RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

I agree with huntingson, a great hunter kills animals. Anybody ever heard of a great hunter that didn't get anything?

To me, a great hunter consistantly kills animals that are the best in his or her hunting areas. He will also shoot does and try to keep the herd in balance. I also don't believe that passing on the sport to future generations is part of what makes a great hunter. That comes from being a great sportsman and a great person. I know a couple of great hunters that are almost complete hermits. They don't pass anything on to anybody, but they are still great hunters. Again, a great hunter is one who consistantly takes the best animals in their spot, where others fail in the same spots. One who stands above the rest.

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

A great hunter is someone who knows there good but doesn't need to compare knowlege, equipmentor killsto fluffthere ego. A great hunter respects the sport and thanks god for his kill. A great hunter offers suggestions but doesn't get bent out of shape because someone disagrees with him. A great hunter enters the woods an hour before daylight, stays till dark, doesn't kill a deer and enjoys it just as muchas he would haveif he had taken the next world record. Everyone is so quick to talk about the number of deer they've killed or how big they are, who cares. I would like to kill a big deer, I'll work to do that, I will learn while trying to do that. If I don't who cares?, If I do, who cares? My children will be in the woods with me this year whille I'm trying to accomplish my goals, do you think I'll get one? Probably not, but guess what? I'll be with my children spending time with them and doing something I love to do. Years ago I used shoot 3D tournements and there was tons of pencil pushing ego throwing butt holes there. I let them ruin the sport of bow hunting and tournement shooting for me. Now I realize it's everywhere and I'm the bigger person for not being like that. Never again will childish people ruin my joys in life. Repect each other, nature and look out for the next generation. Hats off to lax dad for a great post.

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

I have to agree with you Greg and huntingson. Well said.

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

What makes a great hunter? .. in my own opinion..

A great hunter has dedication beyond those around him. He is successful not because he hunts great land, great state, or even kills with great regularity. He is great because he does not give up or give in. He continues to strive for a goal.. gets it... then continues to the next goal without blinking an eye. Constantly raising his own "bar" and excelerating to the next level.

He does not make excuses for what his land lacks. He makes results by hunting harder and smarter. Great hunters are made by their great accomplishments. Great hunters work harder than us all and make things happen. They pursue those great lands.. sometimes they get them... and sometimes they don't... but a great hunter does not give up.

I've learned one very important lesson in my life... to be great at whatever you do you must work at it. And work harder and smarter than those around you. Turn off the t.v. and the football game and get in the woods. Find the good land and work for the permission. Then work hard for the animal (whatever the size).

The great hunters don't give excuses.. eventually they give results. That is what makes a great hunter.

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

Thank you, it was a good read. There've been some great posts and I think that there are many respondents that I'd enjoy hunting with and like always a couple that would be interesting but I wouldn't seek out.

The answer for everyone is the same. Each of us defines the greatest bowhunter, because the goals and motives that drive each of us are different. There is a follow on story to,"my walk in the mountains" and for those interested in why this old man is my nomination for the greatest bowhunter read on.

After hooking up and walking for a while the man with the deer on his head asked, "why the gun and the bow? I replied that I was trying to cover my bases because I wasn't confident in the big woods. If I got one close enough I'd take it with the bow if not, I'd use the rifle. He then offered that he preferred bow hunting but he needed winter meat. He then asked if I fly fished. I said yes and tied my own flies. He walked on and then said, in context, "if you want to be successful with the bow you have to commit to it, if you need meat take the rifle". He then asked if I could find and identify natural salt licks in the big woods. I said no and then he proceeded to tell me how. After a short quiet period he asked me how fast I moved while hunting. I replied, "one step forward, look around, count to three and take another step. He replied, "too fast. Take a step, search out as far as you can see in a 360* arc and then in to your feet, close your eyes, do it from your feet out to the limits then take another step". He then asked how I used the wind. Like allknowledgable hunters I said I kept it in my face. To which he replied, "no good! If you're moving at the right pace you will never catch up to a deer browsing in front of you. Hunt crosswind, that way a deer moving faster than you will have a chance to catch upand if you're moving at the right pace you'll have a chance to see him before he sees you". This ongoing tutorial lasted the entire three hour walk. The time flew and I was wishing it could go on and on. Finally I screwed up enough courage to ask him if I could go out with him some time. He gave me his name and phone # and told me to call him in early March and he'd take me out scouting for the upcoming season.

I called in March but he had passed just after Christmas. I had learned more from him in three hours than is possible to imagine. I often wonder what other lore he could have passed on to that 17 year old kid. Obviously, my own personal definition of a great bowhunter.......

I apologize forthe long boring post but I have been thinking of him lately..

laxdad

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

Well said and I couldn't agree more...

laxdad

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

Well I'll probably never be declared a great hunter. Why, because I really don't care if I am. I don't hunt for anyones acolades or kudos. I don't hunt for a "BOOK" buck. I don't measure them. I don't compare them. I shoot a lot of them, but I don't do it for any of the above reasons. I hunt for me. I do what gives me joy and pleasure. I do what is just my thing. I do it for the pure fun and enjoyment. The problem with hunting today is there are just too many people telling everyone else what they should and shouldn't do. I chose not to do that. It's suppose to be fun. I shoot some, I let some walk. I don't do any of it for anyone else. I'll never make it.

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

like il coyotesaid hunt public or private land? i think it is a lot harder to hunt public land thats maybe 10 acres and kill a doe than kill a small buck on that 400 acres of food plots and hard woods but if the hunter kills a monster any were it's skill. education,ethic, and sportsmans ship and the will not to give up!

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

and respects

RE: What defines a great bowhunter??
 

Sounds great to me............to many others I'm sure it doesn't......that is why there is no way to really answer this question. It's impossible to compare hunters from different towns........let alone states or regions. Every plot of land is different and many places don't even hunt in a similar manner........I mean, how do you compare someone sitting in a stand in the east with somone stalking the open plains out west? How do you compare people who hunt someplace like Florida with someone on the corn belt?? How do you even begin to equate hunting with 900,000 other hunters in the woods with places that have less then 20% of that pressure?? Some states have long gun seasons and some have short ones......some have VERY long bow seasons and some have just a few weeks. Some states have multiple buck tags and some can't even shoot certain bucks or have to tag a doe first. These and MANY more variables pretty much make any comparisons besides microanalysis meaningless.

Not even mentioning that everyone seems to be guilty of tunnel vision here and discussing whitetails only.........the question was bowhunter not deerhunter (funny how often people believe those are the same thing).

I also didn't see any mention of traditional gear.............now combine the two and it confounds things exponentially. Can we really compare someone who kills a grizzly bear face to face with traditional gear with a guy who kills a deer from 25 feet up a tree??

Land is ALWAYS the common denominator of success/"greatness"

In 2001 Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida entered a total of 4 bucks into P+Y (1 each)..........Now contrast that with the 791 that were entered by hunters in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin (which had 358 alone) and it doesn't take long to figure out what the most important ingredient for success is........it would be quite foolish to believe their are no "great" bowhunters in the 4 states with 1 each........and even more absurd to think that coincidentally the vast majority of "great" hunters just happen to live in the midwest along the corn belt.


Unless you have had success in MANY different environments, taking MANY different animals with traditional gear part of that equation...........it would be hard to apply the label of "great bowhunter" IMO.