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Purely Recreational or Something More #8791295 01/30/23 03:40 PM
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DQ Kid Offline OP
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In line with my other thread, "Pursuit or the Kill" but slightly different take; do you consider hunting and your approach to it as being a purely recreational endeavor or something very different? Meaning, do you hunt more for the joy, the getaway of it all with little to no caring if final outcome or do you take it very seriously, wanting to put in your absolute all with the true hope of "scoring" in the hunting ledger? Personally, I regard hunting as a true getaway and break from the hustle and bustle of the daily work grind, a way for me to escape to the quiet of the wilderness as much as SW Young county and Throckmoton County are wilderness, lol. I give it the necessary seriousness and care as to not be harmed or place others in harm, but the main goal for me and/or my guests is pure joy and fun, end of day regardless of outcomes. How do you all regard this great activity of hunting???

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791311 01/30/23 04:02 PM
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its both. Once retired and I dont need the head and soul cleanse it will take on a different life, probably a more serious approach just in a different way.


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

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Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791323 01/30/23 04:18 PM
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It's the memories made, not the game down. However, getting one every now and then is the icing on the cake.


Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co.
Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791330 01/30/23 04:27 PM
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As I have gotten older, my "drivers" for my hunting have certainly changed...and I expect that what I've experienced is a pretty normal evolution.

When I first started hunting, the goal was to kill SOMETHING...success was measured by a single kill and size didn't matter. The second step was the filling of all my available tags and, again, size didn't matter. A couple of seasons of that and I began being more and more selective as my growing skillset allowed me to do that. I hung at that phase for several years, sometimes shooting, sometimes not...but always enjoying the time afield. By middle-age and packing the burdens of career and family, I found myself hunting far, far more and shooting far, far less. I found that passing on a nice animal gave as much pleasure as the taking of one; the time spent in the wilds outweighed the actual hunting.

Today, as I'm retired and living on our property, I spend time afield daily but shoot hogs and varmints exclusively...I haven't dropped the hammer on a whitetail since 2010 (despite opportunities at fine animals every season). I find my joy in every sunrise, in every turn of the seasons...with the full knowledge that I've got far more hunting days behind me than in front.

If you're interested, I'd suggest reading Jose Ortega y Gasset's "Meditations on Hunting"...a fine piece. "To sum up, one does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted. If one were to present the sportsman with the death of the animal as a gift he would refuse it. What he is after is having to win it, to conquer the surly brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it: the immersion in the countryside, the healthfulness of the exercise, the distraction from his job."

Last edited by 218 Bee; 01/30/23 05:22 PM.

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Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791340 01/30/23 04:39 PM
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Within the last year or so I've transitioned from hunting as a means to annually acquire trophies in quantity to just enjoying hanging out with my good friends and socializing. A harvested animal at this point is a bonus and done selectively. I've also transitioned to enjoying helping and watching others take their personal trophies and will start to include my son.

I'm just as happy sitting at deer camp eating good food, drinking good bourbon and laughing around a campfire as I am shooting a pile of ducks or harvesting a nice deer, etc. There are mornings I'd rather get up and cook biscuits and gravy while the newer guys go hunt so they have something to eat when they get back. I'm also just as happy following a bird dog around in the brush and not finding a single covey vs only putting dogs down if we knew we were guaranteed to find birds.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791370 01/30/23 05:19 PM
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For me it's nothing more than a recreational sport or game that gives me the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and get some needed exercise. But I do believe there's something in my genetics that first attracted me to the sport and why I still enjoy it today. IMO, we're no different than dogs and cats that despite being fed every day, still carry the desire to hunt something down. And like dogs and cats, obviously not every human will ever develop the desire. In fact, the vast majority never do.

I've heard it said that things often skip generations. While my grandfather was an avid hunter, my dad would have just as well watched the grass grow than to sit on a deer stand.


Last edited by Texas Dan; 01/30/23 05:42 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791507 01/30/23 08:00 PM
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Any time spent on the property is better than time spent at home for me. Single, no kids, no pets. I build hot rods and race cars for fun, and have too many projects. My day job is stressful and takes its toll on me mentally, so I escape to the hill country to get away from the city and out of cell range so I cant be bothered. The hunting is a bonus, even if I don't pull the trigger. Any hunting I do is for the food. I have no interest in taking pictures of my food, or mounting the remnants of my food on a wall.

Last edited by AAFD; 01/30/23 08:01 PM.
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791542 01/30/23 08:48 PM
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Depends solely on where and what we are hunting.

At my place, I'm fine not shooting anything most days, and I'll skip a hunt or three to piddle on the tractor, work around the barn, etc. To me that is just hanging out at a place where hunting is an available, but not the sole, activity, so whatever I'm doing there is enjoyable to me. At buddies places, I'm fine most days riding around in a truck or UTV drinking a few beers and telling stories. I don't have to go hunt to have a good time although I enjoy shooting a deer or hog every now and then on a buddies ranch. I find solace in the environment not the activity.

