are you a master of deer hunting?
 

What makes you a deer hunting expert? I had a guy ask me that today. I told him I think no matter how good you are you still learn more each time on a hunt. Didn't know if there was a line between good and great hunter. What do ya'll think?

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

If you get 1 or 1000 theres still room for improving
Or learning.

My grandFather told me ounce the day you stop
Learning is the day you die.

You can always learn something no matter how small.

JMHO

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

if you don't learn something ever time your not paying attention then

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Can you ever know everything?:eek:

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

The day I stop learning will be the last day I buy a tag. So I would still consider myself a rookie in the hunting game even though I have number of season under my belt b/c each fall I am reminded how little I know about their world!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I knew everything about everything. When I was 16. I must have fogotten most of it now.:D I keep hunting and keep learning. This will be my 49th deer season comming up GOD WILLING.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I stink,getting worse as i get older.Cant walk anymore to the stand ,cant see past 20 yards,Cant hear without a game ear., Cant drag the deer out and have no teeth to chew the meat. No such thing as golden years.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I no longer strive to be good at deer hunting. I just look forward to being somewhere quiet. :D

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I used to know everything when I was a teenager my father was dumb.
seems about my 19th birthday I woke up one morning and dad had got a college education over night.

If I ever stop learning may somebody put me 6' under.


Webster's dictionary says,

expert (syn) adept, handy,skillful,clever knowledgeable

(ant) untrained,unskilled,inexperienced.


My father always said,

expert a person who knows a little about nothing important

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

been deer hunting since 1981 and im still learning something new every time i go out

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Master? Great? Heck I've been hunting for 15 years and I'm not even good yet.;)

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I agree with proline I am 41 years old and I think I like the sitting in the guiet . Great meditation time , lots of problem solving and prayer time. The hunt is great to but my son is handicapped and I take him alot also.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

You are always learning. My dad has been hunting since he was 12 and he is 50 now and he says he still is learning. So nobody can be an expert. Every time I leave the woods I learn something or some sort of lesson.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I started at 12 and I'm 37, so I have in 25 years of hunting.When the season ends I look back at my game plan and say that was dumb.It's funny how you get educated and don't even know it tell it's to late.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

The deer hunters I most admire are the lifetime learners! The hunter that never lose their passion,the one's that can't wait to tell you what they learned today.
Is there not a season where even the most committed of us are not humbled by this fantastic animal?
Thats what keeps me going back!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

'Eh, I dunno...I happen to think many experts reside here and within my circle of partners. After all...it's not brain surgery. After decades of earnest pursuit of the sport (and studying Forestry/Wildlife in college), I'm just not lacking in the confidence department I suppose. Not that I wish to detract from the humilty of spirit exhibited within this thread which is indeed admirable and inspiring...a few belly laughers too haha.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

No, but my guide is.

You know Him Moose.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I am the master of my domain.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

This is probably one of the most honestly responded to threads I've seen in almost 4 years of looking at this board. Excellent thread and awesome responses fellas! I too am learning every single year and like someone had said...after the hunt they go back and look at what they've done and just laughed of how you went about things. lol I totally see what your saying! When it stops being fun and I stop learning something...put me in a hole and cover it up with dirt.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

AMEN, Dan.

Psalm 141:8

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

If you accept early on that you can never know everything, then you have little left to learn.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

You all have that right about the learning part. I always try to work on my awareness and being ready for anything. Two years ago I got a reminder when a wall hanger walked past me at 20 yards. I wasn't ready and then missed the only shot I had at him. It was the last 10 minutes of the day and I've kicked myself ever since for not being focused. You can go the whole day without seeing anything and then in a split second it all happens at once.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I don't know many people that are masters at anything. What must it take to be a master deer hunter?

Is a master deer hunter someone who knows all about the whitetail/mule/blacktail deer?
I don't think so. I know some folks who seem to know everything there is about deer but their hunting skills leave something to be desired. Getting a high score on a deer hunting quiz just doesn't cut it.

Is a master deer hunter someone who has killed lots of deer?
I don't think so. A lot of people simply shoot a lot of deer because they hunt in areas that has "a lot of deer". If you make a mistake or error in judgement when hunting with a populaions of 60 deer per square mile, well it's probably not a big deal. Wait a while, there are more deer around. If you make that mistake when hunting with only 6 deer per square mile, well it may be a loooong time before you get to taste venison again.

Is a master deer hunter someone who is a great shot?
I don't think so. I know some guys who would make you shake your head at the incredible shots they can make. Shooting at a target is one thing, shooting at that buck, big enough to take your breath away, is a whole different ball game.

So what makes a master deer hunter?
This I think to be true.....Someone who possess all of the above skills. Someone who knows all about deer, their habits their survival techniques, their physical/emotional changes as each season changes..etc.

That person will probably shoot a lot of deer, even in areas with low deer numbers., because he/she will probably be a great shot. Spending time necessary where he/she knows their weapon inside and out and feels confident in what shots can and cannot be made. Also spending necesary time scouting to gather all of the most recent information to form a game plan. Spending time in the deer woods trying to constantly learn new things and also remember old things that were discovered in past scouting trips.

