what makes a good hunter?
05-15-2005, 09:35 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location:
Posts: 659
what makes a good hunter?
please tell me what makes a good hunter?
is the record they shot?
is it public land?
is it they got to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family?
is it they passed up shots waiting on the big one?
i would like to know, because maybe i got this all WRONG...
IF SO, I HOPE EVERYONE CAN EXCEPT MY APPOLIGY (SP)....
SORRY IF I SPELLED THAT WRONG, I JUST DON'T SAY IT, OR WRITE IT MUCH![:@]
PLEASE EXCEPT MY APPOLIGY(SP) THANK YOU! RONNIE
is the record they shot?
is it public land?
is it they got to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family?
is it they passed up shots waiting on the big one?
i would like to know, because maybe i got this all WRONG...
IF SO, I HOPE EVERYONE CAN EXCEPT MY APPOLIGY (SP)....
SORRY IF I SPELLED THAT WRONG, I JUST DON'T SAY IT, OR WRITE IT MUCH![:@]
PLEASE EXCEPT MY APPOLIGY(SP) THANK YOU! RONNIE
05-15-2005, 09:54 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: fort mcmurray alberta canada
Posts: 5,667
RE: what makes a good hunter?
A good hunter hunts safe and obtains clean quick kills so the animals do not suffer.Most of all he doesn't judge other hunters methods as long as they are legal and within the game regulations.
05-15-2005, 10:07 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: WV
Posts: 4,484
RE: what makes a good hunter?
A good hunter is technically proficient with his equipment, respectful of his quarry,nature and of others (as long as they too act respectfully), a great student of the creatures he pursues, a humble teacher to others..............................
".....a man (person) of proper wit and adventurous spirit" ----Jeremiah Johnson
".....a man (person) of proper wit and adventurous spirit" ----Jeremiah Johnson
05-15-2005, 11:05 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
RE: what makes a good hunter?
Thats just it. Hunting is something different to everyone. Going down your list, To me it has nothing to do with taking a record. It sure has nothing to do with Public land. It has nothing to do with holding off for the big one. To me its the hunting with old friends and getting together after the day is done to get a little careless with the truth
. And maybe most of all for the meat and to try new guns and loads. Thats what it is to me. I am sure that others would put different priorities ahead of mine. Who cares I hunt for me. Not for anyone else. I don't need anyones approval or blessings. Its my wife and I's vacation as well.
. And maybe most of all for the meat and to try new guns and loads. Thats what it is to me. I am sure that others would put different priorities ahead of mine. Who cares I hunt for me. Not for anyone else. I don't need anyones approval or blessings. Its my wife and I's vacation as well.
05-15-2005, 11:09 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: usa
Posts: 464
RE: what makes a good hunter?
there are so many important reasons to me....
first and formost is time in the field. i dont do it just to kill animals, i do it to experience animals. of course i want a freezer full of meat, but with all the tags we get here that is nearly a certainty. i want to see it all. i love the camraderie.
i am the first to admit i hold out for the big one (sometimes too much), but i dont think the number of records makes a hunter, most of my biggest animals were my easiest.
i believe you can be a good hunter on private land as well as on public. i believe you can be a good hunter whether ya bring home an animal or not. last year i snuck within 47 yards of a bedded 320 class 6by6 bull, in nearly open country, and spent 45 minutes with him at that range, and he was FACING ME THE WHOLE TIME. i never even drew back on him. however, that was a successful hunt.
i guess being a good hunter is maximizing your time in the field to get the full enjoyment of everything nature has to offer, first and foremost to yourself.
brad
first and formost is time in the field. i dont do it just to kill animals, i do it to experience animals. of course i want a freezer full of meat, but with all the tags we get here that is nearly a certainty. i want to see it all. i love the camraderie.
i am the first to admit i hold out for the big one (sometimes too much), but i dont think the number of records makes a hunter, most of my biggest animals were my easiest.
i believe you can be a good hunter on private land as well as on public. i believe you can be a good hunter whether ya bring home an animal or not. last year i snuck within 47 yards of a bedded 320 class 6by6 bull, in nearly open country, and spent 45 minutes with him at that range, and he was FACING ME THE WHOLE TIME. i never even drew back on him. however, that was a successful hunt.
i guess being a good hunter is maximizing your time in the field to get the full enjoyment of everything nature has to offer, first and foremost to yourself.
brad
05-15-2005, 11:27 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: what makes a good hunter?
