I learned patience. Teaching my two sons how to be responsible & enjoy the outdoors has been very rewarding. Having 2 new young hunters, both fired up about hunting was fun ! I didn't even kill a deer this year, but it will be one of my most memorable deer seasons.

I learned never to let your wife shoot your favorite rifle.

Mine claimed my rifle and shotgun...consider your self still a head

I learned that....

I wish I had accepted the 9 years of invites to hunt in TX (Coke County) long ago instead of last year.

At 52 I can still get as excited as a kid at a new, challenging, rewarding outdoor sport.

My friend needed trailcameras badly since he doesn't scout much (We just bought 5)

6 Cajuns moving in to hunt 260 acres means deer are gone or skittish by the end of the week.

Go hunt the rut, instead of when the kids get Christmas break from LSU.

I am grateful that I have a great friend who owns his place, and feeds year round, mostly for his friends to hunt.

Walk to the blind, as scent free as you can be, instead of being delivered by a truck or gator.

Get away from blinds and feeders, and hunt heavy trail areas or I'll need a hell of a rabbit's foot to get a shot at a trophy buck.

The tough thing about Thanksgiving week 2012 is that it is still 9 months away!

As many hours as I've spent on many forums, and reading everything I can, and questioning all my friends who deer hunt, and the studying of "the ranch" on Google Earth.... I still have a ton to learn!

I go go on and on and on..

Fire is hell on the land right before opening day.
When you have that green apple two step you better have the toilet paper handy.
I can guide everybody to a deer except me.

That you don't have to spend thousands of dollars on a lease to hunt, find deer, have fun, and put some meat in the freezer.

That the older I get the more snacks and coffee I need.

I learned it is easy to pass the first 140 inch 4.5 YO 10pt... its the second one you see the next year after the first one didnt come back that is really hard to pass..

Sometimes maybe 4.5 is old enough.

Year after year of saying...they will be bigger next year...then never seeing them the next year, will make you doubt that saying

Well I learned last year that you need to hide your beer real good before leaving out to go hunt. Some people that pass by your camp are thirsty.

I learned that falling asleep is the signal for the deer to come out and start moving....

Wake up and there are 6 deer under the feeder.

I learned 3 outta 4 new guys on the lease are a PAIN IN THE BUTT !

If everyone else on the place is a pain, there is only one common denominator....

I realized that the serenity, peace, quiet, and beauty, is the best part of hunting. The sound of a few thousand grackles landing and taking off next to your stand is unreal. The sound of 30 or 40 Canadian geese flying low over your stand is beautiful. Watching a couple of weasels play is fun. It's all good.

That, hunting around Lake Palo Pinto with all the traffic, people who live around the lease and trespassers suck

Hunt Hard, it pays off

not to believe everything someone tells you about a new lease that you just joined..:(..hate liars

full moons screw up hunting, i only call in small bucks when I rattel, bringing my camera and my daughter is allot more fun than shooting a nice buck

Maybe I should go back to my old rule.
Never pass on anything opening day that I would kill the last day!

I learned that deer will duck an arrow @ 80yds every time

I learned I would be looking for a new lease this year! Anyone?

I learned that a trophy to me isn't nesecesarily a trophy to everyone, but it makes no difference to me, he is still a majestic animal from a special hunt in my book....