Why do you hunt
11-30-2006 | 04:48 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,794
Likes: 0
From: YewNork
RE: Why do you hunt
ORIGINAL: farmcntry
I get asked this question quite a bit. Usually it is a non-hunter asking this question. It’s a legitimate question now days. I mean truly we don’t need the meat. My entire family eats the meat of course, but we don’t need it. I don’t hunt to control the population in hopes that there are fewer automobile accidents involving deer each year. Some proclaim this. This question is a hard one to answer, especially when you’re talking to someone who doesn't hunt. So here is why I hunt. I hope I can capture a tenth of the emotion that this truly involves.
I picked out the perfect spot. I mean perfect. There was deer sign everywhere. I mean everywhere. I placed my stand perfectly. I mean perfectly. It was up against a tree that had vines all over it that would provide a good break up of my pattern. The stand was sixteen feet off the ground and the limbs and twigs of the neighboring trees covered me until about fourteen feet. It was awesome.
The opening day of bow season, I was there. Well before daybreak I sat ready and waiting. Well, I ended up waiting all day and finally called it a day when it passed legal shooting hours that night. I hunted this stand everyday during bow season and never did see a deer. Not even off in a distance. But being me and me being stubborn, I refused to give it up. I went everyday that I could, knowing that one day it would pay off. I mean it was perfect, right?
It was the opening day of muzzle loading season and guess where I was. Yep, back in the “perfect” stand. I sat there well before the woods came alive as I had done countless days before. Around lunch time I had to leave to get something to eat. I met up with some of the locals and chatted a bit. Got picked on a bit since it was black powder season and I was still carrying my “stick thrower” in the truck. Explaining the passion of bow hunting is almost as hard as answering the question, “Why do you hunt?”
I headed back to my stand around 1:00 P. M. and settled in for the rest of the day. It was around 6:00 P. M. when my heart stopped. I heard in the distance that awful, sweet, soothing, heart stopping sound of a deer coming in. My heart pounded so hard I actually saw stars. I knew it was coming, but had no idea what ‘it” was at this point. Then I saw the worst thing I could have seen at that time. A nice rack. Yep, it was awful. My heart was pounding so hard you could actually see my shirt moving. I thought I might as well be at the house right now because there is no way I could draw back. He was about fifty yards away when I saw his buck fever sized antlers. Thank goodness because if he was any closer, I would surely scare him away from me shaking the stand. There were a few times I had to remind myself to breathe.
It seemed like a lifetime before he moved again. He raised his head and evidently got a scent of the doe in estrous I put out when I returned from lunch. He was headed my way whether I was ready or not. His head was coming right for me and that did nothing but make my condition worse. He stopped about thirty five yards away and sensed something he didn’t like. And like a dream, he was gone. Gone. Just disappeared.
I frantically reached in my pocket for my grunt tube. I sounded off ever so quietly. Poof, he re-appeared! He did NOT like that at all. Then, he left again. I sounded off one more time and BAM! There he was and this time he was going to defend his territory. He came in about twenty yards away and raised his head to smell out the intruder. When he did he turned broadside to me. When he turned his head in the opposite direction I drew back. He never even looked back toward me. So I took aim and let it fly.
Where did he go? He was gone. Which way did he go? What just happened? I frantically tried to remember what happened just five seconds ago and could not. My heart, my poor old heart, I thought it was going to explode. I found myself shaking so badly I had to set the bow down and hold on to the rails. Did I make a good shot? I mean I could not replay the shot in my mind to save my life. How long had it been since the shot? I had no idea. I knew it was getting dark. I half way remembered it was pretty light out when I let it go. I decided the best thing to do was go see if I could find my arrow, then back out and let it go for another hour just to be safe. I climbed down and could not remember where he was standing when the events unfolded. What? How stupid can you be? I had to climb back up into the stand, get my bearings, and then climb back down. OK, he was right around here, somewhere. I couldn’t find anything. It was time to call for help. I went to my truck and called my father in law. I told him I either missed a moose or killed a monster. He laughed and said he’d be up there in about an hour or so. An hour? Man I won’t last that long!
