When it comes to being successful in our pursuits and more specifically, hunting whitetail deer, there are just about an infinite number of factors that can lead to the end goal. For most, success means many different things. For others, a season is not considered successful unless they fill their tag on a target buck.
Don’t get me wrong, I have set some lofty goals over the years and I may have fallen into the latter camp at one time or another. However, as I age, the goals I set seem to continually change. My idea of success has also transformed a bit. Some of that has to do with what I believe are phases we go through as a hunter, but I also think life in general molds us more than we give credit. Whether it’s through raising a family, progress with our careers, or many other experiences, I know things just change.
A Positive Attitude
I have a question I would like each of you to ponder. What is the number one trait responsible for your consistent success as a hunter? I would bet if this were asked on Family Feud (Hunting Edition) you would see the highest rated responses being stealth, woodsmanship, marksmanship, strategy, etc. All of these share a piece of what I believe is quite possibly the most overlooked trait of all. For me, that is hands down, without a question, a POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
I’d like to reflect or compare to organized sports, which is quite possibly the most popular form of team-building activity. Its presence all over the world is massive. It may not be for everyone and that’s understandable. There are many other activities that I believe give each of us the internal drive and motivation to succeed. I was fortunate enough to be raised in an environment that promoted sports and other team activities that instilled a strong desire to work together reaching for a common goal. We were not state champions and in looking back, quite honestly lost more than I care to admit. Ironically, with whitetails, we fall short almost every time we head afield. One of the common strengths all good coaches seem to have is with the promotion of a positive attitude.
Mental Toughness
I am a huge baseball fan and that was the activity I was lucky enough to play the longest. In that sport, a good average offensively is .300. That would be like us heading to the woods 10 times and reaching our goal 3 times. I know my hunting statistics are not remotely close to that good. However, I am actually happy that is not the case, because the final reward is so much sweeter when we have to work for those achievements. One of my favorite baseball quotes of all-time is from Yogi Berra, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.” This quote could easily translate into many of life’s endeavors, but I believe it is just as true with hunting and overall success, regardless of what level you intend to achieve.
I will take it a step further. I strongly believe the key to keeping that positive attitude is MENTAL TOUGHNESS. There are many ways to internally reflect on our mental toughness. Life throws so many obstacles at us that this list could be lengthy. It’s what we do to get through these moments that I believe define us and have made us who we are. Sure, there are rare situations where people are dealt a rough enough hand that climbing out on top of those challenges could be all but impossible. I feel truly blessed to have achieved the things I have and do my best to realize my good fortune, and I do not mean financially. This mindset and mental toughness stems from the ability to reflect on our many blessings, which I feel is an important ingredient in this simple but complex lifestyle. With that said, one small side note is that mental toughness is also controlling our emotions and keeping the process fun. That’s what it should be and also why we ultimately do what we do.
What continues to drive me in the outdoors is that mystical unknown with each outing that hunting and the outdoors brings. Some seasons it feels like I am quite possibly the worst hunter on the planet. However, without any notice and just like a switch was flipped, the stars align and a hunt or string of hunts come together almost like you could do no wrong. There seems to be no rhyme or reason, but pushing through those tough spells and putting in the work is really the only way I can explain reaching that end goal consistently. Obviously, strategy and a planning plays into this as well, but those topics are also covered in detail along your journey within this lifelong adventure.
Hard Work
All of the pieces that have to come together in our career, the sports that we play, or the activities we pursue have one common theme and for me that has been overwhelmingly, HARD WORK. In life, successful entrepreneurs often state that there are no shortcuts to creating a successful business. I believe there are multiple routes and some may not require as many steps, but the one definite seems to be hard work. When you think back on your greatest achievements in life, I’ll bet some form of work was a large part of that process.
Each season I look back at the work put in throughout the year. What I have realized is that an overwhelming majority of the work falls outside of an actual hunting season. Sure, hunting can lead to success without a pile of work and effort and some may not have the time or desire to put in that type of effort. That’s understandable as life brings with it many tasks that require our attention. Career paths can really add to that time commitment and cut into our ability to put in that extra work. I was fortunate to see the advantages of employment in the fire service with the biggest draw being the schedule and what that gave in the form of time. Rest didn’t fit into that thought somehow and that too can play into our mental toughness and positive attitude.
Balancing Priorities
Priorities play into our decisions and there is no doubt that we have to constantly juggle the selfish side of our time in the outdoors. I am very fortunate to have an understanding wife and a family that also enjoy the outdoors. They see the passion and support my work in the goals that I set. It may just be as simple as providing another version of their involvement, such as our favorite country cruises in late summer while I combine that with bean field scouting from afar.
When it comes to scheduling your work outings throughout the year, it is critical to do your best to avoid taking away from family time whenever possible. For me, that means waking up well ahead of others and taking advantage of small windows of time to complete tasks that may have taken me an entire day prior to understanding this. We often feel like our hunting chores are absolutely necessary to complete in a single day, when in reality, what is best is to spread the tasks out into smaller increments. Even though it could mean making multiple trips, it can be the difference in the home support when you need it later in the season. When the season turns into a complete grind, that can easily transition into your family and home life if you do not take care of business the rest of the year. It is also important to separate your struggles in the field from your home life and I had to learn this over the years. One rule we have created in our house is when I return home from a hunt, I do not talk on the phone with buddies about hunting, unless of course, they were successful and in need of assistance. It can be tough, but I have to make that clear to close friends and make sure they understand.
Keep it Fun
There are many ways to find success in the field, but make no mistake, I strongly believe the 3 traits of a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, MENTAL TOUGHNESS, and HARD WORK are the most critical keys to success when I look back on achieving my goals. If digging deep and keeping these in the back of your mind is not as easy for you, just remember one thing I touched on briefly, KEEP IT FUN. Some of my favorite memories and experiences I was fortunate enough to catch on camera were not tied to filling a tag. The outdoors teaches us constantly and I have learned there are more once-in-a-lifetime experiences out there for us to all experience.
We often put pressure on ourselves and it really is pointless. Nobody truly cares about your success but you and that’s ok. All of these traits are the few things we actually have control of. Outside of that, we are truly relying on the chance for hard work to meet opportunity which can lead us to that success. This chase and lifestyle are for us to personally enjoy and to share with others, if that is what’s important to you. The big take-away is that this is entirely up to you and what you want to see from it. For me, I would be lost without it and all of the above traits are things that drive me at home, work, and afield. Best of luck to you all this season!
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