I’ve reached the 4th stage and I now bounce back and forth between 2, 3, and 4. I’ve caught myself making the statement about not being disappointed when I get skunked because it’s all about the hunt and the experience. However, deep down I know that’s not always true. I guess fibbing to myself makes me feel a little better.
Not killing anything on a hunt isn’t always equal for me, though. If I’m hunting whitetail at my BIL or buddy’s place, I’m sometimes a little disappointed if I don’t shoot anything and sometimes it doesn’t bother me a bit (late season with an empty freezer is always worse). I hunted with my son in Alaska and didn’t get a deer, but I wasn’t nearly as disappointed as he was. He was acting as my guide so he really wanted me to get another deer there. For me, just getting the rare opportunity to hunt with my son in that beautiful setting meant much more to me than killing a deer so I was ok with it. We also had the opportunity to sit on the side of the mountain and glass whales in the bay so it was a great trip.
When I’m dove hunting I’m always disappointed if I don’t limit out, so I guess I’m stuck at #2 with them. Regardless of the type of hunting, just spending time in the outdoors does mitigate the disappointment every time.
I may eventually get to #5 but I’m not there yet.

I'm about to do what most never will.....

Drum roll...

I love to hunt! Period
My passion and all that flows through my viens. I am and probably will always be about the hunt and all that comes with it. Always been this way. Do I desire the kill, you bet your biscuits! Am I disappointed when an opportunity is blown.. DARN RIGHT! But I have every stage within me. Broke the mold or do not conform to the mold IDK. I plan, prep and execute. My goal is to be successful and strive for success. If I am fortunate to fill all my tags I will do so. If I see a Booner in the brush will I wait yup. Its not about competing with others or setting records. I desire to achieve what I've set my mind to. I am a good steward of the land and believe in sound conservative efforts. I find so much thrill in seeing the excitement of others success even when I stand alone eating a tag sandwich. Now with that being said at the end of a hunt do I sulk over the missed opportunity, NO yet I also do not gloat over success. I am at peace with myself with whatever the outcome cause I hold no one accountable for my results but my own!

No for the fun part. After the light fades and the season comes to a close, all I am ever left with and reflect is the experience and all that it brings... Memories. Example, a few years back finances were tight and I could not afford to take anytime off work for hunting trips. Not even weekend getaways. So after liquidating many of my guns, bow and hunting gear to cover the expenses of raising and taking care of a single income family. My wife on her own accord managed to muster up $150 to buy a youth bow for me to hunt by the house on my days off. Certainly not the right bow for me being an adult but nonetheless with the help of a few friends I managed to get that little thing dialed in. That season I let 12 arrows fly! Yup count'em 12 and never drew blood once! Am I ashamed? Nope. I could stack all those arrows on top of each other at 30 yards. So no don't harrass me about lacking sound judgement on my choice of equipment and the possibility of wounding animals. I FLAT MISSED! TOLD YOU ID DO IT!

Now i say all this to make a point. Disappointed sure! But I had the time of my life!!!! Good fellowship, awesome encounters and some seriously funny moments. I still tell people about that year. I learned and LIVED! I remember the HUGE 8 and 11 pnt we were after. They still haunt my dreams but when all the dust settles I can say I did. I thank my amazing wife for that year. I can't tell you were I stand on a so called evolution chart of a hunter personally but I would say I have for me it's more of evolving as a man.

I have seen others walk the evolution path step for step and others not so much! We are each our own individual. Cheers!

What did you do that nobody else has? Write a book?

That- or admitted to missing 12 times.

All in good fun I know everyone does, I just like to listen to those that say it's never happened