Outdoors with John L. Sloan Oct. 5, 2016 A Poor View of Hunters. I don’t watch much outdoor programming. I don’t get most of the channels that show it. Before I start teeing off on this subject, let me first admit to some things. Yes, I have been a professional hunter. I have been compensated to hunt. I have been a professional guide, compensated to put other hunters on game. I have been on television and I have made hunting videos and I have promoted products and been compensated for it.
I was, for about 20-years, a trophy hunter. I admit to all those things. What I won’t admit to and don’t think I have ever done, is put the antlers or whatever above fair play and complete disrespect for the animals we kill. I am not ashamed of one single piece of footage in which I appeared. Nor am I ashamed of any article I have written regarding hunting. A few days ago, on someone else’s television, I watch as a doofus, (maybe one of your heroes,), made an archery, gut shot on a 130-inch whitetail. He then, all in whispers, although the deer is long gone, does an end zone style, victory dance complete with whispered exclamations explaining how he “smoked him”, gave him a “dirt nap” and is so excited about the “swamp donkey” he just shot. He is face-painted worse than any hooker I have ever come across-as if that mattered. It gets worse. He climbs down in the dark. Somehow, it went from morning to night. After talking about how hard they “worked” the blood trail, he finds the deer and lo and behold, it is bright daylight again. But wait. This deer is a much larger deer and the shot appears to be perfect, right behind the shoulder and the blood is still fresh??? And I have seen worse. It is not just one program. It is almost, all of them. There are a few good ones. Now to the heart of this discourse. It is several days into our archery hunting season and hunting seasons across the land either are open or are about to open. Thousands of bow hunters will be heading out, some of the youngsters on their entry level hunts. Hopefully, most of these hunters will understand what hunting really is. What it isn’t is a competition between humans! Write that down. There is nothing about hunting that requires a victory dance, high-fiving, fist bumping exuberance. You just killed something, a living, breathing animal. Show a little respect. Act like you have kin folk. You don’t have to act like the bulk of the television idiots. They are trying to be stars and sell products. Okay. What is hunting to me? The last and often least enjoyable part of hunting, to me, is the kill. The true enjoyment I get from hunting is unravelling the puzzle. The scouting, determining where the animals travel. The placement of the stand or blind. The sitting, watching learning what is happening in their world-the animals. When the time comes, if the opportunity is presented, yes, I kill. I do not harvest. I am not going to insult anyone by trying to make what I do more palatable to the squeamish. I don’t’ bag, I don’t harvest. I kill. That is what I am doing in the woods with a bow or firearm. I am there to kill. I am trying to culminate all the time I spent learning. When I do, I do have a feeling of satisfaction. Not because I killed something but because I did something right. However, when I do, I do not celebrate and I do not whisper. I am usually quiet, still, listening, watching. I am not sad, I don’t shed a tear unless I have stuck a broadhead in my hand. I quietly say “thank you” and get on about the business of getting that animal ready for the table as quickly as possible. I follow the blood trail, usually within three minutes of the shot, (I’ll explain why I don’t wait in another column.). I get to that animal as quickly as possible and I gut it. I don’t field dress it, I gut it. You may, if you wish, substitute eviscerate. But the actual shot and kill is anti-climactic for me. Yes, it is the successful culmination of all the rest. But it is not cause for an end zone celebration. It is a time for respect, reflection, thanking God and going to work. Yes. I have made bad shots. Yes. I have failed to find animals and some of them surely, later died and fed the scavengers of the woods. Yes, I have found animals long hours later that were still alive and required a finishing shot. My guess is, I have killed close to 500 game animals in my 62-years of hunting life and probably will kill a few more. Not all were killed with quick, clean, instantly fatal shots. But never, not once, have I jumped up and down in glee.
