Is it just about the kill.

[virginiashadow]

Hunting is a part of me, down to my core.  I have slowly moved from rifles to shotguns to muzzleloaders to compound bows...now the recurve for the first time this year. It is NOT about the kill for me, although the reason I hunt is to kill.  The hard work I put in and my passion for bowhunting is what drives me into the woods. I absolutely love it!  I have always been a pretty much loner hunter, enjoying the woods by my lonesome.  But that is slowly changing as I age....I must give back to the woods by helping others in their endeavors.   If I don't do as well in the woods each fall, yet I help others fulfill their goals, then I am a happy man.

[deaddoc4444]

Come on guys  Your not a real man ( or woman ) or real hunter if you dont get a 140 + rack each and everytime you go out .   Just look at all the shows and adds.  
  If it was just for the sport , or chase , or stalk , or meat then   WHY DO WE HAVE ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ?????????.         OH sorry  don't forget that does are ONLY in the woods to be culled so we can get to the correct doe to buck ratio. So they  are just there to be killed off.
   Im so sick of todays mental attitude toward SHOOTING game NOT HUNTING .

[gregg dudley]

Originally posted by Ragnarok Forge:
It is about the voyage, not the destination.  

One of my favorite philosophies.

Sometimes the journey leads to a kill. Some times it does not, but I am always out there eager to see what is over the next ridge or around the next corner of life.

[amar911]

Mankind has hunted throughout our existence in order to survive. Just like procreation and eating, we have been genetically programmed to enjoy the act because it gives us the increased motivation to engage in it more often and more vigorously to help us survive. Of course, the killing and eating of the meat of our prey is what originally drove the development of our biological sense of enjoyment, but even without the need to hunt, we have retained the pleasure of the activity. I intend to fulfill those ancient pleasures for as long as I am able, and I feel no shame in my predatory behavior.

Allan

[stick_string]

I get a little frustrated when I read folks on here say that, "a mature hunter is one that does not care about JUST killing"...  :(  

Really?

Then why take a bow into the woods?  Take a camera...    

I want to fill every tag every year. If that makes me immature...I appologize.

I believe that a "mature hunter" is a person that learns, grows, and appreciates the experience; WHILE learning why he/she did not harvest then make every effort to improve his/her skills so that the next outting is a success and harvest is possible!!      

BUT, I still hunt this recurves/longbows because I enjoy the challenge and effort it takes to get that close.  However I do not feel like I am effecient enough to hunt deer yet, and I DO NOT want to wound deer...so I wont till I get better and trust I will not miss as 6 yards for the third time (Yes...you read that right).  

Anyway, YES...I am all about the KILL!!  That is the pinnicle...but I dont turn away if it dosent happen.

 

[bow loving man]

I love the chase, I really love when the chase ends in a kill but even my most recent pursuit of a turkey in Kansas, was one my most memorable because of the way it came together, the opportunity to make the chase, learn the lay of the land, the way of the turkey and the ability to close the distance.  It did not end in a kill but Wow!  What an experience that I will cherish always...Terry was right, its all about the chase!

[Bonebuster]

How many of us practice judging yardage throughout the day while we go about our everyday lives? Most of us can recognize twenty yards within a foot or two. We notice animal tracks wherever we go. We see a predator bird perched when nobody else does. Wind direction. Sunset...sunrise.

It`s within us, and killing is but a small part.

[Hoyt]

Surely if it was all about the kill I would have given up 40 or 50 years ago. Thankfully it's not for me anyway. I love all of it..walking in the woods, hiding in the bushes, climbing trees, sneaking up on animals, shooting arrows, sharpening broadheads. It goes on and on and what's not to like. But most of all it's the anticipation...
 

 

[LAR43]

Terry, Bonebuster, & Hoyt hit it on the head.      

Larry

[HUNT 24/7]

Nope, it's not about the kill for me at all, I also just love being in the woods doing something, be it hunting, fishing, scouting, hiking, bikibng or just plain tramping.
 I am, by personal choice a "trophy hunter" I enjoy the added challenge of trying to take a mature animal or so called "trophy". Everything I have ever killed is a trophy to me, from the smallest to the biggest.
 I agree, if you are hunting just to kill, your head is in the wrong place but is it just me, or does it seem like some people think it is "wrong" to trophy hunt???? If anything, it makes you less of a "destination" guy & more of a "journey" person to trophy hunt, I can assure you, I have done waaaaaaaaay more journeying than destinationing HAHA!!!!

What are your thoughts????

[SveinD]

Originally posted by Silent Bear:
It sickens me that people can just kill deer to hang their horns on the wall, I believe if your going to kill an animal you better use just about every part on its body for something useful and let nothing go to waste

Hear, hear! I'm taking my hunters exam this fall, and that will be the moral with which I enter the world of hunting. Anything less makes no sense to me!

[firsted]

There are a lot of reasons why I hunt.  Basically, human evolution provided us with binocular vision, an upright posture, eye teeth and finger/toe nails - we've evolved to be omnivorous.  To me, that means a salad with my steak.  But it's important to me to take the responsibility to find, kill and dress out my own meat when I can.  No respect is given to meat that you buy. Some guided hunts aren't much better.  
Hunting traditionally means that I can become a part of the environment and experience the fullness of nature.  Rifle hunting never includes a squirrel thinking you're a tree and deciding to climb you for some nuts (no pun intended!) or having a covey of quail walk right by you.  It's the stillness I appreciate, the only time I can "turn off the internal dialog".
Bagging game is great when it happens and would happen more often if it was a necessity.  For me, it really is the chase over the kill.  I guess my reasoning may sound too esoteric but ....
Eddie Paulsgrove

[Hopewell Tom]

The Chase, the Anticipation coming from that noise you just heard over there.... The lack of any REAL guarantee. You have a BIG job to do when things line up just so. It's so primal. I often think about the majority that don't hunt. It's so confusing, impossible to consider.
Last Fall was my first time on stand with bow in hand. I was worried that having deer close, but not "killable" (He's just behind that branch....)would be too frustrating. No way - I had 6 deer come in, got busted by a nice 8 Pt. and came out of the tree totally pumped. I won't sell all my guns, but some are on the block as the New Bow Bug is gnawing away. I'll try as long as possible to make meat with the bow this season, but may end up out with the gun as we (my wife and I ) both love the meat. Another thing I can see with the bow is I'll be out more to make it happen. What's the downside in that?

[SteveB]

Everything about the chase is part of the hunt and the enjoyment and the reason I am out there. But if I wasn't out to kill every hunt if given the opportunity, I would carry a camera instead of a bow.

[kbetts]

I love spending all year in preparation for what might be only one shot.  The hours of shooting, modifying equipment, observing game movements, etc.  It makes it so sweet when it all comes together...whether you close the deal or not.  I'm by no means "old", but with all of todays advancements in equipment, I get an increasing amount of satisfaction by using what is so basic.  I am definitely the odd ball in my hunting community and I like it that way.  So no, it isn't all about the kill....but I do get lucky a lot.