Is it just me??

I recall a few years ago when hunting shows started becoming more mainstream and I started seeing them on TV.

I saw a few recurring themes that I thought were pretty funny...

First, was the "lets sneak through the woods and pretend we are looking for the deer we just shot" (HINT: It's sitting right there in in front of the camera man:)

Second was the "I just shot a buck over a baitpile and now I am so excited I am going to fall to my knees and hyperventilate and appear as if I'm about to treat myself"

I'm more of a reserved guy myself, and I often hunt alone, so I never developed any high five jumping jack habits, but I have some friends that are high fivers.

I've taken out lots of first time hunters and I'm always interested to see what they will do when they kill something. I've had people quietly reflect, I've had people so excited they keep replaying the event over and over "did you see that? I mean...DID YOU SEE THAT??", and I've seen them jump up and down in excitement. Several new female hunters have jumped up and down and then jumped on me and give me big hugs (which isn't so bad)

Everyone shows excitement in their own way, and if you are caught up in an exciting hunting situation, you are going to react in your own way. So I won't condemn someone for the high five antics, but it does look funny when I am sitting at home watching it on TV.
 
I have been known to give a high five or 2, nothing wrong with it, as far as I am concerned. I am a meat hunter, and I have great respect for the game I take, that is one of the reasons I hunt Waterfowl with a retriever. The retriever will more than likely return any game that I down, wounded or dead. But that is a personal choice for me.

The first Turkey i shot, I was alone, and I remember clearly what happened when the bird went down. I jumped up, and gave out a GREAT WHOOP, and I was so excited......... I wish I had of had someone to share the moment with. I had spent the greater part of a month hunting Turkeys, without success, and when it finally happened, I was so overjoyed, hard to explain, but I surely would have given, or been the receiver of a High Five from a buddy, had they been present.

This seems to be the age old question on GunNutz, about morals and ethics. Everybody has to choose their own "path" or "way". There is no right or wrong.... as long is it is a legal hunt.

My advice, don't watch the shows if it upsets you so, you do realize it is TV right, a program designed to make money........right.....
 
AKD said:
some times when were shooting gophers ya we have a good laugh but that's what makes shooting gophers fun. Good friends = a good day.
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Gophers aren't "big-game", y'see...;)

BTW, in his book on .22's, Wayne van Zwol actually has a very thoughtful and contemplative few paragraphs about the mindset of a young shooter at the time of his/her first "kill". :yingyang:
 
7.62mm said:
My advice, don't watch the shows if it upsets you so, you do realize it is TV right, a program designed to make money........right.....
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Exactly, they are obviously overhyping the hunt, no need to get upset about it...

btw, wtf is a high-five? you guys are old buggers!!
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Beer_drinker said:
I'm pretty sure drinking a cup of blood from your kill is also necessary in order to pay your respect, anyone who doesn't should be ashamed of themselves.
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I don't drink the blood, but I do cut out the Tenderloins right away, and pan fry them as quick as is humanly possible. I then consume a shot of Jagermiester with the quick seared loins.........does this count?
 
I think its just fine to be excited and jubilant after landing a big fish, or bagging a trophy animal. No need to act sombre like its a funeral. You probably put a lot of work and expectations into the hunt and when you finally succeed, I don't see some celebration as disrespectful. Each to their own.
 
Some of those guys on TV act like idiots all the time, not just after the shot!!!

I have no problem if you celebrate a bit after you pull the trigger - it's exciting after all! The over the top yelling and jumping around I can do without, but what I've always thought was funny on WILD is all the guys with the "Thankyou lord for letting me shoot this beautiful animal" ,etc....

I suppose that's entertainment!:cool:
 
In my case and I would suspect with many hunters, there are a multitude of conflicting emotions. The hunt is only complete when the animal is killed. There is satisfaction and elation from that success. There is also the coming to terms with the majesty of the wild animal that is no more having given its life at my hand. There is no joy in the killing. It is not personal. It is hunting. It’s a tradition I have participated in my entire life. And later on when I and my family consume that meat there is a profound appreciation for it because I was there at the moment of truth unlike the impersonal purchase at the butcher shop.

I too have found the overly animated joyful exuberant behavior somewhat strange and inconsistent with my values. I’m not saying I’m right and others are wrong that’s just how I feel.

Ron
 
I've only ever seen it on TV. I suspect it is somewhat directed, because that is how the TV business wants it - everything has to be dumbed down and oversold as exciting entertainment to associate mindless positive emotion with the sponsor's products.

Maybe some hunters are really like that - maybe even most hunters. I'm not like that. I wouldn't much want to hunt with people like that, and expect they aren't the sort to enjoy my company, either. I am always somewhat mindful that a living creature just died because I made it happen, but I am quietly happy, too. I'm just not "good TV."
 
I've only been hunting for 3 years now and can vividly recall my first deer kill.
I was happy and stunned at the same time. No jumping up and down, no fist pumping.
My very experienced hunting partner who is a best friend and neighbour simply congratulated me, shook my hand and we went about dealing with the deer.
We talked about it the next day and he said he was very interested in what my reaction was going to be and if I had reacted any way different that would've likely been the first, and last, time he would have hunted with me.
 
My first kill was when I was about 7. I wasant all jumping and stuff and no crazy excited reaction but I forsure did want to run over to it right away outa curiosity witch he stopped me from and explained why.

Im 25 now and was coyote hunting last year, ive shot allot of them but there was one time when I was hidden, 2 came running right at me un knowing, I poped up last seckond and made 2 very quick increadable shots. once it was done I turned to my buddy who saw it all go down from the other end of the fence line and yelled out " THAT WAS F$%^IN NUTS !!!!"
 
Iron Glove said:
...We talked about it the next day and he said he was very interested in what my reaction was going to be and if I had reacted any way different that would've likely been the first, and last, time he would have hunted with me.
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I think the guy needs to lighten up a little. If I went out hunting with a new guy, and he was really excited after making his first kill, I'd hardly hold it against him. Hell, he can do backflips for all I care. If he wasn't pleased, I'd have to wonder why he bothers to hunt. I guess something you guys are seeing on those TV shows must be really goofy, bizarre and extreme (I don't get those channels), but I see nothing disrespectful about being joyous. How do you suppose a man in the past that depended on the success of the hunt for his survival might have felt? I thought they held celebrations in some cultures? I mean if I guy does the happy dance and then wastes the meat, that's repugnant, but being happy at his success is offensive? I don't get it. Sounds to pious to me. I think your picking fault at something that is quite reasonable. Sounds like I'm in the minority on this view.
 
Thanks guys, for your points of view or prospective, your candor and honesty. I wasn't passing judgement or criticizing others for views that differ from my own but rather curious as to the reaction of others. I just caught the tailend of a Canada In The Rough episode where TP was hunting Whitetails in Manitoba I believe. Conspicuous by it's absence was that excessive jubilation. That's the first example of it that I've seen since I arrived here two weeks ago.
 
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