"Hunter" or "Deer Hunter" ?

[redblood]

I'm primarily a deer hunter. When I was young I hunted a few other species (squirrel, rabbit, dove, hogs), but I haven't hunted anything but deer in many years.

any particular reason why that is the case?

I can answer that for most of us,limited time,trying to earn a living & pick what to spend your limited time doing.family takes #1.its life,do the best you can with limiting the bad affects to your family ie time away from them.

i can understand time restraints- for me its teaching high school classes, online classes and running a business. My why inquiry relates to why deer hunting gets the time allocation over the other species aforementioned.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I hunt everything for whatever season it is. But deer hunting is what puts wind in my sail. For whatever the season for any species it is, I don't get excited until about a week beforehand. But for deer, around March, I'm counting down the days until the end of September

 

[Shed Hunter]

I only hunt deer. I have plenty of time to hunt other things just don't care to do so.

 

[moose1984]

hunter, I love to hunt deer and small game

 

[Hunter 257W]

I guess I would have to say general hunter and maybe even more of a shooter than pure hunter. I weaned my shooting teeth so to speak on groundhogs in alfalfa fields after all. Also was sent out to watch over sorghum grass hay fields when they were 1st coming up to keep flocks of blackbirds run out so lots of shooting there.

Like many here though, I've drifted towards more of just a deer hunter in recent years mostly because of a lack of the other game. No groundhogs left in shootable numbers. Haven't had a decent place to shoot doves in many years. Don't have the good fortune to have a blackbird roost nearby to shoot as I used to either. Talk about shotgunning heaven.....find a good BB roost and set up under a flight path coming into the roost far enough out to not disturb the roost but close enough that the birds are sticking to a well defined route and bring all the shells you can carry. Even the best dove shoot pails to that in my opinion. You can take all the shots you want at individual birds and if you want more challenge, go for the inevitable starlings that tag along with the black birds.

As turkeys seem to be increasing around my place, I hope to add them to my list of game too.

Don't get me wrong though, nothing can ever replace the excitement of deer hunting. Especially Opening Day of rifle season.

 

[nodog]

I can hunt.

 

[Vermin93]

I only hunt deer. I have plenty of time to hunt other things just don't care to do so.

I'm curious if you've ever hunted turkeys? I have only been turkey hunting for 2 years and I can't imagine any hunter not wanting to do it once they taste a little success. I think it's just awesome!

 

[BSK]

I'm primarily a deer hunter. When I was young I hunted a few other species (squirrel, rabbit, dove, hogs), but I haven't hunted anything but deer in many years.

any particular reason why that is the case?

I think it was more a social thing. When I was young, my circle of friends hunted everything, and we all hunted together socially. Now my circle of friends is basically my family members, and no one hunts anything but deer.

 

[BSK]

I only hunt deer. I have plenty of time to hunt other things just don't care to do so.

I'm curious if you've ever hunted turkeys? I have only been turkey hunting for 2 years and I can't imagine any hunter not wanting to do it once they taste a little success. I think it's just awesome!

I guess I'm the opposite. I can't imagine spending all that time and energy chasing a big bird that looks far too much like a vulture!

 

[MattR]

I would like to hunt turkey, never really got the chance to and I think it would be fun. I hunted small game when I was a kid and that was fun.

But.... I love deer hunting.

 

[Mike Belt]

A hunter although my hunting has been 100% deer hunting over the last several years. This is because of availability and not because of any time restraints. I still love hunting dove and turkeys just have no where to hunt.

 

[Hoss]

Just don't call yourself a Bowhunter. It is not allowed. Dang elitists.

 

[redblood]

I'm primarily a deer hunter. When I was young I hunted a few other species (squirrel, rabbit, dove, hogs), but I haven't hunted anything but deer in many years.

any particular reason why that is the case?

