Hunting Log

[Geoffphrye123456]

Does anyone use an APP or a physical log book to track hunt days?
I know a lot of hunters, I hear a lot of stories - all from memory.
I think it would be nice to track some other metrics about a day in the field.

I am thinking...
Environment:
sunrise, sunset, wind, rain, sun.

External Factors:
Other hunters close by

Other Factors:
First birds in the air at X o'clock
First shots at X o'clock

Gear:
what were you shooting?

Bag:
how many shots fired?
harvested birds, species

I am just curious since I hunt quite a few days, and I mix my facts up sometimes...

[WoolyRunner]

I’ve thought about it and even have done it in the past. Not religiously though.

[ghosthunter]

I have 40 years of camp notes, for every hunt every day .
Who was there
What happen
Animals seen
Weather
Temps
Dinners
The works.

Write in a journal every morning and every night.

[JDArms1240]

Good idea.

And daaang, that’s pretty cool ghost hunter, I’d love to read those from the elder or not with us anymore members of my family!

[hunterednate]

I have 40 years of camp notes, for every hunt every day .
Who was there
What happen
Animals seen
Weather
Temps
Dinners
The works.

Write in a journal every morning and every night.

Wow, I love that. What a cool keepsake to pass down to family someday. Any memorable entries you'd like to share?

[treefarmer]

I’ve written down every animal I’ve killed in a journal.   All the kids animals as well.  Bout 20 years ago started making short notes.   Day/month/year.  Location yardage.  Etc.    settled a argument with boys about which one had killed a deer the furthest the other day.   Wish I’d took more notes

[Kingofthemountain83]

I started a hunting log book in my late teens... I had a couple books in storage at inlaws... Been asking to get them from the ex wife for 6 years now... She has our Google account with all my hunting and derby pics too been asking about...   

[ghosthunter]

I have 40 years of camp notes, for every hunt every day .
Who was there
What happen
Animals seen
Weather
Temps
Dinners
The works.

Write in a journal every morning and every night.

Wow, I love that. What a cool keepsake to pass down to family someday. Any memorable entries you'd like to share?

I have many this is e eryone favorite.

A Gift From God

Back in the 1980 we were hunting as a group in E Wa. We had a pack that if someone got a deer down they would let the other know by firing the Meat Shot. ( two quick, one delayed shots)

Evan and Brad went up one side of Canyon. Crazy Ron and I up the other.
About10 am we hear two shots. Then a few minute later the meat shot. It was Evan and Brad.

Crazy Ron and I walk to the edge and look down and can see they have a deer. We decide not go help them because they are right above an old cat road and they have a home made game cart.

Ron and I hunt 3 hrs more and go back to truck. We slowly drive towards camp. The up hill bank is 30 ft or more. Now Ron is a little dialectic.

All of a sudden this deer strapped to a cart comes flying through the air from the up hill ,lands 10 feet in front of my truck and the wheels pop off. We hit the brakes.

Ron looks at it,looks at me, looks back at the deer and says “ Gift From God”

We get out look at it scratching our heads, and we hear two guys cussing at each other above us. Turns out Evan and Brad had put their deer on a cart and tied a rope to it. They had come down the steepest part of the hill , lost control and the cart took off with the deer.

For years after they argued as to whose fault it was that the cart got away.

[metlhead]

I keep tally of the birds every one of my dogs has been a part of. Paper journal with types and numbers with date. No other info.

[pickardjw]

I tried it. Couldn't keep consistent with it. Went from writing a lot, to writing a little, to forgetting about it entirely. Between multi-day backcountry trips where you're not packing a journal, going all day, making dinner and immediately going to sleep, half days then driving home, etc. I just couldn't keep up with it.

Maybe if I hunted fewer days overall, less time in the field, on my own property with a cabin or something.

[30.06]

I keep a daily hunting journal. Originally to try and figure out if the game were moving up or down due to date, moon, and weather. Now I use it to record weather, time I left camp and returned, and numbers of hunters seen, deer/elk seen, bucks/bulls seen, shots heard, game other than deer/elk seen, opportunities, and possibilities. As in a brief glimpse of a medium buck walking at 200 yds is a 1/4 of a scope, and a big one standing broadside at 100 yds is three full crosshairs in the journal. Running at 300 yds or more would not count as a possible opportunity. Shots taken, location and traveling direction of game targeted, time of shot, distance, rifle used and results.

 It's also where I write down names of people I meet, since I Can't Remember S, noteworthy interesting sign, and basic thoughts about lessons learned that day. Mostly the hard way. Having to look back at mistakes on the pages over the years helps reinforce what I learned.

