Ok i have to figure this out.
If you have been surfing the Powwow lately you have often seen remarks, for and against emotion, after a shot with a bow on an animal. Ive heard many times that it is "Disrespectful" and some have even said it was offensive to see emotion after a shot.
So my question is this: Do you show emotion after a shot on an animal, or when animal is recovered? If no, please explain why or more importantly, Why would you find such emotion "offensive" or "vulgar"?
I know that IMHO, i work wayyy to hard not to show some emotion after it finally comes together with 2 sticks and a string. Ioccasionally whoop and hollar, and 9x out of 10 i will fist pump. Now i know "to each their own" but really, i would hate to offend my trad brothers by showing a little emotion after a shot? I would just like to hear some opinions on this suject.
This is is no way against anyone, i love all you guys i just would like an answer to this. It says on the opening page that debate is healthy, but if something seems personal ill be the first to ask the mods to delete it. Thanks!
Dalton
I think it is an age thing. I did get emotional when I was a kid but now that I am an old man I get more emotional when I miss and can't find my $10.00 carbon...PR
How you feel is how you feel-go with it. And ask yourself-is that how I feel-or is that how I saw someone feel on TV?
Personally I am too filled with awe and gratitude to break dance after taking a life; but that's just me.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bjorn:
How you feel is how you feel-go with it. And ask yourself-is that how I feel-or is that how I saw someone feel on TV?
Personally I am too filled with awe and gratitude to break dance after taking a life; but that's just me.
X2
Dalton,
I don't agree with all the whooping and hollering that we sometimes see on T.V. I think it does get out of control. Dare I say that even Mr. Eichler sometimes makes me uncomfortable. But that's his personality from what I understand.
I don't celebrated that way though. After a succesful shot I'm overcome with a waterfall of emotions from disbelief that it finally came together to a sense of responsibilty to go and find the animal and finish the job. I've very solemn and serious about what has just taken place. My excitement comes out after the fact when I'm telling others of my success.
I don't think emotion is bad. I'd even say if you can kill an animal and not show emotion, something is wrong inside your heart.
This is just my opinion though...
-Jeremy :coffee:
We all hunt for our own reasons, and who has the right to tell anybody how they should react to a hard won goal? That said, this is another reason that hunting is not a spectator sport....how we act after the shot affects different people in different ways. I just had a discussion with a lady that I would not consider anti-hunting, but who really thinks that when hunters "hold up the head" to display antlers and such, it is a big disrespect to the animal....she is a close family friend, and this same woman will travel the world fly fishing (she is in her 70's, by the way) and think nothing of "displaying" a trout she hooked on a fly, and then releasing it, knowing that some studies show that released fish suffer as much as 50 percent mortality.....it's an emotional issue all around, I guess. I just would'nt worry about it...and if you do, then don't show it to other people. My 2 cents.
Getting excited before, during and after the shot is part of the hunt. Two years ago I shot a deer with a wood arrow that I made out of a board and a flint head that I knapped. When my son found the deer I was beside myself with excitement. We didn't hoot and hollor in the woods but I will never forget my young son patting me on my back and giving me a high five.
I certainly feel a sense of accomplishment after a good shot and subsequent recovery. But it does not go beyond a broad smile and perhaps a backslap and handshake from a pal and some excited comments.
All the whooping and fist pumping I see on television is a major turnoff and is very disrespectful to the animal. An animal has just given its life to satisfy the needs of the hunter, which in most cases is for sport not food gathering. The hunter should be honoring the deceased animal in a respectful manner. Jumping around like an idiot yelling and screaming is not showing that animal honor. To be quite frank, I refuse to hunt with anyone who prances around like a wide receiver who just caught the winning touchdown at the Super Bowl.
Thanks for the posts guys, Now i will clarify when i said that i occasionallly whoop and hollar and fist pump, i dont mean i pull out a boom box and get jiggy with it, i mean i just get excited. Sometimes i do whoop and hollar but sometimes im too shocked that it happened, sorta like a post above said but i just dont see how this should offend someone
I dunno....there's a difference between scoring a touchdown and killing an animal. The guys that don't see that aren't welcome in my camp.
