why do you hunt?
 

Two parts to this:
1) why do you hunt? And
2) why do you hunt with a muzzleloader, especially if you hunt exclusively with one?

It gets me out of the house . I prefer venison over beef
Less people in the woods.

1) I dislike venison and donate the meat.
2) I hunt with a centerfire during rifle season and Muzzleloader during blackpowder season.

I hunt because I must. I guess it's a DNA thing, like looking at cleavage.

I hunt with muzzleloaders because I find them more pleasing than other options, just as some cleavage is more pleasing than others.

Two parts to this:
1) why do you hunt?
2) why do you hunt with a muzzleloader, especially if you hunt exclusively with one?

1- I started hunting because it is a way a life where I grew up. I continue to hunt because it's the greatest escape from the every day pressure I face in the corporate environment. No other activity gives me the degree of solitude and peace.

2- I gave up centerfires about 15 years ago. For me, it was due to the lack of challenge. I reloaded for years but that really just delayed my venture into muzzleloading full time. There's just something about making that one shot count and knowing that you have more limited range and flexibility vs a centerfire.

You'd have to be out of your mind to try and follow that answer

I like venison and i only need one shot. Availability of brass is one less thing to concern me.

I hunted because of family tradition. I also loved it. Why I can't
All my hunting Land is gone and my hunting Partners are to crippled to go as am I

Cheaper than drinking and smoking....

Someday I'll give up both of those....

It was a way of life were I grow up no work just hunt.
I like the challenge of one shoot and I just like being in the woods its so peaceful even if I don't shoot a deer. what age is your second child hood.

Why do I hunt... well I guess the easy answer is, I grew up hunting and it always seemed like the thing to do. It put fresh mean on the table and was a change from beef and pork. I do like to hunt but admit, if there is no game in the area, I will not mind sleeping in either.

Why I hunt with a muzzle loader is kind of strange. I hunted with center fire rifles for many years. I shot and practiced with them just as I do with muzzleloaders. And where I used to hunt with friends, there were lots of deer. And then deer hunting lost some of its charm for me. I went to my stand and usually with in two hours, a deer came into range and my hunting was over.

Then I met a person who later began a best friend. He hunted with muzzleloaders. And got me shooting them. And the bug hit, I purchased my first rifle. I hunted deer that year and it was really fun to have to work close to the animals. As my effective range with the open sights was about 75 yards. But I still hunted hard and got my deer.

The more I hunted with the muzzleloader the more I enjoyed the challenge. No more 500 yard shots. No more shoot and if you miss the next one was on its way. It made me a better hunter to have a black powder gun. And as my collection grew so did the animals I pursued. Like John mentioned, now with age, and injuries, I find it harder and harder to hunt. And so I decided target shooting was a fine way to enjoy my sport and collection.

Nuff said nchawkeye, and said well.

Hawkeye it's 2014. :p

WHAT!!! When did that happen?

Well, the kids love me, wanna get their attention and teach them a little history??? :)

There are several people in my neck of the woods that think like you do. Personally I have no use for that type of mentality. Yes, it's honorable that you donate the meat, but by the same token, you're out there killing deer that another hunter would be happy to take and utilize for him(or her)self. If you don't like venison... don't deer hunt. Leave the deer for those of us that enjoy hunting and enjoy using it as a supplement to our meat staples. My wife and I usually have 6-8 deer tags between us and we kill 2, maybe 3 deer a season because we never take more than we can use over a year's time.

There's nothing wrong with donating meat to organizations that help feed the hungry... but to just go out and shoot deer in the name of "helping the hungry" doesn't garner ANY respect as far as I'm concerned.... it just makes you look like someone that enjoys killing deer to feed your own ego.

BPS

That's pretty strong BPS. But I see where you're coming from.

My thinking is I have no problem with someone shooting a deer and donating the meat to others so long as that's what's happening - the meat is well cared for and fully harvested.

What ticks me off is those who shoot a deer and pull the backstraps, leaving everything else in the field.

Nice NCHawkeye! :D

I hunt because I grew up hunting, and just enjoy the time away from the day to day stresses of life, and the solitude it brings just being out there. I could care less if I kill anything, and in fact that is my least favorite part....though I am fortunate enough to fill the freezer each year. I enjoy the camaraderie and memories most, and especially seeing/helping others get a deer - and especially younger hunters.

I do still hunt with a CF, and a bow...but at this point in my life I prefer the ML most and honestly I'm not totally sure why. I used to find myself bowhunting during rifle season, now I use the ML most.

I started out ML hunting about 25yrs ago because it gave me an addl 2 weeks late season to hunt in VA, and a week in WV. About 20yrs ago, they moved the 2 week ML season in VA early (before rifle) and nixed the late season and just kept rifle open for 2mos straight instead of only 2 weeks. (too many deer in our area). I still love the 1 week late ML season in WV, alot of fun that time of year... and very low pressure.

