I was reading a book about deer management in WI, from the 50s. Had an interesting section on what hunters perceived as a good day hunting.

In looking at the data it wasn't just seeing more deer. It wasn't just killing more deer, either.

For me, a successful day hunting (deer, birds, whatever) is seeing legal animals and having the opportunity to prepare for a shot. If I see ducks and can't get them to decoy, its on me. If I see deer and can't get close enough, its on me.

We I was working, the most popular reason given for hunting or fishing was "to be outside, be with friends, etc. IF that were true, we wouldn't need to carry a weapon, just go hiking. Least that's how my mind works.

Your thoughts? Goon start a similar thread for fishing as see what makes a successful day fishing.

Every hunt is different with me I guess. Somedays just taking a weapon for a walk is all I need, but there are the times when I put my pointer in birds, he produces and I miss, i'm not to happy for his sake.

After a quality muley or bull on public land? It may take 2 weeks for an opportunity that doesn't materialize and i'm ok with it.

Any day I get to spend outside being a part of the bigger picture is cool with me. Thanks for getting me to actually think about it.

I have been thinking about this one myself lately. Have had several people who know I hunt ask "did you have a successful hunt this year?". After the 3rd or 4th time I had to pause and really think about my answer. .. .

We had 10 guys in camp at different times this year, everybody did what they could to get an animal down (mostly, long story there).

Camp came together well (as in more cohesive, more comfortable, better flow).

We all got to know the area better and have some new areas to hunt comfortably next year.

The wall tent stood up to some extreme weather, again. . .

I saw animals every day, almost every day they were within range of a decent shot (just no legal shooters).

On the last day, a couple of guys in camp had an opportunity to take shots at a legal animal (unfortunately neither connected).

And, a 6x6 bull walked right through camp during the week (not a legal shooter there, however pretty cool).

SO, yes it was a good, successful hunt/camp this year. I am counting the days to get back and do it again next year.

Anytime I learn something or teach my boys something.

Making it back to the truck. I try to set the bar low and anything beyond that is a bonus

One of the reasons I started this and the thread on fishing is that management agencies commonly manage for opportunity. The only elk tag I ever bought, for a combined deer/elk bowhunt, turned out to be in a unit that had something like 5 elk the WDG wanted eliminated. I should have checked into it more, but it does seem a bit chickensh*t to open a season with essentially nothing there. Like sport fisheries in WB streams.

When folks say they consider at good trip to get away or get home safely then why buy a license, carry a weapon, or be constrained by a season? Just go hiking or take a boat ride.

I go out with some level of expectation that the quarry is there to had, if I do my part well. I expect that the agency that manages the resource shares that view and manages the resources so that there is a reasonable hope of encountering the quarry.

Carcassman,

We usually hunt relatively high quality areas, which requires a drive and usually significant effort to get there. The only time we don't hunt quality areas is when those areas are shut down due to forest fires, so we resort to plan B.

The opportunity is always there when you put in the time for scouting for animals and investigating the unit you'll be in. You mentioned your mistake on drawing that elk/deer combo tag, but it happens to many of us at least once.

Only 1 year did I get blanked on deer since I began 24 years ago, and that was the year I built my house. Up to 5 bears now in 12 years of buying tags. About 50% success on elk, which is probably better on all animals hunted than the vast majority of hunters in the state, and possibly here.

Many of these ungulates I killed were does or cows but as a meat hunter I was worried about filling the freezer so I had no qualms about picking on the ladies. Harvested a few nice bucks and bulls along the way, some on purpose, some just pure luck. Buck or doe, it was still some success.

I can't place blame on the wildlife managers for me not getting an elk this year. I had a chance, just as everybody else in my unit had. I fault myself on the two missed opportunities I was in, but like I said, I learned something for next year so there was some success in that.

The kill is only a small part of the hunt. The lead up from sighting an animal and the shot can be hours or seconds. The recovery, butchering, and processing the finished product from that animal usually take much longer. There are many opportunities for achieving success in a single hunt other than the kill.

Dogfish

I agree with what you are saying. It is the whole thing, from scouting to zeroing in to the hunt to the kill to the butchering to the eating. And, if you are lucky, having friends or family to share it all with.

It is all part of the whole.

I, too, am hunting meat. Someday, I'll get something with antlers or horns. I hope. If not, the venison still tastes good. With waterfowl, I have found myself satisfied with a bird or two. I remember I was so happy with the first duck that dropped to my new double that I forgot to shoot at the bird flying nest to it.

I hunted pheasants more than 50 days this year. Mostly on western WA release sites, and about 8 days on wild birds. For me it’s all about watching Tye when he slams on the brakes and goes on point, or more often shifts from trot to full on run. That’s when my adrenaline level rockets. When a rooster cackles and hits the sky, life is awesome.

For me the highlight this year was a hunt with Broodbuster in Eastern WA. Tye got on a rooster and tracked/chased it more than 100 yards. Borrdbuster ran and cut it off and the wily old rooster finally flushed. We both missed our first shot then both hit with our second.

Number two was a rooster than fell in a half frozen pond. Tye crashed thru the ice and swam to the wounded bird. But then couldn’t get back up on the thin ice. I had to run all the way around the pond to get to the side with open water to call him to me. He came back with the bird. I like to think we were both proud.

Short answer - It’s all about watching my dog doing what he was bred to do.

Used to hunt pheasant, and most everything else (even deer in CA) with a Brittany. She was so good that she didn't swim, she walked across the water.

Watching her work, find birds, point, and the (if we hit them) retrieve made the day.

One hunt we dumped a bird in a rain-swollen stream. She got the bird and then got hung up in a willow. Wouldn't drop the bird and couldn't get loose. So, I waded out, up to my chest. When I got there, she let go of the bird, so I could complete the retrieve, and she swam in.

The stories...... I remember my dad and Great Uncle one-upping each other on how good their dog was.