As Mark Baker said, it's not a spectator sport and there-in lies the bulk of this discussion.
A little reverence please.......
Do what works for you, and I will do the same. Just don't talk about it or show it in a video unless you want to get opinions ranging all over the place. I do think some of the TV stuff gets overdone.
I get real pumped up after a shot. I am fist pumping and hooting inside for a few seconds. I don't express it outwardly because something could be coming I want to shoot next, and all my attention is on what the animal does, where it goes, and what I hear. After concentrating on that stuff until the animal is down or out of sight and ear shot, the bitter sweet part of the kill settles in, and I don't feel like jumping up and down.
Disrespect is bad enough but when they start laughing that just tears it!
I don't watch some of the hunting shows because of the way they act.
Ain't nothing funny about taking the animals life.
Save the laughing for when a terrorist gets wasted!
I have read some of the posts and I think where the problem comes up is everyone is going off of their own definition of what "hooting and hollering" is. That by itself can lead to disagreement when it isn't need or even intended.
How I see it...
There is nothing wrong with being excited or "emotional" over a hunt, stalk, etc that was successful. Most of you guys work very hard year round to make your hunting seasons successful. Scouting, trail cams, land management, food plot upkeep, shooting, tuning, tweaking arrows, new bows, and the list can go on.
There is a lot of work that goes into successfully hunting and when you do manage to have everything come together it is validation and vindication for all that hard work and doing things properly.
Is the antics of TV hunters disrespectful to the game they seek? I believe most of them are. Yet, I also believe you can be excited and proud of yourself while still paying proper respect to the animal you killed.
But, like everyone said, it is ultimately everyone's own personal choice. It is not anyone's place to cast a stone at another. Whether you approve or disapprove.
Just my .02
Pat
I saw an episode of a hunting show recently where after the "hunters" had each taken a buck they went back to the woods to fill their "fun tickets" as they called their doe tags. The next five minutes was kill shot after kill shot on does with much laughing and joking around. Very disrespectful. Reminded me why I avoid outdoor TV these days. The essence of what bowhunting is all about seems lost to many folks.
To me this is an easy question. Your personal behavior is your business and yours alone. No one has the right to make that call for you. Enjoy your freedom to do whatever you want.
QuoteOriginally posted by xtrema312:
Do what works for you, and I will do the same. Just don't talk about it or show it in a video unless you want to get opinions ranging all over the place. I do think some of the TV stuff gets overdone.
I get real pumped up after a shot. I am fist pumping and hooting inside for a few seconds. I don't express it outwardly because something could be coming I want to shoot next, and all my attention is on what the animal does, where it goes, and what I hear. After concentrating on that stuff until the animal is down or out of sight and ear shot, the bitter sweet part of the kill settles in, and I don't feel like jumping up and down.
Exactly how I see it and react!
I would echo Biggies comment. Hunting is a privlidge, respect for the animals before and after the kill is equally important. Most of the hunting shows rub me the wrong way for that reason.
What someone does out in the middle of the woods is their business I guess. But if you are a hooper-hollerer, fist pumper and video tape it for others to view, then you can probably expect some negative feedback. If you do it alone then who's it hurting? If you do it around me, I'm not going to be offended, my feelings aren't hurt that easily. I'll probably just roll my eyes and carry on with my way of doing things.
After a bow kill and before I begin tracking, there is that quiet time I spend thinking about what just occurred and the life that I have just taken. My thoughts are reflective as to the recent event and all the preparation that went into it. My thoughts also are for the animal that I know is laying somewhere out in the woods waiting for me. There are different emotions that flow though my mind. Sadness for the death, happiness that I have been successful, a calmness knowing that a life has run its course and will soon provide food for family and friends, thankful that God has provided.
I've been with others when they have found their prize and offered hearty congratulations for I know too well what they have just accomplished. I guess this is about as celebratory as I get for I know the work is going to begin.
Danny
Burnsie, well said. I quit watching many of the TV shows because that's just not what I want to see. I don't necessarily want to see the shows stopped. If you work hard for a kill, you're entitled to celebrate your way. Just don't expect me to join in the dance, and don't think I'm not excited when I make a good kill and would rather keep things inside me for a bit.
