How do you rate yourself?
08-21-2002, 07:05 AM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
How do you rate yourself?
I know that I come to this board because there is a wealth of information at my fingertips. I like to help the newbies and get some tips from the pros. I'm fairly confident in the knowledge I have, but not so much that I'm too proud to take advice from others. I just wondered how everyone else feels about their own expertise. To make things easier, use the following general rating system and then add details about yourself.
Pro- You and your bow work together as a well oiled machine. Your arrows fly as if computer tuned with razor sharp precision and rarely miss their mark. Your equipment has been gone over and tuned like a piano before a big concert at Carnegie Hall. You walk into the woods and can almost instinctively find sign and if you do not take what is a trophy for your area every season, you consider it a failure.
Expert-Your bow is well tuned and you hit the mark just about every time. You have every confidence that your gear will perform flawlessly as long as you do the same. You know the woods you hunt like the back of your hand and feel that you will have an opportunity for a shot at a deer each time you go on stand.
Above Average-Your bow is tuned, but could use some micro tuning. You shoot very well and your gear follows your lead. You have scouted out your area and have a lot of good stand sites picked out and know that your favorites are likely to produce action.
Hunter-You sight your bow in and put on your broadheads then make the adjustments needed to get your gear ready for hunting. You have excellent woodmanship and this is exemplified by your ability to get within range to take deer with a bow. You are not an expert archer, but an excellent hunter.
Novice-You are new to the sport of archery/bowhunting and are soaking up as much as you can. You practice religiously with your gear in preparation for the hunt. You know the woods and trails that you will hunt and eagerly anticipate the upcoming season. (Note: you don't have to be a first year hunter to be a novice. I would say I was a novice my first 3 seasons of bowhunting.)
Woodsman-Your archery skills are adequate for hunting. You practice to make sure you can cleanly take game and have no interest in making a 60 yard shot on a bullseye. You know your hunting spots like you know your own home. You could practically name the deer you hunt and WILL have plent of meat in the freezer come this winter.
Weekend Warrior-You'll pull your bow out of the garage right around now or even in the coming weekends. You'll shoot it to make sure that everything still works. Come opening day you'll be sitting in the same old trusty stand that you've taken deer from for years, but you haven't seen since last hunting season.
I only listed positive attributes for each rating because I want everyone to be honest and there is no shame in any of these. We are all BOWHUNTERS and that is why we are all on this forum and that in itself brings us together. With that being said I would consider myself Above Average right now and working to become an Expert. Be honest this is just for fun.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Pro- You and your bow work together as a well oiled machine. Your arrows fly as if computer tuned with razor sharp precision and rarely miss their mark. Your equipment has been gone over and tuned like a piano before a big concert at Carnegie Hall. You walk into the woods and can almost instinctively find sign and if you do not take what is a trophy for your area every season, you consider it a failure.
Expert-Your bow is well tuned and you hit the mark just about every time. You have every confidence that your gear will perform flawlessly as long as you do the same. You know the woods you hunt like the back of your hand and feel that you will have an opportunity for a shot at a deer each time you go on stand.
Above Average-Your bow is tuned, but could use some micro tuning. You shoot very well and your gear follows your lead. You have scouted out your area and have a lot of good stand sites picked out and know that your favorites are likely to produce action.
Hunter-You sight your bow in and put on your broadheads then make the adjustments needed to get your gear ready for hunting. You have excellent woodmanship and this is exemplified by your ability to get within range to take deer with a bow. You are not an expert archer, but an excellent hunter.
Novice-You are new to the sport of archery/bowhunting and are soaking up as much as you can. You practice religiously with your gear in preparation for the hunt. You know the woods and trails that you will hunt and eagerly anticipate the upcoming season. (Note: you don't have to be a first year hunter to be a novice. I would say I was a novice my first 3 seasons of bowhunting.)
Woodsman-Your archery skills are adequate for hunting. You practice to make sure you can cleanly take game and have no interest in making a 60 yard shot on a bullseye. You know your hunting spots like you know your own home. You could practically name the deer you hunt and WILL have plent of meat in the freezer come this winter.
Weekend Warrior-You'll pull your bow out of the garage right around now or even in the coming weekends. You'll shoot it to make sure that everything still works. Come opening day you'll be sitting in the same old trusty stand that you've taken deer from for years, but you haven't seen since last hunting season.
I only listed positive attributes for each rating because I want everyone to be honest and there is no shame in any of these. We are all BOWHUNTERS and that is why we are all on this forum and that in itself brings us together. With that being said I would consider myself Above Average right now and working to become an Expert. Be honest this is just for fun.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
08-21-2002, 07:13 AM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: How do you rate yourself?