OK, get your thoughts together. I decided to go back and see if I could find a hair, a spot of blood, my arrow, or anything. I went back to where I was before and there not two feet to the right of where I was searching was (at that time) the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My arrow covered in blood and a giant spot of blood! I did a little pre-victory dance and thought I’d just see how well the blood trail was. I was going to walk about twenty feet, and then go wait for my father in law, but the blood wouldn’t stop. It was the best trail ever. I just kept going and going. Then came the last test of my ticker for the night. There he lay. Probably not sixty yards from the sight of the shot.
It was the most awesome thing I had ever seen. I collapsed beside him and thanked God for this amazing gift. I trudged back up to the truck and waited for my father in law. He pulled up and said, “OK Bud, just calm down, we’ll do our best to find him.” I told him I already found him all we needed to do was go get him. We got him out of the woods and field dressed him. I brought him home for the pictures and all and showed him proudly to my family. The next day I had to go check the freezer to make sure it wasn’t all just a dream.
I said all that to say this. If you can’t understand the emotion of the story above, I can’t tell you why I hunt.
I get asked this question quite a bit. Usually it is a non-hunter asking this question. It’s a legitimate question now days. I mean truly we don’t need the meat. My entire family eats the meat of course, but we don’t need it. I don’t hunt to control the population in hopes that there are fewer automobile accidents involving deer each year. Some proclaim this. This question is a hard one to answer, especially when you’re talking to someone who doesn't hunt. So here is why I hunt. I hope I can capture a tenth of the emotion that this truly involves.
I picked out the perfect spot. I mean perfect. There was deer sign everywhere. I mean everywhere. I placed my stand perfectly. I mean perfectly. It was up against a tree that had vines all over it that would provide a good break up of my pattern. The stand was sixteen feet off the ground and the limbs and twigs of the neighboring trees covered me until about fourteen feet. It was awesome.
The opening day of bow season, I was there. Well before daybreak I sat ready and waiting. Well, I ended up waiting all day and finally called it a day when it passed legal shooting hours that night. I hunted this stand everyday during bow season and never did see a deer. Not even off in a distance. But being me and me being stubborn, I refused to give it up. I went everyday that I could, knowing that one day it would pay off. I mean it was perfect, right?
It was the opening day of muzzle loading season and guess where I was. Yep, back in the “perfect” stand. I sat there well before the woods came alive as I had done countless days before. Around lunch time I had to leave to get something to eat. I met up with some of the locals and chatted a bit. Got picked on a bit since it was black powder season and I was still carrying my “stick thrower” in the truck. Explaining the passion of bow hunting is almost as hard as answering the question, “Why do you hunt?”
I headed back to my stand around 1:00 P. M. and settled in for the rest of the day. It was around 6:00 P. M. when my heart stopped. I heard in the distance that awful, sweet, soothing, heart stopping sound of a deer coming in. My heart pounded so hard I actually saw stars. I knew it was coming, but had no idea what ‘it” was at this point. Then I saw the worst thing I could have seen at that time. A nice rack. Yep, it was awful. My heart was pounding so hard you could actually see my shirt moving. I thought I might as well be at the house right now because there is no way I could draw back. He was about fifty yards away when I saw his buck fever sized antlers. Thank goodness because if he was any closer, I would surely scare him away from me shaking the stand. There were a few times I had to remind myself to breathe.
It seemed like a lifetime before he moved again. He raised his head and evidently got a scent of the doe in estrous I put out when I returned from lunch. He was headed my way whether I was ready or not. His head was coming right for me and that did nothing but make my condition worse. He stopped about thirty five yards away and sensed something he didn’t like. And like a dream, he was gone. Gone. Just disappeared.
I frantically reached in my pocket for my grunt tube. I sounded off ever so quietly. Poof, he re-appeared! He did NOT like that at all. Then, he left again. I sounded off one more time and BAM! There he was and this time he was going to defend his territory. He came in about twenty yards away and raised his head to smell out the intruder. When he did he turned broadside to me. When he turned his head in the opposite direction I drew back. He never even looked back toward me. So I took aim and let it fly.
