Are You a Deer hunter or Deer Shooter ???

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

Red Hill I'd say a "SHOOTER"

[Bowmania]

The answer is pretty simple even though I didn't read the article.  The Benoits are gun shooters that stalk deer with pump rifles and open sights.  Any time you can kill a deer at 50 to 150 yards your a deer shooter not a hunter.  Since I don't hunt with a guy I'm a deer hunter.

Bowmania

[Greyfox54]

Foreplay is great but I live for the climax, Fred

[dan d]

Originally posted by randy grider:
I think about anyone hunting with a stickbow has progressed to a hunter, unless of course you sit over a baitpile, then it kinda turns into deer shooter, JMO.

That's how I define it, I'm a hunter ! I do my homework and study the deer and find natural ambush points. The scouting and outfoxing the deer is what I call hunting.
Dan

[Thumper Dunker]

Who cares. Im both. I go hunting to shoot something.Killing is killing.As long as its quick do you think the deer cares.Not all deer  are going to walk under a tree stand.Guys bust thier butts to get that 150 yard shot at mulies and blacktails.

[Stone Knife]

I kill them for food.

[J-dog]

most of the time a deer wisher, come the season I am a deer hunter, hopefully soon into the hunt I am a deer watcher then shortly after the deer watching I am a deer shooter then HOPEFULLY after I was a deer shooter I am a deer blood trailer, then very shortly after that I am a deer consumer.

Shoot the first legal animal that passes - not enough deer around to be passin up many opportunities. Bout only rules I hold to are - early season does are off limits as well as late in the season.

J

[xtrema312]

I can't see where you can be one without the other.

[Overspined]

on second thought, I am both. I kill many deer where I am enlisted to, but when I am in a trophy area I am very much pushing myself to wait for "the one". I am fortunate to meet the moment of truth many times each season for the past 14 yrs or so, passing on more than I can count. I can't tell the farmers that or they would boot me off. I just run out of tags!

[SteveB]

I hunt them to shoot them - regardless of season or weapon I hold. Another thread walking the line of elitism - I don't understand it. Hunting is different things to different people.

[59Alaskan]

If I took more of them home I might have to actually sit and think about this, but given my situation I would have to say hunter.

I want to take deer.  My family enjoys the food, but the absolute best part of a full day hunting for me is when I go out mid day and do the extremely low probability method of stalking for bedded deer with a bow.

Almost took one last year this way.  It was a small buck, but it would've been the best trophy in my mind.  He busted me when I was closing the gap from 25-20 yards.

I have no issue with someone hunting with any legal method as long as they are respectful to the land, land owners, other hunters and the meat is put to good use.

[J. Holden]

I'd have to say I'm a deer hunter.  I rarely get a shot off.  I've had a few misses and passed on a few shots due to range.  I have to hunt public land so that makes a difference as well.  I'm a deer hunter.  If I get one close enough, for my comfort zone, then I morph into the deer shooter.

-Jeremy

[Rod in SC]

Do the Benoits hunt with Trad Archery equipment?  If not then maybe someone who does could call them  deer shooters.  It's a personal thing and the hunter has to decide how much challenge he wants to undertake.  I've read about the Benoits and I certainly consider them deer hunters but if I shoot a yearling with my longbow from a tree stand I'll still consider myself a deer hunter. It's all good!
Rod

[Bowwild]

The hunt to me is everything I do that leads to the shot. So, I hunt all year and spend a 3-5 seconds shooting 1-4 times per season. Without the hunt the shooting is meaningless to me and without the promise of a shot the hunt is without fruit.  I can probably have a fine season without taking a shot, but I'd just as soon not find out.

[harvestmoon]

Rascal, you really nailed it im my mind.  Like Terry said, you hunt it then shoot it, and if all goes well you have some meat for the locker, or maybe just all the great memories that drive you to next year.

[Bowwild]

I'm not anti-gun, I hunt squirrels and a doe a year with a rifle. I've been reading of the Benoits exploits for a very long time. They seem to be very persistent and get a huge kick out of snow-tracking deer. I'm sure they have learned a lot about deer behavior and preferences by tracking them. I respect their talent. However, last I read anything about them they weren't packing bows. Again, whatever their cup of tea and is fine with me. However, there is a WORLD of difference (as everyone here knows)in HAVING to be 10-20 yards from a deer and getting by with being 40-100+ yards away. The biggest live deer I've seen in KY since 1995 was 92 yards away last season (at the edge of the woods in my backyard--160 class). Might as well been in Ohio.

[John3]

I'm a bowhunter.. And strictly a traditional bowhunter at that. I pass on too many deer each season but then again I am not hungry. Things would be different if I was.  Getting close is what this is all about for me.

If I was a deer shooter I would take a stand over a huge bean field with a 30:06 and be home early mid morning of opening day in November...

John III

[Ssamac]

Any question that makes you think about what you do is a good question> Never thought about it like that before. I think I'm a hunter. Don't hunt close enough to pick one animal over another. I just set things up and try to know the area and stalk correctly and hope for success. Also has to be a good size animal and a good kill. I would feel bad if it weren't.

I love the challenge of the bowhunt and the feeling that there's a real sport and challenge involved. Not getting out there with a scoped 30.06 and mowing them down. I too use a flintlock during the rifle season. Put's us more on an even footing.

I think a couple of hundred years ago, however, people were more deer shooters. The hunted to survive. They saw one and shot it. There was no deer season or limits or rules on antlers etc. There was also plentiful game. I don't think that made them bad people. Hunting was more of a necessary skill like driving or using a phone for us. They rode a horse because they had to. We do it as sport.

That's all I'll say about it

sam