The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men Do Oft Go Awry
Reality kicked me in the teeth yesterday. I had only been able to commit one day of hunting season to a mountain goat hunt with a friend. Our plan should have worked, but only by dumb luck did the mountain goat elude us. To see the full story, go here: http://www.biggamehunt.net/forum/hair
The point is, the odds are the odds. The vast majority of hunters will not harvest an elk this year, and slightly less than half will take a mule deer. Most antelope hunters will harvest, so will most moose hunters. And I’m sure my friend will harvest that goat eventually. But in just one day, almost anything can happen. The odds will win out eventually, but freak occurrences, accidents and unplanned events have short term effects that are difficult to plan for.
Time and flexibility will help to overcome most stochastic events. It’s difficult for all of us to schedule more time for a longer hunt, but if you’ve got the ability to schedule even a few more days, you should really consider doing so. There’s nothing like having a little extra time to make more informed decisions, be more selective with your choice of animals to harvest and react to unplanned events.
But in order to be able to react well, or to be able to react more quickly to new information and events, you need to plan for flexibility. What are you going to do if it snows? If someone is in “your” spot? What if it’s windy? If a trail or road is closed? What can go wrong? Do you have a back up plan? It’s never too late to alter a plan.
But in the end, even with the odds in your favor, you may still go home empty handed. Are you going to be happy anyway? What would it take for you to enjoy the hunt, even without harvesting? What if you shoot an animal younger/smaller than you had hoped? Will you be disappointed in yourself? That’s an easy one for me to answer: don’t shoot anything you aren’t proud of. Let him/her walk and let someone who would be proud take that animal. But just as importantly, were your goals a little too lofty? What’s a realistic expectation for the area you are hunting? I have to be able to dream of big, mature animals, but my trophy standards are on a sliding scale.
It’s not fun to think about reality, but in order to live out your fantasy hunt, you need to know what to expect and then plan for the unexpected.
Good luck and be safe out there