Wiping blood on the face of a new hunter

[Muskykris]

I got a wet red hand to the face first year I joined my group 23 years ago.
Tradition at our camp. Been waiting a few years to see the hyper new guy get it lol

 

[Wallace]

I went on a hunt in Argentina last year and the guide I was with put a blood cross on my forehead before I really knew what was happening….kinda caught me off guard but I figured it was a cultural thing

My son (9 at the time) killed his first big game animal in Argentina, I put a small blood cross on his forehead.

Maybe it's a southern thing, but bloodying up after the first kill is pretty normal. I'm not a big fan of the over the top smothering of it, but a couple wipes on the cheeks or forehead and call it a day. It's not some serious ritual, it's more of a fun thing.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

PA, ANF region.

Dad had me do it for my first kill. I thought it was the coolest caveman thing ever at that age. Still remember it. Even tasted the blood.

Don’t see an issue with it. Lions damn near bathe in the blood of the prey as they consume it.

Seems a hell of a lot better than taking the prettiest success photo/ pack out video for some look at me IG post lol.

 

[rtaylor]

I killed my first deer at my grandpa's hunting camp when I was just a kid. This was well before the invention of the smart phone. The older guys all made a big deal out of my first deer (doe) and one of them swiped a little blood on my face just for fun. It wasn't anything superstitious but good hearted fun and I'll never forget that first kill because of those guys in camp. When my daughter's killed their first I gave them a swipe too. They thought it was funny and so did I.

 

[ODB]

Funny, I am superstitious as all get-out; venerate the 'old ways' of (especially) African hunters...but I have never done anything for a first kill or catch or what have you.

 

[HappyHuntr]

"Blood the boy"- Gene Hills dad

 

[neil.hansford]

The thing that gets me these days is the pics of hunters "gazing longingly into the eyes of their downed quarry". They do it from multiple angles...

This^^^. The romantic gazing into a dead animals face is just weird. I can't fathom why anyone thinks those are good pictures.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[ricejar]

It was done to me 20 years ago on my first whitetail. Alabama here.

 

[roadrunner]

So I logged in and on the home page is a picture of a young girl with blood purposely wiped on her face.

I'm aware of folks who talk of this type stuff. Some sort of ritual for new hunters or fisherman. I have a goofy friend who tries stuff like that, trying to have the new tuna fisherman take a bite of a beating tuna heart, ect... But he's the only one I've known, and is more than likely just parroting something he saw on reality TV.
I grew up in the NW hunting my whole life, around hunters and fisherman my whole life. Around Native Alaskan's and Native Americans (same I guess) and other than the odd suggestion from folks I know to be over the top prankster type people I've never experienced the "blood makeup" thing.

Is it a regional thing, from certain tribes, or?

It's stupid.