[quote=tropicon;3447955]So, now to the question itself: What makes a great hunter? simple, one with dedication. one that dedicates spending time in the woods scouting for the best area to set up a stand. one that dedicates time to shooting making sure that he puts the best possible shot on his animal when that moment of truth comes. however there are always variables. i know some of the best hunters around that strugle to kill a deer every year and they spen more time working at it than anyone i know simply cause of where they have to hunt. but one of the biggest....is the one WHO RESPECTS THE SPORT, AND THE ANIMAL!
Does it involve skill, technique, instinct? hunting involves all of these. skill, must be able to navigate the woods in the dark, must be able to walk softly, be as quiet as possible, shooting, stand set up...all crucial and things that must be learned. technique, that is the major one, especially in bow hunting, as they have to hold the bow the same way everytime, look down the sight the same way everytime, find the same anchor point everytime, but is also very important to gun hunters as well. instinct, absoultly! however just cause you think you dont have the instinct doesnt mean you cant learn to get it. you must have an idea on where the deer are going to be coming from and where they will be heading toward based upon the surounding landscape and area, and all that changes based on time of day, season, weather, and other variables.
Does it matter by region, religion, or politics? yes. region is the biggest. i mean you arent guna hunt wolf in texas. so region is a huge factor. region effects season length, bag limit, and things of that nature. religion...not me directly, but for some it may...better question for someone other than me. and politics are a huge factor...or could become one. they do currently effect, season length, gun prices, shell prices, tag prices. they could effect so much more if they try to put even more restrictive laws on guns and ammunition.
Is there a sort of ranking system among professional hunters? there is in my deer camp.. but its simple...the one who has hunted the longest, the one who never seems to miss and has the most in woods knowlege to pass down to everyone else.
How are hunting valued in your life? hunting is valued highly in my life. hunting is alot more than just murderers that kill inocent animals. for me it has a much deeper meaning than alot of ppl. ever could guess. but each hunter has there very own reason for hunting.
Does equipment matter? YES! however not in the way most would think. equipment matters, as to how it matches up with them. for example i shoot a 139 dollor shotgun for deer. i have killed 9 deer with that shotgun. i have tried other shotguns while sighting in my gun, and i just always seem to shoot better with that cheap shotgun than i do with any of the more expensive guns. obviously if you are hunting in a place such as colorado you are guna need some good binoculers. its all about having the right equipment for your area. and about making sure that you are very comftroble with your equipment


this place is one of the best places to recieve information no matter what the question related to hunting. the one thing i just always say to add a deminsion to remember. deer vehicle collisions are at an all time high, deer are the most addaptable animals, thus the reason they are the united states most hunted big game animal. they are all across the united states. if we stop hunting them, imagine how many more deer car accidents there will be. last year alone illinois killed over one hundred thousand deer in there 3 day shotgun season. imagine having that many more deer running around the streets...imagine half of them having at least one or 2 babies. there is already a disease called CWD, (cronic wasteing disease) the cause is over population. hunting is more than a hobby...but also catches more flack than abortion.