I think it was more a social thing. When I was young, my circle of friends hunted everything, and we all hunted together socially. Now my circle of friends is basically my family members, and no one hunts anything but deer.

i cut my teeth as a young kid hunting small game by myself and the addiction gets stronger each yr. i guess i like the solitary nature of hunting. never saw it as a social thing, except for dove hunting

 

[102]

When I was eight years old, my dad took me dove hunting for the first time. I used a single shot 20 gauge Stevens.
I never missed another opening day of dove season unless I was in the hospital (which I was one year after a skiing accident at age 22) or at work.

Even at that early age, I never wanted to participate in any school or rec league sports as most of these took place in the Fall, and would inevitably interfere with hunting.

I guess I was obsessed even then.

As I grew older, it did not get better.

I started deer hunting in High School but knew nothing about it. My dad never deer hunted. At that time, I had never even heard of bowhunting.

In fact, there were virtually no deer near my home back in the mid seventies.

If you saw a deer track in a mud hole you called ALL your buddies.

In 1981 I traded a Marlin 22 for a Ben Pearson bow, Satellite broadhead tipped arrows, and hot shot release.

I practiced on a paper plate/hay bale target in the back yard and headed for AEDC on a tip from my neighbor.

I still remember shooting at my first deer on that bow hunt, and then killing my first deer the next hunt.

I told my buddy as I stood over that doe that I had set a goal of killing 100 with a bow.
That was in 1981...it took me until 2002 to make my 100th bow
kill, which I did on video. It was my first Pope and Young.

I am not a hunter who hunts with a bow. I am a bowhunter who occasionally hunts with a gun...just for fun and to switch things up a little.

Do I consider myself an "elitist"?

I am not sure, I have never really thought about it.

I chose my profession (not a bowhunting profession) so I could have plenty of off time to enjoy life including family, friends, side jobs, and the outdoors.

It was a good choice.

I used to want everyone I met to participate in bowhunting.

Now, I realize that is not a good idea.

Truth is, hunting with a bow is NOT for everyone. It can be a cruel sport. If not taken seriously, and practiced properly, wounding losses are a serious possibility.
It can be argued that gun hunting is also this way, and it is, but practice for average shots with a gun do not require near the time as does hunting by bow.

I simply participate in this sport because I really enjoy the year round practice, tinkering with the equipment, socializing with fellow hunters, and of course, the adrenaline of the hunt and kill.

I doubt that will ever change.

 

[Hoss]

102,
I was about 4 years ahead of you. I started chasing rabbits with a pack of beagles. Then the deer and eventually bowhunting. I fell in love with bowhunting the same as I did deer hunting. I have hunted turkeys, squirrels, groundhogs,and coyotes with my bow. I am a deer hunter but first and foremost I am a bowhunter. That doesn't make me any better than anyone else just happier. I get to hunt deer and hunt with a bow. That is what I love. I don't hunt to kill deer, I hunt to hunt. It's not about trophies or food or meat or bloodlust it about hunting. THAT is what lights my fire, and I miss it. Good Hunting 102!!!

 

[Winchester]

I guess im just a hunter, as I hunt several species when time and opportunity allow it! Deer definitely get the largest % of my hunting time and my Bow is my favorite weapon to carry! I too started off for several years as a kid hunting nothing but small game, as we didn't have any deer where I grew up hunting. I graduated to deer hunting at the ripe old age of 10 and killed my first that year with a gun and my first bow killed followed a couple years later at 13 I think it was in 1984. Although I hunted a lot of small game until was grown, deer had my full attention. I now consider myself more of a teacher/mentor as im much more concerned with teaching my Boys and giving them the opportunities that I cherish so much! Im blessed to have a Dad and 2 boys that I get to hunt with most of the time and Im really thankful just to watch them have some success these days!

 

[102]

Good stuff Hoss and Winchester.

I too, have a 22 year old son who I filmed making his first bow kill when he was ten years old. It was one of the highlights of my hunting life. THis year, I plan on taking him To Illinois and guiding him and hopefully filming him (this time in 1080 high def) killing his largest buck to date.

