The Experience.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I have had a lot of time to reflect since I gave up my place to hunt this last year and without a doubt it is the joy of being in the woods with mother nature regardless of the outcome

a very close friend of mine would always text : " put the camera down & choot-em " The later years of me hog hunts at OSBWMA, finding the hog's twas the easy part, me health kept me from pullen d trigger due ta alien body parts.. huntsolo & your memories die with ya... Twas yrying ta get him ta come on hog hunts..
We done several... like with hunting with family, twas the experiance, the harvest twas icing on D cake...
True Blessings & trophies twas the memories of shareing the hunt...
Each thar own...

Its always the experience does not have to be the size of the animal. For example this year was a little slow on my little place in Mills county. I was the only hunter who harvested an animal and this doe provided me with the only animal I saw all year on the place. Always special to score after many trips to the blind. I killed two bucks on other properties but this was the most memorable for this year

Definitely the experience.

I've known guys who haven't shot a buck in several years and feel comfortable saying it didn't bother them at all.

What kind of hunting are they doing though?

I think anyone who says that the quality of the game, numbers, etc. are fibbing just a little bit

I believe people do exist when they say it doesent bother them when they go several season without killing a buck, but you can break them out into two camps....people who truly hold out for a monster and people who go hunting as glorified camping trips/weekend getaways from home

And yes, I’ve been in both of those camps

IMHO, they're after a buck that satisfies a personal standard they have set for themselves. So while you might say the animal is most important to them, you might just as easily say it's the experience of going year after year until they get the opportunity they're waiting for. As they say, "Good things come to those who wait."

Also no matter what, the best experience hunting is made better in one way. Taking the animal

Equal for sure

This for me^^^^^^^^^

Hanging out with friends, sharing a campfire and a few libations. I'm just not that mad at 'em these days. Was at the 'Pitchfork' this weekend and watched numerous quality bucks, just not the old warhorse management deer we were looking for. Still had a great time.

A great animal makes for a great experience, to me anyway. After I've killed something decent, or put some good shots on hogs just hanging out and having some Woodford works well. We tell great stories, laugh and burn a lot of firewood.

We are all at that point now. You get to a point in life that other things are more important. It seems to happen over night. We all have been through hell and back personally so big buck is just icing on the cake if it happens. Now if I am paying $5K for a spot, yeah priorities would probably change!

Now this factors in to if quit a bit I think....what kind of hunting a person is doing and how routine it may be for them.

I really don’t get all that upset If I go hunting locally here at my lease or down to the ranch or a buddies place and don’t get anything. Those are more just fellowship trips, hanging out with buddies and having a few drinks. Shooting something is fun but not necessary. It’s more that I’m not that into big whitetail much anymore and I get my kicks from shooting them with a bow or in new areas then getting after a true trophy buck. Thank god for cull deer because I get my adrenaline fix mainly from them.

On a real hunt type hunt....I’m looking to get a kill. I have my game face on, I’m there to work. I do get bummed out if I don’t get an animals on most of these trips, but not all. I will say I enter the woods expecting to get a kill at some point.....I’m batting about 50% so far.