# Anyone use a hunting or fishing log?



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I'm curious to hear from anyone who keeps a log or journal of their hunting and fishing?

If so, what do you keep track of?


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

I used to keep track of my expenses but I quit because I was afraid my wife would find my book  I really didn't want to know either.

I have not kept one for a couple of years but what i do now is put clear plastic overlays on the plots book and us a magic marker to mark the date, time, location, GPS if I remember to bring it, and amount of game harvested, shot size and who I was hunting with. I always forget to write down the weather conditions.

Bob


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

My girlfriend actually just surprised me the other day with a log that she put together herself, she's good that way. 

She put everything from season opener and closer dates with application deadlines to photos of the season, scouting trips, and dog training. It has weekly planner with calendar, gps log, landowner info, weather info, plots and plats book pockets in the binder and a lot more that I can't think of right now.

I usually keep an informal log, but I always kick myself when I don't right something down.

I can't wait to use it. It's fun to look back at past years notes.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

Last year my dad and brother and I talked about starting one but we never did. I havn't researched it but I would think if some one put some kind of a log/journal I'm sure outdoorsmen would buy it.

Sounds like a good project for Chris to sell on NoDak Outdoors.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

I've kept track of various things over the years. Time of year, who was with on the trip, temp, wind, baraometer, etc. What was harvested and any interesting stories that happened.


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## Lance Pardee (Oct 28, 2004)

I've been using both for the last couple of years. It really surprised me on how much better I did since having them. The fishing log has helped me more than the hunting one but they both have helped some.


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

I actually started my hunting log last waterfowl season.
I keep track of:
Season open
Hunters present
Weather
Location
Crop type
What the birds did and how I rated the hunting experience
Sex and species of all birds shot.(Obviously with geese this is a little more difficult)

I have created maps of my own of all the land that I hunt(which is all of our stuff). I have overlayed grids on top and note the exact location of decoy setups.

My wife called me anal retentive, but oh well.

This spring I also started a fishing log for Devils Lake and all of its tributaries. I hope it will assist me in later years for time of year and what lures to use. Which bridges to fish and when and that sort of stuff.
In the journal I include:
Date 
weather
Fishermen present
Location(again I made maps of bridges and favorite fishing spots and my wife again calls me anal retentive)
Fishing conditions
Method of fishing used
What was caught
What was released
What was cleaned

I also include some photos in each, ever since I gave my wiffe that digital camera for x-mas I get a lot of good pictures :lol:

Any suggestions as to what else I should include would be appreciated. i am always willing to listen to constructive critisism.

cootkiller


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Where, When, Weather, What used, What caught, Who with, Presenation, wildlife sightings, water flow, etc. etc.

The big ones tho are:
Weather and Water and What was caught!


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

for fishing:

1. Weather Conditions
2. Time of Day/Year
3. Location(which gps coodinate)
4. Presentation(Lure)
5. Water Clarity/Temperature
6. Speed if trolling and any extras that come with trolling...pumping of rod, slacking line etc.
7. Depth(On DL depth can change yearly  )

Not Everything is the same, but its all useful somewhere during the year.


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## Lance Pardee (Oct 28, 2004)

Here is a great fishing log that I am using this year. *http://www.catch-n.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1599* It has every thing you could ask for. I use a simular one for hunting. Day, weather, wind, location. You can put any thing in you want to.


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

I started a hunting log in 2003 it is a great tool to use for the next season.

I kept track of pretty much everything each day I hunted. I kept track of wind direction, temp, precip., how many deer I saw and their patterns for that day and conditions. I also record all the bucks taken in my hunting area that I know of. And record any unique genetics such a drop tines long brow tines ect. I also record big buck sightings from other hunters and the area it was seen. I also record the number of does with fawns and figure the buck doe ratio trough the info I gather.

After keeping the log in 2003 I was amazed at all the little things I woud have normally not have thought of. I just pulled out my log from this year and I am really looking forward to next year .


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

That looks nice but has anyone put one together in say a MS Word, WordPerfect or other type format where you could keep it yourself and enter the data electronically (maybe MS Access or the like) into fields?


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Hey Bob, sorry I accidentally edited part of yours by mistake. :lost:

One is in the making here and is why I'm looking for info. I'd like to get it done right the first time.

Good stuff guys, keep it coming!



Springer said:


> Sounds like a good project for Chris to sell on NoDak Outdoors.


Are you sure you don't know me?


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

No problem. However, I cannot see what if anything was deleted. But I did make a couple of small edits!


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

I have a hunting and fishing journal. I have records of all of the ducks and Geese I have shot in my twenty three years. 
For fishing I have a more detailed journal, including weather, depth, bait etc. 
I believe that writing stuff done helps you to remember the adventure. 8)


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## oatsboy (Mar 29, 2005)

30 yrs worth of family bow camp 4 members down from org.6 Notebooks full of all important data.
date
time 
conditions
who where
whats seen 
shots 
trail stories 
deer taken
all seemed so important when we told our stories and loged them;but when we read them we dont care about any of it because we relive it in our minds from stands.what is important is the inside jokes,the refrences of gimmicks brought to camp,and yes subtle mention of the trips to town. Logs need the ability to be personalized.IMO. :beer:


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

I started keeping one a couple years ago when I realized how many things I didn't remember from hunting with my Dad while I was growing up. I include date, weather, location, people and what we got. Of course, any humorous stories too.


