By the time November arrives, a hunter’s dreams have turned to the pursuit of large bodied deer, to assist hunters in achieving the goal of harvesting one of these impressive animals, I am going to share the surprising number one secret to successful deer hunting, mental preparation. A positive attitude is infinitely more important to an outdoorsman than scent blocker clothing, a high end ATV or the latest fad in ballistics. Success in the field is about the ability to remain positive despite the weather, moon phase or week of the rut. A motivated individual will hunt longer, harder and through more adverse conditions then someone who is unprepared mentally to go the distance. Hunters that truly believe “this is going to be the day”, are much more likely to be in the woods during that critical time.
Most individuals are prone to invoke certain skills that allow them to sharpen their mental focus and attitude. For example, taking a deep breath to settle ones shooting hand, counting footfalls while climbing a steep incline or even pinching one’s self to keep from falling asleep. I even have a friend, who had been on a seven year losing streak and claims his success last deer season was due to the purchase of a rabbit’s foot! Obviously, rabbit feet have little direct connection with success in the field; however, their indirect effect is that they instill confidence, a characteristic key to filing a tag.
