Are we losing touch with our hunting roots?

[Gobbler36]

Love both antlers and meat, when my freezer is doing well nothing gets me more excited than big ol antlers.
I love the meat to, it’s kind of a duh moment to me. Like who in the hell wouldn’t love the meat, but a lot of these personalities just keep trying to sell the whole “organic” locavore thing because they know the man bun Whole Foods loving market hasn’t been captured yet.

 

[Southwesterner]

Just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has commented and shared their opinion thus far. I’ve enjoyed reading y’alls opinions and appreciate everyone keeping it civil!

 

[Bubblehide]

Thank you for your super thought-out post. I really enjoyed reading it and you brought up some excellent points!

Honestly, I would not call that a well thought out post. I mean, I went to bed last night and was bothered by a work issue. So my mind was very busy problem solving. As such, I was wide awake, when I should have been snoring away. So I got up and shot out an email, and then went on this forum to wind down. My dribble here was just straight off the top of my head and presented more for entertainment value, rather than a well thought out post despite the distant possibility of being correct. But hey, thanks!

 

[S.Clancy]

In my opinion, yes.

 

[bigv]

i agree with the OP. I know a cure but will never happen. Eliminate all outdoor shows. In a half our show there is maybe 10 minutes of hunting with the rest commercials advertising gear. Much of which is garbage. How often do you see a hunting show just hunting and enjoying outdoors. Rare. It's usually a show where a host paid $5-10 grand to shoot a monster animal. So that is all we see. If it were possible to eliminate all shows I suspect we may humble up a bit and get back to respecting outdoors etc.

 

[Hooverfb]

i agree with the OP. I know a cure but will never happen. Eliminate all outdoor shows. In a half our show there is maybe 10 minutes of hunting with the rest commercials advertising gear. Much of which is garbage. How often do you see a hunting show just hunting and enjoying outdoors. Rare. It's usually a show where a host paid $5-10 grand to shoot a monster animal. So that is all we see. If it were possible to eliminate all shows I suspect we may humble up a bit and get back to respecting outdoors etc.

I rarely meet new hunters that watch outdoor shows. Its normally someone's grandpa or dad that their whole family has been hunting for ages that talks about outdoor shows. The few I've seen on youtube have been about hunting's essence to me, the planning, the hunt, the thrill, disappointment, and meat. Only one I really watch regularly is hunting public and even then I have a hard time getting into outdoors shows. My grandfather hunted but he was dead by the time I was 5. I'm learning what I can myself getting out there, and rarely find outdoors shows entertaining.

 

[Southwesterner]

I rarely meet new hunters that watch outdoor shows. Its normally someone's grandpa or dad that their whole family has been hunting for ages that talks about outdoor shows. The few I've seen on youtube have been about hunting's essence to me, the planning, the hunt, the thrill, disappointment, and meat. Only one I really watch regularly is hunting public and even then I have a hard time getting into outdoors shows. My grandfather hunted but he was dead by the time I was 5. I'm learning what I can myself getting out there, and rarely find outdoors shows entertaining.

Good to see a fellow Alabamian chime in!

 

[Antarctica]

Gee ya think? Look at the crap most are deluded into thinking is necessary.

Then again, I think all the crap is just as much of a draw as the actual hunting for many folks. But they still get included in the numbers as hunters, and that's a benefit to all.

 

[rtaylor]

My parents got me started in hunting by letting me tag along with my grandpa squirrel hunting. I was so excited when I finally got to pull the trigger myself. My dad gave me his single shot .410 and my grandpa gave me his old hunting vest and it was off to the races. They made it special by making a big deal out of me killing a mess of squirrels and my mom always made the best meals with it. 30 years later I still am not a trophy hunter and get a thrill from killing a doe or a mess of squirrels with my .410.

 

[Southwesterner]

My parents got me started in hunting by letting me tag along with my grandpa squirrel hunting. I was so excited when I finally got to pull the trigger myself. My dad gave me his single shot .410 and my grandpa gave me his old hunting vest and it was off to the races. They made it special by making a big deal out of me killing a mess of squirrels and my mom always made the best meals with it. 30 years later I still am not a trophy hunter and get a thrill from killing a doe or a mess of squirrels with my .410.

Single shot 410s are a thing of simplistic beauty. Such a great story!

 

[spc7669]

I’ve been thinking about your question for several days. I hadn’t, and still haven’t, come up with an answer. Here goes.
In considering the word “roots”, well I’d have to know if we are talking about nomadic tribes, or hunter gatherers, or the guys who wrote the fantastic stories in Field and Stream from the 40’s to the 70’s. The latter are my roots. I’m the only one in my family who hunts.
I’ve never hunted for sustenance. I do it for the adventure. I don’t watch outdoor shows. They come across as either an infomercial or some asshat who does a canned hunt and makes out like he’s Robert Ruark.
To your final question of what we can do, there is a whole generation out there of participation trophy winners who know there is more to life than the vanilla, sterile existence they live. They don’t have roots either unless we choose to take them out. The mountain could give two shits about your ego. If somebody had taken those folks away from civilization to see the world is actually beautiful and savage and life is very short, we might have more thoughtful citizens and fewer rioters.

