Many good replies! My hat is off to all who served, who are serving, or ever will serve!
That said, even Special Ops training, doesn't teach a person the ins and outs of animal "hunting!"
Looking back at famous military people like Sgt. York, his "hunting" and "shooting" skills made him a better Soldier, not the other way around!
Another factor back then was, the military weaponry was similar to the guns used for hunting! Today's military gun systems, don't even "sight-in" like "hunting" guns (unless of course it is a sniper rifle!)
I have a good friend that spent 20 years teaching the M-16, he has repaired thousands of them! He can recite the manual word for word! But, a Hunter, he is not! And, an M-16 is not a Winchester M-70 with a 3X9 scope!

I grew up a hunting boy, joined the military and spent 17 months in war situations, Operation Mamba Station (Africa) Desert Shield (Isreal) Desert Storm and a civil war thing in Turkey. I carried my M-14 not a 16 a .45 and a grenade launcher. I heard and seen a lot of live fire and to this day have only shot a gun once since being out. I have a serious case of the flinches every time a gun goes off in the woods. Strictly a bow hunter now and opening weekend of duck season is about my death every year. I shouldn't hunt so close to the ponds but, it is what it is.

But once you hunted a man, nothing else compairs.

Thats right nothing tastes better. Just kdding! I don't think it makes you a better hunter. It helps with the mental aspect of the hunt.

I think that if you re-read my initial post you will notice that I referenced Sgt York being a good hunter that became a great soldier.

I appreciate the responses. I belive that my military experiences have help my hunting, in regards to helping me develop increased discipline, focus and attention to details and surroundings. I also agree that hunting is a way different ballgame. Thanks again.

I think most people have it backwards. Being a hunter makes you a better soldier, or at least an infantryman. I was an infantry EM and officer and a lot of what I learned in the woods hunting helped me, especially in the area of patrolling.

As far as shooting, I think the fact that I was a good shot before I went in helped me. I qualified Expert with mypersonal weaponall but one of my fourteen years in uniform. But I have taught people in the militarywith little shooting experience to shoot as well as I did.

Moving through the woods without a lot of noise is something that most people without a hunting background can't do. Most of it can be taught to a soldier, but there is a reason why the military spends a lot on commercials that appear on outdoor programs.

As far as being a soldier making you a better hunter, maybe you estimate range better, move quieter, camoflage better, etc.... I won't say that it is a given.

But, I would say you have a better chance if you were infantry and not infantry support (Navy, Air Farce, REMFs).

all around yes but i think the marines would have more of a benifit than anyone else.

I always wondered why people think Marines are so good, when in the 70's and 80's they sent Marine officers and senior EMs to go through the same schools I was going through at Ft Benning. Wasn't anyone in the USMC smart enough to run their own schools?

I know most Marines will get their feathers ruffled and state "it was to show an Army school what excellence is". Nada. None of the Marines were anywhere near the top of any class I went through. I made a lot of friends over the years with Marines that I went through courses with and served with, and respect them a lot, and as a whole I would rather have a Marine infantryman in front of me, than an Army infantryman.

There are things that the military teaches that can help you bea better deer hunter. Patience, discipline, attention to detail, and navigation over terrain are a few that I can think of off the top of my head. I believe that hunters make better Marines, but to say that Marines make better hunterswould bea stretch.If the whitetail deer was an enemy of the US, there would be no doubt in my mind that the military would produce the best hunters