On other hunts, I'm on a mission. Dove or Duck, I'm there to shoot some birds. Elk hunting, I'm real ambivalent about it, unless we are rut hunting and they are talking to each other. Coyote hunting I can get in to. Aoudad hunting....I'm going as hard as I can to kill to a good sheep. Same thing goes for Mule Deer hunting....I'm in it to win it.




For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791562 01/30/23 09:12 PM
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I think first and foremost it's a great way to be outside and participating in nature. Then I think there's a conservation aspect to it that I appreciate. When you really consider how much food is wasted that's bought in grocery stores, you realize people don't feel a connection to their food. Leftovers from animals that are harvested gain significantly deeper importance in our household because the experience of taking that animal's life stays with you.

Then I'd say there's definitely the time spent with friends new and old. I did a bit of solo hunting this past season and I always have a better time when I'm with a buddy or some of the other guys on the lease -- trading stories, sharing laughs -- the shared experience is something that stays with you the longest.

Related, trophies only come home when there's something about the experience I want to preserve. The mount is a vehicle to service that memory. I haven't ever shot a B&C buck, but I have several on the wall. I killed my first 5x5 elk this year. I'm having that mounted because it was the first and I want to remember that moment. Come to think of it, guess I don't look at them as trophies as much as memories, time stamps of great experiences with people and nature.


tough times don't last, tough people do
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791566 01/30/23 09:17 PM
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The main benefit of hunting for me is that it is a great way to relax, focus on the moment, and clear my mind of any negativity. I also focus on the world around me, and observe. There is nothing like seeing the sun rise, and set. I am not a trophy type hunter, and consider harvesting game part of the hunt. I am content with processing my own game. The most rewarding part of the experience is being there. I plan on hunting until age or death takes me from it.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: Brother Phil] #8791567 01/30/23 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Brother Phil
The main benefit of hunting for me is that it is a great way to relax, focus on the moment, and clear my mind of any negativity. I also focus on the world around me, and observe. There is nothing like seeing the sun rise, and set. I am not a trophy type hunter, and consider harvesting game part of the hunt. I am content with processing my own game. The most rewarding part of the experience is being there. I plan on hunting until age or death takes me from it.

Love this Brother Phil...

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791612 01/30/23 10:30 PM
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For me it is a step back into nature and my ancestral heritage, as well as conservation-minded stewardship of the land and animals. There was a big gap between my youth (small game) and adult first-deer harvest. Getting away from the city/computers and into nature was good, but it was GREAT re-living the sights/smells/experiences from youth with either dad or grandpa, bringing back and re-living the memories of them and then. That included processing 100% myself, spicing and packaging, and even prep and cooking all the way to the dinnerplate as dad/grandpa always did. All the hard work too - planting pecan/oak trees, fences, natural water retention, etc. Those little tiny live-oaks that dad planted 40 years ago now tower into the sky, and bring deer in whether the feeder is running or not!
Plus there's nothing like the taste of a 100% homemade venison-burger, sausage, or stew - with thankful praise to God along every step of the way for being able to share this with my own family now also!

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791665 01/30/23 11:46 PM
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I enjoy killing, especially swine and coyotes. I don’t feel bad about it for one second and it is a blast. When it comes to deer I enjoy the chase but enjoy the kill as well. I’d consider it mostly recreational but when it’s slow at night I can just chill on the SXS looking at the stars and enjoy the quiet and loneliness of being in the middle of nowhere. If hunting wasn’t fun I wouldn’t do it.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791680 01/31/23 12:12 AM
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"If hunting wasn’t fun I wouldn’t do it." Exactly!


FJB - Lets Go Brandon
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Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791690 01/31/23 12:20 AM
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I just like to spend time with my sons and buddies. That’s why I enjoy dove, duck, and especially quail hunting. I like to go whitetail hunting just because my youngest son enjoys it so much. Once he gets old enough to hunt on his own I’ll never leave camp when we go deer hunting.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791746 01/31/23 01:28 AM
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Both.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: Jimbo1] #8791766 01/31/23 01:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Jimbo1
"If hunting wasn’t fun I wouldn’t do it." Exactly!

Hunting and hunting related work is not "fun" to me. My better half regularly asks me about this so I have put some thought into it. I call it "enjoyable" because I get satisfaction out of the challenge of the entire process.
My day today would be a good example. It was 22 degrees, 15mph wind and sleeting as I went to 11 different feeders checking on feeder electronics and cameras and I couldnt do that in heavy gloves.
Ill sum up my day and my ongoing overall hunting experiences by saying "the greater the pain, the greater the gain."


At some point in life its time to quit chasing the pot of gold and just enjoy the rainbow. FR
Keep your gratitude higher than your expectations. RWH
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: freerange] #8791770 01/31/23 02:04 AM
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Originally Posted by freerange
Originally Posted by Jimbo1
"If hunting wasn’t fun I wouldn’t do it." Exactly!