To date, best I can tell, I have killed 19-animals that qualify for various record books. Not one of them has ever been sent in for recording or officially scored. One of my most memorable trophies is a doe that had lived for at least nine years. I hunted her for a solid three years and for all but one minute of that time, she beat me. She made one mistake and I killed her. I was regretful the minute she hit the ground because the game was over and she should have won. If that sounds silly to you, you do not understand hunting. Hunting, in a true sense, is not paying someone to put you in a shooting house you have never seen and killing whatever walks out. Think about it. You did no hunting. You just killed. Now, if that is what you want to do, fine. I have no problem with that. It is a needed part of this business. You do realize, of course, it is a business. That is why we have televised hunting shows-to sell a product. Hunting is walking new land, exploring, reading “sign”, and making guesses and assumptions. Hunting is learning all you can about the game you hunt. Hunting is enjoying the days you don’t see a single animal you are after. Hunting is respecting the animals and the land, remembering, maybe making notes, adding to your knowledge of the woods and fields, knowing food sources and breeding patterns, trails and crossings and proper stand or blind placement. That is hunting. The rest is just killing. Nothing about hunting requires acting like a complete idiot. That is for television…so you can sell a product and make a name for yourself. True hunters find it distasteful. As technology progressed to the point any idiot could do his own taping and production and some woman with expensive implants joined him to become an outdoor “star”, outdoor programming went down the chute. Just my opinion, of course.
So hunters, respect the game you hunt. Act like your family is watching and use all the meat. If you can’t, give it to someone who can. Then, if you want to preserve the memory, visit a taxidermist. Nothing wrong with well-mounted head or whatever. Just be careful you don’t have so many done you have to build a new room, (inside joke.). And that is my diatribe for this season…until something else comes along. Enjoy the game, the hunt and the memory. Above all, be safe. ###
One thing I would do is have respect for those who do properly utilize Outfitters. In some states and countries it is a requirement for a non resident with certain animals in mind. Alaska is the main example, much of Africa another. Then there are millions of potential hunters who live in major metropolitan areas and it is not easy for them to get to the country often enough to do proper scouting prior to the hunt, they do depend on other hunters to help them. All they may get is the one week vacation to flee the city and see what country life is like, including hunting. We need them on our side. Some are even from other countries.
As you mentioned, hunting can be a business, but it also can be beneficial to our cause at the same time. I see nothing wrong with hunters helping other hunters getting land access and helping them fulfill their goals. Your box blind statement is well taken but that is how some young hunters begin, and aged or physically challenged hunters must end. Outfitting, including box blinds have their place in waterfowl and big game hunting. I do have respect for the good outfitters, and no I am not one. I have however used them to hunt Brown and " interior Grizzly bears" as well as some sheep and African game. It was a legal requirement, not a sign of laziness.
Honestly though, it baffles me when so many hunters take such pains to distance themselves from the act killing - almost apologizing for it. I don't hunt to kill either, but killing is a part of hunting. It's what makes it hunting actually. Nature kills a million times a day, every day. I strive to do it cleanly, but I don't have angst over the act.
Also, it's a little egocentric at times with all your accomplishments worked in for no real reason.
Query: Doesn't making a big deal to others about having a bunch of record book animals you are not entering calling attention to yourself about as much as entering them? Maybe more?
Regarding hunting and how we carry ourselves, I see it no differently than how we should conduct ourselves in all aspects of life. If we are sincere and sensitive to others and how they might view us, if we strive for decency in all transactions with others, then hunting should be just another aspect of our hopefully well regarded character. My own approach is to not treat hunting/shooting any differently towards others as I would their passions/hobbies. I just assume they accept me for who I am, and expect them to. This seems to produce the results that I find acceptable.
I accept each of us must find a comfort level with this subject, this is just what so far seems to work for me.
Thanks.
Give me Fred Eichler and his excitement any day of the week over a somber stick in the mud who is unable to have fun because it is against all things holy to high five or give out a war hoot.
When the argument gets even more tired and worn out that all of hunting's ills are caused by outdoor television, we can always switch the narrative to "it's Trump's fault."
BTW, I use face paint but not because I like the look, I am just too damn white and stick out like a lighted beacon to anything critter.
Nice article John!
But..... there is a difference between excitement, honest emotion...... and being a dick.