My brother, that I have not spoken to in many years, used get all full of himself every time he would kill something and cuss a blue streak and say things like "I got you, to (mf'npiece of s--)" and worse. With him being a hunter safety instructor, it seemed like a total hypocrisy to me. Of course I was considered a sissy for not feeling all that good about things when I killed something. I get emotional every time I shoot an animal in a way. While I love to hunt and eat wild game, I always have a feeling of dread and guilt when ever I kill something. It is not something I celebrate and cheer about ever and it has not gotten any easier with time. Killing a beautiful wild creature is not something to be taken lightly or in jest. I think for most trad hunters it is serious business and gets the contemplation it deserves.
Bladepeek- X2
As exciting as it is, it is with great sadness. When I hunt I feel the joy of putting it all together and to the best of my ability make a quick humane shot. But with an animal down I may get excited but sad at the same. I always stop for a moment to pay respect to what an amazing creature it is that I pursue.
I don't like watching football players dance and show off after a touchdown. Its there job and something they are supposed to do, why act like they just performed some miracle. I don't like watching outdoorsmen do the same thing, but that is how I look at it. I am not in the entertainment biz, and the hosts of shows are. They are the ones who have received sponsors and contracts, because they have the ratings numbers that show many viewers like their screen presence. If you have not noticed those of us who frequent this board do not fit the general profile for our society, or even for the hunting portion of our society. So I would expect many of us to not find what the general public enjoys as palatable. However with each generation there is a change in what is acceptable and expected behavior. I would expect that younger members would find exuberant celebration more natural than us older folk who grew up with examples of outdoorsmen who spoke in four word sentences, and might show a slight smile to acknowledge an accomplishment. Every one should be allowed to show emotion as they feel natural and appropriate. If your with me expect my post shot whispering to speed up and get a bit louder. Oh and I'll have a big smile.
Even as a kid or young adult I don't remember hooping or hollering much. I always remember admiring the animal and its beauty. I liked being by myself so I could just enjoy everything and I guess reflect. There is something about a fresh kill that can only be treasured for a short time. If you ever see pics or videos of the Wensels you will see what I mean. You get to see and feel every thing. So I guess that is respect and admiration for the animals we love so much. I remember the first ducks I got to handle you feel the weight you look at there eyes feel there feet look at the plumage and all the colors and one shot that falls on dry land is so much better. It is all about filling all your senses to the fullest.
Having seen a lot of death in a variety of environments, I tend to take it very seriously, I always feel excitement and sadness when I make a kill. The animal did nothing to deserve it's death except taste good. I take the time to think about the animal and what taking that life means. I do not hunt with folks who whoop and holler. That not it my style. I think society has moved to far away from teaching respect for others and all living things. Celebrate in your own way it is your experience to enjoy. Just don't ask me to join you in the celebration.
This is a good discussion, one that seems well worth having. The celebrating that comes to my mind is what I see represented on the outdoor TV shows. I have never understood the fist pumping and statement " I just smoked em!" Honestly I don't get what that is even supposed to mean. It seems to me that out of respect to the creator of all life some form of thank you to God for the skill, time, location , animal given, etc would be appropiate. Whether that "thank you" is full of excitement or more sober, hey each of us is different so that's a personal choice.
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
I dunno....there's a difference between scoring a touchdown and killing an animal. The guys that don't see that aren't welcome in my camp.
As Mark Baker said, it's not a spectator sport and there-in lies the bulk of this discussion.
A little reverence please.......
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I think respect,reverence and good taste says it all! :notworthy:
I think Biggie summed up my feelings pretty well.
I've never felt the urge or see the need for the amount of celebration that some of these guys do. Maybe it's genuine, Generally speaking I don't care for it.
I just know personally if I have a choice, I'd much prefer to be alone. Emotionally I am somewhere between excited, sad, and grateful all at once. I normally spend a few quiet minutes to settle down, thank God and then it's time to get busy dressing and dragging.
Is this a carry over from another thread about "smoking a doe?" And I'm not talking about BBQ or making jerky.
