What's your motivation?

[mmgrode]

Hey fellas,
    what is it that attracts you to dangerous game hunting? Is it the rush from the danger present or a certain calm and peace while hunting these animals? Next year I plan on hog hunting for the first time and black bear hunting in a couple years when I can get a permit. I think I will get a lot out of this type of hunt. I'd like to see why you guys do it. Thanks fellas, Matt

[doctorbrady]

Though black bear hunting and hog hunting topics often get posted on this forum, I think that most of us who have hunted these species extensively would agree that neither is particularly dangerous, at least not to the extent that we would categorize them as "dangerous game."  Still, it is fun to hunt animals that have some potential to get rowdy.  I have never hunted game that I would consider dangerous (grizzly/brown bear, cape buffalo, asiatic buffalo, leopards, etc), but I can imagine that the thrill of the surging adrenaline is tough to beat.  I hope to experience it for myself one day in the future.  Until then, "rowdy game" will have to do.  Brady

[Rick McGowan]

I can speak with a bit of experience and I am confident to say that I do not know. I guess its the same reason that headshrinker types cannot define exactly why people hunt, just that some need to. I've guide quite a few people on dangerous game and I am sure that they were not all their for the same reason and I am very sure that some of them were having serious second thoughts about the whole thing. Some no doubt are doing it solely out of ego, to impress others, but the ones I enjoy hunting with the most are only doing it to prove something to themselves.

[John57]

New Zealands Feral cattle.
In a nut shell,proving to myself it could be done,and I could actualy do it.
We live lives were we can control most things or choose to avoid what we can't.
A feral bull is a challenge you don't have much control over,an that's one of the things that make them atractive.
It's like hunting the mountains alone,probably not the smartest thing to do,but the satisfaction is huge.
Some guys climb Mt Everest,feral cattle are my Mt Everest.

[Al Kidner]

Did not think there was any wild bulls in NZ mate. Plenty over here though.

In Oz, al

[John57]

In the Ruakumara area on our East cape, there a still quite a few an it's these I've hunted.
There's another herd in the whanganui river area but their access is very limited to hunters.
Both these herds result from farmers walking off back country farms after WW1.
Cheers,
John.

[Tuttu]

I like to hunt dangerous animals (grizzly bears, brown bears, and mountain goats) because these animals interest me and I admire them.  It's just like hunting any other animal.  If they are legal to hunt, I will chase them.  I like the variety of different animals, and the terrain they acquire in.  It's just too bad the polar bear is off the list for an Alaskan resident.
Chuck

[Wudstix]

Chuck;
Polar is the only animal that hunts man on purpose.  That for sure would be a thrill.  1,000 plus pounds of white fur closing quickly.  Focus, pick a spot, yeah right....
Hogs and Black bear are not particularly Dangerous Game, there is some "rowdiness" as mentioned above.  Hogs can get rowdy if you don't hit them were you should.

Michael

[Rick McGowan]

In various places in the world, cougars, black bears, wolves, jaguars and saltwater crocs, in addition to the animals already mentioned have all at times purposely stalked, killed and eaten people. Oddly enough polar bears have NEVER been know to eat people and most if not all of the cases of them killing people have been attributed to mistaken identity, ie an indigenous person dressed entirely in seal skins is easy to mistake for a seal.

[mmgrode]

I think you're thinking of sharks Rick, not Polar bears. Check out this link:  http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/LIVEHUNTS/polarbear2006/notgood.cfm
I don't know any seals that live in tents! Take care, Matt

[juneaulongbow]

I think the urban legend of Polar bears stalking man on purpose came about because they tend to follow trails in the snow.

[Steve H.]

Was that guy "eaten" or just "mauled"?  There is a difference but I'm not sure THAT guy cared.

[Rick McGowan]

Polar bears ONLY eat blubber, although they have killed quite a few people, they haven't eaten any that I've heard of. Eyewitness's say that the bears just look sorta confused after they kill a human and can't find any fat on them.

[mmgrode]

Rick- why would Polar bears only eat blubber? that doesn't make much sense to me. A polar bear also needs proteins. I can see how the fat can be so important, true, and how they go after seals because of this fact, but that can't be the only part they eat!! They also eat reindeer, seabirds and their eggs, carion, and human garbage if available. It might be true, but just doesn't seem to make sense to me. Let me know if you find anything on it. Any way- they sure have the potential to kill you!!!

[akbow]

You only need to experience the adrenaline rush of being spitting distance from a brownie 1 time to be hooked... The best drug you'll ever take!
 Rick, thats why fat guys don't hunt polar bears.

[onewhohasfun]

In a year with abundant salmon, fishing brown bears will only eat the skin and the roe, not the fillets.

[jrchambers]

im going to have to disagree about the polarbears,  my wife grew up in a small village on the north slope, she told me of when people would spend weeks inside because thier would be a bear hooked on humans.  and black bears can be as dangerous as any when wounded,

[jake jr. trickshot]

Polar bears will often eat blubber so that they can provide there babies with milk. Considering there milk is about 90% fat or so if i remember correctly. Polar bears may attack mostly when they feel there young ones are threatened like most species of bear. But i suppose if they need the fat that badly they'll eat just about anything to keep there young ones alive. The reason for such fat filled mild is simply to keep the cubs warm since it has to build a layer of fat.  

[Rick McGowan]

I never said polar bears didn't KILL people, in fact I said the opposite, I just said they don't normally EAT people. However if they are starving, they are like any other creature and will eat anything. Black bears on the other hand rarely kill people, but they often eat them when they do. Brown bears eat the skin and roe of salmon, because those parts are the richest in fat, so they can take in the most calories, the same with polar bears and blubber, of course with the skin and blubber are protein and other nutrients in addition to the fat.

[hunt it]

Black bears kill more people than Brown/Grizzly and Polar bears combined. This is due to the fact that there are far more black bears than the above and they live in much closer proximity to populated areas. Unlike all dangerous game (only exception being lions)a polar bear will hunt you down on the ice pack and kill you if you have no means of defense. Most people in polar bear country are kept safe by dogs and firearms. Without those there would be alot more missing. My friend was with the group that took those polar bear pictures and killed that bear. He speaks of many many close calls each year but the dogs come to the rescue 99% of the time.

Now on to the mans question:

For me it's the adrenaline rush that comes from being close to dangerous game in their environment. Several times over the years I've had to duck into bushes and remain very very still as a herd of cape buffalo go around me. The scare and adrenaline factor combined is one heck of a high, thats all I can say. I've hunted lots of black bear and even had them climb up a tree I was in but the rush is not the same. One must always respect the black bear, if it wants you your in deep schnitt! I've hunted lots of hogs and there is nothing dangerous about hogs as far as I'm concerned. Yes they can charge when wounded but so can a racoon!