Penned this a week or so back and figured I'd share it here as well, as some might enjoy reading it. Caring Less...To Enjoy More With each passing year, something continues to happen more and more with my pursuit of whitetails; it matters less. Now I don’t mean that in the sense that deer don’t control my mind any less; I mean it in the sense that the urgency which surrounds deer hunting has changed and selfish motivations to succeed shrink more and more with each passing year. Hunters today are bombarded from every angle on what kind or level of deer they should pursue…how they should pursue and what they should use while doing the pursuit. It’s all RUBBISH (the polite way of putting it). The whole lot of the hunting industry is seemingly getting infected by the mindset of hunters needing the approval/recognition by others OR how about the ignorant fools selling themselves to companies solely for discounts or monetary reasons; their opinions are hollow yet influence the entire hunting community dumb enough to consume it. So, perhaps what I mean isn’t that hunting means less to me, but that there is simply less factors or boxes I feel I must check in my pursuit to deem it a success. My success is achieved solely by whether I deem an occurrence as such; not by the standards of the age or score of the harvest, or even if there was a harvest at all. For me personally it has become more about the memories made in the pursuit of specific bucks, the innumerable moments which when added together still don't guarantee you even get a chance let alone a successful one if you do. When I squeeze my release any fall anymore it is with zero care in the world for whether someone else would. If in the moment I would deem the harvest of that animal a success to my goals and standards then I let it fly; if it is a two year old or eight year old - a 180 incher or a 100 incher it makes no difference. If before you make that decision you wonder what another person or group might think when they see the harvest photos of it - YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS. If you feel it necessary to place "Not my biggest but..." at the beginning of your texts to friends or posts sharing on social media your celebration YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS. I promise one thing, when you begin to care less about outside inputs for your decisions, you will begin to enjoy it all more! This fall I dare everyone to stop hunting with any thoughts other than their own. I know it might sound obvious, and many will pretend they already do this - however for most that is a lie. Refuse to let any expectation or thought process of another sway you into passing or shooting any animal - so long as legal and ethical, let only YOU make the call. When presented with a chance this fall, if you'd be happy wait for the first ethical shot and SEND IT! God bless, and good luck out there! Ty
Couldn't agree more. I'm lucky to have a group that thinks this way and supports each other about anything we want to go after. It's sad seeing others get put down because their buck "was too small" or "needed another year".
As far as I'm concerned We are all lucky to be on a site where you really do not see those "JUDGEMENTS"' I'm guilty on the "not my biggest but" due to another site I was on where judgements on EVERYTHING prevail. So Thank you guys and respect
I know a site, some people were telling another hunter that was pumped on the kill “I would have loved to see em in a year or two” ….idiots!!!
I agree but there must be a caveat. I am happy for anyone that kills what they want to. But I have my personal standards that fluctuate by property. So if I pass on a 125 I don't want to hear elitist nonsense. Maybe it's the libertarian in me but I'm happy to respect and leave anyone alone but please do the same. In Venatione Veritas
Not quite sure where or how anything written made a counter statement to what you said? You wanna pass smaller bucks, go for it - I do it every year. Those that give us flack are just as wrong and ignorant IMO as those that ridicule those that didn't wait and shoot one they wouldn't.
I agree it is just closely related. I agree with your text and it's well put. I just wanted to elaborate. In Venatione Veritas
On point. One of the great things about getting older is you care less and less about what other people think about what you say or do.
Hell I have come full circle these days. after almost 30 years of bowhunting I just want to shoot a single doe in a season and I am happy. I have been down the road of just seeing a deer, to killing one, to killing as many as I can, to hunting for a P&Y, to now just seeing deer and taking a doe is good enough. I just don't have the desire, energy or even knowledge to kill big bucks consistently. I have seen many deer, killed many deer, and killed one P&Y , I have accomplished my goals. Now it's truly about passing on what I have learned to my sons.
I only give one of my buddies crap about shooting small deer. Cause he kills them All! Hes a meat hunter and literally shoots anything that walks in front of him.(which is ok to an extent) Hes killed some giant deer as well. But one year he killed 6 bucks 2 y.o. And under on one 120 acre property. Now thats just greedy in my book. There has to be a line somewhere . Other than him ive never given anyone flack. Hunting is a personal experience and that shouldnt be influenced by anyone else. Theres a difference when agreed upon as a group on standards while management goals are in mind and everyone is on the same page, or just being judged by others on a deer that they have nothing to do with on public or private property that is none of their concern. Im a big believer in letting the moment decide. I let my release and trigger finger decide which deer i shoot.
"If...you wonder what another person or group might think when they see the harvest photos of it - YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS." Spot on. In the same vein, see if you can refrain from posting a photo of a "trophy" (however you define it) you've taken. It's the same flawed thought process that leads to both instances.
To each their own, but I believe looking at it as an enjoyable hobby and not a job has benefits. I've treated it both ways. I've calmed down a little and enjoyed more. A guy once said elk hunting on public hunt is really just a camping trip that you might kill an elk. I've taken that approach on trips out west. I don't have to hunt sun up to sun down. It's ok to go fishing or enjoy something else to reset. I used to think if you took a minute off you might miss the wrong minute for success. I enjoy the trips more doing this. Not the end of the world if you miss something. Nothing wrong for a person to want to grind all day either. The person putting more time in should have better success. I hunt less early season for whitetail now and spend more time in the tree during the rut when I most enjoy it. Still do all day sits, but if I decide I want to grab lunch I go grab lunch and don't lose sleep over it.
I do not work or think about it like I used too. However, having my 16 year old with me pushes me harder than I want to be pushed. But I am passing the torch. It's been a tough go for the past 2 years and it's even tougher this year. deer are changing and the woods are changing. Having a very hard time finding them. But I push on for him
