OK guys this might be long.

OK i started hunting in KY 5 years ago This Nov 18th. I started gun hunting.
I started because i loved deer meat. I was not a hunter as a kid did not own a gun till i was 18.
I bow hunted two season at 13 with no deer.
I was one of those guys that bought a gun some scents and drove around till i found a area to hunt.

I did not scout much at all. I hunted 6 times then stopped that year.

My second year i scouted some public land. I counted 20 guys hunting the area and saw two deer both down one on a guys truck leaving and one being drugged out.
I got a bow that chrisms. Thank god!!!!!!

I skipped my third year due to moving to late in the year.
Last year i scouted alot then got on some private land.
Most of you know how this years as gone so i will skip it.

Now my first year i would not have called my self a hunter. I was a guy in the woods with a gun. In fact opening day i drove over to a house i was remodeling and saw 10 deer in a field right before shooting light.
I passed on the shot it was 10 minutes short of legal shooting time.

I did not see another deer that year.

Now to my question. When do you become a hunter and stop being a guy in the woods trying to kill something.
Is it when you try and learn as much about your area or the deer before you hunt. Is it when you make that first kill. Or is it just when you walk in the woods the first time. As the guy trying to kill something

I am self taught. I do not know anyone well that hunts. The only people that have taught me about hunting is all you guys on here.
It has been hard but well worth it. I have wondered a few times if i can stand another year with out a deer. What worries me most is knowing i will need to spend another 2000 or so on hunting stuff between a climber and muzzle loader and other stuffnext season. Not sure if i can if i get no deer. But unlike every year before i have not said i am done if i do not kill one. Mostly because i know i will not stop and because i do not want to throw away the 1500 bucks i spent this year on stuff.

Are you a hunter even if youhave not killed a deer.

Yes. Now...one might question how GOOD you are at it...but I say any man who plays golf is a golfer.

Never. They're the same thing. My goal everytime I go to the woods is to kill a deer. Oh I have great times without killing.... but my mission is to put blood on the ground. I've killed a lot and hope to kill some more. Some people get all wrapped up in this touchy touchy feel good stuff about "it's not the kill"..... but really it is. If we're not trying to kill something why carry a bow or a gun. Grab a camera and become a yuppy. Some are more proficient than others. That's the way it is. We all get enjoyment from the hunts no matter our level of success. We're hunters trying to kill. Anything else could be said to be gravy or icing on the cake.

I remember years ago wondering around the hills without real purpose. My buddy and I called us and others like us wondering souls. Walking up and down logging roads, hoping to see something. Rarely did. Then slowly, started honing in on places. Started picking up deer patterns. Then started some success. Then year after year, we started hunted sign, and heavy thickets. Things started really picking up. Now, we hunt the rut religously, and I only hunt active sign. It seems to be working for me.

I now go into bass pro, and see all these young guys buying up every gadget known to man, the latest whiz bang broadhead. 100's of pounds of bait. Latest scents and it reminds me of those younger days when I wasn't so successful. Its not your gear that gets deer mostly, its the fundamentals. Hunt active buck sign and search for it intelligently. In other words, in your search for active sign, don't run your hunting woods over doing it.

You were a hunter the second you put that gun in your hands and went into the woods......... Your day will come bud, don't lose the faith! When that day comes I don't think there will be anyone here more ecstatic and happy for you than me.

This reminds me of almost the exact same question that I asked my buddies about music. You see I've been tinkering with the guitar for some years now but was never real serious about it. Self taught over the years with no other musicians in the family (much like your hunting situation) Well within the last few years I've been getting more serious about it, I joined a bandand have played a few gigs. It'sjust three acoustic/electric guitar players me included but the other two are veryaccomplished musicians and know far more about music and playing the guitar than I will probably ever know. After our very first show we were all sitting around and me feeling very inferior with my playing style asked the same question......"At what point can I say I'm a musician"? Fully expecting to hear things in the nature of "hey give it some time" or "Get a couple more gigs under your belt" etc.. Instead I was told what I told you...I was told "The second you picked up that guitar and played your first chord....you were a musician".

We'vegot a gig this Saturday night as a matter of fact.

Keep the faith bud........

John I've picked up my Martin a lot over the last few weeks. Glad to hear you're having fun.

After you have gone through what I went through this year . Im now a hunter again. It took time to find myself this year.

In the eyes of the state, a hunter is simply someone who is legally licensed to hunt... regardless of whether they take to the field or not.

In my mind, what separates a hunter from just someone trying to kill stuff is when you have a deer dead to rights and you elect to let it go. In my mind its one of the finer points of grace... knowing when to leave one go.

your a hunter on your way to becoming an addict!!! like most of us on this forum. I tought myself all the way too. My dad started me when i was young, 4th grade and left me to my own devices after that. I developed over the years, and by 10th grade i got my first deer, and it was with my bow. I actually am responsiable for getting my dad back into hunting, for to many years his career kept him out of the woods. A hunter goes into the woods and hunts a hunting addict is someone who lives to hunt and does everything he can year round to get himself ready for when he can actually hunt. Sounds to me like your on your way to becoming an addict.

AMEN David!!!!!!Perfectly said!!!