It helps that I have a dining table in the trailer, and makes for a nice after dinner routine. I generally drink during the afternoon so don't usually hunt in the evening. Also keeps me searching for something memorable each day. Even as not related to hunting success or ideas. A tree that I have always used as a landmark had a squirrel sitting at it's base, or a hawk that screeched good morning. A patch of berries, the color of the grass, the mid-morning lull is never dull for me as I mentally revise my entry for the day. I filled the last page of my journal last year, and it will be tough to start a new one. So many great memories and heartbreaks in those leather bound pages. The new one is much larger, a gift from a friend that has passed on. Not an artist but I make a sketch of powerful moments to help me recall them later, and a basic image of any animal I kill, and even some I didn't even try to.  I also keep a salmon fishing/ boat maintenance log for saltwater but don't record river and lake trips.

[hunter399]

I tried it. Couldn't keep consistent with it. Went from writing a lot, to writing a little, to forgetting about it entirely. Between multi-day backcountry trips where you're not packing a journal, going all day, making dinner and immediately going to sleep, half days then driving home, etc. I just couldn't keep up with it.

Maybe if I hunted fewer days overall, less time in the field, on my own property with a cabin or something.

Often thought about it,but just not enough time.
Sometimes I just take a landscape pic ,to remind me of certain time or place.

[dylan34_36]

I'm still a newer hunter but I started keeping a physical log of my hunts and other outdoor adventures in 2021 and have been pretty good at writing in it. Usually keep track of animals seen (since I'm still not very successful harvest wise), fish caught, weather, meals, and the type of people out (other hunters/fishers/hikers/amount of dogs with the hikers), even write down how I'm feeling sometimes. Almost on my 2nd bigger notebook now. I use my phone for mapping software so I have it all the time for the most part and I'll take notes then transfer it to the physical journal later when I'm backpacking or happen to forget the journal itself.

[dylan34_36]

I have 40 years of camp notes, for every hunt every day .
Who was there
What happen
Animals seen
Weather
Temps
Dinners
The works.

Write in a journal every morning and every night.

That is super cool that you've kept track for 40 years. I hope to be there one day!

[Geoffphrye123456]

I keep a daily hunting journal. Originally to try and figure out if the game were moving up or down due to date, moon, and weather. Now I use it to record weather, time I left camp and returned, and numbers of hunters seen, deer/elk seen, bucks/bulls seen, shots heard, game other than deer/elk seen, opportunities, and possibilities. As in a brief glimpse of a medium buck walking at 200 yds is a 1/4 of a scope, and a big one standing broadside at 100 yds is three full crosshairs in the journal. Running at 300 yds or more would not count as a possible opportunity. Shots taken, location and traveling direction of game targeted, time of shot, distance, rifle used and results.

 It's also where I write down names of people I meet, since I Can't Remember S, noteworthy interesting sign, and basic thoughts about lessons learned that day. Mostly the hard way. Having to look back at mistakes on the pages over the years helps reinforce what I learned.

It helps that I have a dining table in the trailer, and makes for a nice after dinner routine. I generally drink during the afternoon so don't usually hunt in the evening. Also keeps me searching for something memorable each day. Even as not related to hunting success or ideas. A tree that I have always used as a landmark had a squirrel sitting at it's base, or a hawk that screeched good morning. A patch of berries, the color of the grass, the mid-morning lull is never dull for me as I mentally revise my entry for the day. I filled the last page of my journal last year, and it will be tough to start a new one. So many great memories and heartbreaks in those leather bound pages. The new one is much larger, a gift from a friend that has passed on. Not an artist but I make a sketch of powerful moments to help me recall them later, and a basic image of any animal I kill, and even some I didn't even try to.  I also keep a salmon fishing/ boat maintenance log for saltwater but don't record river and lake trips.

This is awesome! LEGACY. HISTORY. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. HERITIAGE. MEMORIES. This could have been an APP or excel file.
But to see the passion you all take in recording the events of a hunting trip is truly inspiring and impressive.
I have hunted since 1977. I have three pictures. I'm sure my folks took pictures, not sure they got them all developed. Im sure they had some.... maybe lost in divorce, maybe lost to storage, maybe just lost. I have very little physical proof we were there... I tell stories at camp now. They usually start with "When Papa and I went....."

Those stories stop after me. I am going to start journaling my adventures! I will do my best to recount the fun times I had with my folks. But I do plan on focusing on my recent adventures with my kids and friends.