Are you a generalist or specialist?

[Reddirtrifleman]

Urbanite weekend warrior who dreams of being a generalist.

 

[Holocene]

I chose "generalist", but now that I'm married and have two small children and a bird dog, the list is narrowing so that I can balance time afield and work and family obligations. I would rather have a few high-quality experiences and put tasty meat in the freezer than run ragged chasing every tag I could feasibly draw in multiple states.

Looking back, I started hunting at age 23 for whitetail deer in South Carolina. After a few years of that, flexed into turkey and then moved to Oregon where suddenly there were many more animals and seasons. For six years, I explored brand new opportunities for archery elk, upland, and waterfowl.

Yes, time is limited. And by personality, I like to get really good at a few things. And our food preferences strongly guide what game species I pursue. With all that in mind...

Top choices:

• Elk, usually archery but rifle when I can draw the tag
• Fall and spring turkey, here in OR and taking trips to WA and CA when possible
• Big ducks
• A few upland "adventure trips" a year

 

[displacedtexan]

I'm in between generalist and specialist.

I dove hunt.

Quail and pheasants (mostly quail), and field trial dogs.

Deer hunt, learning to antelope hunt.

My wife doesn't really cook any meat.

 

[*zap*]

I do not identify as either.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I guess a generalist. Oct and Nov is for elk and deer maybe. Dec and maybe Jan is for jump shooting ducks and geese. I would love to get a couple of grouse days in but Lately I have still been working.

 

[justinspicher]

I am a generalist, due to a non specific work schedule, I hunt when/where I can.

 

[timekiller13]

Specialists for sure. Focus mainly on whitetails here in my home state. Go out west every year to chase elk or mule deer.

I’m not a big turkey hunter, I go once or twice a year but that’s it. Our upland bird hunting and waterfowl hunting in NC is worthless so I don’t waste my time. I will chase tree rats occasisionally, but mostly do that in conjunction with scouting for deer.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Generalist but fairly specialized at a few. Some I just picked up b/c it's fun and keeps me in the outdoors. I have 2 GSPs and by no means an Upland specialist but I enjoy exercising and watching the dogs do their thing. But deer, elk, road biking, are my focus. Enjoy upland game hunting, fishing, and shooting my bow (never hunted...yet). I'll go turkey just because. Throw in camping, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, to fill in the gaps.

 

[ElkArcher918]

I would say I'm a generalist. Hunt most big and small game with any legal weapon in multiple states where I can draw/purchase a tag. The only game I don't hunt is bear and waterfowl, don't care for the taste.

 

[Scoot]

Elk, deer bear, and turkeys make up 98% of what I hunt. However, I "hunt" for muskies in the summer and I'm happy to add a trip for a new species on occasion.

 

[sram9102]

I have easy access to hunt pretty much everything we have available in Indiana. If its legal and taste good I'm trying to put it in the freezer. Deer, ducks, geese, squirrels, rabbits, doves, turkey. Besides bacon and an occasional ribeye I live off wild game. We're blessed with an abundance of game animals.