What is it about for you?

[gobblegetter]

I got too obsessed this year chasing my target bucks and lost sight of why I hunt and why I love it so much.  Instead of enjoying and appreciating my surroundings, I found myself stressing over small details and putting way too much pressure on myself.  Finally, I put the camera away and got back to the mindset that I'm just sitting up in my tree to find some peace and enjoy the world around me.  What a difference.  Yesterday I got to watch 13 turkeys fly up to roost, a beautiful fox checking them out, and a diverse group of does and young bucks.  I didn't care that I didn't take an animal, I was just over the moon that I was able to watch so many cool creatures enjoying their space.  I climbed down and snuck under the roosted turkeys to get our of the woods.  I walked home with a big smile on my face.  Got to walk in my house to my wife, my one month old daughter, and a great venison meal.   Sometimes I need a day like that to remind me just how great our passion is and why we do it.  I hunt for those days.

[Greybeard]

I enjoy the peace of mind, explorations of new spots, and the challenges of getting up close to wildlife. 

[Lphunsjr]

I'm in my fifth year of hunting. I never thought I would like it let alone be obsessed with it. I love the outdoors. I just shot my first doe the compound which I am very happy about. Had a hiccup w a good Buck w the xbow, so now I'm hesitant to bring out the compound again. I will practice and build confidence. I take a doe or 2 each year and look for a good Buck. I let many small bucks go, rather shoot a doe. My first Buck was a basket 8 that I worked hard for, and that was after 3 years of hunting. The next ones will be bigger and better. That's what it's all about for me. I've met some really great people due to hunting, which is really awesome to say the least. My son hunts, but only on occasion. I'm gonna try to put him on his first Buck shortly. It is a great sport

[Rutting Buck]

I enjoy making memories with family and friends 

[Nomad]

Of course I enjoy hunting with the kids and seeing them have fun.  That comes first.

For me, it is the rising sun illuminating the stark November woods, on a cold frosty morning.  The sounds of grunts, and hooves running thru the leaves and the anticipation that at any moment a large buck may be coming my way.  

The sudden appearance of the buck, the rush of adrenaline, the quick calculations,  and the shot.

The following of the crimson trail on the brown leaves to where the beautiful buck now lays.   The sight and smell of the great, handsome beast, that now is still on the frosty leaves.

The sorrow that we all feel at his demise, but the realization that this is the way it must be, and always has been...

Edited October 11, 2018 by Nomad

[Rusty]

3 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Of course I enjoy hunting with the kids and seeing them have fun.  That comes first.

For me, it is the rising sun illuminating the stark November woods, on a cold frosty morning.  The sounds of grunts, and hooves running thru the leaves and the anticipation that at any moment a large buck may be coming my way.  

The following of the crimson trail on the brown leaves to where the beautiful buck now lays.   The sight and smell of the great, handsome beast, that now is still on the frosty leaves.

The sorrow that we all feel at his demise, but the realization that this is the way it must be, and always has been...

Wow William Faulkner, you just brought a tear to my eye.    Well said.  

[Nomad]

8 minutes ago, Rusty said:

Wow William Faulkner, you just brought a tear to my eye.    Well said.  

I added another paragraph.  Faulkner called me and told me to. 

Edited October 11, 2018 by Nomad

[MGHunter66]

Good thread Lou.
What it is now for me is a culmination of the past. I grew up small game hunting with my bother and grandfather, my father was always working to provide for his wife and four kids. At 15, i became interested in bowhunting. First in my immediate family. The only previous bowhunter was my grandfather. My brother wasn’t interested so my grandfather picked up his longbow, he never shot it but took me to hunter ed and brought it along on our bow hunts, we always sat together in make shift ground blinds. He taught me a lot about deer, their habits, nose etc. He convinced my dad ( i dont know how) to take his archery course and join us which eventually became just me and my dad in the blind and my grandfather staying behind with his brother back at the house. Now it was my dad and I sitting together sharing the hunt(i realize today my grandfathers wise way, he brought us together understanding what is truly important) On our 2nd year together one cold morning around 9am my dad said lets go over to a big oak that was in the sun, he knew i was freezing. We started talking, not quietly I’ll add and my dad lit a cigar( both of us pretty much realizing the hunt was over but stayed out there together just talking) when my dad grabbed my shoulder and said turn slowly and get ready. As luck would have it a beautiful 8pt was merely 20yrds away oblivious to us( i believe the sun in his eyes gave us cover if you will) dad whispered draw slow and shoot. 20 minutes later we were standing over our first bow kill, a beautiful 8pt buck. It was the beginning of our new adventure together, dad no longer worked Saturdays. There were more important things to do LOL. So today what it means to me is spending as much time as possible with my son, teaching him what i have learned, watching him grow, listening to him become a thinking hunter, sharing his success and failures also. Always mentioning to him how important time shared together is and how much i cherish it and when i am gone that he holds the reigns. He often comments back how he looks forward to making memories like the ones we are and sharing with his son or daughter and hopes i am still there to share also.Today i realize that my grandfather carrying that bow was more about me than him, you see he had padges disease and could not draw it back but we were hunting together. My dad became a different person when he gave up Saturdays to hunt with me, we became closer and best friends besides father and son. Gramps and dad have both passed on so there is no one to give me that push to spend every possible moment with my kids enjoying the hunt. But I don’t need the push, gramps taught me that long ago. Sorry, to go on for so long here but when someone asks “what does it mean to you” It means a lot