That person will collectively shoot many deer over the years because he/she will put all the pieces together in their grand master plan. That person has definitely made many mistakes in the past but tries to not only not make that same mistake twice but also tries to learn from every mistake made.

If you are a master of knowing all about deer, a master at shooting your weapon of choice to the point of being extraordinary and be a master of killing many, many deer year after year in areas that have few deer, then I would consider you a Master Deer Hunter.

I have hunted over 45 years with many people in my life and I have yet to meet that person! Some are very good, others on the edge of greatness, but a Master Deer Hunter?...I don't think so.

That's why we keep trying. Always gaining more knowledge about the game we hunt, practicing our shooting in the hopes of always making a clean, humane kill and most important, we continue to enjoy what deer hunting is all about and what it means to each and every one of us.

Good Hunting!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I dont want to be a hunting master or expert. That would make it too easy and easy isnt a challenge.
I always want deer hunting to be a challenge and not easy.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I have patterned deer all summer to have them dig a hole and hibernate till mid January when season is over. Smart little guys. Master...me? i don't even consider myself good. Most of the people that I know that have killed really big deer will tell you that they happened to be at the right place at the right time, luck plays a major part. You can do all the scouting, scent free, trail cam work you want, if the deer don't play along.......it humbles even the masters.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I am a master at baiting so I guess you could say I'm a master-baiter!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

you will always learn something new even if its animal habbits you think you know u may learn more

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I am a master-baiter...............................when Im gone fishin :D

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

I think this type of question can actually be good for assessing yourself. I think that anyone who rates themself as a master has plateaued and will probably not improve and will probably get humbled next hunting season!

I do think it's very important to really know your strengths and weaknesses. For instance, if you can't sit still for 10 seconds then you're not going to have success standhunting, and you need to find a different hunting method or take tranquilizers.

Me as a hunter(on a scale of 0 to 10):

Shooting (stationary target) - 7
Shooting (moving target) - 3
Tracking, reading sign - 5
Patience - 9
Attention to task at hand (i.e. NOT daydreaming) - 2
Physical stamina - 9
Map reading as applied to hunting situations - 9.5
Mental attitude - 7
Commitment (i.e. willingness to blow off a hot date with a Jessica Simpson lookalike to get in the woods) - 9.5
Discipline (i.e. not taking shots I probably can't pull off) - 8
Analytical skills - 10/0 (this can be a blessing and a curse, leading to paralysis by analysis)
Knowledge of prey - 8

I'm sure there are other areas, but off the top of my head those are the biggies. So my strengths are map reading, patience, commitment, and stamina. My weaknesses are shooting at moving game and a tendency to daydream. Putting all this together, I look for stand-hunting options versus hunting on the move, and I count on my hours and hours of poring over maps to find isolated little holes miles past where other guys are willing to go. If I have to resort to stillhunting (some of my hunting areas force this), I compensate by moving very slowly, trying to catch game unawares for standing shots because I won't take a running shot.

How's that for overanalysis?

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Dirt, I had a big huge long reply similar to yours, but I erased it...after seeing yours..I had to do the same thing....so I used your scale...THANKS!:D Great job!


Me as a hunter(on a scale of 1 to 10):

Shooting (stationary target) - 9

Shooting (moving target) - 8 (but Im a bowhunter, so that means walking targets)

Tracking, reading sign - 8.5

Patience - 6.5

Attention to task at hand (i.e. NOT daydreaming) - 5

Physical stamina - 9

Map reading as applied to hunting situations - 7

Mental attitude - 7.5

Commitment (i.e. willingness to blow off a hot date with a Jessica Simpson lookalike to get in the woods) - 9 (but you're crazy, I LOVE Jessica Simpson, so thats one of the few days Id stay out of the woods. If it helps to prove my commitment though, I QUIT my job so I could hunt more.):D

Discipline (i.e. not taking shots I probably can't pull off) - 8.5

Analytical skills - Im pretty good at analyzing the situation, and then NOT over analyzing now....I used to always second guess myself, but I changed my methods to where the "gut feeling" always wins.

Knowledge of prey - 8.5


The day I stop learning, is the day I stop hunting.

Have a good one all---Matt

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Hey, I'm really flattered you gave my system some merit. I really do think it's valuable to do a no-b.s. assessment of yourself. The main area I'm working on is mental attitude. Five years ago I was a 2, and I'd like to get to a 10. I think mental attitude is probably the most important element.

Anyhow, good hunting!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Thats just wrong.

Never Ever turn that down.

I would go from a 9 to a 1 really quick in that situation.

O.K. I'm done
thank you and goodnight
continue

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Dirt, total is 248 div. by 11 is 24.55%.
Man, you mean that you are only 1/4 good?

Ha! Ha! just joking!

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

If I completely mastered deer hunting then there would be no challenge. If there is no challenge, there is no reason for me to do it.

RE: are you a master of deer hunting?
 

Not by far, but i think the deer have learned to master me .