What are your core values that reflect your particular hunting style?

[Transition Wild]

I think its important to identify the core values and hunting style that means the most to you. I believe if you follow this path, win or lose, you will never be unfulfilled in your hunting endeavors. I attempt to illustrate this through my latest article on my blog which highlights my preferred way to hunt which is: DIY, with a bow and arrow, on unmanaged land.

We all come from different walks of life and have differences in the way we were raised hunting. I am curious, what is your preference when it comes to hunting? Do you prefer public or private? Outfitter vs DIY? Crossbow, Compound, or Trad?

You can read the post here to provide further context to this conversation: Hunting Isn’t Easy (And I Like It That Way) – Transition Wild

Thanks for reading!

-Adam Parr

 

[Felix40]

Just do what you like to do and show it for what it is. I dislike self promotion in hunting.

 

[Transition Wild]

Just do what you like to do and show it for what it is. I dislike self promotion in hunting.

What is it that you dislike about self promotion in hunting? Do you dislike all self promotion or just individuals that portray it in certain manner? Not trying to be rude but I'm just curious.

 

[Mmcan]

I prefer to hunt primarily for meat, but hope to take a trophy every time I go. I have no interest in a trophy I would not eat (I don't have a burning desire to hunt Africa, the big cats, giraffes, rhino's etc,...) although I understand it's an amazing experience. I prefer fair chase, but as a meat eater, I'll hunt over a feeder toward the end of the season. And it frustrates me to be restricted by tags, but I am compliant with the rules and regs.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I prefer to hunt primarily for meat, but hope to take a trophy every time I go. I have no interest in a trophy I would not eat (I don't have a burning desire to hunt Africa, the big cats, giraffes, rhino's etc,...) although I understand it's an amazing experience. I prefer fair chase, but as a meat eater, I'll hunt over a feeder toward the end of the season. And it frustrates me to be restricted by tags, but I am compliant with the rules and regs.

This pretty much sums up how I feel also, with the only exception being I have no interest/desire to hunt over a feeder or bear baiting station, etc. I don't have anything against it, it's just not my cup of tea. I prefer public lands, although I've never hunted private property, 100% DIY and, for the most part rifle hunting although I usually go back east once a year and a bow hunt whitetail. I have been on several hunts where I didn't fill my tag because I was looking for bigger/higher-quality animals but, I generally don't make it a habit of doing that because putting meat in the freezer is my primary goal.


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[HookUp]

It's a great way to connect with family and friends. After filling both deer tags in Montana I found myself having some good talks with my old man in a hotel. The euphoria of a successful hunt is like no other experience and its even better when shared.

 

[16Bore]

Just do what you like to do and show it for what it is. I dislike self promotion in hunting.

Better yet, don't show it at all.

 

[Transition Wild]

I prefer to hunt primarily for meat, but hope to take a trophy every time I go. I have no interest in a trophy I would not eat (I don't have a burning desire to hunt Africa, the big cats, giraffes, rhino's etc,...) although I understand it's an amazing experience. I prefer fair chase, but as a meat eater, I'll hunt over a feeder toward the end of the season. And it frustrates me to be restricted by tags, but I am compliant with the rules and regs.

I'm in the same boat. I also find my hunting style changes based on how the season progresses.

 

[Transition Wild]

This pretty much sums up how I feel also, with the only exception being I have no interest/desire to hunt over a feeder or bear baiting station, etc. I don't have anything against it, it's just not my cup of tea. I prefer public lands, although I've never hunted private property, 100% DIY and, for the most part rifle hunting although I usually go back east once a year and a bow hunt whitetail. I have been on several hunts where I didn't fill my tag because I was looking for bigger/higher-quality animals but, I generally don't make it a habit of doing that because putting meat in the freezer is my primary goal.


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Meat is my primary driver as well but I do like to hold out for mature animals, depending on the species and realistic expectations of a certain area. Nice sheep in your avatar, BTW. That is a dream hunt for me!

 

[MTHunter20]

I think my biggest core value is following the rules. I see so many guys near where I live that don't and you can't prove it and nothing ever gets done about it. As far as meat and quality of animals, I'm a meat hunter first, but I can shoot plenty of does for meat, so I try to hold out for bigger bucks. It doesn't always happen though. I don't criticize anyone's deer because it's the quality of the hunt that matters. If it was a great hunt that you enjoyed and remember fondly forever, then I think that's the real trophy.

 

[elkyinzer]

Very interesting post, I like it.

To frame my answer, I am 16 years into my hunting journey and I find I am continuously changing. Grew up first whitetail hunting Western PA farmland, but fell in love with the wild mountains of Central PA in college. Got the elk itch shortly after college and have been obsessed with them for 5 years now.

First and foremost, I have to get outside and explore wild places. I have wicked ADHD and being outdoors absolutely "resets" me and keeps me grounded in all aspects of my life. I think I would go batshit crazy leading the lifestyles some of my city friends live.

I believe uncertainty and adventure are the core values that drive me as a hunter. That, and a fierce independence really drive everything in my life. Never knowing what's around the corner. Bowhunting just resonates from a deep place within me that I struggle to explain. I often choose to hunt rough, mountainous public land despite objectively better hunting grounds being well within my reach.

