By Alex Comstock
Goal setting is a simple way to take your hunting ability to the next level. If you aren't consistently setting goals for yourself, now is the time to start. By setting goals throughout the year, it can make a substantial difference in how your deer season plays out. How is it though that goals truly make a difference? That's what my goal (see what I did there) is to accomplish in the next few paragraphs.
Something to Strive For: By setting a goal, you first and foremost have something concrete to strive for. Think of it as something to constantly chase after. I like to write my goals down on a piece of paper, or make a document on my computer that has a number of goals on it. If you are able to set some goals between now and hunting season, once season gets going, you have something to look to every day to keep you motivated.
Motivation: Motivation is something that I think people severely underrate. If you are motivated to do something in life, odds of ending up successful with whatever you are trying to accomplish go through the roof. The same goes for deer hunting. If you set a goal, not only do you have something to strive for, but you should be motivated to do so. By having a high amount of motivation to accomplish a goal, you will find yourself working harder to accomplish that goal, which should translate to more positives in the deer woods.
Accountability: The largest role that goals have is a simple one. It keeps you accountable. If you have goals written out that you have thought deeply about, when shit hits the fan so to speak, you have something to lean on. For example, you may have a goal to hunt sun up to sun down everyday between the 7th-15th of November. Now, that is a specific goal, and you probably set it for a reason. So when November finally rolls around, and it's the 13th, and you are worn out and tired from multiple all days sits, it can sound appealing to sleep in one day and give up a morning hunt. This is where the accountability of a goal comes in. You can look at that goal you wrote down months ago, and know that if you give up a morning hunt, not only could you miss out on an opportunity in the stand, but you won't have accomplished your goal.
Something that I like to do is go one step further than just writing my goal down. I openly talk to my hunting buddies about my goals. By doing this, it brings that accountability level up a notch. If you do this, not only will you know you won't accomplish your goal if you don't wake up on the 13th (going back to the example from above), but you also most likely won't hear the end of it from your friends that you've told. This just adds another level of accountability for you to stay true to your goals, and ultimately be more successful.
Conclusion: Goals are important in life. People that set goals normally are more successful. The same goes with deer hunting. Those that set goals find themselves being more successful. Setting goals gives you something to work towards, don't be afraid to aim high.
