Everyone, I started out as a 17 yr old kid bow hunting. As time whent on I whent through several stages, as I am sure most of you did. I whent from having to kill any deer to killing as many as possible. Then came the bucks only stage, followed by only big bucks. 6 years ago I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, my world was turned upside down. Now I just enjoy my time in the woods, even the pesky red tree rats. There really is something to the saying
...stop to smell the roses
The hunt is waaaaaaaaaay more than just the killing. If the killing were the only thing that mattered, I would be a rifle hunter.
Prayers up for you!
Bisch
Ditto on the prayers!
Anymore, it doesn't bother me in the least if I come home empty-handed. Sometimes I prefer it.
Not about the kill for me!
After working and dreaming for 40 years I recently was able to buy a " baby " farm. I have feeders running from September-March and sew about 2 acres of turnips in August. Last year was the first time in over 3 decades I did not harvest a deer. I had several opportunities, with plenty of pics and videos to confirm. I did take a turkey with my bow though. My boys and friends are worried about me I'm sure. :)
I just hope they too live long enough that the " thrill of the kill " subsides. I very well may harvest a few more in the future. But, with a son and a 16 yr old grandson hunting there's always fresh venison in the freezer. My wife and I go down for 2-3 days each week now. Stumps are always in season and I love roving in my woods. Life is good and I'm appreciative!
The older I get the less bloodthirsty I become. I am happy to see deer and let most pass.
I think most traditional archers will agree its more than the kill. I get a overwhelmed when I walk into the woods with only stick and string. A feeling that had long since left with my compound. That's why I've once again sold off all my compound equipment and using a long bow. It's defiantly more about the time spent hunting rather than the harvest. I love getting so close to the animals, and if i harvest, then it's great! If not I come home to supporting family and don't have to dirty up my skinning knifes, meat grinder, kitchen, garage floor, etc.. good luck with everything sir!
Wes
For me just spending time in Gods creation and thinking of all the blessings he has given to us is a special time. When in the woods it's my time with him and to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life. Now I will say I love to chase big bucks too but they are just a bonus.
Every moment in the field is a gift >>-->
I figured out a long time ago, the killing part of hunting, just leads to an end of all the fun....and is when the work begins.
Yet,,,,,even though hunting if far more then the kill, hunting is also more then just going out and sitting in the woods enjoying nature...that is a different activity. Otherwise if the kill wasnt a part of it, then leave your bow at home or better yet sell all your hunting weapons and get out there and enjoy without them. A camera maybe? Hunting is far more then just the kill, but we should not have to make excuses as to the fact that killing is part of hunting if even the kill never actually takes place,,,,we certainly were there to make a kill if opportunity presents itself. Hunting and the intention to kill, they are inseperable. Otherwise it's not even hunting at all. If you dont get that, then maybe a camera would better suit you.
First and foremost Ill keep you in my prayers...... the hunt for me is being where im hunting and invisible. its enjoying the wildlife around me and enjoying the peace and tranquility. Free sums it up...... I work alot and in a noisy environmwnt so anytime spent in the woods whether I bring meat home or not is a treasure....
As stated before , if it's about the kill , you might as well just gun hunt .
It's the journey not just the destination!!
yep im a hunter not just a killer
Here in NV, we draw for tags. Some years I do not draw, but go with anyone who needs a spotter, packer or camp cook. It is the hunt, a kill is nice, but anticlamatic. There is nothing like being perched on a mountain and watching antelope deer elk yotes or badgers doing "thier" thing with no indication I am even there. Being out there is life. Gotta admit, like a deer steak over a fire, too
I to enjoy the hunt killing or not. There is so many aspects to it that I love I couldn't list them all here. This year was my first time in 35 years that I never shot at least one deer with a bow. I had a great time. I missed a couple, passed on a few, and I felt my season was a success. Everything I did was on my own terms, it was great and I thank the Lord for the opportunity. I said a prayer for you and wish you all the best.
MOst bow hunters I know have great imaginations. Hunting takes me and them to another place . A place of beauty. awe, simplicity and wonder. It is about life and the great circle that the creator made. It is about the imagination that takes us out of the reality of the lives and boundarys we live in, The trap of things is replaced with the sighing of firs and pines in the air and the blue of the sky. Sparks from a campfire and the glow of light on friends gathered around it takes us back hundreds and thousands of years where a belly full of hot meat and a cold drink of water was more successful than a bank account and credit cards.