I'd bet most that John was talking about are just dicks. Hunting is but one thing they happen to do.....
I wonder how many folks looked at the photo above and thought to themselves- anyone that holds their bow upside down in their trophy photos must not be much of a bowhunter! ;-)
Currently we have both TV celebs and writers clogging up the hunting draw system and jacking up the price of a guided hunt. Just think how many times you are in camp and there is some celeb of one type or the other. Just think about that premium drawing that every celeb puts in for every year in as many ways as possible to make a show or write a story who would not be if they were not making a dime on it. Who do you think the outfitter is going to put on that 190 inch whitetail, Me or Michael Waddell. This is the same group that said we should keep bow shots to 40 yards or less and 300 and in for rifles. This is now the same group shooting bow shots at nearly a hundred yards and gun shots at nearly a thousand. Really, I do not need celebs telling me how to represent myself and hunting. What we really need to do is to address the Bubba image that is associated with hunting. Bubba is not buying Kuiu or Sitka and hardly any are putting into out of state draws. My thinking does necessarily fall in line with the normal thought process and could be said to be out of the box but from my perspective the hunting industry is getting more than they are giving.
One comment I'd like to make about the non-hunters. I recently drew a "once in a lifetime" bull elk tag for my home state. Only residents can apply, and it's a one and done hunt, never to get the opportunity again. After many trips west across the state (Nebraska) to scout and secure private land to hunt, it was finally time to fulfill something I had been chasing for 20+ years.
On my drive west across I-80, like many previous trips I've made in Sept. I'm always on the lookout for those heading back east with their trophy racks strapped to their truck beds or trailers, and I wasn't disappointed. I met several... But for the first time I started to wonder, just how many people are they pissing off with their flagrant display. Are we rubbing it in their face by showing off the spoils of our hunt? I even made the decision to keep mine under wraps should this be a successful hunt.
Well, sure enough, just two days into my hunt I connected on "a bull of a lifetime". Not that I was planning on this being a trophy hunt, but I was out to hunt hard and match wits with mature herd bulls. No raghorns like I'm used to seeing on OTC hunts. Mature bulls in the height of the rut. And on top of it all, I was doing it solo. Nobody to blame but myself...
After getting my bull broken down and in coolers, my camp packed up, truck loaded to the hilt... Guess what? All I had left was the rack, and it was huge. All I could do was bite the bullet and strap it on top of my heaping loaded truck bed. Off I went, expecting the worse.
To shorten this up... To my pleasant surprise, I had several passer-bys that gave me many thumbs-up! Lots of gawkers staring as they passed. But no middle finger salutes as I was expecting. When I reached home I came to the conclusion, either the anti's are afraid to express their distain when alone and singled out, or there really isn't as many of them as we're led to believe. Or, maybe I just got lucky...
And I was not being judgemental with my question- just making a point. There is no way I can tell from that photo what type of hunter you are. You may be holding your bow that way because you like to hold your bow upside down, or maybe you have a blister on that hand or maybe you were just so excited after shooting that buck that you didn’t even realize it was upside down.
Just trying to make a point that just because some of us don’t react the same way you do after killing a deer, does not make it disrespectful or inappropriate. Just makes it..................,.....different.
I fully understand why not all hunters want to hear what John had to say here, but it’s (IMO) important for a lot of Antis - and even MORE importantly, NON-hunters - to know that the crap that you can see on TV is not what this thing is About.
Oddly enough, I’m watching a football game right now. I do not appreciate the guys who taunt their opponents, and I think the victory dances and posturing - after EVERY time somebody actually succeeds in doing exactly what he gets paid (millions) to do....
Put it this way; I coach kids’ hockey. Small-time stuff, to be sure. Everybody plays. Unless you show disrespect towards your teammates or your opponent. THAT will earn you a sit on the bench, because that is not how we roll....
Just trying to make a point that just because some of us don’t react the same way you do after killing a deer, does not make it disrespectful or inappropriate. Just makes it..................,.....different.