Again, these things are hard to explain, just that I like it better that way. I don't know why I like curvy brunettes, either, I just do! Some dudes like skinny blondes, I don't. Some dudes like long range shooting and whitetail husbandry....I don't! Life would be boring as hell if we all liked the same shit.

I am a meat hunter first and foremost, but fitting in with the adventure aspect I like to pursue trophies. A trophy in the hunting context should be defined as something that elicits memories. Hunting isn't and shouldn't be about a dick measuring contest. Trophies need to be defined in a personal context, not what hunting culture or some arbitrary record book threshold tells us a trophy should be. I have several sub-100 inch whitetail bucks adorning my wall that are absolutely trophies to me because of the memories invoked when I look at them. Hell, I have momentos from hunts that resulted in tag soup that can be considered trophies.

 

[tuffcity]

My motivations, in about the past decade, have been to get whomever my hunting partner is into opportunities to take game. Having spent most of my life in BC where almost everything is an OTC tag and there is a lot of public land (about 94% of the province) I’ve been fortunate to have caused my fair share of different animals to hit the dirt and now I get just as big a thrill out of helping someone else take an animal.

Within the past 6 years or so my wife has really been bitten by the hunting bug especially after our first pack-in alpine mule deer hunt. Now we do at least 2 and sometimes 4 trips a year, usually including a fly in for sheep/goats. That first sheep still eludes her. 

Now that I’ve moved to the Yukon I will seriously chase a white sheep, but again I’ll take one after my partner gets a chance… my pack in partners will likely be my wife and/or one of my kids. This does tend to relegate me to the spotter, caper, packer, camp-bitch but I’m good with that and nothing makes me happier than to come out of the mountains 10 lbs lighter, sore from packing heavy and with an ecstatic partner.

RC

 

[Tex68w]

Like most everyone else I am a meat hunter first. I don't care too much for trophies but I wouldn't pass one up if the opportunity presented itself. I've spent the better part of my adult life chasing birds, both upland game and waterfowl. I cherish the hunt, the time spent and memories made with those sharing that hunt with myself. I never take a shot I'm not confident in or that I don't feel is safe. While I don't always agree with the rules/laws/guidelines, I follow what's in place and do my best to give back in whatever way possible to conservation groups that directly protect my right to hunt and the future of these animals. I hunt both public and private lands (only because I am lucky enough to have family that owns lots of private land) but I will certainly focus more on public lands as my adventures take me out west. I hunt mostly with a rifle and I enjoy long range shooting but I have recently taken up archery and I look forward to taking my first animal with a bow this fall.

 

[dvm_hunter]

I like to hunt things that taste good. I'll spot and stalk, stand hunt, over bait, trails it doesn't matter to me as long as it's legal. I'm not one to post photos or show off whatever I've killed. I like to video hunts for the memory, but never post them publicly. I don't care about how many inches, but I will shoot the biggest bodied animal I can. I have a love for dove hunting for the shit talking and fun with your buddies just because it's different. I don't begrudge anyone that likes to show off a great trophy, especially if they've put a lot of effort into killing the animal, it's just not my thing.

Basically, I couldn't care less whatever someone else does as long as the follow the letter of the law. You want to take an animal at 1,000+ yards? Cool. You practice enough to shoot an elk at 90 yards with your bow?? Awesome. You like to drive to a heated box blind and sit over a corn feeder at 100 yards and shoot a 200" whitetail behind a high fence? get after it.

 

[elkduds]

Environmental stewardship, fair chase, humane harvest, the North American model of hunting. Leopold, Roosevelt, Pope, Young, guys like that are my role models.

 

[zagaya]

I would recommend that this new breed of pseudo-philosopher hunters read Freud's Narcissism of minor differences with an eye toward postmodernity.

 

[Poser]

Hunting is an Excuse to wear a flatbill hat


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[Felix40]

I would recommend that this new breed of pseudo-philosopher hunters read Freud's Narcissism of minor differences with an eye toward postmodernity.

Kind of what I was getting at.

 

[skaldugwas]

My primary core values have always been to do everything in my power to ensure a clean quick kill. I never want to cause undue pain and suffering although it happens time to time. Second is investing everything I can in game recovery. Besides that, having fun is paramount. Wether its an all out slugfest of a pack in (which i love) or just saying screw it and sleeping in, im out there to enjoy my free time as much as possible. Lately i have adopted the whole "comparison is the death of happiness" philosophy which goes hand in hand with minding my own beeswax as much as humanly possible, which just makes life easier in the long run. If i see a guy doing something perfectly legal but not necessarily adhering to my own philosophy or ethics I do my best to zip my lip,smile, and forget about it.


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[TheCougar]

Meat first, then horns. Fair-chase with a bow, DIY on public land. I won't pay someone to do the hard work for me and I don't have access to private land (and I won't pay for it). Hunt deep to get away from people and hunt hard to push personal limits. Conserve public lands and preserve hunting for the next generation. Try to teach those who follow in our footsteps, because someone did that for me and it made a huge difference. I get nearly as much pleasure out of taking kids and new hunters out as I do hunting myself.