Its about a fresh set pf tracks going through a jack pine forest and following them while in your mind seeing a huge bull that somehow had to be over those huge feet. Hearing a bull bugling on a far ridge and another answering that sounds like he is right on top of you. You take a step , You look up and he is standing on a ridge a hundred yards away and staring right at you. Busted but successful.
I guess we could write on forever about this but I know anyone that is a hunter who uses the stick and the string knows exactly what I am saying.
God bless you all, Steve
I like the thrill of the hunt, and being out and enjoying the woods.
But I like hearing a hog coughing on its own blood and watching its soul leave its body thru a large arrow wound even more.
Its not as much about the killing for me.Especially after decades of hunting.More so when I 1st started hunting.But not the end all be all even then.
I really just love being totally immersed in the natural order of things.Hunting and angling have a way of putting you deeper into that realm.Many lessons,philosophies and princibles are learned that will enrich a man or woman.
I think if I was starving or needed to put food on the table it would be more about the killing to procure food.But the same lessons would be learned nonetheless.
Alot of the things I have gotten out of hunting in self enrichment,understanding,deep meaning and a higher understanding of the natural order have nothing to do with killing the animal.Its about being a part of the scheme of the natural order.Which man is certainly a large part of that natural History through the eons
The pursuit of the kill had led me down this path of things that were discovered in relation to the actual killing of animals.I have learned alot in the woods,hills,swamps,rivers,lakes and forests.I derived great pleasure in it and am gratefull for all of it!
Overall I enjoy the hunt and everything that it encompasses more than the kill in totality.The kill is kinda the icing on the cake at the end of the story though.Especially the hard earned kills that really test the hunters knowledge,skill and perseverance.
I matured at 18. That was the last year I hunted with a rifle. Im 51 now and it doesnt bother me a bit that I could have killed some monster bucks with a rifle in rifle season when I was carrying by bows.
Participated in over 100 hunts last fall
Passed on well over 150 shot opportunities, from the ground, last fall
Happily released no arrows last fall
Must have been exceedingly much more to the hunt than making a kill last fall
Ditto what Adge23 said !
Yes the bow hunt is more than just the opportunity to take possession of an animal to me.
I've been at this 47 years now. But I remember a span of time in my 12th and 13th year (80-81) where I was hunting for giant deer on a large property that had them. It was northern Indiana (Elkhart) and in those days a bowhunter was allowed only one deer. The bowhunter was not allowed to hunt with a bow during the gun season.
In those two years I kept a diary. I passed on 110 bow range shots (20 yards or less). I never shot an arrow during those 2 years. Yep, the trees were beautiful, fresh air great, anticipation super high, and lots of other wildlife entertained me. But....
Towards the end of that 2 years I realized I was loosing the excitement for seeing ordinary deer. When I saw a deer and knew I wasn't going to be tempted to shoot, the rush didn't occur.
I realized that because there was going to be no moment of truth, no risk that I might miss or worse, that my hunt was missing something. It became exactly like hunting with a camera for me (with no market for a great picture there was nothing at stake ruining a picture).
I had turned hunting into something else.
That 2nd year I was hunting for a small buck with a muzzleloader on that property. The largest live deer I've ever seen (12-point) walked within 15 yards in a picked bean field to the pin oak I was perched in. I lowered the sights on him and decided I didn't want the biggest deer of my life to be with a firearm. That big ole buck hung around with a doe for more than 10 minutes. I moved those iron sights from his neck to between his eyes. I had decided, since this spot was adjacent to a near implantable button bush swamp that I was going to drop whatever I shot in his tracks (I didn't bow hunt next to this marsh). I passed the deer. No regrets and I never saw (that I know of) that deer again.
I shot a little 6-point, between the eyes at 35 yards that evening with that .50 caliber Renegade. The only step he took was down.
So, I enjoy a walk or sit in the woods more than most, but if I don't have an unfilled tag in my pocket and the intent to fill it, it isn't a hunt for me. I'm not bloodthirsty, but I thrive on the last piece of the complicated and beautiful puzzle being completed.
I spend far more time watching animals than shooting at them. Like many, I started out wanting to shoot anything and everything that was legal. As time passed, the hunt and just enjoying the beauty of the woods became a major focal point. Some of my friends say I should just leave the bow at home if all I want to do is observe wildlife. However, I could change my mind at any moment so the bow is with me and the broad heads are sharp. Yes, I can have it both ways.
the hunt is important but me and my friends love to pack out meat, which means someone has to kill something. I will admit last year was the first year I have not shot an elk with my bow in 16 years and it did not bother me, I had a great season, but I did pack out a couple for friends.
