Stage 4 for sure!!!! I have never seen that before but man I can see where I went through every stage in my lifetime as a hunter starting out back in 1975!!! Walt

I don't really fit any of them to be honest. I would say the closest one to me is #5, but I started out that way so the having killed many deer thing doesn't really apply. Keep in mind though that I didn't start hunting deer until I was in my 30's and I started with a bow, then progressed to muzzle loader and shotgun.

I have never been interested in killing a large number of deer. One or maybe two a season is plenty for me. And I don't consider myself a trophy hunter either. I have standards, but they are not real high to be honest. And usually they are based on what the owners of the land want me to shoot or how the others around me hunt. I have no desire to kill a record buck or get one mounted. I do keep most of the racks but really haven't done anything with them yet. They are just sort of personal mementos I guess. Not that I wouldn't shoot a world class buck if it walked out in front of me though. But I'm just as happy with a nice a seven point as well. I don't much care what others think about how I hunt or what I shoot.

I'll be honest and say hunting isn't a huge passion with me, just something I was introduced to late in life and I enjoy it. My life isn't about hunting. I actually enjoy the technical aspect of it more than actually sitting in the stand. I love to shoot, both guns and my bow and love to scout and study things. Don't get me wrong though, killing deer is important to me. If I didn't actually want to kill anything I would just get a nice camera instead of dragging a gun or a bow out there with me.

Paul

Stage one for me. This is my third year hunting and I haven't killed anything yet and from previous seasons I can say that if ANY deer got within range I would try to take a shot.

4.75 All I need now is my own land.

1. The Shooter Stage: This is when the hunter begins. They need to have some success and be able to have a level of accomplishment.Done it.


2. The Limiting Out Stage: From stage one most hunters progress to this stage. In stage two the hunter's goal is to harvest as many animals as is legally possible.Done it.


3. The Trophy Stage: In this stage the hunter has enough knowledge of his quarry that he begins to exhibit selectivity in his hunt. Bigger antlers and a keen knowledge of stewarding the whitetail resource begin to take center stage in the deer hunter's life at this point.Done it.


4. The Method Stage: By the time a hunter reaches Stage 4 he is beginning to mellow out. With many autumns under his belt he begins to become more interested in how he hunts. Understanding deer behavior also becomes paramount during this stage.Done it and still doing it.


5. The Sportsman Stage: By the time a hunter hits this stage he truly knows who he is. He knows deer behavior, has killed many deer, has probably become involved in the preservation of hunting and makes a conscious effort to see that hunting is passed on to the next generation. This is also the stage when many deer hunters become involved as managers of their own deer hunting properties. I've often viewed this stage as the reflective stage.Done it and still doing it.

I practice stages 4 and 5 all the time. Anyone can reach stages 2-5 if they really want to. It all really depends on how serious you want to be about your deer hunting. Its all up to the individual being there is no wrong stage of deer hunting as long as your happy with what you do and shoot.

Gotta love ya some Paul man, he shoots straight doesn't he??? Love it!!!!

I;m solidly in stage three and like magicman said i don't think will ever stop hunting big deer butI will take on steps 4 and 5 as well.

stage 4 for me i think

Great post and makes you idenitfy yoiurself and where you want to be!

Stage 4 1/2

After re reading it I will say I'm more inbetween 4 and 5 because I have no interest in managing a herd and I don't own my own land. But I am interested in getting others into the sport be it archery in the back yard or hunting bunnies on the weekends.

Thanks VA, I sort of pride myself on that.

Paul