You missed my category.
Ol' Fart: Made a stop off at Pro level for some years (except I never considered not getting a deer a failure as long as I LEARNED something), but now it's great just to be able to get out and totter around in the woods.
Ol' Fart: Made a stop off at Pro level for some years (except I never considered not getting a deer a failure as long as I LEARNED something), but now it's great just to be able to get out and totter around in the woods.
08-21-2002, 07:23 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: How do you rate yourself?
Arthur, actually a category like what you said crossed my mind (I wasn't going to call it Ol' Fart) but I didn't want anyone to get offended and think I was incinuating they were past their prime. Thanks for sticking that in there.
08-21-2002, 10:15 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Freehold NJ USA
Posts: 219
RE: How do you rate yourself?
I feel as if I've definitely dropped a few categories now that I have recently taken up Bowhunting (2nd year) and it has definitely become my passion over gunning (12yrs). I have to say that I am only a "Novice" and this is primarily due to lack of time in the sport, not attitude and passion. I do however eagerly await my eventual rise in status.
"Measure twice, shoot once <img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle> "
"Measure twice, shoot once <img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle> "
08-21-2002, 10:31 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Oakland City Indiana USA
Posts: 524
RE: How do you rate yourself?
In hunting terms- doing my best fighting the slobs on public land with no access to good private land. I must spend too much time shooting and not enough beating the bushes for permission. I have to capitalize on my oppurtunities which are few. Success went up tremendously since I began bowhunting. (I hate to put a label on me or my abilities and scoring period is a success for me).
My feelings about myself as an archer- I refer to myself as a student of archery and take something from everyone here and you'll rarely catch me argueing a point; I still have so much to learn and everyones opinion is valid to me. I am coming along nicely and am fitting right in on the local 3D circuit and having a blast. Actually, the time of my life. I hate to sound like I'm bragging but I can shoot with the big boys, and I'm still actually a begginner with a way to go. I owe much of that to places like this (this being my main one) and people like you. My technical understanding is far above average IMO, as is about everyone's here; for the most part. I'm very passionate about it ya see<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
What a great bunch of guys. And I love sitting back and watching the pissing matches (everyone's opinion is valid ya know). Archers are just that way I've found, FTMP.
-Chief
Edited by - ChiefHeadhunter on 08/21/2002 11:41:44
My feelings about myself as an archer- I refer to myself as a student of archery and take something from everyone here and you'll rarely catch me argueing a point; I still have so much to learn and everyones opinion is valid to me. I am coming along nicely and am fitting right in on the local 3D circuit and having a blast. Actually, the time of my life. I hate to sound like I'm bragging but I can shoot with the big boys, and I'm still actually a begginner with a way to go. I owe much of that to places like this (this being my main one) and people like you. My technical understanding is far above average IMO, as is about everyone's here; for the most part. I'm very passionate about it ya see<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
What a great bunch of guys. And I love sitting back and watching the pissing matches (everyone's opinion is valid ya know). Archers are just that way I've found, FTMP.
-Chief
Edited by - ChiefHeadhunter on 08/21/2002 11:41:44
08-21-2002, 10:42 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Logan Ia USA
Posts: 678
RE: How do you rate yourself?
This could be a loaded topic if my wife gets on here. I would consider myself in the above-average catagory by your hunting rankings. Still have alot to learn although I have been hunting for a long time and bow hunting for 5 years. I rank higher in the hunting area than the bow part of it.
" I do not hunt to kill,but rather kill to have hunted"(quote)
" I do not hunt to kill,but rather kill to have hunted"(quote)
08-21-2002, 10:46 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,413
RE: How do you rate yourself?
Archery knowledge, shooting ability and hunting ability can be so completely unreleated that I wouldn't know where to begin.
How 'bout, aspiring to be better at them all, practicing a lot but making only minor progress. Trying to learn more all the time, but my memory is fighting it all the way. And a better hunter in my own mind, than I probably really am.<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>
How 'bout, aspiring to be better at them all, practicing a lot but making only minor progress. Trying to learn more all the time, but my memory is fighting it all the way. And a better hunter in my own mind, than I probably really am.<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>
08-21-2002, 10:51 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Harford Co Maryland USA
Posts: 4,966
RE: How do you rate yourself?
I'd rate myself as above average . . . or slightly higher. I have friends and acquaintences who have hunted for scores of years that fit your decription of weekend warrior--they pull the bow out, shoot 5 or 6 arrows at a target, and then go hunting. <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle> They miss/wound a lot of deer.
Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.
Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.