Hunting/Waterfowl Journals?

[Headhunter]

Does anyone know where one could get a nice pocket journal geard towards hunting? Even more specific, waterfowl hunting? I would like to find a nice leather bound journal perhaps checkbook size or paper back bood size that had pre-printed things like date, location, weather, temp, wind,...ect.

Right now I use a spreadsheet and it would be nice to have this in my blind bag.

Thanks,

Jim

[Daffyblaster]

Hey , Jimbo, how about a custom made one? I happen to do leather work and made lots of journal covers in the past. If you were to say list all the stuff you would want on each page I could maybe do one up for ya.

Or you could check on ebay. I saw a guy listing the exact thing last week.

[Headhunter]

Gil.

That would be awsome! It would have way more meaning to me if a hunting buddy made it! Kind of like the laynard you made me last year!

I need to think a bit about what I want to track. I am thinking of having some of the basics so I could just fill in the blanks and then just add the colorful stuff in a general note section.

Location, date, time, who with, temp, wind direction/speed, skies,

What else should I track?

Gil, that would be killer!

Jimbo

[Daffyblaster]

No problem, man! I love making stuff that I know people will use. The paper part is easy as computers can make it, the cover is easy for me to do and well, I already have leather. Just lemme know what you want on the pages and how many you want.

[waterfowlin101]

A note on waterfowl journals:

I've kept a detailed log of all of my waterfowl hunts for the last 4 or 5 years. I included date, location, and what species of ducks we shot.

As I look back, it's a great statistical journal, but has no feeling, emotion, or essence of the hunt.

So this year I have a plan. My wife uses this program for work where she can call up a phone number and talk for up to three minutes. Within 24 hours, an e-mail is sent to her consisting of exactly what she said into the phone. Her program is set up for several phone numbers and my cell phone is one of them.

So on my way home from each hunt...I make a phone call and recall the memories of the day. I won't have to type at all, and it will take next to no time at all, and on top of it...I will end up with a hunting journal with feeling, emotion, and written just the way I would have told it.



Jon

[Swamp Puppy]

that's pretty cool Jon.

Jim, may i suggest barometric readings for the days hunt...recording what the pressure is, and if it was falling or rising is very handy information.

i won't post it for all the lurkers to see...but we have a favorite barometric situation that we really like to see. we usually develop eye trouble when it happens...in that we just can't see going to work. lol.

[MarshBum]

One other suggestion, if it applies to where you hunt ... is the tides. What tide stage were you in, what was the max flood, and low ebb.

Geoff

[Capin' Dan]

Whew, I was loading Ed!

[Swamp Puppy]

lol..you didn't think i was giving that one away...did ya.

[duckboy]

Ifish is my waterfowl Journal.. Print off the pages and photos after you are done and file em away in the album.

[Headhunter]

Jon, That is pretty cool! Geoff, tides are a must...thanks for the reminder!

Ed, For the barometric pressure readings, do you have a portable barometer like on you watch or something? How do you take a reading in the field?

Other things I track that I forgot were blind type/description or boat type/description. Over all blind/boat rating and overall hunt rating. Does anyone else have any other data they collect to help them learn or remember the hunt?

Thanks to all,

Jim

[Swamp Puppy]

Jim, just the weather report for the day...morning or evening depending on when you hunt.. is good enough. it doesn't really have to be an up to the minute thing.

[Meister Jaeger]

Jimbo - don't forget to list the pooch that does yer fetchin'!

[duckboy]

And the tide swing.

[MarshBum]

Jim,

One thing I would add to this discussion is that the more you try to include in each day's report, the greater the risk you won't do it. I can imagine, and have witnessed, the information "needs" being great enough as to be a barrier to actually getting the notes taken.

Also, there's the issue of separating the "noise" from the "signal". If you collect reams of data, but aren't sure which data are really important, and thus have no good way to digest the data, the whole endeavour was for not.

I do keep a journal. Somewhat detailed, and I know where I shot what type of birds (including sex), who I hunted with, and what the day was like. I keep notes on general weather conditions.

Anyway, just more food for thought.

Geoff

[duckboy]

Oh here is a good thing to include. Ask your friends what their favorite part of the whole experience was.

You'll be suprised how many might say "The black coffee and the boatride in the dark"

or some say "Seeing the dog in its true element"

Or some even might say "Getting to see my buddies do what they live to and love to do"

oOne of the greatest days afield (to me) was that day I got out with Duckbrother Zacharia and DB John. That day where we nearly lost it on the river (2 dogs, too much gear, and water that was CRAZY BIG) It is by the grace of god, and my dumb luck and reliable motor that we made it out alive.



I guess we were all so happy just to have survived.

I remember pulling into the gas station, John and Zach had gone into the store for coffee, and I was adding fuel to the old boat "Stealthbomber sled".

My buddy John came up and stuck out his hand for a handshake, and with a big smile said "I'm really glad I met you Todd"

That made me feel pretty good. That moment out on the big water with the dogs and my buddies, albeit a very scary moment, and one we'd not want to repeat, was pretty cool.
And the friendships that those moments of intensity help to forge are what it is all about.

That is the kind of stuff that goes in the journal.