The value of Confidence

[Stick]

I was reading the scent control post and had this thought. It was much broader in my opinion than scent control.
I think what we all do is attached to what gives us confidence in the field. From scent to hunting equipment to what we eat etc.. What you do needs to bring YOU a sense of confidence in obtaining your goal. Where I think many mess up is when confidence becomes arrogance you are no longer willing to learn. Wether you are a hunter, trapper, fisherman or whatever to be continually successful I think you must always be willing to allow Mother Nature and others to teach you. That being said we all tend to do what brings us the most confidence.
That's what makes these threads so interesting is listening to different opinions on what we have CONFIDENCE in!
I don't want to be arrogant much better to have humble confidence. One reason I like this whole forum so well.

[Roosiebull]

I agree with every word, very well said.

I was thinking along similar lines reading a different thread. I thought it was so cool how many successful hunters there are, and the vast differences in approach, theories, ideas, and concepts....yet in the end, the results can be so similar.

I think being confident in what you are doing, keeps us having a good attitude, and keeps us motivated and positive. being hard headed and a little dumb helps too, at least for me

[N2mywake]

I agree with this. I also make my scent control/prep a way to extend my experience and anticipation of the hunt by doing all the prep work I do.

[>>>---WW---->]

Confidence? Let me put it this way. If I wasn't absolutely 100% sure (confident) that I would have an elk encounter every time I went hunting, I wouldn't waste my time going in the first place. Regardless of your style of hunting, If you lack confidence, you'll never reach that elite 10% successful hunter status.

[Swede]

I agree with what has been said here. I am a tiny bit different. I have no confidence in those stupid elk doing what I want them to. I have confidence in myself. I don't know nearly everything, but enough to get the job done when opportunity arrives. I know enough to make opportunity happen. Confidence and love of hunting will keep me out hunting when others are long gone. When conditions change dramatically from what I expected, I can lose confidence. Then it is just old Swede stubbornness that won't let me throw in the towel. Sometimes stubbornness pays too.

[Lefty]

I think being confident in what you are doing, keeps us having a good attitude, and keeps us motivated and positive. ,,,,

I dont expect to kill a bull everyday,.. but I do plan to kill a bull every day

[Heartwood]

What Swede said about stubbornness is true for me also and I suspect this is a trait of many of us Elk hunters. Confidence is a main ingredient in success in calling game for sure. Confidence that the sound that you want will come out when you call. Confidence that you have chosen to say the right thing in a given situation. Confidence allows a caller to put emotion into the call which makes the sound much more effective. When I first studied the Elknut system, I was surprised at how much calling was employed in some situations (what some call overcalling). Also, I was astounded by the range of sounds used and most of all the emotion put into the calls. Needless to say, it works!

[Beendare]

Two things for me; 1) confidence in my equipment. I got into all that in my "thoughts on an elk arrow" in the gear section of this forum .

2) The other is understanding animal behavior, knowing the animal you're hunting

[TimeOnTarget]

Looking back at my limited elk hunting experiences, I can account every elk Ive killed with being confident....................Or dumb

[TimeOnTarget]

I agree with what has been said here. I am a tiny bit different. I have no confidence in those stupid elk doing what I want them to. I have confidence in myself. I don't know nearly everything, but enough to get the job done when opportunity arrives. I know enough to make opportunity happen. Confidence and love of hunting will keep me out hunting when others are long gone. When conditions change dramatically from what I expected, I can lose confidence. Then it is just old Swede stubbornness that won't let me throw in the towel. Sometimes stubbornness pays too.

I can relate to this.

I refuse to accept that i will not kill an elk and hunt hard, sun up to sundown everyday that im hunting. Granted i've got maybe 2 weeks tops of per elk trip. So I go balls out to get the job done while I'm there. I can sleep and recover when i get back home.

[Stick]

The Camo that isn't big bucks thread is exactly what I was talking about in this one!

[Indian Summer]

I was reading the scent control post and had this thought. It was much broader in my opinion than scent control.
I think what we all do is attached to what gives us confidence in the field. From scent to hunting equipment to what we eat etc.. What you do needs to bring YOU a sense of confidence in obtaining your goal. Where I think many mess up is when confidence becomes arrogance you are no longer willing to learn. Wether you are a hunter, trapper, fisherman or whatever to be continually successful I think you must always be willing to allow Mother Nature and others to teach you. That being said we all tend to do what brings us the most confidence.
That's what makes these threads so interesting is listening to different opinions on what we have CONFIDENCE in!
I don't want to be arrogant much better to have humble confidence. One reason I like this whole forum so well.

Stick my man that is a brilliant post! I wish I'd said that. Every single word is on the money. There is absolutely no question that confidence is my main ingredient to killing elk. I'm 5 foot 6, 200 pounds or so, and half deaf. Yes I know my areas well but so do my partners who are all younger and in better shape than me. Still I manage to connect more often than them.

It's not a matter of walking around saying to yourself "I just know I'm going to kill one today". That would be a bit unrealistic. Arrogant even as you mentioned. In a way it's the opposite meaning I never let my spirits get down and think "This is impossible" or even "Things aren't looking to good". I've told many many clients as I tried to coach them into persevering for an entire hunt "Elk don't know if it is the first day of your hunt or the last". THAT is the key. I think it's safe to say everyone is confident on days 1 and 2. But to be able to walk out of camp on the last day or two still thinking today could be the day is in my mind what puts hunters in that 10% who are consistent.

The other thing you nailed is the fact that all of the things we do from getting in shape to buying the latest bow, camo, or gadget might help but in my mind the big benefit to all of that is it gives us confidence. Period! If you hunt with confidence you feel better physically and mentally. You think clearer and make better decisions. Hunters that lack confidence are more likely to take the path of least resistance instead of taking the plunge into hell holes or up another hill and another and another. For that reason they aren't even in the "elk zone"!!! Hunters with confidence smile and look at the rough areas as a challenge for which they may be rewarded. It really is a whole other mentality. I cannot imagine trying to kill elk without the confidence to keep your chin up from start to finish.

The other thing worth mentioning is that I prefer not to hunt with people who lack confidence. They can drag you down. I want a partner who is thinking like me. It makes for fun evenings in camp instead of a quiet atmosphere that doesn't rejuvenate my spirits after a long elkless day. It also helps when we talk about that days events and come up with plans for the next day. Planning with confidence is also different than planning without it.

Confidence..... pass it on!

[saddlesore]

I have killed some nice elk when before hand I thought there wasn't a snowballs chance in hell of even finding and elk in that local.However, I have confidence in myself and hunting abilities that IF there are elk in the area, I will kill one.

People ask me how I kill an elk every year.I always tell them that I stumble around until If ind a stupid one. There must be a lot of stupid elk where I hunt

[Beendare]

Confidence is developed through knowledge, experience and practice.

In relation to all hunts the Tuning and Practice on 3D shooting all summer gives me confidence. By the end of summer if i'm drilling every 3D target at 40 and under- i'm golden! My practice routine is designed to help me succeed in the field...so when i'm shooting well in those practice sessions...i'm good to go.

When it comes to elk hunting...probably the #1 factor for me is understanding elk behavior. It helps that I've done it for 3 decades+....but there are some great programs out there to help a relatively new guy.

The second thing besides shooting 3D for me is my bow arrow system. I know I have good arrow flight and its a penetrating monster...and what it can and cannot do at different angles. I've practiced at these angles before the season so I don't have to think at crunch time [should I or shouldn't I shoot]...i only have to concentrate on the shot [which i feel is important] I don't have to divert my concentration for anything equipment related like looking at my mech BH to make sure the blades are not deployed....or any of that crap...... and I know every arrow shoots perfect [no assumptions] as I've tested every one before I hunt with it. That is the wrong time to find out the arrow had a spine issue and wasn't grouping with your other arrows...only way to be 100% sure- confident- is to shoot them. sure its a small thing...but I feel they add up.

[ElkNut1]

Saddlesore, that's my strategy as well, don't fix it if it ain't broke! (grin)

ElkNut1

[cohunter]

I'm confident that I'll be outsmarted, winded, busted and beat time and time again! To me that challenge is more than half the fun. If it ever comes to the point that I know I'm going to be harvesting an elk, then something's going to have to change... a new area, a new weapon (tradgear?) - something. It's all about the challenge! Well, not ALL about the challenge but sometimes that is the one constant of the trip.

[Swede]

To me that challenge is more than half the fun.

I have not thought about it quite that way, but it is right. If I just wanted a deer or elk, I could go to a game farm. Certainly there are doe and cow hunts that are near slam dunks. I could choose to be taken out to shoot a buffalo, or I could just go to a butcher shop and "harvest" a critter. Some of these alternatives are actually cheaper by far.