The Right Day

The best rule of thumb (and of hunting psychology) is that every day is as good as every other day. The first day is as good as the last; the last day is as good as the first--and every day in between is pretty much equal, full of opportunity and sometimes frustration. In some ways the last day of any hunt is one of the best, because we've had the entire hunt to understand the conditions, adjust our techniques and perhaps gain an appreciation of quality of game present. Also, on the last day there is no reclamation. If you get a chance, you'd better make it good. Against these advantages is the reality that, in most finite hunting areas, by the end of the hunt we may have tried most of the options and we've seen most of the country and some of the game. We may have spooked a lot of game we haven't seen, so odds don't necessarily improve as the hunt goes on.

I don't like hunts that go down to the last day, but not for the above reasons. I don't like them because there's too much pressure. It doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to when hunts turn out unsuccessful--that's part of the game--but on the last day I can't help but think about the story I can't write. So as the last day begins with thunderclouds on the horizon, and as the last day passes to the last afternoon, the storm of pressure rolls in.

I can't help this, even though I know it's silly. All we can do is plan our hunts well, then hunt as hard and as intelligently as we're able. That needs to be enough for satisfaction, because actual success, in terms of taking game, is dictated by forces beyond our control. Weather, game movement and just plain blind luck have an awful lot to do with whether we get to pop some caps. These things apply to each and every hunting day.

I don't like a hunt to end at the beginning either. Any hunt is an experience to be savored, and when success comes in the first day or two, well, the potential memories have been cheated. Also, from my own standpoint it's the very devil to write the kind of story I like to write when a hunt effectively ends on the first day. However, I can't control that. The desert sheep hunt I wrote about not too long ago ended much too early. After I drew the tag I cleared my calendar, and I was ready, willing and able to go the distance. I was even looking forward to it. It wasn't to be. It was about the third day when we saw a ram that only an idiot--or a much better man than I--would pass. It never occurred to me that I shouldn't take him.

In general it is probably a mistake to pass up a really nice animal that fits all (or most) of your criteria, regardless of what day it is. Certainly, there is risk involved. You might see a better one, or you may not. Of course, once you spot an animal you can always go back and find him again, right? Sure, and I've got a bridge to sell you. You know how it goes: "Well, he's nice, but it's early in the hunt. Let's see what we can find, and we can always come back and look for this one." Once in a while it happens, but we are very limited in our ability to stockpile game animals. Chances are a good trophy seen once will not be seen again. We all go into hunts with expectations and standards (hopefully realistic). I wouldn't suggest compromising those standards early in the hunt, not at all, but on whatever day you see such an animal, well, Mother Nature has smiled. If you decide to keep looking it's sort of like kicking sand in her face. She is very likely to retaliate.