Where did he go? He was gone. Which way did he go? What just happened? I frantically tried to remember what happened just five seconds ago and could not. My heart, my poor old heart, I thought it was going to explode. I found myself shaking so badly I had to set the bow down and hold on to the rails. Did I make a good shot? I mean I could not replay the shot in my mind to save my life. How long had it been since the shot? I had no idea. I knew it was getting dark. I half way remembered it was pretty light out when I let it go. I decided the best thing to do was go see if I could find my arrow, then back out and let it go for another hour just to be safe. I climbed down and could not remember where he was standing when the events unfolded. What? How stupid can you be? I had to climb back up into the stand, get my bearings, and then climb back down. OK, he was right around here, somewhere. I couldn’t find anything. It was time to call for help. I went to my truck and called my father in law. I told him I either missed a moose or killed a monster. He laughed and said he’d be up there in about an hour or so. An hour? Man I won’t last that long!
OK, get your thoughts together. I decided to go back and see if I could find a hair, a spot of blood, my arrow, or anything. I went back to where I was before and there not two feet to the right of where I was searching was (at that time) the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My arrow covered in blood and a giant spot of blood! I did a little pre-victory dance and thought I’d just see how well the blood trail was. I was going to walk about twenty feet, and then go wait for my father in law, but the blood wouldn’t stop. It was the best trail ever. I just kept going and going. Then came the last test of my ticker for the night. There he lay. Probably not sixty yards from the sight of the shot.
It was the most awesome thing I had ever seen. I collapsed beside him and thanked God for this amazing gift. I trudged back up to the truck and waited for my father in law. He pulled up and said, “OK Bud, just calm down, we’ll do our best to find him.” I told him I already found him all we needed to do was go get him. We got him out of the woods and field dressed him. I brought him home for the pictures and all and showed him proudly to my family. The next day I had to go check the freezer to make sure it wasn’t all just a dream.
I said all that to say this. If you can’t understand the emotion of the story above, I can’t tell you why I hunt.
man i got to see a pic of thisdream deer!!!
got any?
11-30-2006 | 05:09 PM
#12
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 0
From: Plum Boro, PA
RE: Why do you hunt
It's just something I've always done. My dad never hunted, but I have since I was 12. I can't explain the origins of the "why". It's just something inside me and it's always been there. I hope it never goes away.
11-30-2006 | 07:20 PM
#13
Typical Buck
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
RE: Why do you hunt
Good question. For me it's:
Learning about what the deer are doing in my area of the woods and in the process learning a lot about nature and the forest I hunt.
Expanding my senses to sense all around me, not just the computer screen or task in front of me.
Seeing/hearing/feeling the woods come alive around me at dawn.
The magic of sensing an almost silent and almost invisible wary wild creature.
The thrill of trying to draw my bow without alerting the deer.
Releasing the arrow and simultaneously releasing my soul.
The beauty of life in the deer when it’s shot and my deepened respect for the life of the meat I eat.
Eating a healthy meat that lived its own wild life, free of hormones and whatnot.
Here’s bit of background that I posted some time ago, if you’re interested:
“My story is a bit different than the others here. To start off, no one in my family hunts. My dad shot squirrels, etc. when he was a kid during the Great Depression, but that was it. The second way my story is different is that I didn’t hunt anything with any weapon until I was 38 and I’ve never hunted with a gun and don’t plan to (except maybe for coyotes and other pesky varmits).
When I was a kid in Massachusetts, I spent a lot of time in the woods behind our house and loved it, but never hunted anything, aside from shooting squirrels with a BB gun to keep them off our birdfeeder. Then, when I started high school, I moved to the Texas Panhandle, which was a completely different scenario. I loved the woods and didn’t care much for the terrain, although it did have a kind of stark beauty. So I kind of lost touch with nature somewhat, although I always longed to go back and spend time in the woods. Not to hunt, just to spend time amongst the beauty of nature.