So now, I guess I just enjoy the tinkering of it I guess, and the thought that I have to make that one shot count. Its a little more of a challenge I guess. I think I'm more addicted to ML's and ML hunting than I was to bowhunting before, and I was heavy into that.

Please realize, by your logic, there are a lot of people that should quit hunting. Myself included. My family is unable to eat red meat due to health issues. Others I know simply just do not like the taste. Hunters for the hungry in Iowa produce over 1 million meals a year. Think of the impact if those people who "feeds their ego" quit killing deer.

Additionally, there are a larger than you realize portion of hunters who do not eat the meat. Think about if all of those sportsmen stopped buying licenses and hunting gear. That's a huge impact to our sport and way of life.

I see what you're saying but I'm not sure you fully vetted out what you're asking people to do.

I have no problem with someone that hunts for the enjoyment and then does not eat what they hunt. The main thing is, as long as the meat is not wasted. When I was a kid, we had a neighbor that loved to go fishing. He was an excellent fisherman. BUT refused to eat a single fish. There was some reason why, but I never learned it. Just.. don't eat fish. Well let me tell you, we always appreciated a large catch of bluegill or a bass or two. Same as hunting. If its something you enjoy, then do it. Yet, be concerned enough that what you harvest does not go to waste. No problem at all.

I agree with Dave, I never analyzed why I enjoy hunting and fishing I just do it helps that I like eating them also and when I get one more than I need they go to a fellow hunter that has had poor luck or the hungry. There is a quote in the bible about those who help the those in need and those who won't.

1) Several reasons, but at its most basic, it (and fishing) is one of the few things I can completely do by myself that is enjoyable and rewarding.

2) Originally got into BP solely for the extended season in VA that normally coincides with the rut. Now I do it almost exclusively. I like the one shot/one kill mentality. Still occasionally use my dad's .308, but if I could use only one rifle all the time, it would be my Omega X7

And regarding the "ego" argument, I don't buy it. Maybe if the deer were scarce but in my neck of the woods they're not. Rarely do I get my allotted 6 per season, but I do fill my freezer and give the rest to friends or the Va Hunters for the Hungry organization which I view as a very worthy cause. I have quite a bit of skepticism for most that claim they hunt solely for the meat as there are usually cheaper ways to put food on the table. Face it, we all have a little bit of ego involved with our hunting choices.

Because I prefer wild over domestic.

I've always donated half the meat to the local mission. The poor need to eat too.

The challenge.
The enjoyment of being in the wild.
Reduce the meat bill.
Better quality of meat.

For those of you who don't eat venison and still want to help feed the hungry, go to the supermarket and buy a couple boxes of canned goods. Donate that and leave the deer herd alone.

Kind of a selfish attitude. You'd rather give the poor a can of beans instead of fresh meat, so you can have more deer to kill?

Yea Muley... That's all it's about.

BPS

One of the many great things about our country is the freedom we posses. We have the freedom to choose how we support our fellow man. The freedom to spend time in great outdoors. The freedom to spend our money on deer tags if we see fit.

As long as all are done within the law, our fellow sportsman should support us. There are enough people in this country trying to stop hunters, we don't need our fellow hunters helping them.

I hunt because I like deer meat and I also donate to Hunters Feeding the Hungry. I dispise people who buy a bunch of doe tags in PA with no intention of filling them :)

I hunt because it is my nature to be a hunter, enough said!

I agree with bps, deer are regulated by the state if 1000 deer are tagged and given away to the homeless that's 1000 less tags for people who want them to get. say your in a state that you can take 3 deer and the deer to the homeless break the cap and the next year you can only take 2....that be a kick in the pants lol.....its the same with fish it don't make since to give away a regulated animal......its not about if you a good person or not

i hunt because its exciting when i see a deer in the treestand i get all pumped up lol blackpowder because its a challenge

FYI... I apply for 2 doe tags each for my wife and I. I used to get 3 for myself, not because I have any intention of filling those tags but because when PA instituted their management program, they broke the county where I live into three units, whereas I used to be able to hunt my entire county wherever I chose to fill my doe tag. Now the same areas I traditionally hunted are under different management units and I have to have a doe tag for each if I choose to hunt there.

Not to mention that for every tag I buy, that's one less for the flatlanders....so despise that!

BPS

For the record, Black powdersmoke I agree with you. Killing game just to give it away has not a thing to do with hunting, but rather looking for an excuse to kill.

That's funny. Someone from PA calling someone else a flatlander. :p

Try to remember what you wrote.

I think you should have begun your 2nd sentence with the following two words...... "Concerning some,"

Certainly not all of us. I love to help feed the homeless, abandoned......etc....etc.

If someone buys a license and a tag they have every right to do as they choose with the meat. I myself just hope it's not wasted.