A good hunter hunts safe and obtains clean quick kills so the animals do not suffer.Most of all he doesn't judge other hunters methods as long as they are legal and within the game regulations.
I may add in my opinion a good hunter is also a student of the game in which he persue's. This means practice, scouting, knowing your abilities and limitations, etc.
05-16-2005, 12:35 AM
#8
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,148
RE: what makes a good hunter?
For me,
A good hunter is the guy who can safely and consistently bring home an animal that does not live behind a high fence. In a more personal note, I love living out in the bush for a few weeks on end, in all weather, hiking miles a day, ...I love the physical challenge of it all.
A good hunter is the guy who can safely and consistently bring home an animal that does not live behind a high fence. In a more personal note, I love living out in the bush for a few weeks on end, in all weather, hiking miles a day, ...I love the physical challenge of it all.
05-16-2005, 07:44 AM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
RE: what makes a good hunter?
Being a good hunter -- being a virtuous hunter? -- comprises many factors. I imagine you'll get quite a shopping list from others, and I'll add my own shopping list myself.
A good hunter is a safe hunter. The good hunter takes a care for others . . . and also for himself. A careless, unsafe hunter who dies falling out of his tree stand robs his children of their father and his wife of her husband. Be safe.
A good hunter respects the animal he hunts. He doesn't waste meat. If he doesn't enjoy eating game meat, he assures that he gets it to a donation center in good condition for distribution to the needy. He learns and employs proper field care of animals. He has a plan for getting the dead animal out of the field in good condition. A good hunter knows his capabilities and restricts the shots he will take to those with a high probability of success. The goal should be a quick, clean kill of the animal. The hunter must be willing to follow up on all shots and track any wounded animal. You shouldn't be taking shots at running animals unless you have skill in this area -- for example from having practiced.
A good hunter obeys game and gun laws.
A good hunter practices fair chase. Someone who legally takes game but does not utilize considerations of fair chase may not, in my opinion, be hunting. This may be OK. For example, if I raise cattle, it is time to butcher a steer, and I walk up and shoot it in the head, this may be practical and OK, it just isn't hunting. I can't define what "fair chase" is, each hunter has to define it for himself. Of course, you can take guidance from such as Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young, the record book keepers, who prescribe the rules of fair chase that must be followed to qualify for their record books. Is shooting deer over a pile of corn sporting? Is shooting deer from a luxury box type of shooting blind sporting? Let each decide for himself. After you bag your animal you will know whether you employed fair chase or not by the satisfaction that you feel.
A good hunter respects the environment and cleans up after himself. A good hunter does not wantonly destroy nature or animals. This implies taking care to avoid preventable "accidents" which destroy nature, such as starting forest fires by carelessly flipping a lit cigarette butt or failing to put a campfire fully out. A good hunter does not take pot-shots at animals just for the pleasure of blasting something. In my opinion you need to have a reason to deliberately take a life, and that doesn't include just hearing your gun roar.
I think a strong argument can be made for the above definitions. Also, they are worded flexibly so they can be adopted for different circumstances. The following are more desirable rather than necessary qualifications of a good hunter.
A good hunter brings others into the sport and mentors them in the ways of hunting. Take a youngster to their hunter safety course. Take them to the shooting range and teach them how to shoot safely and then with skill. Teach them how to take care of firearms -- cleaning after use and storing safely. Take them to the field and teach them what you know about hunting. Give them the best ambush points. I don't know how you got started in hunting, but I definitely got my start because others welcomed me into the sport and shared their time with me and their hunting spots.
A good hunter cherishes their right to keep and bear arms guaranteed in the second amendment and is a zealous defender of this right. They monitor gun control legislation and write to their representatives to voice their concern about gun legislation. They may join one of many gun owner organizations which collectively lobby for sensible gun laws.
A good hunter is a safe hunter. The good hunter takes a care for others . . . and also for himself. A careless, unsafe hunter who dies falling out of his tree stand robs his children of their father and his wife of her husband. Be safe.