I agree, the hunt is the over all experience. Yes it is nice to see and harvest the animal you are after, but there is just so much more to it, than just that. I have seen beauty and wonders, that would missed, if did not slow down and enjoy the overall experience.
I go to enjoy nature, and mostly to draw closer to GOD. It gets hard to hear Him with all the hustle and bustle, here I can slow down and listen.
Gary, Prayers lifted up for you.
If all we cared about was killing one we'd all be using xbows or compounds during archery season. If I have good activity (not necessarily the animal I'm after either) I'm happy with the outting. The only times I don't like are when it's a dead woods - that's not very enjoyable.
It is for sure the time in the woods and the anticipation of what I may see or experience during that time. If I do make a kill it is so special with trad equipment.
When I step into the woods I've got a very specific goal. If I don't reach my goal over the course of the season I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me. It does. However hunting with the gear we hunt with is hard. If you don't enjoy a whole lot more about the process than just the kill you may want to look into golf or whatever people do.
I think many folks from game-prolific states do so much killing, they discover that the kill itself doesn't offer much meaning. Out here, we kill so rarely that we have to find meaning in something else or we'd just hang it up.
I think it was Jose Ortega y Gasset who said that one kills in order to have hunted. By themselves, it's all pretty meaningless -- the hunt and the kill. Together, there are some profound truths to learn.
One of my favorite places to hunt, is not so good, but it does have one thing, woodcocks come and feed there every year. I love watching woodcocks. Shot one out of the air and two on the ground one day years ago, with an HTM blunt. Ate the meat of all three and mounted the one that I got out of the air as it was the only one suitable for mounting according to the taxiderm guy.
Sure it's more about the hunt, but the kill is also why I am toting a bow with broadhead tipped arrows along. The adventure getting to that point is a thrill, but ultimately im there attempting to kill wholesome game/meat for my freezer to feed my family. Last archery season I passed up 25 plus deer within easy bow range after killing one buck. Its not about killing numbers, take only what you can use (legally) and leave the rest.
That Ortega quote is right on, thanks for reminding us of that YosemiteSam.
With that quote in mind, the "hunt" is a season of sits or stalks, not just this morning's outing.
On some of my hunts last year I think I enjoyed the stump shooting to and from my spot just as much as the hunt itself. If I would have had someone with me I might have enjoyed the shooting more.
Love the hunt but I also love my venison.
Its not about the killing at all for me. I engage in the outdoor setting because of my love for the God who gives this wondrous creation to us. When in it fully, I sense the divine all around me and know I am part of something infinitely grander than me. I attempt the harvest of the natural resource as a conscientious inhabitant of the planet. I know my presence on earth makes an impact on my environment bringing death by my mere existence. So rather than pretend that is not true, I choose to be as intentional as I can bringing the death my existence brings, in the MOST humane, respectful, and thankful way possible. I think this helps manage our worlds resources in such a way to make/keep them the most healthy and safe. And guarantee the blessing of their gift in perpetuity.
Yes
More to the whole adventure, but there is only one reason folks buy a license.
Its a reason for me to go out n walk around alone in the woods
Hunting is a fun time and the kill is part of the hunt, but some times my hunt turns in to a stump shoot which is one of my favorite pass times. I like to think I'm a good cook and camper a back country type of man and enjoy the hole process. I have to say I'm out there as much as can be but the process is most of the fun for me. Don't need the meat because my son-in-law and grandson always take care of me and it's a big kick for me to see them do their thing. I just love the process.
I love shooting my longbow but no longer enjoy the kill.
I've actually considered selling some of my deer rifles ( haven't used them in 20 years) and buying a good camera with the cash. Saving the guns for grandkids I guess.
If it wasn't for my bird dogs I think i might not kill anything anymore.
Fwiw I've killed probably easily over a 100 deer, just don't like to anymore and I can't explain why.
Yeah torn on that one, I want to kill or I wouldn't go fpdragging this bow around just for fun?? I love to hunt with anything? But I love to kill with a bow??? Mainly and 99.9% time I am skunked? So I might as well not be dragging the bow along! I know I'd fulfill the kill with a rifle easier and more but I love to kill with the bow so I take my beatings on the knowledge that I will succeed.