Then, in the early ‘90’s, I moved to the Washington DC area and worked with a guy from South Africa who bow hunted…even wrote some articles about bow hunting wild boar in South Africa. He also did some research on the deer population here in VA. He also wrote poetry, windsurfed and was in general was a pretty cool guy. When I saw the research he did on the deer population in VA (which they think is about twice what it was when Jamestown was settled in 1607!), and he explained the problems this caused with cars, farmers and the ecology in general, it kind of took away from the bad feelings I had about killing a beautiful animal. I was never against hunting, it was just that I had no desire to be involved directly in it. My South African friend moved away some years ago, before we ever hunted together, and I think is now teaching windsurfing in NC.
But several years ago, I had the good fortune of making another very good friend, who is now my best friend and hunting buddy. He and his wife live in a 200+ year old farm house on the Shenandoah River here in VA, where we stay when we go to the mountains. I met them through my wife, who is from the Altai Mountains in Siberia and who loves the outdoors, who used to work with his wife. He has been hunting here in VA for about 30 years and bow hunting for 25 years. Some of the land we hunt is the same land he hunted 25 years ago, when he was a teenager. He is a good and ethical hunter, a wise man, and a good and patient teacher. I am very fortunate. Because of him and his approach, and my love for the outdoors, and the beauty of Virginia, I have become a very passionate bowhunter. I live in Arlington, which is right across the river from Washington, DC. It’s a two hour drive for me to reach our land in the mountains, but I go out there every chance I get, whether bowhunting or just to be out in nature. And my appreciation for nature has grown amazingly since I took up bowhunting 2 years ago.”
(and sorry for the long post…I know I can be along-winded cuss!)
Learning about what the deer are doing in my area of the woods and in the process learning a lot about nature and the forest I hunt.
Expanding my senses to sense all around me, not just the computer screen or task in front of me.
Seeing/hearing/feeling the woods come alive around me at dawn.
The magic of sensing an almost silent and almost invisible wary wild creature.
The thrill of trying to draw my bow without alerting the deer.
Releasing the arrow and simultaneously releasing my soul.
The beauty of life in the deer when it’s shot and my deepened respect for the life of the meat I eat.
Eating a healthy meat that lived its own wild life, free of hormones and whatnot.
Here’s bit of background that I posted some time ago, if you’re interested:
“My story is a bit different than the others here. To start off, no one in my family hunts. My dad shot squirrels, etc. when he was a kid during the Great Depression, but that was it. The second way my story is different is that I didn’t hunt anything with any weapon until I was 38 and I’ve never hunted with a gun and don’t plan to (except maybe for coyotes and other pesky varmits).
When I was a kid in Massachusetts, I spent a lot of time in the woods behind our house and loved it, but never hunted anything, aside from shooting squirrels with a BB gun to keep them off our birdfeeder. Then, when I started high school, I moved to the Texas Panhandle, which was a completely different scenario. I loved the woods and didn’t care much for the terrain, although it did have a kind of stark beauty. So I kind of lost touch with nature somewhat, although I always longed to go back and spend time in the woods. Not to hunt, just to spend time amongst the beauty of nature.
Then, in the early ‘90’s, I moved to the Washington DC area and worked with a guy from South Africa who bow hunted…even wrote some articles about bow hunting wild boar in South Africa. He also did some research on the deer population here in VA. He also wrote poetry, windsurfed and was in general was a pretty cool guy. When I saw the research he did on the deer population in VA (which they think is about twice what it was when Jamestown was settled in 1607!), and he explained the problems this caused with cars, farmers and the ecology in general, it kind of took away from the bad feelings I had about killing a beautiful animal. I was never against hunting, it was just that I had no desire to be involved directly in it. My South African friend moved away some years ago, before we ever hunted together, and I think is now teaching windsurfing in NC.
