The Idaho Bowhunter’s Hunting Goals for 2014

As we start out a new year I would like to take a moment and share with you the reader my hunting goals for the upcoming hunting seasons.

The Idaho Bowhunter’s Hunting Goals for 2014 001To start off I have the same goal as many people do this time of year, Get Back In Shape. I wouldn’t say that I am out of shape I am just not in as good of shape as I would want to be. Last fall I was able to hike anywhere that I wanted to, but it would have been a lot easier if I would have spent more time in the off season. I usually spend most of my summer running and doing various races around my area. Last year I got burnt out on running on the black top and didn’t sign up for any races. I didn’t have any thing to look forward to thus I had no drive. So this year I have decided to do a local 28 mile trail race. How about that for motivation. I am really looking forward to this race. This race will get me off of the black top and into the mountains were I truly belong. Let the training begin.

Next on my list will be to introduce my daughter to hunting. She will turn 10 the first part of January meaning she is eligible to hunt small game in the state of Idaho. I took her though hunter education last fall and she passed. This means we will be hunting turkeys this coming spring. I can’t wait for this hunt. She has always been daddy’s girl and I am going to do my best to keep it that way as long as I can. Against my moms wishes I am going to make a tom boy out of her.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERANext on my list will be my bear hunt. Last year my bear hunt was a joke. I placed a bait in an area that I was sure held some bears. But after a couple of months of the bait sitting out I did not have a single bear show up. I am sure I did everything right, I just think there were no bears in the area. So this year I will be moving to a whole new area. I have talked to one of my neighbors and he has given me some ideas on some new areas to try out. He has offered to go with me and show me the ropes. We will be heading out this spring to get some baits established so hopefully we can get some bears hitting them. Now it is time to start collecting bait.

The Idaho Bowhunter’s Hunting Goals for 2014 003

After my bear hunt I will have the most of the summer to focus on my race. After that I will move into antelope season. This year I have some redemption coming on those speed goats. Last years hunt I had the goats figured out and all I had to do was make the shot. I was set up on a fence crossing that the buck and his small herd of does were using to enter an alfalfa field. The does showed up first with the buck trailing shortly behind. The buck slowly walked into my shooting lane and stopped offering me a perfect broadside shot. I drew back and rushed the shot sending my arrow harmlessly over the bucks back. I am still beating myself up on that shot. He would have been my biggest antelope to date. I guess it is a good thing that I still get a case of buck fever.

The Idaho Bowhunter’s Hunting Goals for 2014 004Now on to mule deer. I have always struggled with mule deer a little. I just never really spend the time to scout them. Most of my time has been put towards scouting for elk as they are truly number one passion. Now don’t get me wrong, I have killed some nice mule deer in the past but the majority of them I have just come across. I have never really done any preseason scouting for deer. This year I want to spend some time in July and early August trying to find a good deer to focus on. I have a few areas that I want to check out that I know have held good deer in the past, so hopefully I can find a bomber buck to go after this fall.

As far as elk hunting goes this year I am hoping for a repeat of 2013. I was lucky enough to get my elk again this year. I did learn a lot of new things this fall. I ventured into a new area that I haven’t hunted in a while. I think I might have been missing out. This one area held a ton of elk and when the rut kicked in there was bugling and rutting going on all over the place. I am looking forward to getting back in there this coming fall. I will be checking out a couple of new places just in case because you never know when you will need plans B, C, and/or D.

That is my 2014 resolutions in a nut shell. Looking forward to what adventures the New Year will bring. Thanks for taking the time to read.

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