How Important Is The Kill

ronecol

ronecol

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Orillia, Ontario
How important is the kill? In about three weeks I'll re-connect with some buddies who I haven't been in personal contact with since last November. We'll lodge together, eat together, have a few toddies together (in the evenings), tell hunting stories together (essentially true stories with some embellishment) and we'll plan the next day's hunt. Hopefully we'll be successful as we have often been in the past. But supposing there is no success and I've often thought about this. I really don't think it makes a great deal of difference. It's really not about the kill, is it? It's about the camaraderie, is it not?

 
If it's a social gathering, yes. The kill is secondary for your group. Not for me though. Without meat the only benefit is being outside. Not a downer, but no meat means fail. I fail a lot.
 
Camaderie is good. Following a poor leader is different. I pissed off the coordinator of last years moose hunt this year because I passed on driving 18 hours into a location where 4 previous hunts had been open (bull moose in all their orientations). He and the clones are still out there. Not my problem really.
 
I typically hunt alone, so while I enjoy the outdoors, I'd say pretty important. I fail to fill my tags most of the time though.
 
deer camp to me is all about the experience, fun with friends. Have as much fun on years we aren't successful as ones we are. Great to come home with meat, but won't stop me from going either way. But everyone is different, some are hardcore all about the hunt. Hunt all day long. Others sleep in, take a stroll in the bush and come back early. I can and have done both. I used to be much more serious than I am now. But to each their own how every you chose to enjoy the hunt.

Be safe, have fun and enjoy mother nature and your friends/family. What more could you ask for.
 
It is all about the pursuit for me... the result (kill) is secondary... I want to experience the planning and scouting and the outdoor elements. I want to observe and interact (calling) with wild and undisturbed animals in their natural habitat and I want to work hard to get into close proximity undetected (bowhunter)... when I have accomplished this I feel that I have succeeded, regardless of the results...

Let me put it ths way... if I planned a remote canoe/portage moose hunt for a year, gathered gear, poured over topo maps, pre-scouted and dreamed about it... and when I finally arrived at the jump off point and stepped out of the truck to see a 60" bull standing 20 yards away and without ceremony arrowed it, loaded it into the truck and turned around and headed home... I would feel immensely disappointed. BUT, if I got to the jump off point, loaded the gear into the canoe portaged in to some incredibly beautiful and remote country, got into close proximity of a number of animals, but never released and arrow and went home empty-handed... I would be completely satisfied with the experience.

You goal might be comraderie or it might be solitude, and for some it might be meat in the freezer.

I am typing this, while in a deer stand... my deep freeze died and we lost all of our wild game meat... so last night I dropped a fat young eight pointer, passed up several others, including a big old 10 pointer... watched a sparing match between a couple six pointers. It was a beautiful evening... this morning I am looking for more venison, perhaps another young six or eight pointer... but whether I get one or not, I am loving this.
 
For me hunting is an experience, a time to enjoy doing what I love and when family or friends are involved it's about the comraderie and memories.
When I first started way back, got my first club from Grog's New and Used, it was about the kill, but as the saying goes 'with age comes wisdom' and realizing what's important. In regards to the actual kill, the importance is that it is humane and respectful.
 
The point of hunting, for my family and I, is to fill the freezer. To do so, the killing is pretty important.

The enjoyment of being in the woods and the camaraderie happen either way.
 
the kill is not the most important criteria of every hunting trip, have had many great hunting trips without shooting anything....but it is very important to me to have meat in the freezer by the end of the season
 
If you intent is to feed your family, its (the kill) the most important component of the trial....if you're just out to enjoy the hunt, not so much so.

For me Moose hunting is for food and the kill is the only way to win that game....for other species an enjoyable hunt is a win for me. :)
 
Not at all, I hunt alone, by stalking only, and enjoy the noonday tea over a fire as much as the hunt. I do enjoy the heighten senses during the stalk and the tense muscles as move as silently as possible but tea over the fire along a running brook is my Zen. Funny thing is I loved stalking and recce patrols when I was infantry so this is just fun.
 
hoytcanon said:
It is all about the pursuit for me... the result (kill) is secondary... I want to experience the planning and scouting and the outdoor elements. I want to observe and interact (calling) with wild and undisturbed animals in their natural habitat and I want to work hard to get into close proximity undetected (bowhunter)... when I have accomplished this I feel that I have succeeded, regardless of the results...

Let me put it ths way... if I planned a remote canoe/portage moose hunt for a year, gathered gear, poured over topo maps, pre-scouted and dreamed about it... and when I finally arrived at the jump off point and stepped out of the truck to see a 60" bull standing 20 yards away and without ceremony arrowed it, loaded it into the truck and turned around and headed home... I would feel immensely disappointed. BUT, if I got to the jump off point, loaded the gear into the canoe portaged in to some incredibly beautiful and remote country, got into close proximity of a number of animals, but never released and arrow and went home empty-handed... I would be completely satisfied with the experience.

You goal might be comraderie or it might be solitude, and for some it might be meat in the freezer.

