Post by Decatur on Jun 26, 2006 9:50:43 GMT -5
Hunting/Fishing Journal
By Bud Fields
As an avid Deer Hunter and Bass Angler, I am constantly searching for new methods and techniques for success. When I find something that helps me "stack the odds" in my favor, I am quick to inform my friends and other people that may benefit.
Through the years, I have started keeping a journal of my hunting and fishing experiences. It is not difficult and it is not expensive to create your journal. The information you collect can be an aid to you many times in the future.
Your journal can be written down in a simple tablet or you can do as I normally do. I will make "field notes" and when I get home, I enter the information in the computer for review. When I am fishing, I record information such as location, air temperature, water temperature, water clarity, conditions such as sunny, cloudy, overcast, rainy, clear, wind direction, time of day I am fishing.
When I catch a fish, I determine and record depth of water, what lure I was using, how the fish hit the lure, etc. When I am deer hunting, I record the weather conditions, wind direction, air temperature, stand location, time of day I observe deer movement, direction of deer travel, how many deer I have seen and of course, any shots taken and any deer taken by myself or a member of my hunting group, hunter pressure and especially, what crops are growing in the surrounding fields.
I can sit down later and after the information is entered in the computer, I will review everything and within a short time, I can start putting together a pattern of fishing or hunting. I can formulate a fishing pattern or decide what stand location to hunt for each day's conditions. I have listened to the Weather Channel for the next day's forecast and many times I can match the situation from a previous outing and plan my "Game Plan" for the next outing.
Many of the bass tournaments I have won or placed high in the standings, or a successful deer outing, has been a direct result of my journal and the information I have entered. I suggested "Field Notes." I do not mean you have to carry a pencil and paper with you in your boat or stand. I usually keep a small notebook in the cab of my truck. After the "weigh-in" of a tournament or after I load my boat from "pre fishing." I will record as much information as possible while it is still fresh in my mind.
When deer hunting, I will also do the same thing as I am eating lunch in my truck topper. I will record the morning 's events and after I return from the afternoon hunt, I will again add more information. After I return home and take a refreshing shower and have a bite to eat, I will then enter all the information in the computer. All the information is there for my reviewing and it is a simple matter of taking the information and matching the conditions. I can then formulate the "Game Plan."
My journal has been an asset to my hunting and fishing many times in the past and it will also be a very important "Tool" for success in the future. I suggest you keep a journal and decide for yourself. If it helps you, I am glad I made the suggestion. It really won't hurt you and the information is there if you learn to apply it.
Another article I "borrowed' from indianasmallmouth.com. I used to keep a fishing journal when I was in high school. It taught me a lot about lure selection for largemouths.
By Bud Fields
As an avid Deer Hunter and Bass Angler, I am constantly searching for new methods and techniques for success. When I find something that helps me "stack the odds" in my favor, I am quick to inform my friends and other people that may benefit.
Through the years, I have started keeping a journal of my hunting and fishing experiences. It is not difficult and it is not expensive to create your journal. The information you collect can be an aid to you many times in the future.
Your journal can be written down in a simple tablet or you can do as I normally do. I will make "field notes" and when I get home, I enter the information in the computer for review. When I am fishing, I record information such as location, air temperature, water temperature, water clarity, conditions such as sunny, cloudy, overcast, rainy, clear, wind direction, time of day I am fishing.
When I catch a fish, I determine and record depth of water, what lure I was using, how the fish hit the lure, etc. When I am deer hunting, I record the weather conditions, wind direction, air temperature, stand location, time of day I observe deer movement, direction of deer travel, how many deer I have seen and of course, any shots taken and any deer taken by myself or a member of my hunting group, hunter pressure and especially, what crops are growing in the surrounding fields.
I can sit down later and after the information is entered in the computer, I will review everything and within a short time, I can start putting together a pattern of fishing or hunting. I can formulate a fishing pattern or decide what stand location to hunt for each day's conditions. I have listened to the Weather Channel for the next day's forecast and many times I can match the situation from a previous outing and plan my "Game Plan" for the next outing.
Many of the bass tournaments I have won or placed high in the standings, or a successful deer outing, has been a direct result of my journal and the information I have entered. I suggested "Field Notes." I do not mean you have to carry a pencil and paper with you in your boat or stand. I usually keep a small notebook in the cab of my truck. After the "weigh-in" of a tournament or after I load my boat from "pre fishing." I will record as much information as possible while it is still fresh in my mind.
When deer hunting, I will also do the same thing as I am eating lunch in my truck topper. I will record the morning 's events and after I return from the afternoon hunt, I will again add more information. After I return home and take a refreshing shower and have a bite to eat, I will then enter all the information in the computer. All the information is there for my reviewing and it is a simple matter of taking the information and matching the conditions. I can then formulate the "Game Plan."
My journal has been an asset to my hunting and fishing many times in the past and it will also be a very important "Tool" for success in the future. I suggest you keep a journal and decide for yourself. If it helps you, I am glad I made the suggestion. It really won't hurt you and the information is there if you learn to apply it.
Another article I "borrowed' from indianasmallmouth.com. I used to keep a fishing journal when I was in high school. It taught me a lot about lure selection for largemouths.