Do what you want. If it only impacts you then who is to care? But when it is recorded for all the world to see...well that's a different story. When somebody elses actions stand to jeopardize my rights and privlidges you are going to hear about it.
No different than fellas on my lease hopping the fence and jeopardizing my relationship with my neighbors before I can make contact with the neighbor...guess what happens next? It is simply a matter of respect, for the animal and for your peers.
I can only echo a lot of what has already been said here.
But I'd say the big difference between a forum such as this, and most mainstream venues, is that this conversation is even taking place. And respectfully and intelligently, at that.
I get excited, but no hollering. Of course your heart rate is up and maybe a fist pump to myself. Most of that jazz is 'made for tv'. I'm glad to see the excitment but perhaps it goes too far in certain circumstances.
I'm not a TV hunter and wouldn't make a good one. I'm not a trophy hunter. To me, anything with a bow is a trophy. I don't get the chance to hunt some of the places these TV guys and gals do.
I wish we had some more trad only shows out there. I truly enjoy watching Fred. I think he embodies pretty well what traditional hunting is about. Of course he likes to shoot trophy animals, but he's not over consumed about it.
Am not sure what to say but I appreciate ever kill and am thankful for it no matter what that animal is or how big or small it is.
To the original poster turn the TV off and do what you feel is right in your heart and you can't go wrong.
I show emotion. Iam not laughing at the animals expense. Iam excited at my success, all the hard work an all the close encounters that did not pan out I am happy at the closure of my goal.the "fistpump" is victroy of my hard work.I thank god for my skill an the deer.Iam not one of these spritual,become one with the woods type an spend 2 hours saying a prayer to smokey the bear an every indian I ever knew.
Everybody is different. I will not judge someone on how they react after shooting an animal but on how they pursued that animal and the follow up on caring for that animal. I get a smile on mt face everytime I watch the footage of Fred Eichler shooting his grizzly bear. Him throwing his hands up and the look on his face shows it all for me.
IMO the TV hunters are doing most of the celebrating for the camera. Most of these fellas would probably act totally different if by themselves. It sure makes them look foolish IMO.
Maybe getting older has something to do with it. I am pretty sad after killing and the older I get, the more so and I certainly don't have the urge to do some of these things. I have never hunted with anyone that acted that way but if someone did, I would suspect he was just putting on an act.
QuoteOriginally posted by Dan Bonner:
To me this is an easy question. Your personal behavior is your business and yours alone. No one has the right to make that call for you. Enjoy your freedom to do whatever you want.
:thumbsup: :campfire:
QuoteOriginally posted by maineac:
I don't like watching football players dance and show off after a touchdown. Its there job and something they are supposed to do, why act like they just performed some miracle. I don't like watching outdoorsmen do the same thing, but that is how I look at it. I am not in the entertainment biz, and the hosts of shows are. They are the ones who have received sponsors and contracts, because they have the ratings numbers that show many viewers like their screen presence. If you have not noticed those of us who frequent this board do not fit the general profile for our society, or even for the hunting portion of our society. So I would expect many of us to not find what the general public enjoys as palatable. However with each generation there is a change in what is acceptable and expected behavior. I would expect that younger members would find exuberant celebration more natural than us older folk who grew up with examples of outdoorsmen who spoke in four word sentences, and might show a slight smile to acknowledge an accomplishment. Every one should be allowed to show emotion as they feel natural and appropriate. If your with me expect my post shot whispering to speed up and get a bit louder. Oh and I'll have a big smile.
In my opinion this was a excellant post. I see your point of view very well, and this makes total sense.
Now again as the OP i want to say again, when i say i get excited i dont mean i go to NEAR the extent of said TV hunters, I find some of their stuff awkward as well. I do show respect for the animal, i practice year round almost daily, i only take shots i am very comforatable with and i use every bit of the deer as i can.
I just dont understand how showing an appropriate amount of excitement is offensive, but i think that Maineiac is on to something with the changing of times. I am 19, maybe my generation is just different, But i sure dont mean to step on anybodies toes when i get excited.
Thanks for the responses guys!
