Why do you hunt?

[Ghostv2]

A little late, i know. Anyways, i know why most of us hunt, for the meat of course. Im not really asking that though. Here is my little story.

So i have been hunting since i was about 11, was able to hunt with a rifle since i was 12 after taking the Hunter Safety Course. I am now 20. The reason i hunt is for the experience (and of course the meat, the best part). Me and my dad have like next to no relationship, even though i lived with him nearly my whole life (i moved out when i was 17 to live on my own). So hunting is nearly the only thing we do together and the only real time i spend with him and have conversations. Even though 90% of the time you are alone in the woods. Nothing beats that feeling of getting up early opening day, ready to take on the world. But enough of that, there are so many reasons why we love hunting and the outdoors. Now that im over 18, own many of my own guns and gear, i have been out hunting for damn near everything that tastes good and being more patient. As in 8-10 hours sitting, and it pays off.

So 8 years later, i ended up getting my first deer. Where i live its buck only for the first week, then the first saturday doe also opens up. I bagged the doe on that saturday. I actually seen the same one 4 days prior, it came up to me with a smaller one and saw me crouch back down and heard the safety click back on when i realised it wasnt a buck. This was when it ran right up to me, it made a wierd ass grunt/bleat and took off. Reason i know its the same one is because 150 yards next to me another guy got the smaller one that was with it just 5 minutes prior. He shot, i waited for him to miss and it come my way (he was in my original spot) and it didnt. I was kicking myself for not being in that spot. I turn around and bam, standing out there just eating stuff. Heart shot, didnt suffer what-so-ever. I was so happy it was crazy, i was also so thankful. I confirmed i got the kill, then let it lay there in peace for a bit to make sure its gone while i waited for my dad.

Looks smaller but its just because its all covered up. It was a nice sized doe.
When my dad walked up to it there was no obvious wound. No blood pouring out, just a couple drops on the ground but nothing on the fur. Just a little bit of fur disturbed. He looks and says "What did it have a F****ing heart attact?"

Now the good stuff, sticks, pepperjack bologna, garlic bologna, steaks, hot sausage, summer sausage, and burger.

[El Camexican]

I think hunting is in our DNA. Prior to the advent of feed lots, grocery stores and same sex marriage you either hunted, or were sleeping with someone who did if you wanted to survive. No one man would ever have been able to kill a mammoth on his own with a stick and stone, so we learned to hunt in packs like the wolves for advantage and safety. Anyone who chooses to be a vegan or prefers to buy their meat ready to cook so as not to have had to pull the trigger on the stun gun and put down that greasy feed lot bovine I say as you wish, but when I’m called a “killer” for shooting something I intend to eat I get more worked up than Barnett being told that he should use Kmart brand 2 stroke oil!

[Buck Snort]

El you are speaking for me brother. There is nothing more I can add to that.

[atc007]

I think hunting is in our DNA. Prior to the advent of feed lots, grocery stores and same sex marriage you either hunted, or were sleeping with someone who did if you wanted to survive. No one man would ever have been able to kill a mammoth on his own with a stick and stone, so we learned to hunt in packs like the wolves for advantage and safety. Anyone who chooses to be a vegan or prefers to buy their meat ready to cook so as not to have had to pull the trigger on the stun gun and put down that greasy feed lot bovine I say as you wish, but when I’m called a “killer” for shooting something I intend to eat I get more worked up than Barnett being told that he should use Kmart brand 2 stroke oil!

As usual..Ditto that.

[Dirtweed]

I use to hunt for everything I could starting at the age of 12, but I got shot at on State land (back in the late 80's) and having a deer slug hit a tree 2 ft above my head
was a bit disconcerting so I gave it up. (Amazing how some idiots shoot at big orange things making noise in the woods)

Last year the kid and I took the safety course and will be starting up in the spring for Turkeys. We got some private land to hunt
on and we are going to go with someone who knows what he is doing so it should be a good time.

[tri again]

Not to offend anyone but I saw a bumpersticker that said...
'vegan" is an old indian word that means bad hunter.
Those pointy front teeth we all have, beyond religion and philosophy, have evolved for millions of years and not for grinding plants.

Edit:
Just saw dirts post..and yes, a NY story.
Some guy brought in a nice score to the tagging station but it was a donkey and I often wondered why some cattle in a field in upstate had the letters: C O W painted on them.