J
Has never been about the killing for me. Just being there is what does it. If I kill something, great but if not that is great too. I get more out of the experience of it all. Watching the birds and other critters doing their thing.
It's definitely about the hunt for me! I got a late start into my hunting life ( mid twenties, I'm 44 now) and killed my first deer with a gun, never picked up one to deer hunt with again. Life and work get in the way sometimes so my kills are few. Passed several last year that I'm pretty confident I could have taken, but just couldn't drop the string. Time spent in Gods creation and the animals that he created are a blessing and I do not take that for granted. Hopefully I'll be blessed with a big healthy doe next season, but if not, I'll love it anyway!
Honestly I hunt for a lot of reasons. There is a thrill of the kill no doubt and any person who has any primal instinct gets it. Now the two things that I enjoy the most about hunting is the mental aspect of out whiting prey to the point that I can be selective and kill the animals I target do to size, age, and or my need to fill the freezer. Second is I really enjoy the table fare and will eat wild game as much as possible..
Some of my most memorable hunts were those when an arrow never left my quiver.But aint nuttin like wallerin in a gut pile!
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
If the killing were the only thing that mattered, I would be a rifle hunter.
Bisch
I resent this statement. Killing is killing and hunting is hunting, no matter the method. I guess it wouldn't matter much if I was elk hunting with a rubber mallet...the adventure is what matters, and it'd still be a blast, although I am happy to have not purchased cuts of beef at the store in all of my adult life.
QuoteOriginally posted by BWallace10327:
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
If the killing were the only thing that mattered, I would be a rifle hunter.
Bisch
I resent this statement. Killing is killing and hunting is hunting, no matter the method. I guess it wouldn't matter much if I was elk hunting with a rubber mallet...the adventure is what matters, and it'd still be a blast, although I am happy to have not purchased cuts of beef at the store in all of my adult life. [/b]
I think you are mis-reading what I was trying to say! What I was saying was this: To me, if the the only thing that mattered was the kill, then I would use the most efficient weapon that would give me the highest percentage chance to kill something. That is not the case though, and I hunt with my longbow to get the total experience, and a lot of times I do not get a kill.
And btw, I cannot remember the last time I bought any beef in the grocery store. Pretty much any recipe that I make that would call for beef gets venison! I have been eating deer meat so long, to me most beef just does not taste right.
Bisch
I have had a passion for hunting with the stick bow for 40 plus years.
If I was just wanting to kill something I would choose a different weapon.
But, I'm always out there for the kill. Thats a big part of it or else I would take up photography.
I always enjoy the hunt whether I kill or not, but I'm hunting to kill and enjoy at the same time.
Bisch- My misunderstanding, sorry about that; sometimes words can conceal meaning of a statement when delivered in a typed format.
I enjoy the time outdoors in God's world, and meat in the freezer, and well big racks! Heck I love it all actually!
When I first started trad hunting, it was about the kill. When I went into the woods, my only goal was to kill a deer. However, the better I've gotten, as well as beginning to hunt on the ground have both drastically changed my perspective. Just being in the woods and experiencing it is well worth my time. This past year I hunted exactly 50 times and never drew my bow. I was close a few times, but it never quite came together. Looking back, I can't think of a single one of those hunts that I would consider a failure or waste of my time.
"A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be."
Fred Bear
Now that I'm retired, I probably get to hunt ten times the amount of more than 90% of the members here. Most of those sits, or walks, end up with zero results, but it is great to be out there. However, I have to say that closing the deal on a whitetail or longbeard is the desired end result for me. Hunting is the reason I get out in the woods.
I enjoy being with the guys & sometimes killing something. I pretty much have the opportunity to shoot something when I hunt, but choose not to shoot. Its all good.
I'm such a lousy hunter I should be a vegetarian but I still love being in the woods and a part of God's process. Rarely get blood on my knife but I never come out of the woods without something learned.
its all about having FUN and if ya happen to get something along the way thats a bonus. :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by TGbow:
I have had a passion for hunting with the stick bow for 40 plus years.
If I was just wanting to kill something I would choose a different weapon.
But, I'm always out there for the kill. Thats a big part of it or else I would take up photography.
I always enjoy the hunt whether I kill or not, but I'm hunting to kill and enjoy at the same time.
Well said. Seems there is more then a few of us that feel the same way. :campfire: