Bowhunting stages
Wisconsin
Seems to me there is a pattern with age and the need to kill. I’m almost 40 and I’m starting to enjoy my surroundings a little bit more while I’m hunting than I did at 30 and way more than 20. When I was let loose as a kid with a sling shot or B.B. gun I wanted to kill anything that moved.
My dad hunts strictly waterfowl and I noticed it with him a while back. Sometimes out of no where he will let ducks land and swim around before flying away. I just didn’t understand it but I think I am starting to.
I love to waterfowl hunt,,, I always have,,, I hate to say this, but I love to watch the flights and how the ducks respond,,,, watching my dog, and friends, sharing early morning coffee, etc, is what its all about
a few in the bag for a nice supper is all we need
I love the grouse and woodcock spots,,, a few shots, a bird or two, later on at my camp, nice wine, and some birds on the spit, its what it is all about
I love to bow hunt,,,, special place and times, and if I get lucky so much the better,,,,,,
If there is a heaven, and I believe there is, it will be all of this and more,,,,,,,
Well put GH, I’m learning slowly it’s not about what’s on the wall at the end of the season. Don’t misunderstand me though, I still want it bad but I am learning it’s not the end of the world if I don’t fill every tag,
I have spent hours fishing for one more walleye to reach my limit for the day. Looking back it was stupid but at the time I needed that to validate.
It’s good that we have hunters at all stages on this site . A lot to be learned here from you guys,
I am currently in Africa with a friend. I have to say I have enjoyed watching, participating and filming his hunts as much or more than I enjoy my own. Other than a couple critters I had not previously shot, I enjoyed arrowing a few female impala and wildebeest the owner wanted for use for biltong while watching some mature males go on their way. Just as with my deer hunting, I pass many animals I once would have taken. Now I think more about leaving them go in the hopes that one of my daughters or my buddies young son might get a chance at them.
I’m the same. Anymore I like to help others and see their successes along with the misses. I will be 60 in a couple months and have one bucket list hunt that I would like to do yet and that would be a rut moose hunt with a bow.
Sociologists determined five stages of hunters: Shooter Stage. ... Limiting-Out Stage. ... Trophy Stage. ... Method Stage. ... Sportsman Stage. At 54 years of hunting, I am quite sure that I am in the Sportsman's stage.
I am like many others here. A successful season for me is to see my son and grandkids enjoy their time we get hunting together. Successful or not it is memories that will last my lifetime and hopefully theirs too. After getting the biggest buck of my life five years ago, my goal is to help other with their quest. I have just as much fun scouting, setting and checking cams, than I do actually hunting. But I must say, I still get the adrenelin rush when a shooter shows up.
Years ago... when finding solitude was much easier, I took it for granted. Now that its much more difficult to find, I realized thats what is most important to me. There have been countless times when I started the day saying im going to fill a tag if given the opportunity, only to never even grab the bow when the chance came. I think eventually everybody reaches a point where they start reflecting on life, and this reflection changes your outlook....So do grandkids! :>)
I am a Wisco transplant since 01. Grew up bow hunting, slugs deer hunting , coon hunting, trapping, fishing and the works. I left NY and moved to SOCAL after graduating high school. I lived there for 25 years.
I came here on a business transfer and met a family that I'm blessed to call family. They own a farm up North and their son I worked together. He showed me pics of some very nice deer they shot both gun and bow and invited me on a gun hunt. It brought the desire to hunt into my bloodstream again.
In NY I had a Bear Whitetail hunter as my first compound. When I came to WI someone told me about Lorrie G's archery in Union Grove and that got me into PSE bows. It was awesome. I eventually went to a Mathews Switchback and all the gadgets. Killing deer was the priority and Wensel Woodsmen 125 grains were killing deer. I became bored with hunting after awhile. It was "easy" to kill a deer.
A friend introduced me to Dick Roberston out of MT and showed me his works of art. I bought a 3 piece takedown from Dick and gave it a go. Practicing at my buddy's house and liking everything about it. I was bitten. It brought the passion back and then some. There is something about taking a deer with trad gear that so surpassed the compound...