Hunting and hunting related work is not "fun" to me. My better half regularly asks me about this so I have put some thought into it. I call it "enjoyable" because I get satisfaction out of the challenge of the entire process.
My day today would be a good example. It was 22 degrees, 15mph wind and sleeting as I went to 11 different feeders checking on feeder electronics and cameras and I couldnt do that in heavy gloves.
Ill sum up my day and my ongoing overall hunting experiences by saying "the greater the pain, the greater the gain."

Some of the worst most miserable times of my life are now my best memories. Many have to do with freezing my butt off in Afghanistan, the woods or while playing sports. I’ve had some miserable hunts but I still had fun.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791779 01/31/23 02:16 AM
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I think hunting is pretty fun.

I can’t really see the difference between fun and enjoyable


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791797 01/31/23 02:39 AM
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Really good stuff guys, let's keep this brotherhood going, no wrong answers, just answers....

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: txtrophy85] #8791801 01/31/23 02:44 AM
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Originally Posted by txtrophy85
I think hunting is pretty fun.

I can’t really see the difference between fun and enjoyable

Maybe “enjoyable” isn’t the right word either. When a marathon runner was asked if he had “fun”, this was his answer. “No, it wasn’t fun; it was satisfying. I felt that internal sense of a job well-done that comes from identifying a goal, creating a plan to achieve the goal, and executing the plan.”
That does a better job of explaining why I put so much into hunting.


At some point in life its time to quit chasing the pot of gold and just enjoy the rainbow. FR
Keep your gratitude higher than your expectations. RWH
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: freerange] #8791806 01/31/23 02:53 AM
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Originally Posted by freerange
Originally Posted by txtrophy85
I think hunting is pretty fun.

I can’t really see the difference between fun and enjoyable

Maybe “enjoyable” isn’t the right word either. When a marathon runner was asked if he had “fun”, this was his answer. “No, it wasn’t fun; it was satisfying. I felt that internal sense of a job well-done that comes from identifying a goal, creating a plan to achieve the goal, and executing the plan.”
That does a better job of explaining why I put so much into hunting.


I guess I can relate to a degree. I don’t really like to lift weight, but I like the results. So I continue to lift weights.


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: freerange] #8791814 01/31/23 02:57 AM
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Originally Posted by freerange
Originally Posted by txtrophy85
I think hunting is pretty fun.

I can’t really see the difference between fun and enjoyable

Maybe “enjoyable” isn’t the right word either. When a marathon runner was asked if he had “fun”, this was his answer. “No, it wasn’t fun; it was satisfying. I felt that internal sense of a job well-done that comes from identifying a goal, creating a plan to achieve the goal, and executing the plan.”
That does a better job of explaining why I put so much into hunting.


I find doing the work on my place or my buddys much more enjoyable than deer hunting. But we drink beer while doing projects and working.I try to enjoy every day no matter the conditions. The year round upkeep is much more fun for me than sitting in a box watching a feeder.

I do enjoy the work of training my dogs, but I like watching them hunt much more.

Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: txtrophy85] #8791824 01/31/23 03:11 AM
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Originally Posted by txtrophy85
Originally Posted by freerange
Originally Posted by txtrophy85
I think hunting is pretty fun.

I can’t really see the difference between fun and enjoyable

Maybe “enjoyable” isn’t the right word either. When a marathon runner was asked if he had “fun”, this was his answer. “No, it wasn’t fun; it was satisfying. I felt that internal sense of a job well-done that comes from identifying a goal, creating a plan to achieve the goal, and executing the plan.”
That does a better job of explaining why I put so much into hunting.


I guess I can relate to a degree. I don’t really like to lift weight, but I like the results. So I continue to lift weights.






I think we would both agree that Cam Hanes doesn’t train like he does because it’s fun.
My Son is trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He’s ran every day for 3 years. He does this on rough and rugged mountain trails at 7/9K feet elevation. Every day, winter snow, summer heat. I don’t need to ask him if it’s fun.
I’m not judging whats right or wrong or good or bad, but I do believe “we come out fully cooked”.


At some point in life its time to quit chasing the pot of gold and just enjoy the rainbow. FR
Keep your gratitude higher than your expectations. RWH
Re: Purely Recreational or Something More [Re: DQ Kid] #8791837 01/31/23 03:29 AM
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Hunting is my sport, it’s the competition between me and the animal that drives me to endure the elements. But it’s also so much more. It’s managing the land to make it better. The time spent with family and friends. Good dogs and memories of times gone by. The stories that live on and the heritage passed down through generations. The bond i have with other outdoorsmen that are otherwise strangers. Putting food on the table. The “rush” when the hammer drops on the old buck that I’ve been after for years never once seeing him in person until that moment. All the hot summer days on the tractor and hauling feed. Hard work equals great rewards, same as most other things in life. Hunting is a part of me, always has been and god willing always will be. Oh, and I fish too!


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