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

Chris,
I have kept a log for about 10 years now for hunting and fishing.

For fishing I keep track of:
Date, time
Temp.
Barometric pressure
water temp.
water levels (falling or rising)
Water clarity
Moon 
Wind
Water depth 
Fish depth (if they are suspended fish)
Lure color 
Boat pressure
Fishing application (jigging, cranks, etc.)
Size of fish
Number of fish
I also do other notes like if I am fishing a cold front. If the fish a negitive or being very agrisive. 
I use a lot of the same things for hunting too.


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## stevepike (Sep 14, 2002)

I did an Access database for my dad for tracking fishing a couple years ago shortly after he retired. Tracked what most everyone has mentioned minus GPS coordinates.

It still had some work to be done with the reporting aspects and such. I always thought it would be fun to look at statistics like "If I fish with Steve, we usually catch 38.7% more fish than when I fish with Chris ;-)"


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## Flick (Aug 21, 2002)

I've kept a journal of every single time I've gone hunting or fishing since the fall of 96, when I was 12, I usually try to write the weather and pretty much whatever went on, what baits were hot-or not, or where we shot a bunch of birds. It's fun lookin back at it, it gives you ideas of what to do and where to go sometimes. It's funny I cant remember half the hunts or fishing trips off the top of my head but as soon as I go back and read that journal I can picture it like I'm there, its pretty fun. It will really be cool when I get older, I'll have a stack of notebooks by then!


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

So Chris in your spare time :lol: are you putting together a journal also?


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Springer said:


> So Chris in your spare time :lol: are you putting together a journal also?


It's coming.  I've got tons of new projects/software coming out this year, and it's 2nd on the list.

I'm hoping by the fall.


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## englishpointer (May 16, 2005)

Chris is this something you are making or is it something that is just something you want done??? I think you know were i am heading with this.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

You've got a pm.


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## Osprey (Jul 6, 2004)

I've been keeping hunting logs since I started high school, on my fifth book now. First two were bought, designed hunting logs that I got as gifts, but now I just by good lined record books, about 250 pages each. Keep track of when, who, dogs, weather, weapon, # and species bagged, what we saw and anything of note that happened.

Two things stand out in them, though. The details run together, but the good stories stand out. Last few years lots of my buddies make guest entries in the logs - all of which will make you laugh and some will make you pee your pants! - and that's been a lot of fun.

Most important is that I've learned to carry a small camera whenever I go, just to get snapshots for the log book. The pics make it and are the best part.

When guys come to go hunting with me the FIRST thing they always do is pull out the old log books and go through them and look at the pictures. Pretty cool way to start a day/night in hunting camp. :beer:


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

Chris did you ever complete a journal?

I bought one from Sierra and it was just a glorified Day Runner not really anything else or a place to put pics or any thing else. It just had some pictures of people and the animals that they shot. Kevin.


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## Ramsey (Apr 11, 2004)

I keep one for retreivers and jot down notes and details seperately in a day timer.


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

One of my hunting buddies does it. Well not necessarly a log, but a spreadsheet tally of how many Birds were shot on that day, how many guys went out that day and a total of the bird for the season


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Chris et al,

Did anything get put together for people interested in keeping a journal/log of their waterfowling experiences???

I am looking to finally start one after 28 years of waterfowling and want one that will be PC based. I can probably do it and am too frugal (cheap) to spend an arm and a leg to buy one (there is one out there for around $25, which seems pretty stiff for a simple database application) but would love to see what is out there.

After all, it has only been 28 years for me and anther year pending here... :wink:


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I have been talking about keeping a journal for a few years now. I wish I had kept one because it seems that we ALWAYS have something funny/unsual/cool/great/etc.. happen.

My dad isn't old, but I know I will want to read our hunting stories when he isn't around anymore :beer:


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

I keep one for bowhunting. I'll record annual opening morning hunts, but not all hunts. I'll add in if foggy, full moons, wind directions, and velocity, ground cover, apples in trees or on ground, acorns, corn in or still standing, obviously what I spotted and their behavior and or if I shot, what time I got to stand, did I bump some deer walking in and what time, when I left the house and when I set the alarm for, where my stands are and on which land. Fun to look back on.


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## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

Chris, there was a printer in the town I grew up in who was an avid waterfowler. They are no longer in business, but made several types of journals that were really well thought out. The duck/goose hunting journal is really well set up. Give me your mailing address and I'll tear out a page and send it to you. I've kept my journal since 1980.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

I made a word document that I keep a fishing log with, I have also modified it for Hunting and Ice Fishing.

If you are interested in the fishing log, you can find my jpg version at http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/njsimonson/AJ.jpg


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## Fossilman (Mar 12, 2006)

I keep a hunting and fishing journal-had it since 2001......


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