But several years ago, I had the good fortune of making another very good friend, who is now my best friend and hunting buddy. He and his wife live in a 200+ year old farm house on the Shenandoah River here in VA, where we stay when we go to the mountains. I met them through my wife, who is from the Altai Mountains in Siberia and who loves the outdoors, who used to work with his wife. He has been hunting here in VA for about 30 years and bow hunting for 25 years. Some of the land we hunt is the same land he hunted 25 years ago, when he was a teenager. He is a good and ethical hunter, a wise man, and a good and patient teacher. I am very fortunate. Because of him and his approach, and my love for the outdoors, and the beauty of Virginia, I have become a very passionate bowhunter. I live in Arlington, which is right across the river from Washington, DC. It’s a two hour drive for me to reach our land in the mountains, but I go out there every chance I get, whether bowhunting or just to be out in nature. And my appreciation for nature has grown amazingly since I took up bowhunting 2 years ago.”
(and sorry for the long post…I know I can be along-winded cuss!)
12-01-2006 | 04:00 AM
#16
Site Buck Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,922
Likes: 0
From: Racine, Wisconsin
RE: Why do you hunt
It must have something to do with being outdoors experiencing nature, mostly when no one else is around. I get to see a lot of things that a lot of people won't. I am an animal lover, although I kill some once in a while, it allows me to learn about them.
12-01-2006 | 04:59 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 0
From: Western Iowa
RE: Why do you hunt
Well it started for me when I was a little boy. My brother and I wanted to start trapping because the 700 hogs we had when we were 11 just wasn't enough work for us. After a season of trapping dad said he didn't think we would stick with it so the next Christmas he bought us both a shotgun. WOW talk about excited kids, we ran outside in our pajamasin about three foot of snow and both shot our new shiny shotguns in the air. The same day he took us pheasant hunting where I actually killed my first quail. What a rush. The next deer season my dad hands us both a note about a week before to give to our teachers. It said that me and my brother would be gone for the whole next week for deer season. Yep a whole week off of school. No deer my first season but I made sure that the barrell didn't have any cobwebs in it.
So I guess the reason I hunt is because it was something that my dad wanted to do with his boys. My dad has aged now and can no longer hunt with me but every year I ask him if he wants to go. Same answer always, yes he wants to but his body doesn't. I tell him he can just sit and I will push the deer to him but that isn't how my dad likes to hunt and I have to respect that.
I guess what it all boils down too is that it started out as something I could do with my dad because we weren't really that close but have grown to be over the years. But now it is a passion of being one with my surroundings.
The best thing I ever did was starting bowhunting it is like nothing else in my life next too my family.
It's not the rush for me it is thinking back on all the past hunts with the people I hold dear in my life and the opportunity to be out there with nature.
So I guess the reason I hunt is because it was something that my dad wanted to do with his boys. My dad has aged now and can no longer hunt with me but every year I ask him if he wants to go. Same answer always, yes he wants to but his body doesn't. I tell him he can just sit and I will push the deer to him but that isn't how my dad likes to hunt and I have to respect that.
I guess what it all boils down too is that it started out as something I could do with my dad because we weren't really that close but have grown to be over the years. But now it is a passion of being one with my surroundings.
The best thing I ever did was starting bowhunting it is like nothing else in my life next too my family.
It's not the rush for me it is thinking back on all the past hunts with the people I hold dear in my life and the opportunity to be out there with nature.
12-01-2006 | 12:34 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 0
From: wisconsin
RE: Why do you hunt
Hunting is not only an adrenalyn rush to me.I get to see the woods come alive with mice,turkies,owls,etc.Every animal seems to know im there and they just dont care.They are bussy,and i am taking a break.The fox squirrels come up my tree and nubble on my boot every now and then,and all in all its kind of a humbeling expieriance,not a power trip.
12-01-2006 | 01:18 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 0
From: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
RE: Why do you hunt
Well, I've only lived on the planet 37 years and change, but I still haven't found anything close that matches the way bowhunting whitetails makes me feel. I love my kids, I love my wife and would give up hunting for them if need be, but I would have a hugevoid in my heart/soul if I couldnt hunt. It's a part of me and I hope to get to take part in hunting until I die. I love everything about it from the social side to the reclusive side, all the tactics and strategies, being outside, watching critters, scouting, shed huntin', patterning, trying to get a step ahead of an ole buck while I am two steps behind him...harvesting when the time comes and then trailing and field dressin and butchering to the dinner table..its never felt like work..