I am typing this, while in a deer stand... my deep freeze died and we lost all of our wild game meat... so last night I dropped a fat young eight pointer, passed up several others, including a big old 10 pointer... watched a sparing match between a couple six pointers. It was a beautiful evening... this morning I am looking for more venison, perhaps another young six or eight pointer... but whether I get one or not, I am loving this.
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The flip side of the problem is that if after all the planning and expectation, you begin your hunt, and 15 minutes in are presented with the trophy of a lifetime; that too is a bit anticlimactic. Of course you could opt not to shoot, and take it's picture for prosperity, and continue on your quest; but then you risk coming home after 10 days empty handed. When the topic of hunting is considered, the death of the animal is the natural conclusion to the endeavor, however, the satisfaction the hunter feels at the end of his hunt, is the true measure of its success.
 
Boomer said:
The flip side of the problem is that if after all the planning and expectation, you begin your hunt, and 15 minutes in are presented with the trophy of a lifetime; that too is a bit anticlimactic. Of course you could opt not to shoot, and take it's picture for prosperity, and continue on your quest; but then you risk coming home after 10 days empty handed. When the topic of hunting is considered, the death of the animal is the natural conclusion to the endeavor, however, the satisfaction the hunter feels at the end of his hunt, is the true measure of its success.
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I presented that scenario, and you will notice that I took the animal... you know the old saying, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth." When the right animal presents, you take the opportunity. However, if I had a choice, I would vastly prefer to take the animal on the last day of the hunt, rather than the first... but if it is to be the first day then so be it... I will live with the disappointment of too few days in the woods.
 
hunting fills my freezer so the kill is important.

however I don't use an alarm clock so I get up when I get up, breakfast is hot, eggs and bacon normally sometimes leftovers or beans.

Lunch is always hot, either back at camp or cooked meat on a stick over a fire out in the bush.

In the evenings I get back while there is still enough light to gather firewood for a fire and cook up a good supper that normally includes BBQ meat. Beers and BS around the fire after supper.

What I don't do is like some other guys that get up in the dark, eat cold cereal, drive to their hunting spot in the dark to wait for first light. Hunt all day, cold lunch, return to the camp in the dark, warm up a can of something for supper and then go to bed. I've hunted with guys like that, hunting is not like that to me, other guys can do whatever they want, but its not for me there is an important social aspect to hunting that must be observed.
 
Each hunt is different. This morning I sat and watched six hen turkeys walk past well within range and I just enjoyed the moment...they were completely legal but killing one would have disturbed the moment. Some days I'm there for the getaway and some days I'm there to take lives......that being said if I was to base the success of my hunt off of a harvested animal than I'm missing a lot.
If you focus to much on your destination you'll miss out on the journey.
 
mate this is a great topic discussion, something which I question myself on of late.

im in a difficult situation of sorts when it comes to this topic.. not because im a blood thirsty hill billy by any means although at present in our Country, the deers are at a interesting status.

from most premiere Game Animal status, to now almost a "declared Pest status".. due to the explosions of populations and the wide spread of the Species, first and foremost speaking Sambar Deer.


many moons many hunters would spend many days afield looking for sign of a few animals to hunt in the coming days, a lot of hunters would get a glimpse of a fleeing Deers butt or the thrilling HONK only meters away in thick bush, before explosion of timber and shrub as the deer burst to its safety..

the years went on and im sure a lot of hunters became intune with nature, even if the deers were not around , the time spent on a hunting trip and in the bush in solitude was always welcomed.

now days there is no secret that there is high numbers of deers widespread throughout the state and neighbouring states, however the HooDoo in Australia is for that "Big Rack" and so there is not a great deal of hunters who target the Hinds, or view the highly Elusive Sambar deer Hind as a trophy in its own..
So there abundance of Hinds is creating tension with the Land Owner /Farmers who have had enough of these deer on their turf. which is understandable.

this is where my situation gets a little twisted

I live in the bush, up in the cattle grazing hills and so a lot of people are aware of my passions , a lot see me out there heading to or fro a trip up back bush, I also have gained a lot of private land access, the access is to Kill/Cull the Deer living on these propertys.

So of late in a odd twist I am viewing Success as only by the Fur that lay infront of me, I Hate missing one (as its a waste of a Woodleigh) and I prefer they don't spook and run off before I get a good opportunity to either observe if its a young stag or just another female breeded.

the talk of the hunting community, when my name is risen, the general talk is along the lines of "does he ever let em go", "wack em an stack em with that bloke"...and so on.you know the stuff that comes from the 'jealous' type..

My argument is that I am out there so Often, to be leaving all these deer and walking home "unsucccesful" isn't good for my reputation, the farmers I am "helping" and truth be told.. im helpin the deer out a bit.
Everyone situation or Scenerio is different, an if one is out there Enjoying the hunt animal or not, then theres something wrong an deer hunting is not for you.

So whilst I love the Fair chase aspect, I love all aspects and all ways about it, but just of late im in a weird spot an how Success, unfortunately is seen as One Less in the bush..


on the flip- they will Never, eradicate , all of the Sambar. ever.
 
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