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2015/2016 Goals

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Love starting this thread every year!

I am going into this season with low expectations. Time is not on my side. The chance to harvest a mature buck is slim. The chance to harvest a mature buck two years in a row is slimmer. That said. . . .

1) Safe season for myself and my friends/family. Can't forget to ask this when we pick our goals. It is number one.
2) Enjoy the hunt. Be thankful for what God has offered us.
3) Enough meat in the freezer to get us through the year.
4) Further building the desire to hunt in my son would be awesome. It is tough. I can't force it on him. Just need to nurture his desire to hunt when he shows it. His desire pales in comparison to mine. I can only hope to fuel that fire a little bit more every year and hope he takes it up.
5) Should I shoot a buck, I would like it to be mature. Score? Who cares. Not me. Mature buck is the goal. Whether 90" or 190", if it is mature, I will be happy.
6) I have harvested a deer off my property, but not when I owned it. Since I purchased the property, I have not killed a deer there. Nor has anyone I have invited to hunt it. I would like to change that.
 

Jason Short

Junior Member
325
32
Wayne County
1) Spend a lot more time in the woods this year.

2) Shoot a good meat deer on public land and another on private.

3) Do a lot of small game hunting and try new recipes with everything I kill.

4) Make 50% of the meat I eat wild meat.

I am still a fairly new hunter so I'm not focused on shooting a big buck or even a mature buck. I'm more interested in shooting a lot of different types of animals to eat.
 

Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
Supporting Member
1. Safe year.
2. Thank God for every hunt I get to enjoy
3. Take at least 2 new hunters out for their first time.
4. Harvest 1 deer for the freezer.
5. Honor someone on every hunt.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
Safe season is always top priority.
Next would be to get both my kids chances at deer.
I would like to step up my trapping game.
And just spend as much quality time with family and friends in the great outdoors that God created for us.
Good luck to all the Toozers.
 

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
My goals are simply:
Be safe and enjoy myself.
Take my first deer with a recurve.
Harvest a mature buck with whichever weapon I am hunting with at that given opportunity.
Take one of my daughters hunting this year.
 
1) Safe season for myself and my friends/family. Can't forget to ask this when we pick our goals. It is number one.
I agree with this being #1 on everyone's list!!

2) Enjoy the hunt. Be thankful for what God has offered us.
Right with #1, sitting in the stand is when I feel the closest to him and what he has created for us to enjoy!

3) Enough meat in the freezer to get us through the year.
I like this one too, my hopes is that both of my kids are the providers this year. Hoping we can do some extra doe hunting in Michigan this year to help fill this need.

4) Further building the desire to hunt in my son would be awesome. It is tough. I can't force it on him. Just need to nurture his desire to hunt when he shows it. His desire pales in comparison to mine. I can only hope to fuel that fire a little bit more every year and hope he takes it up.
Perfect!! Exactly where my thoughts are at this year as well for both kids. I am about to get my daughter an upgrade for a bow for her birthday as that is the only thing she has asked for so she can bowhunt more this year. The crossbow has basically been claimed by my son and she enjoys shooting a bow more anyways. For my son I'm hoping he keeps his desire to get out. I didn't make it happen much last year for both of them and I regret that the most. My ultimate goal is to get them down to Ohio as much as I can this year and hopefully one or both can shoot something good.

5) Should I shoot a buck, I would like it to be mature. Score? Who cares. Not me. Mature buck is the goal. Whether 90" or 190", if it is mature, I will be happy.
I'd like to think I am done shooting 2 1/2 year old bucks and younger, at least on our property in Ohio. Not that I regret shooting the one I did last year but I cannot get out of my mind how he would have turned out this year. Is what it is though as I really enjoyed shooting him. We have a few real good bucks showing up from what my buddy is reporting so I think this season may be a long one or end up in a tag soup which I am OK with.

6) I have harvested a deer off my property, but not when I owned it. Since I purchased the property, I have not killed a deer there. Nor has anyone I have invited to hunt it. I would like to change that.
This year is our first official year of owning our land with our names on the deed. I will say one thing, never buy from family unless you treat everything as if you don't know them from Adam. Too many headaches and too many years gone by with my Uncle playing games with signing over our deeds long after the land was paid for. This year already feels different with being able to do what we have wanted to do for some time. Now it's just a time and money thing as usual LOL! Having the kids kill deer this year would make it even more sweeter!!
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
1. Have a safe year for myself and friends.
2. Shoot a mature buck. I figure if I shot a 3 year old turkey and a 3 year old buck last year, I'll shoot a 4-5 year old buck this year since the turkey I killed was at least 5. Wishful thinking? Lol

3. Do more all day sits this year so my chances of shooting a dandy are good.

4. Help my buddy get his first deer. I've been trying for 2 years. Hopefully planting these new plots at my land will help.

5. Be a better manager of the wildlife and habitat.

6. Put a hurting on the yotes at my in-laws farm. My goal this year is 10. Caught 5 last year in a 1/4 acre section of their woods.

7. Kill a meat deer on some public land that a buddy and I scouted while shed hunting.

8. Hunt smarter.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Hunt safe.
Try for a mature buck with a bow.
Get permission from my neighbor to put up a ladder stand on their property. At present for the last 2 seasons I can shoot onto the property but can't hunt on it. Also can't trap or snare on their property but they would like all coyotes shot.
Get my brother down for a deer hunt. MY niece say she will come on down for a deer hunt. A good friend from Dallas, TX said he might come.
Enjoy what I have and make the most of it within reason because it can't last forever.
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
One goal. First longbow kill.
Plus all of the obvious ones mentioned regarding safety etc.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
I'd really like to kill a 150 ....I don't care if its just a 3.5 yr old . If I fall short then life will go on as usual and come gun season I'll shift my focus from deer to ducks .
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,555
127
1.Hunt safe, return to my family after every hunt.
2. have good fellowship with hunters and enjoy the little things
3. kill several deer to fill the freezer
4. Kill a wall hanger.
5. Have successful group rabbit, squirrel, and dove hunts.
6. Go goose hunting for the first time.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
I want to help my son and do it safely. Id also like to track, gut and drag a 200" er that he killed. Seems reasonable. :)
 

townzen

Junior Member
52
72
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teenbowhunter

Junior Member
1,059
72
Delaware County
1. Have some "safe" fun in the woods with my dad.
2. First bow kill besides a coyote.
3. Head out to Oregon State for some great fishing and try to get residency by turkey season.