2009 Hunting Season in Review

It started with turkeys in May, then a long wait until pheasants in October. Deer started in November, ending with late season muzzleloader deer in December. Some people are even able to squeeze in archery, waterfowl, small game, and other assorted game into the season. This Sunday, all the guns were cleaned and put away, and the equipment was stored to mark the end of a successful 2009 hunting season.

Personally, I had some successes and some short falls in 2009 hunting. However, I feel that I expanded my hunting activities (trying black powder muzzleloader hunting for the first time), and continued to learn in the 2009 season. Even though I’ve been in the woods for many years now, there’s still a lot to learn. That makes being in the outdoors a challenging and fun endeavor.

Below is a 2009 wrap-up and a look forward to 2010.

2009 Spring Turkey:
I started turkey hunting about 5 or 6 years ago. Back then, I started out just struggling to locate birds, understand their habits, and learn calling techniques. Success came in baby steps. Soon I gained enough skill to be able to call a bird in. Eventually, I bagged my first turkey a few years ago. After struggling to find a good location to hunt in 2008, in 2009 I went back to the spot where I had success in previous years and was able to fill both tags.
Turkey hunting has been especially rewarding for me because in a short time I’ve been able to climb a steep learning curve. I started out from ground zero, and although I would hardly call myself an expert, I think I’ve gotten to the point where I can reasonably expect to bag a turkey.
I’ve already got the vacation days marked off the calendar for opening day of turkey season 2010. I have 3 separate spots in mind. I’ve seen turkeys in all 3 spots in the past. Other hunters will be more of a factor in my success in 2010 than the turkey density. If any of the 3 spots I have in mind for 2010 are reasonably fee of other hunters, there’s a pretty good chance I can get a bird. If I have to dodge other hunters, then it’s possible to come away empty handed. For this reason, unless a plot of land not hunted by others (i.e. private land) is available to you, it’s best to plan ahead and have multiple locations in-mind for spring turkey hunting.

Biggest Success: Filled both tags.
Biggest Mistake: Getting a 3.5-inch shell jammed in a shotgun intended only for 3-inch max shells. Luckily I was able to remove the shell without damage.
Biggest Lesson Learned: Avoiding other hunters is just as important as density of turkeys on a property. Have a back up plan in case your first spot is pressured.
Grade: A
Note: Both spring turkeys were stored in my freezer until Thanksgiving time. Both birds came out delicious cooked in the traditional Thanksgiving turkey style.

2009 Pheasant:
Although there’s still room for improvement, the state of Connecticut did a better job running the pheasant stocking program in 2009. Unfortunately, I did not improve my shooting much. I missed a couple birds, but got a couple birds, so it was not a total loss. One positive result of the 2009 season was that we were able to find and learn another quality pheasant hunting location.

Biggest Success: Scouted a new hunting location in 2009.
Biggest Mistake: Missed at least 2 point-blank birds.
Biggest Lesson Learned: Relax when shooting. Practice to improve shooting skills.
Grade: C

2009 Deer:
It was not a trophy, but I got a buck in 2009. Even though I’ve been deer hunting on-and-off since being a young teenager, I learned a lot by spending a large amount of time in the 2009 deer woods. I learned that I need to be looking more carefully when traveling in the woods. I spooked several deer and did not see them until they were running away. I learned that it’s advisable to take the first shot available rather than waiting for the perfect shot since the perfect shot may never come. I had a chance at a nice buck, but lost him when I hesitated. Just by spending a lot of time paying attention in the woods, I’ve also improved my skills at finding locations deer populate. In both states I hunted I was able to find spots with good deer signs.

Biggest Success: Shot a buck, and my first New Hampshire deer.
Biggest Mistake: Hesitated and missed a nice Connecticut buck.
Biggest Lesson Learned: Spending time in the woods and hunting hard usually equals success.
Grade: B – As long as there’s meat in the freezer, the grade can’t go below a B.

2009 Muzzleloader:
2009 was my first year trying black powder muzzleloader hunting. I had several equipment difficulties, and by the time I actually got my gun sighted in I only got one morning in the woods. I managed to see 4 deer, and actually shot and missed at one. This was a disappointment (I’m still running it through my head to figure out how I missed!), but just getting started in muzzleloader season made 2009 a success. 2010 should be much improved.

Biggest Success: Getting started in muzzleloader hunting.
Biggest Mistake: Missing a deer I shot at.
Biggest Lesson Learned: Get all equipment ready to go (especially sighting in) well before the start of the season.
Grade: B – Just getting started makes this season a B. However, the standards will be much higher for next season. A grade of B will require a dead deer in 2010.


Looking Forward to 2010:
I probably spent more time hunting in 2009 than any other year prior. This is a pace I’d love to continue in 2010. Much like the lottery, you can’t win if you don’t play. Even if unable to harvest any game, the time spent in the woods increases knowledge and improves odds of reaching your goal on the next trip.

I’m planning on raising the bar in 2010. Instead of just one deer (as in 2009), I’ll continue to be work hard for two deer in 2010 (although I certainly appreciate getting just one deer). Instead of a small buck, I’ll be setting my sights on a mature buck in 2010. To reach these goals, the most important action is to be in the woods as much as possible. The second thing is to build on my existing skills to get closer to my goals. Before 2009, I felt that the only real way I would have a shot at a mature buck was by running into one by luck. Although luck still plays a part, I feel that I’ve gained a little more woods-wisdom in 2009 to get me closer to that buck in 2010.

It likely will not happen in 2010, but just as I expanded into the muzzleloader season this year, I’d like to keep expanding into different hunting arenas. For example, maybe try duck or goose hunting some day. Maybe try some New Hampshire turkey hunting. Maybe someday taking a hunting trip to try for game not available in Connecticut (elk, boar, moose, bear, dhal sheep, pronghorn, mountain goat, etc.). The hunting season is like life; both are short, so take advantage of them when you can.