>>1893180Sometimes you're just going to come home cold, wet, muddy, covered in scratches, and miserable, with no deer to show for it. And it still beats a day at work. Some years I go five or six weeks in a row and don't even see any sign of deer/pig/audad/turkey, and other times I pop two or three critters in the same day. Success, even when few and far between, makes the experience worthwhile.
12) Prepare to get philosophical. Out in nature, away from your smartphone, tv, etc., forcing yourself to sit still and be as quiet as possible for hours on end, you have nothing to keep your mind entertained except itself. Your mind is going to go to some very interesting places. Just relax and let it wander, follow the train of thought to wherever it leads. Even a cold, miserable day of hunting can still be a relaxing, therapeutic experience if you approach it the right way. Sitting in a deer blind lets you really get to know yourself in a way most people these days never do.
13) tell more than one person where you're going and what time you intend to be back; if you fall and break your leg, get shot by some idiot, gored by a deer that wasn't quite dead, have a heart attack, or get anally probed by aliens, having someone send help can literally save your life.
Have fun, study up, practice your aim, and stay safe.
