. I practice like crazy with it leading up to gun season and when I get in the woods, especially the moment I encounter deer, I shoulder a rifle instead. I don’t know what my deal is.

 

[Jcon72]

Great job. One of my goals for about eight years now has been to get one with my .41 mag Blackhawk. I practice like crazy with it leading up to gun season and when I get in the woods, especially the moment I encounter deer, I shoulder a rifle instead. I don’t know what my deal is.

I did the same thing when first beginning to hunt with a handgun. I took my slug gun along "just in case a big buck showed up out of handgun range", but usually just chickened out and used the shotgun whenever a deer showed up.
It's like going to the swimming hole in late spring; if you wade in slowly you're just gonna end up standing there with wet ankles because the water is cold and you'll never end up going "swimming". When starting out handgun hunting a person has to just dive in (take the handgun without the rifle) and deal with it and create confidence for yourself. Yes, you'll have to pass up some shots due to the range, but that's just how it works.

 

[jtrent]

Goal was to harvest a deer with suppressed AR in .223 with ammo I reloaded. Got lucky and shot 1 buck and 1 doe. 4 days apart but both taken at about 100 yds. Buck dropped where he was hit. Doe went about 10 yds. Both lung shots. Suppressor didn’t seem that quiet.

 

[md7]

The only goals for hunting this year I can think would be that I wanted to kill deer with my newly acquired 308, and we’ve seen a nice 10 point in the area since around September and I wanted to take him out.

As of 12/26 both goals were achieved.

Already posted the kill in the hunting pic thread, but here it is again for anyone interested.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well, 5/6 on my goals as of this morning
Baptized the Henry 45colt.
One day left to get a buck with the old model 94. One more week if I need it to get a doe.


Before anyone comments, yes, I know I hit it a little high and right of where I meant to. She was coming to me and turned to quarter just as I shot. It's also sighted in for 100yd silhouette loads and I forgot to adjust down a bit for the 200gr FTX I was shooting . It did cost me a little bit of the inner loin.

 

[Peakbagger46]

My goal this year was to help the wife kill her first elk. Awesome hunt and lots of meat. Second goal (not pictured) was wife filling her mule deer tag, also successful. Then came my turn. For once we had a lot of fine home processed meat so I held out for a good buck.

All on public land, eight loads on the eberlestock but, hey, I train for it and more than worth the effort.

 

[Archibald Stanton]

started the switch to ou instead of semi-auto for field birds

 

[WisBorn]

2023 Goals
1) Help Brother-in-law get his first deer
2) Get my 83 year old father out hunting
3) Shoot my first crossbow buck
4) Hunt turkeys with my old 410
5) Shoot a turkey with a 410 (next year )
6) Shoot a 140"+ class whitetail (next year )