Like the rest of you guys, I really enjoy hunting and meeting the challenge of taking game, especially deer and other big game. But, the only way I can justify killing an animal is by knowing that there is a legitimate purpose in doing so. That two-fold purpose is to put meat on the table and to manage the natural resources that God has given us stewardship over. Therefore, we should certainly enjoy our hunting successes, but lets make sure that we don't take lightly the killing of an animal. Put another way, I agree with Biggie Hoffman! Joe
I think it is highly personal, and in my highly personal opinion I don't like to watch it on TV.
Where I come from the hottest emotion is the quietest.
That said, I do like to see my friends happy, so ... whatever.
A campfire "clink" works great.
Respect for the animal and thanks to mother earth for providing.I cant stand all the high fives and hollering after the shot. Also why are they still whispering 15 minutes after the shot, dead animals cant hear. I dont watch many hunting shows any more I just cant all the BS.
We are allowed 6 deer with no daily limit so I am keeping my mouth shout. You don't know what else is coming in.
Just don't feel the woods is ever a place for yelling (unless I see a snake).
I do get excited, also a little remorseful about killing the animal. Of course that goes away when the back straps are on the grill
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
I dunno....there's a difference between scoring a touchdown and killing an animal. The guys that don't see that aren't welcome in my camp.
As Mark Baker said, it's not a spectator sport and there-in lies the bulk of this discussion.
A little reverence please.......
amen to that, brutha biggie.
revere and be thankful for the sustenance critters you kill provide, leave the ego for game time.
1) I am almost always alone when I hunt. Very few people are ever going to see my reaction. What I do at that moment is my business only.
2) I pay very little attention to hunting media and how hunters react to a kill. What they do at that moment is their business only.
3) The act of killing a fine game animal can be very emotional for many, and those emotions get expressed a lot of different ways. From wonderment to joy...from tears to hugs...from silence to "slapping five"...who are we to judge how a man expresses his feelings at such an occasion?
I have better things to attend to.
I am not a fan of hunting shows because of this. Saw one this weekend that turned my stomach sort-of.
Now, what you do out there is your own business and I won't criticize, but what these guys do in front of the camera, making a show for all to see, is downright hurtful to hunting in my opinion.
Whatever you do, if it is a genuine release of your emotion, who is anyone else to judge? It's what you do, it's who you are. Trying to tell someone else how they "should" feel in a particular situation is impossible.
I've seen people laugh in tragic situations, weep in happy situations, and faint in stressful situations. I've even personally applauded to a performance on TV, while sitting alone in my family room. How crazy is that? It's how your body works, it's physiological.
If it's genuinely how you feel, your reaction to any situation will be automatic and uncontrollable.
QuoteOriginally posted by TNstickn:
QuoteOriginally posted by Dan Bonner:
To me this is an easy question. Your personal behavior is your business and yours alone. No one has the right to make that call for you. Enjoy your freedom to do whatever you want.
:thumbsup: :campfire: [/b]
If you do it on TV, you "speak" for all of us.
I had voiced my displeasure on a thread a while back on how the "Pros" on TV put on their after shot "performances" and the comments they make after the shot like "I just smoked him!!!!!"
The way I see things, all of us (hunters) are ambassadors for our sport/way of life to the non hunting people of the world and the way we react to killing an animal leaves a lasting impression on non hunters. I think that if a non hunter sees a hunter whooping it up after making a kill they would be less supportive of hunting than if they saw a more subdued reaction. It's the same reason why we don't strap that deer to the hood of out car and parade up and down Main St.
Now I mostly hunt public land where non hunting public shares the land to hike, bird watch and enjoy. I figure that I never know when someone will be watching me or who I might cross paths with in the woods.
I know that everyone reacts diffrently in situations and I am not telling anyone how they should show their emotions I am just saying that maybe some hunters should keep the whooping and hollering, fist pumping, stupid comment making, orgasm in your pants celebrations out of the woods and off of the TV.
I think what you do in the woods, stays in the woods. It's not like your on national TV, your by yourself or maybe with a friend or two, and with your Lord, it's a personal thing, do what you have to !
Hear's something my dad told me years ago about hunting. It's has to do with respect of the critter your after
(It's what you do when nobody is watching)
doug77