31 - stumped

[Coach]

Well, I headed down to 31 on Wednesday and not knowing the area very well hunted near Safford and Stockton Pass. I saw a few does and spikes and one little forkie but overall not many deer. All of the country I was hunting in looked good but I think I was glassing too fast - that tall grass is decieving. Anyway, I had planned on hunting through the week but Sunday morning as the pressure started dropping all of the does and pigs I had been watching since sunup abruptly bedded right around 7 - 7:15.

 

This was my second solo hunt in the past couple of weeks, and for whatever reason, I just went back to camp, hooked up the 5th wheel and headed home. I've never quit a hunt early - I'm not sure if I'm losing interest or just don't enjoy hunting alone anymore. I was really looking forward to the hunt but by about the second day I just felt - I'm not sure - unmotivated for whatever reason - kind of depressed.

 

I'm just trying to figure out my funk - Hunting has been a true passion all of my life, and I love hunting coues most of all. So here I am with a tag and the ability to get days off and not even sure if I'll go back out. At least it was a leftover tag. I would hate to think I took a tag from someone who was able to give it their all.

 

Anyone else ever get in one of these funks? Any ideas or suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Jason

[CouesWhitetail]

I know some people who used to hunt solo a ton and they seemed to get burned out. Perhaps it's the solo aspect. When you get discouraged on a hunt (like you did when the deer were bedding by 7 am) it's easier to stick with it if you have friends to help keep the movitation strong. I know hot weather zaps my motivation real fast. So maybe that was part of it too.

 

Perhaps there is someone here who has the same tag that you could hook up with to hunt together? Might be some added motivation to meet a new hunter and also help them get a buck.

 

That storm last night probably changed things for the deer, so you might go back out and see more activity.

 

Amanda

 

 

[MidLifeHntr]

I think Amanda hit it dead on. For me much of the enjoyment of hunting comes from the people I hunt with. Over the last 10 years I have hunted with the same people no more than 2 years in a row. I have learned something from each of the groups and have become a better hunter because of it.

 

This year I am taking my son which is very exciting. I'm hoping he will feel the same passion as I and we can hunt for the years to come.

[crazyaboutcoues]

When you hunt with Jamaro you're better off hunting alone OOOHHHHHH!!!!

 

Seriously...I sometimes get the same feeling (funk) when hunting alone...I get burned out from guiding, scouting for clients ECT... i think it's good to hunt with different people and different states to keep your motivation up.

 

 

I'll be hunting with AZpack in a couple of weeks in AZ and i'm really looking foward to that hunt. Plus he promised me a 110" two point ha ha

[donniedent]

Yep.... sounds like you need a hunting partner. 2 reasons.... 1 they keep you motivated and 2, 4 eyes are better than 2. There have been plenty of times I would've given up if I were alone but because of partners having another idea or another spot to check out, it keeps me going. Tough part is finding a hunting partner that thinks like you. I had a buddy down in AZ that I hunted a bit with and we were non-stop, even if we saw nothing. We just motivated each other. Now that I'm in Wyoming, I need to find a new hunting buddy. It'll be tougher here because there are ALOT more road hunting types that there are down in az. I hate road hunting and everyone I've met here likes to road hunt. I need to find someone that likes to run tread off boots finding that ONE animal.

 

Donnie

[Coach]

Thanks for the responses so far. I know you guys are right about the "solo" aspect being the problem. I had a hunting partner that basically grew up hunting with, but after 15 or so years of hunting and fishing together we had a pretty bad parting of ways. Since then I just haven't met another partner that is also solo. Maybe I should try eHarmony.com

 

The good news is, I have 3 sons and they are all going to be pretty into it from what I've seen. They love hunting pigs and turkey and, well basically all hunting and fishing. A little young yet to have the attention span for long spells of fruitless glassing that we need for coues, but they'll get there.

[DesertBull]

The stress of this economy is starting to take some of my enthusiasm away. Everytime I start thinking about the upcoming archery hunts, pig hunts, etc, I end thinking that I should probably save every dime I have, just incase.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

I agree with DB on this, it was very hard to focus on the hunt knowing dang good and well I really couldn't afford to be out. We used some of our savings to go on this last deer hunt and that is usually taboo using it for stuff like that.......

 

Get yourself charged back up and get out there and thump a biggun....

[donniedent]

Yeah, times are tough and it ain't much fun when you know you're taking food out of the cupboard to take on a hunt. Time to get back to the simple life if you ask me. Thats what I'm doing. I can tell you right now, when I'm on my death bed, it'll be the times I've spent hunting with me kids that I'll remember and be thankful for, not the fact that I had a brand new truck in the driveway. Time to get simple.

 

Donnie

 

 

 

[AZ RANGER]

Hey AZOnecam.

I am pretty sure I talked to you at camp right before you pulled out. I am the ranger at the state park you were staying at. I could tell you were a little down on your luck.

As I was talking to you I was thinking I should tell you to stay and I would go with you the next day and help you glass, but it seemed like you already had your mind made up. I wish I would have offered to help now.

If you get down this way again let me know.

 

 

[Kilimanjaro]

I go through those feelings from time to time.. Mine usually shows up when hunting stuff that isnt at the top of my wish list, but I've drawn the tag. I felt the same way on my Oct hunt in 32. I just wasn't in it. Fortunately, its a passing feeling and it doesnt last!!!

[Coach]

Thanks AZ Ranger - yep, that was me - PM sent.

[coues]

I went through EXACTLY the same thing about 15 years ago. I found myself on a solo WT hunt in 21 and just couldn't get motivated. It took me a LONG time to figure it out... I was putting too much pressure on myself. I was on a roll, and had filled every tag I had for several years. I had to rethink why I hunt. It's very easy to get wrapped up in scores, and for me, it took away from why I love to hunt. The magazines, videos, and websites can skew a guy into thinking he's got to kill a big one to feel succesful.

Maybe it's age, but I can honestly say I could care less if I fill my tag, and I really don't care what the other guy has to say about what I wrap my tag around!

2 of my 3 hunting buddies were killed a few years ago. I miss the campfires with those guys, but the "zen" of hunting will always be there.

It's fun to see all the internet trophies, but let's face it, there just aren't 400 inch bulls and 110 coues behind every tree. I get more of a kick out of the kids with cows, or wives with spikes than I do the guy who dropped $35,000 for a giant bull. They actually SMILE in the pics!!

OK, off my soapbox. I wish you the best.

 

 

 

[Young]

I couln't agree more with coues

[AZantlerhead]

Well, Buddy, I nailed my 117 buck in unit 31 two weeks ago and if you read Arizona wildlife trophies you'll see a sick amount of trophy coues from the region. {grahm and pima counties} . If those kinda things don't excite you than I got lucky with this first buck no doubt but i also put in a week of HARD hunting, this guy was my reward.But i woulda shot a spike just the same , and been just as happy.