I still am a lot blood thirstier than I probably should be. I may not be normal in that regard. It kinda worries me a little. I would think it would be waring off by now but I still like killing deer. Even after over 30 years.

I keep reading about guys like bowriter who apparently have lost some of their blood lust. And I fully expect to follow in their footsteps soon. But it simply has not happened yet.

Maybe I am a serial deer killer?

Anyway, I like it.

 

[Headhunter]

I only hunt deer. I have plenty of time to hunt other things just don't care to do so.

I'm curious if you've ever hunted turkeys? I have only been turkey hunting for 2 years and I can't imagine any hunter not wanting to do it once they taste a little success. I think it's just awesome!

I guess I'm the opposite. I can't imagine spending all that time and energy chasing a big bird that looks far too much like a vulture!

I hunt any and almost everything, with any legal means. I averaged close to 200 quail per year when I was in my late teenage years. Many friends called me bird dog. If the quail were still around now like they were then I would still hunt them, I loved working with the dogs (we had some great ones) and loved the bobwhite. I hunt just like I fish, for anything with any legal method.
With that said, I don't Turkey hunt or care to. Actually if I had the last turkey on the planet in my hands, I would kill it and burn it. Went turkey hunting 1 time, had birds everywhere (good friend did the calling) killed a nice gobbler and they were strutting, calling, dancing, acting like turkeys, etc. and it did not excite me. The main reason why I do not like them is they are vaccuums. They eat everything.

 

[redblood]

When I was eight years old, my dad took me dove hunting for the first time. I used a single shot 20 gauge Stevens.
I never missed another opening day of dove season unless I was in the hospital (which I was one year after a skiing accident at age 22) or at work.

Even at that early age, I never wanted to participate in any school or rec league sports as most of these took place in the Fall, and would inevitably interfere with hunting.

I guess I was obsessed even then.

As I grew older, it did not get better.

I started deer hunting in High School but knew nothing about it. My dad never deer hunted. At that time, I had never even heard of bowhunting.

In fact, there were virtually no deer near my home back in the mid seventies.

If you saw a deer track in a mud hole you called ALL your buddies.

In 1981 I traded a Marlin 22 for a Ben Pearson bow, Satellite broadhead tipped arrows, and hot shot release.

I practiced on a paper plate/hay bale target in the back yard and headed for AEDC on a tip from my neighbor.

I still remember shooting at my first deer on that bow hunt, and then killing my first deer the next hunt.

I told my buddy as I stood over that doe that I had set a goal of killing 100 with a bow.
That was in 1981...it took me until 2002 to make my 100th bow
kill, which I did on video. It was my first Pope and Young.

I am not a hunter who hunts with a bow. I am a bowhunter who occasionally hunts with a gun...just for fun and to switch things up a little.

Do I consider myself an "elitist"?

I am not sure, I have never really thought about it.

I chose my profession (not a bowhunting profession) so I could have plenty of off time to enjoy life including family, friends, side jobs, and the outdoors.

It was a good choice.

I used to want everyone I met to participate in bowhunting.

Now, I realize that is not a good idea.

Truth is, hunting with a bow is NOT for everyone. It can be a cruel sport. If not taken seriously, and practiced properly, wounding losses are a serious possibility.
It can be argued that gun hunting is also this way, and it is, but practice for average shots with a gun do not require near the time as does hunting by bow.

I simply participate in this sport because I really enjoy the year round practice, tinkering with the equipment, socializing with fellow hunters, and of course, the adrenaline of the hunt and kill.

I doubt that will ever change.

my blood lust hasnt waned at all. i just like to practice on animals more challenging than whitetails. i will still shoot the right deer under the right circumstance, but i save my killing sprees for coyotes coming hard to call and limits and limits of squirrels with a 22.

 

[102]

More challenging than MATURE whitetails with a bow???
coyotes?
Seriously?