What Was Your Best Outdoor Experience Of 2019?

[HnkrCrash]

Best outdoor experience this year was having my first true “deer camp” weekend with my inlaws and their extended family. I’ve only ever hunted relatives’ land or my parent’s land near our cabin and having a large group to share everything with was so much more fun. I ended up not shooting a deer that weekend, but the parcel we hunted is/was littered with them and many were shot in our party.

The following weekend I shot probably the last deer ever out of a deerstand I built at my grandparent’s farm 23 years ago that is somehow still standing with mostly original lumber. Both my dad and I shot deer out of that stand this season, adding to the 30+ others shot out of it over the years. It’s been a phenomenal tool, but just too unsafe now and with the next generation coming up, we’re gonna tear it down and replace it with something enclosed to help the kids stay warm.

Due to family obligations, I hunted 6 days total this season for all species combined and in a way I had the most enjoyment I’ve had hunting in many years. Stress level was much lower, and I legitimately appreciated each time afield. My only real regret was not getting out on some late season goose hunts with one of my best friends which are by far my favorite hunts each season.

On the personal front, 2020 will be a year of education. I start working towards my MBA come summer semester and my wife is also planning on starting her Master’s in Personal Financial Planning in the fall. Company paid on both sides, so we’d be stupid not to take advantage. Gonna be a couple years of hell juggling everything, but will hopefully all be worth it. Also really need to finally start the side business I’ve been dreaming/scheming about for the past 5 years. I have pretty much everything I need to get rolling, but for whatever reason just haven’t jumped in yet. Probably not a huge money maker initially, but certainly could be over time if grown intentionally and organically. For now, it’d be cool to clear enough to cover our mortgage payment, even that would drastically change our financial trajectory for the future.

[Bullet21XD]

I can't really discuss one of my favorite outdoor experiences from this year...there's 2. One was a week of beating down giant Redfish in the Louisiana marshes this spring, and a duck hunt/bloodbath that involved killing at least one limit of ducks.

Overall though, this fall/winter was better than average for duck hunting. I hunted more than average, and killed more than average. The best part is I found new motivation to keep killing more ducks...and am already looking forward to a busy 2020/21 duck season covering many states, once again. The last several years, for some reason, I could never really get excited about duck season.

The skies don't dominate themselves!!

[JayRo]

2019 sucked.

I can’t imagine 2020 being worse but I also can’t even stand to invest the effort.

2020 will be year of effort so minimal I won’t even refer to it as hunting. It’ll just be coffee and donuts on the lake.


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If you bring some Cokes for me I will sit with you...…...…………….

[Drunk_Dynasty]

Although it was a small buck, it was cool killing a deer with my bow out of state and break it down and pack it out by myself. Good experience and good confidence booster for future western hunts.

Had a couple good days on the old public sloughs if MN, managed a few limits of birds, which is about all a guy with two dozen decoys and a canoe can ask for.

Spent a ton of time outdoors and my relationship with my gf was able to take the strain of me being gone every weekend since the end of September until today.

Overall fly fishing in North Idaho was the best outdoor experience.

Had a good year. Didn’t kill a shit ton of anything but I got out of the cities damn near every weekend. Now it’s time to weather the Big Sad of a long winter and hopefully shoot a coyote or two.



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[kwackkillncrew]

Slaying some salmon with my daughter and getting my minnesota buddies on some sea ducks were highlights of my year

[9manfan]

Being everything iced up early, busy at shop, my season was cut quite short, best hunt was a solo hunt on a Sunday morning, strong NW winds the dog and I oared out to the spot I like to hunt, thru out about 40 decoys and ended the day with 2 Greenheads, 1 Canvasback, 1 Gadwall,1 Hollywood, I ringer and 1 goose, love hunting solo once in awhile.......

[browningguy18]

I started a new tradition this year. For opening early goose season my daughter (5 years old), my father, my father in law, and pregnant wife joined me on a hunt. We only got 1 dumb single but it was so fun. It was nice to do this when the weather is warm. That is why opening early goose worked out. I thankfully found a spot a day before opener. I knew it wasn't going to be great, but there was enough traffic that made it entertaining. Hopefully this family affair can continue for years to come. Watching both grandpas sit in a blind with their granddaughter was pretty cool.

[hobbydog]

2019 was a odd one. Hunted the sharptail opener and saw more birds than I have seen in years. Shot cranes in the morning and sharpeis the rest of the day. Had a good week with lots of dead birds. My daughter got her first cranes and sharptail. Things were going great. Then on the duck opener the skies opened up and it started to rain......and it never stopped for a month. The river set all time fall flooding records and my cabin became part of the river. It didn't get wet inside but got close. October was a bust. I did allow me to hunt some pheasants this year. Hunted deer at a long time hunting partners who got a new cabin up by Cook. Got a decent buck in the first half hour out of an elevated heated stand. Kinda seemed like cheating when compared to what I was used to. I did get in a short but really good canoe trip to Manitoba's Whiteshell PP. Had great weather and some good ice out fishing.

2021..... I am going to do a big canoe trip in June....fly in and paddle out while exploring the northwestern portion of Woodland Caribou PP. Planning on 2-3 weeks so that will burn upa good chunk of vacation. This will be the last year I will have to ration out my my vacation. I have about 15 months until I retire, hoping for a buyout this summer. I could just pull the trigger in October too. Can't wait for that day to happen.

[randywatson]

Took my 6 and 4 year old gun hunting on opener. 4 year old tapped out at 830am. we had seen 30 plus deer already by then within 40 yrds....(I was waiting for one of the big guys) 10 am rolls around and my brother had shot 3 deer and so I told my 6 year old we will be getting down soon to go check out his uncles deer. 1005 a 2.5 yr old buck walks into the opening and my son goes " Oh DAD! You need to shoot this one!!" Mind you I have 4 other deer on camera that are over 150"....so I give the kid what he wants since he had watched me pass on 10 other younger bucks. 15 yrds I drop him doesnt move. My son screams with excitement. We walk back to the truck kid wont shut up about the experience, He states to me "Dad you are the best deer hunter EVER!!" Kids a genious

[cstemig]

Took my 6 and 4 year old gun hunting on opener. 4 year old tapped out at 830am. we had seen 30 plus deer already by then within 40 yrds....(I was waiting for one of the big guys) 10 am rolls around and my brother had shot 3 deer and so I told my 6 year old we will be getting down soon to go check out his uncles deer. 1005 a 2.5 yr old buck walks into the opening and my son goes " Oh DAD! You need to shoot this one!!" Mind you I have 4 other deer on camera that are over 150"....so I give the kid what he wants since he had watched me pass on 10 other younger bucks. 15 yrds I drop him doesnt move. My son screams with excitement. We walk back to the truck kid wont shut up about the experience, He states to me "Dad you are the best deer hunter EVER!!" Kids a genious

It don't get much better than that!! Thanks for sharing it.