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[Tarhunt]

My father got me into hunting 41 years ago because, he enjoyed it with his father. My dad at the time only hunted birds and never went deer hunting. I got into deer hunting when I turned 16 and shot a doe my first season out. I was hooked. The following year, I shot a spike buck behind my parent's house. My mom helped me hang it from a tree in the front yard. After that, I barely hunted at all due to work and college. I got my first deer with a muzzleloader that I put together from a kit and I made my own bullets. I never so proud before. I had the doe's hide tanned and it still hangs on my son's bedroom wall.  I hunted a few times a year but, not getting much. Buying a house and starting a new business from scratch kept me busy until my oldest son turned 12 and got his hunting license. We hunted a few times and he shot some deer but, once he got into high school, he was more interested in girls and cars and then he went into the military. My youngest son got his license when he turned 10 and has done well so far but, hasn't shot a large buck yet but, has quite of few deer under his belt. He told me yesterday that he is not wrestling this year and wants to hunt with me and concentrate on shooting a big buck. I was very happy to hear except, for him not wrestling but, that's his decision in the end. So, now I have both of my sons wanting me to hunt with them and it's a great feeling knowing that they both enjoy hunting. I could care less if I ever get another deer. I just enjoy being out in the woods with my boys.  The circle of life is complete with me.  

[Tarhunt]

I would like to add that I had the unique opportunity to witness my father shooting his first ever deer a small 7 point down on his farm in Virginia. My two boys were there as well. It was awesome. Unfortunately, it was his last deer. He passed away two years ago.

[3Blade]

Its about many things for me. Ever since I was little child I always had this urge or interest whatever you want to call it to be in the woods. I always loved nature and just felt at home while in the woods. When I first saw a deer (I did not live in deer country) that my neighbor shot and had called me over to see, I new instantly I wanted to hunt. I still love being in the woods and observing the wildlife, there is something therapeutic about it. Now obviously I like big bucks just as much as the next guy and the adrenaline rush when I first glimpse a good buck never gets old.  I would love to share this with my son but as of now he has no real interest in it. So I hope to slowly change his mind and ease him into because I would love to make some hunting memories with him.

[Nomad]

6 minutes ago, 3Blade said:

 I would love to share this with my son but as of now he has no real interest in it. So I hope to slowly change his mind and ease him into because I would love to make some hunting memories with him.

Give him a burger roll with no burger on it and see how he likes it.      Seriously, I hope he comes around for you....

[3Blade]

1 minute ago, Nomad said:

Give him a burger roll with no burger on it and see how he likes it.      Seriously, I hope he comes around for you....

Lol! Thanks I hope so too. He does love venison and destroys the inner loins and back straps when I cook them. I told him that one of these days I am going to stop sharing them with him and he will have to learn to get his own.

[Roon]

Honestly hunting for me is about being alone,  I don't hunt with anyone except my kids.

But I also look at it as how I feed my family for an entire year and have multiple parties where everyone enjoys and grows from what I can take from this land "for now" .

After 35 years of bow hunting and many animals down it still humbles me to know I can go out and set up and kill something that will provide for 2 months. 

We are truly blessed in what ever you believe to be the higher power to be given this gift. 

For me at this point in my life its these smiles that do it, lol bonus the WTF look from my wife lol

[Nomad]

Just now, 3Blade said:

Lol! Thanks I hope so too. He does love venison and destroys the inner loins and back straps when I cook them. I told him that one of these days I am going to stop sharing them with him and he will have to learn to get his own.

Make it fun for him.  Short hunts.  My son hunts a lot, but I don't think he is a nut about it like me.