Hunting Journal

[bae501]

I want to start a hunting journal for up at my property. Just bought last fall. Have shot 3 deer already and want to know what do you put in your hunting journal other then deer shot? Missed shots, weather, wind, etc........

[gonefishin11]

-What crops are planted in each field surrounding the property

-Moon Phase

-Temp

-Deer seen in each stand

[Surface Tension]

A brief story from each hunter and a wrap up of the seasons highlights.

[Grant Pearson]

What I usually put is the temp, any wind conditions(direction, speed) distance of shot, distance of shot taken, a little story behind the shot/hunt, and any other basic info. Also, I like to put in anything that I could've done differently. I like to do this for fishing as well. That way, I can try to improve as a hunter/fisherman.

[Harmonica Bear]

A journal is the best thing you can have at a modestly used cabin or shack. One was started at our shack in 79 and we are on our third one. There is nothing better than relaxing in the evening and re-reading past entries. Whether it's to reminisce or wax poetic about times past, journals are darn cool. They are also the Cabin/shack’s bible when it comes to arbitrating arguments. “Oh, yeah! Look it up!” has calmed down many a dispute. Start one and diligently post. We have missed a couple of entries throughout the years and it is kind of sad. If the cabin has been occupied an entry must be made. Whether nothing happened or you just plain don’t want to make an entry, you have to, you won’t regret it in the following years.

Make one or have one made at Kinko’s etc.

You can title yourself to make it your own and also create your own headings for each page. Ours is pretty basic but includes:

Date:

Time:

Weather:

Atmosphere: (anxious, exhausted, etc.)

Members of party: (this is how nicknames begin)

Scribe:

Notes:

Entries might go something like this: (usually written in 3rd person)

Stretch and Lipps arrived 10/26 early morning and set cabin to right. No recent vehicle tracks in drive way. Someone left an onion on counter for chemistry experiment. Woke up to light rain. Stumpy and Bear arrived in morning just in time for breakfast. Spent rest of day organizing and cleaning with flashes of trash talk about who gets biggest buck next weekend. Fixed pump handle on well. Stretch installed Humphrey light in outhouse for light and (hopefully) heat. The Crescent Moon Spa is now open! Lasagna, garlic bread and Merlot for dinner. Awesome. Saturday, checked all stands, added gun rest to the Haunted House and built ground blind in the Balsams. Lipps found several rubs just north of creek amid a dozen or so very old stumps, resembled tombstones. Set up portable and deemed area the “Graveyard”. Anderson’s stopped by to say hi and said wood was being stolen in the area. Venison chops and ceasar salad for dinner. Miss the Reverend and his right-wing banter. Can’t wait for next weekend. Thanks again to Stretch for his hospitality and friendship. Bear.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I would log these also…

Obviously:

Species:

Size:

Date:

Time:

Optional / Advised:

Weather: Cloudy, (Sunny, Raining, Snowing Etc.)

Temp: (Morning, Noon, Evening, Time of Shot)

Moon Phase: (As Previously Mentioned)

Gun Used:

Bullet Used:

Distance of Shot:

Actual Location Shot was Taken From: (Stand, Ground Blind, Etc.)

Direction of Shot:

Direction of Wind:

GPS Coordinates: (Of where animal was shot and where it ended up down)

Clothing Worn: (4D Camo, Snow Camo, Scent Loc, Etc.)

A Photograph/s: (If Possible, these are really neat when looking back)

End of day Summery: (I think most important)

Method of Victory Celebration: (A Must …)

I realize this list is a bit over the top and very specific. But I promise you, if you plan on hunting the same area for many years to come it will be very helpful. Not to mention no matter where you hunt it is always a joy to look back through your “Hunting Journal” over the years.

Just as important for fishing although some categories will be changed up.

I don’t know what type of “Journal” you plan on keeping; I personally have created a spreadsheet in Excel that lists all these fields. I also have a similar version for fishing.

I will admit rarely do all fields get filled in but I do my best and it is truly Useful / Entertaining / Amazing when looking back.

My only regret is I wish I would have listed to my elders when I was a Teen and started it then, of course there was no such thing as a “Home Computer” at the time. But now I think looking back and entering the “Hand Written” version would have been very cool.

I also agree with “HarmonicaBear” Not just the statistics are important but the experience it self of each outing should be logged.

Good Luck…

S.D

[snapcrackpop]

I just started a personal journal yesterday.

We have one up at the cabin, but I wanted my own. For example I shot my first mule deer doe with my bow and my first buck with a bow this year. Neither one was anywhere neer "deer camp". The info I put in it is basically just how I would tell my hunting story to a friend.

Next entry will be with pencil, however. Because my spelling and penmanship sucks.

Oh, I also plan to paste a couple of pictures in my "Hunting Journal".

[Ebiz]

I definitly wish I would have started on a long time ago as well. I've been meaning to do it for a while, this post finally got me to grab a legal pad and at least jot down everything I could remember about this year's hunting season so far. Now I just need to figure out what type of book/paper to use. I would like to put pictures, maps, tags, & stuff like that in it as well. What do you guys use? 3 ring binder?

[snapcrackpop]

I went to an office supply store and grabed a journal (~$10) hard cover book. It has full size numbered pages so I could put photos in if I wanted. I started writing in ink, but wish I would have used pencil.

My other thought was to use the computer, but the idea of flipping through the pages next to a warm fire when I'm 80 or 90 sounds better. Plus it's more portable.

[Steve Foss]

My father died when I was six, and I'd have loved to had access to a journal from him. He and my uncles hunted almost obsessively for ducks and deer along the Mississippi in Wisconsin.

I've been hunting deer for 15 years now, and it didn't occur to me until I read this thread that, while I'm not a journal type of person, it'll be the next generation that gets the most benefit out of it. Long after we're gone, they can pull that out and read about Dad's hunts. Eventually, Grandpa's hunts, or Great Grandpa's hunts. A great way to feel like you're right there with lost loved ones.

Even though I'm not part of any permanent deer camp (have standing invite to the rellies' deer camp in Sconnie), I wish now I'd been keeping a journal of all my hunts, which started in N.D. and have inluded Colorado, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

[dukhnt]

I have kept all my stamps and licenses. Along with tons of photos. Just kept in a box. Then my girlfriend came along and scrapped booked them all for me. She did an awesome job and it is fun to look through it.

[jigging-matt]

I started a little hard cover journal this fall. After getting my Britt this spring, thought it would be fun to keep track of how he does in the field, ie points, birds, etc. Plus keep track of deer seasons, and now that my daughter is getting into fishing more, can keep track of outings with her also. Between that and the hunting/fishing photo album I keep, should be great to look back at one day.

[bergie]

The only thing I saw that wasn't mentioned is rising or falling barometer, I have had some of my best hunting during a rapidly falling barometer, they are cheap and look good hanging on the wall of a shack

[EXTREME]

Don't forget to mention how many mice you have caught each time you get to the shack . We just started this year in a new shack and a new journal. I am already reading the entries from September. Pretty cool!!