Submitted Photo Ask a dozen hunters or anglers what defines a good day in the field, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers. Photo from NDGF.

When someone tells me they shot a limit of pheasants, reeled in a 15-pound northern pike or missed the biggest buck they ever saw, I can’t help but picture my own moments – past hunts, good and not so good. It’s only natural. A reference point forms from my own outdoor success and failure.

But when that same conversation shifts to whether the outing was “successful” or if they were “satisfied,” the waters get a little murkier. My idea of success might be different from yours, and that’s entirely normal.

Ask a dozen hunters or anglers what defines a good day in the field, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers. For wildlife and fisheries managers, that’s one of the trickier parts of the job. Trying to match expectations with real-world possibilities. Words like “satisfied” or “happy” can be as subjective as describing what makes for a “nice” day. If you’re an ice angler, a warm November might have felt disappointing. If you prefer deer hunting in short sleeves, it was perfect.

That’s the balancing act as natural resource agencies strive to provide opportunities that appeal to a broad range of expectations. While it’s easy to count how many ducks were harvested or how many deer tags were filled, it’s harder to measure how people feel about their experiences.

Take the North Dakota deer season, for example. A typical year sees a hunter success rate around 55-60%. That still means over a third of hunters won’t notch their tag. And yet, some of those without a deer may describe their season as one of their best. Maybe they saw deer but chose to pass. Maybe they introduced a new hunter to the outdoors. Or maybe they simply enjoyed time spent in the stand watching the sun rise over the prairie.

On the flip side, some hunters who do fill their tag might still come away feeling disappointed for any number of reasons. That’s why success and satisfaction aren’t always the same thing.

It’s a little like going to a sporting event. If your only expectation is to not leave hungry, you might be fine with a hot dog and a shared seat in the bleachers. But if you’re after a steak dinner, private suite, and valet parking, your expectations – and potential for disappointment – look a lot different.

That’s why it’s tough to find a universal definition of a quality outdoor experience. But here in North Dakota, we’re fortunate to have enough room and wildlife diversity to give most people a fair shot at meeting their personal goals – whatever those might be.

As wildlife managers, we’ll continue working to maintain and improve those opportunities. We can’t guarantee success every time out, but we can do our best to offer the chance. At the end of the day, the measure of a good season is often less about what you bring home and more about the time spent getting there.