Okay, first, you assumed that is me. It is not. Second, you said you would not hold you bow upside down. It is not upside down if you want to keep your arrows out of the dirt. Of course you made some judgements, we all do. Unless you know exactly a person is thinking or trying to convey, you make a judgement. Even then, you judge it according to your viewpoint. If you don't, you are probably dead. For example, at this very second, I am making a judgement about you. Reading and re-reading does not affect judgement, only wording.
Dead on GF.
I think "most" people don't disdain hunters. I actually don't think they care one way or the other. Matter a fact if you Google for surveys you will see hunting support for hunting well above 75%.
People who disdain hunters are one of two people:
1. Petaphiles: These people will for the rest of time hate what we do. No rational or other explanation will warm them up. They just have an entirely different belief system.
2. BHE: Bad Hunter Encounter: These people have had a bad run-in with a hunter. Usually the hunters fault (like my wife's family who had people chase a wounded deer across their front lawn with guns in hand), trespassing, etc.
I have worked, lived and travelled in the most liberal states in America and in all my years have only had a few bad encounters. Matter a fact I would say the majority of people are ok with many types of hunting. Unfortunately, it's the 10% of people who don't like hunting who are loud and obnoxious.
I think those that don't like the fist pumping and celebrating after a kill are just different than those who do - NEITHER are right or wrong. They are just different types of people.
Like I said above - I enjoyed reading this article and am not arguing that your opinion isn't correct. I just think sometimes as hunters we are over-stating the disdain for hunting.
When I took Hunter Ed, the OldTimers who taught the class drummed in a lesson that I have retained for the past 40 years...
Whenever you are out in the world looking like you are a hunter, EVERY THING YOU DO will be the basis for someone’s view of what hunters and hunting are all about.
When I’m in the field, I assume that I represent YOU. Whoever you may be. And it is my job to present you to the world in the same light in which I hope that you will represent me.
And that is not because I am some politically correct “snowflake” or whateverthehell insult of the week; that lesson was taught to me by guys who were probably the Old Gunnies in WWII...
Interesting how respect for your fellow man has become considered a sign of weakness these days....
I'd rather see someone excited about their hobby and accomplishment visually and vocally than see some ho-hum reaction. Don't be afraid to show the world your passion and if someone doesn't like it that's just too bad.
Some have mentioned those who portray themselves as being particularly excitable. I buy it the first time, maybe even the second and third time, but time and time again, it seems too rehearsed and predictable. That’s when it becomes really offensive. Especially true when it was a shitty shot or an immature animal.
I’ve killed more than most. For me, its always a very quiet, somber moment to walk up on something I’ve killed.
I guess there are some things that are wonderful and exciting... and that just aren't meant to be done under the Public Eye.....
Fwiw we don't know who's faking emotions on the shows we watch. We can only assume and we all know what happens when we assume things. Also, I seriously doubt antis and nonhunters are watching these shows so it just becomes hunters judging hunters which is not helping our cause at all.
Also, I watched a Bighorn Sheep rifle hunting video on youtube once. The guy had to shoot the Ram at least 5 times before he killed it. What's worse is then the fool post the video to youtube.
That's all I got to say. I've hunted since I was old enough to get a license.
Wapitidung
did I miss something in the 35:30 I blew through?
Mine are simply shot... Metaphor's are not my thing. Call me boring.
I quit the article when it said something like "you don't get hunting." or "hunting is about. . . . "
There should always be qualifiers in there before those statements. Like "you don't get what hunting means to me." or "For me, hunting is about. . . "
Because YOU don't get to tell ME what MY hunting is about. Everyone can leave me the hell alone and mind their own business.
I got a bunch more I could say. But why bother?
The hypocrisy always gets me. I'd bet money that a lot of the "you're not doing it right" crowd, are big believers in small government. They don't want the government or anyone telling THEM what to do, but it's okay for them to tell others what to do. It's a state of mind I just can't understand.
Oh, they'll always have a justification. Don't all do-gooders? But it always rings hollow with me. . . .
Bake---AMEN bro. Very well said