Wasn't too far north of NYC may explain it.

[New2Tri-Z]

I love to do it because it is my only chance to go camping and hang out with just the boys. Don't get me wrong the wives and kids come up there too sometimes, but it is nice to just be in the woods with your buddies enjoying a good time. My step dad is who got me into hunting when i was 12 and it took me almost 10yrs to get my first buck. We don't have doe tags here, and the bucks know when its deer season so they hide! I am a little more of an active hunter these days as I try to make it out at least once a week. Our season is 6 weeks long from mid-sept to end of oct. so sometimes its still hot here. I live in Nor Cal, which is pretty good hunting but our deer are relatively small for the most part. But there are a few mashers here and there. Here is a pick of me and my kids in deer camp this year (the oldest girl is my niece but the rest are mine, lol).

And here is one of the little booger I got this year.

He was a nice buck, ended up with about 75 lbs of boned out meat so i was happy to say the least. Lots of sausage, jerky, sirloins and of course backstrap . All in all 6 out of 8 of us in camp came away with a buck this season. My step-dad got 2, so all in all it was a great successful year.

[bkm]

Hunting suggests a probability of failure. I go killing.

[Thorpe]

I hunt because I am married, with children... I love the piece and quiet of the woods, and if I happen to get my target critter, then that's a bonus!

[whitetail hunter]

the peace and quiet are great wish there was some one around hear that made summer sausage. a buddy gave me some of his he had made in pa, awesome stuff,
but most of all my kids like to hunt also, makes for good family time

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Dirtweed: Southern Tier??

I only rarely hunt state land. We like to be in places where we are the only ones that should be there. There is no, I repeat NO excuse for shooting a person while hunting!!!

But to the OP, I hunt obviously for the meat. My wife and kids counts on me to put some in the freezer every year.

But beyond that, it is one of the highlights of the year for me, my Dad and my 2 younger brothers. It's all of us having coffee at 0-dark:30 at Dads house, BSing, planning, talking about previous years and hunting outings of note... We are a very tight family and deer season every year is just as much about us guys in the family hanging out as it is about chasing white-tails around.

After coffee on any given morning, we head out a little before dawn and sit for 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes texting back and forth (phones on vibrate only of course lol).. I know, it's stupid.. But if any of you had the chance to hang out with all of us, you would see the fun ball busting and BSing that goes on and understand that sometimes it continues once we are all in our watch spots...

So there you have it.. besides the meat, its general fun, I guess you could even say bonding time for my brothers, my Dad and me.. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

[Ghostv2]

The state hunting land here you have to walk miles upon miles because you cannot drive on it, nor ATV's, so its hit or miss and whether you want to brave the walk. And the fact you have to drag it all the way back the old fashioned way. And i just got spine surgery 3 months ago, so thats a no-go for me. I tend to hunt the popular land on popular days (Opening day, first day of doe, last day). Because there is lots of people to push them around, otherwise they will bed down and you wont see squat. It works for where i hunt. Because by time rifle season comes around they are retarded from everyone shooting at them and around them. Rifle season isnt until December usually here.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Same here with no ATVs on state land. There are access roads, but they are open to motor vehicles only... Stupid NY!

[El Camexican]

But beyond that, it is one of the highlights of the year for me, my Dad and my 2 younger brothers. It's all of us having coffee at 0-dark:30 at Dads house, BSing, planning, talking about previous years and hunting outings of note... We are a very tight family and deer season every year is just as much about us guys in the family hanging out as it is about chasing white-tails around.

After coffee on any given morning, we head out a little before dawn and sit for 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes texting back and forth (phones on vibrate only of course lol).. I know, it's stupid.. But if any of you had the chance to hang out with all of us, you would see the fun ball busting and BSing that goes on and understand that sometimes it continues once we are all in our watch spots...

So there you have it.. besides the meat, its general fun, I guess you could even say bonding time for my brothers, my Dad and me.. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

Other than the texing and smoke-less powder and I'd say not much has changed. I'll bet guys like this were TIGHT after a hunt!

[RapidRick]

I don't hunt.

I participate in the lawful selective population control management of various vertebrate species which have exceeded the carrying capacity of their habitat in order to ensure sustainability of the ecosystem and promote biodiversity.