By Alex Comstock
If you're a hardcore bowhunter, the end of the season can sometimes produce a bit of a "burnout." Depending on how your season has played out to this point, the level of burnout can vary. If your season has been anything like mine, where nothing has seemed to go right, you may be more susceptible to be feeling worn out. Lately, I've been feeling a little burnt out, and haven't been hunting much at all. It's definitely time for that to change. There's still time to fill your tag, and if you're feeling a bit burnt out like I am, here are a few ways to snap out of it, or avoid the feeling completely.
1. Cherish The Time You Have to Hunt
At the end of the day, we only get so much time to spend chasing whitetails. Between work, family, and just life, every second spent in the field should be cherished, and not taken for granted. Even if you've spent a lot of time in the woods this year, season will be over before you know it. I'd be willing to bet that a week after season is over, you'll be killing to get out in a treestand. While you've still got time to be out there, treasure every moment. Don't make it about having to kill a big buck, but rather about being able to enjoy the time you have to hunt.
2. Shoot a Doe
Burnout is usually caused by a combination of putting pressure on yourself, and not having success. Head out for an evening of hunting in a spot where you want to shoot a doe. A night of hunting where you don't feel as much pressure and having the chance to send an arrow at a doe could rejuvenate you. At the end of the day, a successful hunt, and having to go through the process of tracking a deer, cutting it up, and everything that goes into a harvest, regardless if it's a big buck or not could be what you need. Late season is a great time to fill the freezer with venison, and it may help you avoid that burnout feeling.
3. Introduce Someone New To Hunting
If you're feeling worn out at all, introducing someone new to hunting might be enough to create that spark that gets you re-excited. If you're going to go this route, one thing you may want to be thinking of is the conditions. For example, a couple seasons ago when I was starting to feel burnt out about this time of year, I thought it would be a good time to introduce my girlfriend to bowhunting. I convinced her to come out with me, and see what it was all truly about. What I wasn't thinking about was how cold it was that day. With the wind chill, it was near below zero, and even though I wasn't fazed, she had one hell of a time. Long story short, we spent about an hour in the blind and had to head home. I thought it was awesome she came out with me, and it got me pumped up, but I should have waited until it was a nicer day.
For you, if you've got a mild and warm late season day, it could be a great time to introduce someone new to hunting. Whether it be your spouse, child, or friend, getting someone new into hunting could alleviate any feeling of burnout you may feel otherwise.
Conclusion
Pursuing whitetails can be a lot of work. When you take it as serious as most of us do, it can be mentally taxing, especially if you're having a rough year. Late in the year, if you are feeling worn out mentally at all, give one of these things a try to avoid it. Just remember, season will be after before you know it, and once it is, you'll be wishing it wasn't over!