A good hunter respects the animal he hunts. He doesn't waste meat. If he doesn't enjoy eating game meat, he assures that he gets it to a donation center in good condition for distribution to the needy. He learns and employs proper field care of animals. He has a plan for getting the dead animal out of the field in good condition. A good hunter knows his capabilities and restricts the shots he will take to those with a high probability of success. The goal should be a quick, clean kill of the animal. The hunter must be willing to follow up on all shots and track any wounded animal. You shouldn't be taking shots at running animals unless you have skill in this area -- for example from having practiced.
A good hunter obeys game and gun laws.
A good hunter practices fair chase. Someone who legally takes game but does not utilize considerations of fair chase may not, in my opinion, be hunting. This may be OK. For example, if I raise cattle, it is time to butcher a steer, and I walk up and shoot it in the head, this may be practical and OK, it just isn't hunting. I can't define what "fair chase" is, each hunter has to define it for himself. Of course, you can take guidance from such as Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young, the record book keepers, who prescribe the rules of fair chase that must be followed to qualify for their record books. Is shooting deer over a pile of corn sporting? Is shooting deer from a luxury box type of shooting blind sporting? Let each decide for himself. After you bag your animal you will know whether you employed fair chase or not by the satisfaction that you feel.
A good hunter respects the environment and cleans up after himself. A good hunter does not wantonly destroy nature or animals. This implies taking care to avoid preventable "accidents" which destroy nature, such as starting forest fires by carelessly flipping a lit cigarette butt or failing to put a campfire fully out. A good hunter does not take pot-shots at animals just for the pleasure of blasting something. In my opinion you need to have a reason to deliberately take a life, and that doesn't include just hearing your gun roar.
I think a strong argument can be made for the above definitions. Also, they are worded flexibly so they can be adopted for different circumstances. The following are more desirable rather than necessary qualifications of a good hunter.
A good hunter brings others into the sport and mentors them in the ways of hunting. Take a youngster to their hunter safety course. Take them to the shooting range and teach them how to shoot safely and then with skill. Teach them how to take care of firearms -- cleaning after use and storing safely. Take them to the field and teach them what you know about hunting. Give them the best ambush points. I don't know how you got started in hunting, but I definitely got my start because others welcomed me into the sport and shared their time with me and their hunting spots.
A good hunter cherishes their right to keep and bear arms guaranteed in the second amendment and is a zealous defender of this right. They monitor gun control legislation and write to their representatives to voice their concern about gun legislation. They may join one of many gun owner organizations which collectively lobby for sensible gun laws.
05-16-2005, 11:34 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Moccasin, Montana
Posts: 1,835
RE: what makes a good hunter?
What I feel makes a good hunter is.......
1.I belive he has to be a good sportsman(respects the land and the animals)
2.Be a good woodsman(know the land know the animals,know how to track)
3.Be in good mental and physical shape.
4.HE/SHE has to enjoy it.
5.The hunt,or expreince the same domain as the quarry you are after.
I don't think you have to go out every time and kill a animal to be a good hunter,I hunt all the time,sometimes with a camera or a gun,or for just fun.I like to stalk animals just see how close I can get.Like huntnmuleys said,it's an awsome experience to be with in range of your animal and not shoot it.
I killed my bull at less than 10 yds with a rifle last year,I used all that I know to stalk,hunt and to close the distance.I was the closest I have ever been to a elk,I have stalked with in 40 yds of bulls with the camera.
So to be a good Hunter to me is You have to enjoy it.
I enjoy it with family and freinds,I love to take my kids hunting as my dad did and his dad did,it's great experiance to share.
BBJ
1.I belive he has to be a good sportsman(respects the land and the animals)
2.Be a good woodsman(know the land know the animals,know how to track)
3.Be in good mental and physical shape.
4.HE/SHE has to enjoy it.
5.The hunt,or expreince the same domain as the quarry you are after.
I don't think you have to go out every time and kill a animal to be a good hunter,I hunt all the time,sometimes with a camera or a gun,or for just fun.I like to stalk animals just see how close I can get.Like huntnmuleys said,it's an awsome experience to be with in range of your animal and not shoot it.
I killed my bull at less than 10 yds with a rifle last year,I used all that I know to stalk,hunt and to close the distance.I was the closest I have ever been to a elk,I have stalked with in 40 yds of bulls with the camera.
So to be a good Hunter to me is You have to enjoy it.
I enjoy it with family and freinds,I love to take my kids hunting as my dad did and his dad did,it's great experiance to share.
BBJ