One of my followers on my Facebook page asked me how long it takes to be a good hunter. It got me thinking What is a good hunter anyway. I suppose before I can decide how long it takes we first have to define the characteristics required.
So let’s start with the easiest to learn, shooting proficiency and gun safety. These really aren’t that hard to learn. I learned all of the basics required for my hunting test over 2 months. By the end of the 2 months I was able to meet all the requirements for shotgun, rifle and handgun. I was proficient. I don’t think I would go so far as to say I am good at shooting. Last time I tried shooting clay pigeons it was clear I need practice. Shooting is NOT like riding a bike. You can’t go ages without picking up a rifle and expect to shoot perfectly, it’s a skill that should be practiced regularly.
Being a good hunter also means being ethical. I am not sure if this is a skill that can be taught. Sometimes I see things out there where I think… seriously… did I just see that? When we hunt it is important that we have prepared ourselves. We hunt when it is legal, the animals that are open and we must be prepared to do the work if for example an animal is injured not killed. I would never dream of leaving an animal in the woods injured without trying to find it after it was injured. And quite frankly I think most hunters will have an experience like this at some time. We are only human after all. But to not even try to track the animal and put it out of it’s misery would be unethical in my opinion.
The same is true when it comes to hunting just for sport. Sure there are animals which are sometimes hunted not for the purpose of food. But instead to help preserve the balance of desired wildlife in an area. But you hear tales all the time of people finding a deer in the woods left to rot without a head. Clearly the hunter was interested in the trophy only. this is such a sad waste of a natural resource. I have not yet gotten to the point of using every bit of the animal yet. but very little goes to waste.
What else is important? Well you have to know what you are hunting. Depending on where you hunt, unless you have a guide you need to be able to identify your animals. You can’t ethically hunt an animal you can’t identify. If you are a trophy hunter this is easier.. if it’s got big horns it’s good, but that is not enough for hunting for me. I need to be able to identify Male or Female, and age of an animal before I shoot it. We have a lot of animals open to us to shoot, but we must be sure of what it is. Here in Germany there are laws regarding preservation of a mother animal which is still needed by his young. At this time of year this is especially difficult. A mature doe who has just had her babies can look an awful lot like a 1 year old doe who is currently open. We have to look carefully to see if a deer is a mamma by looking for teats on her… which if she has recently fed her babies can be hard to Identify. This means if you are a good hunter and unsure you let the potential harvest walk. Because you never ever take a shot on something you aren’t sure about.
Then comes the actual hunting part, there is a still to sneaking into a stand an not alerting every critter in a 5 mile radius that you are there, and learning to move quietly once you are in your blind. It seems obvious but when you sit in the quiet of the woods, it’s amazing how much noise you can make while trying to be quiet as a mouse.
Experience is probably the hardest skill to acquire. there’s just no supplement for getting out there and experiencing the wild. It is easier if you have a mentor or guide to help you get a feel for what you are looking for. When I first started hunting my hubby would show me animals that I didn’t notice. There is a lot of practice figuring out what to look for. If you are lucky and see a lot of animals the learning curve is faster.
and for me the hardest part of hunting is when I see an animal that I know I can harvest, my pulse goes up like a rocket and you have to learn to calm yourself and be still so that you can use all those hours of practicing and make a clean shot.
After the shot the real work comes. then the animal has to be removed from the woods, Field dressed and later processed into food stuff. These are also skills that are easiest learned with a mentor. Because you have to have a harvest to practice on. My first butchered animal was not pretty. But I did it. and I learn every time I have to process an animal.
When it all comes down to it, I think that being a good hunter means accepting that there will always be something new to learn and embracing the experience. I certainly won’t say I am a bad hunter. But I still have a lot to learn!
I am sure I missed some items that make a good hunter. Tell me what you think makes a good hunter.
One response to “What’s a good Hunter anyway”
The noise part about the blind is no joke. Snd when you get adjusted and sit and listen to the surroundings you dont ever realize how loud a couple of leaf movements are or stick breaks are. Its alot different then just walking in the woods.