 

[All American Boy]

I enjoy experiencing God's country, hanging with friends and family, and chasing animals, just like my forefathers. My trophies are mostly the bald headed one's, it just doesn't matter.

 

[Carpenterant]

I don’t hunt for food either. I hunt for sport. As an adult onset hunter who came to big game via predator hunting I used to try to justify hunting, to myself mostly, as an experience or something, finally gave up and realized I hunt for the sport of it and I’m comfortable with that

 

[CoMtnMike]

So as a new adult onset hunter I would agree it can be overwhelming to figure out what you need. Just the weapon decision rabbit holes can leave you twisted up. I was actually told at 2 gun counters that I couldn't have one cartridge for all big game in CO... separate guns needed for deer, elk, bear etc... eventually I just jumped in bought a 30.06 and killed my first animal with a climbing pack and my hiking clothes I already had. But the industry definitely didn't make it easy... My motivation was sustenance. Now it is sustenance and the experience and challenge and the self questioning and totally different mental experience in the mountains than all my other mountain activities. "tradition" and "heritage" mean nothing to those who don't have family stories that include them in that history. The few hunters I knew and asked for help offered advice, but not help in the field. I almost threw up looking at a dead cow that I had to process solo... i did fine but helping newbies and offering to take people out seems like the best way to ease the transition for those without family to guide them.

 

[Michael54]

Its the experience more than the sustenance. I don't need to hunt to feed my family. However sitting at a dinner table with my family i'll remember what the hunt was like and what i learned or managed to teach someone that was with me. The gear companies are making a lot more "elitist hunters" and i see a lot more "gear posers" than before. I'm the guy that gets more out of helping someone else be successful than doing it myself. Every friday my wife will ask who I'm hunting with due to the fact that I'm always inviting random people to join me. Some take me up on it and some dont. Having elite stuff is nice but i started hunting in walmart boots and hand me downs so not having it isnt going to keep me from doing it and definitely shouldn't stop someone else.

 

[Rich M]

I recently put myself in the shoes of a prospective new hunter and it was a harrowing experience. With the HUGE emphasis on the mindset that getting the latest and greatest optic, rifle, camo, pack, boots; there’s no wonder that hunter numbers are dwindling. Not to mention an influx in folks taking unethical long range shots because their confidence was boosted by a big piece of glass on a custom rifle as opposed to quality range time. I attribute a lot of this to forgetting our roots and the real reason we should all be hunting: sustenance. Let’s be honest, the industry promotes horn hunting and very frequently utilizes images of trophy racks in advertisements. I for one, have found myself getting excited over antlers and totally forgetting the true reason of harvesting an animal: meat. What are some things we as hunters can do to refocus our community on the true meaning of hunting.

So funny you want to tell everyone how to hunt and why.

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

You think this is bad...looking at the angling community. Some fisherman (especially fly fisherman) are getting so far off the mark it’s sickening. But that’s another story.

...I’d tell a new hunter that an 870 express can bring you a whole lot of joy in alot of different country and costs about as much as my left boot. Experiences over expenses. Oh yeah and make sure you’re having fun.

My two cents.


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[PantherCity]

I’m not a golfer, but do guys on Golf forums complain about all the new and expensive clubs, training programs and gear out there and bemoan the fact that new golfers aren’t getting out there with dad’s old wood headed drivers? Do they tell new golfers to spend money on green fees not clubs and silly matching golf outfits? I think I know the answer.

I find it a little funny how often these kind of threads get started on rockslide, which is essentially a hunting gear site.


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[Muddygut]

I like new gear and gadgets just as much as anyone. But if I'm having a meat crisis, the old bolt action 25-06 I got in '96, and have more trigger time on than any other centerfire hunting rifle I own comes out, and I go to the high end of the nearest powerline right of way I have access to. I'm a loner that enjoys hunting in solitude, so I'm guilty of hardly ever taking anyone afield for an introduction to hunting. I did however work in the retail sporting goods industry for a few decades and even though it cost me money, was always straight forward with clients about what was an wasn't neccessary to fill tags. I've filled four whitetail tags within a couple minutes of sunrise creeping across another mans pasture while wearing walmart sweatpants. Also I've snuck around my private woods wearing Sitka and packing a custom longbow all season and ended up eating tag soup. It's all what a fellow want's to make of it I guess. Patience and situational awareness (some days I have a surplus, some a deficit) still trumps all else in my opinion. That and five bucks will get you a coffee nowadays.

 

[Dirtbag]

I think a lot of people are losing sight of whats important and why you should hunt but its not the fancy gear that does it, its the " I'm only doing this to post a photo on Instagram ".

I think if social media went away we'd be surprised at the outcome of who sticks around and who doesn't.