2013 was supposed to be my year, my lucky number 13, I figured the deal was already sealed, sadly I broke my own deal. I focused too much on luck and not enough on hard work, I slacked in ‘13 more than I had in the last few years. I still put in time and effort, I shot once a week minimum, scouted, went through some gear and worked out. The problem was simple though, I didn’t PUSH myself harder than the year before. I had allowed myself to hit cruise, and without even noticing my cruise dropped off into a slowing coast…..
2012 I had a Utah general season archery elk and muzzleloader deer tag. I knew that with the job schedule I had that I would have to push myself each day to make the most of what short time I had on the mountain when the season rolled in. I worked out each day, shot almost every day and scouted when I could get away from work. My biggest thing holding me back was my job. A shop manager of two oilfield companies didn’t have a lot of free time and the phone was ringing constantly. I worked out harder as the season got closer, I dialed in my gear a little more each trip, read more info on hunting than the years before and scouted areas I hadn’t ever even seen previously. Sadly I came away with two unfilled tags that year. I can’t say the opportunity wasn’t there though. I actually passed on a few good bulls, I had set a goal that for every mile back I hiked was a point added to the rack. At 4 miles back I wanted a 5 point minimum bull, I hunted fairly hard and really tested myself on my first hard DIY solo back country trip. I learned a lot about my gear, my preparation and myself that year.
I came away from archery beat down from rookie mistakes, lack of experience and saddened at my unfilled bull tag. I had however spent time closer to smaller caliber bulls than ever before, I had acted out coming to full draw on a few deer that would out score any deer I had gotten with a muzzleloader. I had experienced something very few people have, I had to slap some small spike bulls with arrows to avoid being stepped on, I had trail cam pictures of bucks that I didn’t know existed on the mountain I had hunted all these years with my dad. As muzzleloader season rolled around work was getting busier and I was stuck with no time for a back country trip nor had I prepared for one. My focus had been on archery, something that has taken over my very core. I made some time for the muzzleloader season but was rushed and couldn’t get within range on the bucks I was after. I had seen much larger bucks and plenty more during archery elk hunting. At the close of the seasons I knew that archery was the only form of hunting I would go for from then on.
Though unsuccessful I felt confident of what would happen in 2013, after the previous season’s experience I “had” to come out of the wild tagged out. I switched jobs to find one with less demands for myself, I was too young to spend so much time working now and I wanted to free up time to hunt. I told myself that was the difference between tag soup last year and my freezer full this year was the time and that I had set unrealistic goals. Though I do feel that setting a goal for the size of my bull was a mistake and I should have been more concerned with just getting a bull down. That wasn’t the main issue, yet I told myself that with more time and lower standards I would tag out. Without even realizing it I was actually telling myself that the time was there so the work and dedication wasn’t required, that I would be happy shooting anything anyways. When the season approached and I went to hit it hard I realized that I was nowhere near the standard I had been the year before. I was worn out earlier, my shooting was still good but shooting once a week versus once a day left me less comfortable and confident at full draw. I stumbled with some of my newly acquired back country gear, and I noticed the weight on my back a lot faster. I spent the last month before the hunt opener absolutely beating myself down to try to make up for the lack of effort I had put in through the year.
My biggest factor, more than anything, turned out being that my mental game was shattered. By the close of the month long season I was ready to give up my DIY solo backcountry style. I had been going after great bucks only to be busted, winded, unable to keep up and even encroached on by other hunters. The year before I had only seen one hunter even slightly close to me, this year I couldn’t get as far away and other hunters had closed the gaps, probably by working hard during the off season. I missed the non-typical bull I was after, the range finder battery died and instead of me being confident with guessing the range from practicing all year I doubted myself changed my mind and my pin only to shoot over his back by a mere inch. I allowed myself to get within bow range of many bucks and bulls only to then allow myself to be defeated in one way or another. Though I can say that some of the events were caused by other hunters or things out of my control, the biggest cause for my failure was me because I failed to seal the deal….
2014 has to end differently for me, and only I can create that. I’ve added to a common quote that has always been a favorite to try and remind myself to push harder this year.
Not all who wander are lost, but those that try to cruise never gain speed or momentum…..
AMP.
AMPED ARCHER 
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