Fast forward to the passage of usage of the crossbow in the Archery season... All 5 guys I hunted with went to the usage. Its "cool" to see five deer hanging from the rafters in pole barn but nauseating too. There is one left in the camp that uses a Hoyt still and me with my Robertson recurve.
I hardly take my bow off the hook anymore and have gotten to where I enjoy seeing them in the wild more than on the table. The passage of that weapon has brought the negative feeling back into my hunting of whitetail.
All the new technologies in archery are great for some but for me not so much.
I just read where the new phones with 5G are equivalent to putting a microwave to your ear. Keep wanting advances in tech??? No thanks.
Happy hunting boys and girls.
As I approach 40 I’ve killed all I could have expected. I love being out in the woods and enjoying nature but for me I’m trying to get more kids out there hunting so they can enjoy things like I have. I find more joy introducing new people to the outdoors.
I took a buddy out dove hunting yesterday and he had a great time. That guy had not hunted since he was 12. That was 25 years ago. He had a blast which made the hunt worth it.
I guess you could say I am in that sportsman stage too at age 57. I really don't care if I shoot another deer. Heck, I've eaten non-resident MI tags (doe and buck) for 5 years running - by choice. I will spend lots of money improving the hunting land for my son and any future grandkids. The land was bought so my son always has a place to hang his hat. He loves it and that is all that matters to me. I love being in the woods knowing I could fling an arrow if I want. I really enjoy the land work too. While it can be painful at times, the rewards are worth it. I have not hunted our very small parcel in Oneida county in a couple of years because all my focus has been on the MI land.
I might add that I hope to retire in 3-5 years so that tells you my age. I will be 60 in October and Northern WI will be my residence until my Lord calls me to come home. This is a great state and sooo glad I made the move to come here. I lived that warm lifestyle in California and you can keep it. The four seasons are for me and look forward to my bird feeders and watching wildlife until I am called home. .
I never thought about any of it. Hunting was never a life priority, just something I always enjoyed.
I don't use a stage, I use a stand.
I have been lucky enough to shoot 2 sheep, and lots of bears, and 5 bull elks, so for me I am very satisfied,,,,, If I had the means, and did not put my daughter first, it would have been Africa and Yukon moose,,,,, I still think Yukon moose is coming though,,,,
We are all so blessed, and I wish all of you the best of this fall,,,, I will be leaving this Saturday,,,, for a long long time,,,,,
I’m in stage 36.... just trying to enjoy it out there and maybe kill something that makes my heart race. Keeping it simple and living in the moment.
Started bowhunting for whitetails at age 12 in 1957.....will be 75 next month.....this will be my 63rd. bowhunting season....years ago lost track of the number of deer taken....nowadays routinely pass 'em up and mostly just watch 'em walk on by,....enjoyable when others take a buck off my property,....pretty sure I am in the Sportsman Stage of my hunting career.....not too many seasons left,....dusk is gathering.
casekiska - Hang tough and look forward to another 20 years or so....
The last couple years I learned that I enjoy the journey more than the actual kill. I always loved chasing big bucks but used to get very down if I wasn't seeing anything or made mistakes. The last few years I finally learned that no matter how much I learn I'm still going to fail more than I succeed. Also while I still try to learn from my mistakes I have no problem laughing when they happen.
At 57, I am in the Sportsman stage also. But, hunting/fishing are a passion for me that is very deep in my sole. I enjoy watching deer walk by, seeing what they do on there way through and why they do what they do. I love catching big walleye and steelhead, just to let them go. That being said, I am a hunter gatherer. I have no issue with losing the string on a 2 year old buck toward the end of the season or a nice size doe anytime of the season as my family and I love venison. I will also keep walleye that are 16-18" if needed to eat. If and when I have enough meat or fish, I still go just because I have to.
Now that I'm 70, I've been in the sportsman stage for many years. The solitude is what I enjoy most, but I still take two deer a year as we love venison. My g'son will be bowhunting deer for the first time this year. Can't wait for him to be out in the woods. He's here with me this week going on his first bear hunt.
Naturelives, I like your thinking! To me a sense of humor is a must when trying to out wit game, most animals make me look like a dim wit
Good read Jake! I almost piddled in my pants when I read about the finger in the ear! I’m glad you stuck with it through the hard times, it’s easy to feel sorry for your self and stay home.
