Are you the most hardcore hunter you know?

[Singing Bridge]

Yes.

[Crazinamatese]

I used to hang out with guys who are hardcore hunters and were out there video recording hunts when that was a big thing about 10 years ago. I began to compare myself to them and other people at the time and that was bringing me down. I felt like I wasn’t good enough as a hunter. I didn’t have all the cool expensive pixey dust like they had. Around that time I found Dan and this website. A newfound mission began without the peer pressure. All those dudes I tried to fit in with at one time are hunting on well groomed lands and thats great but I feel like being a public land hunter has made me into a better hunter than those other guys. I just don’t feel the need to toot my horn on social media on a regular basis like they do lol

[greenhorndave]

I don’t live far from Dan, so no. One of my cousins is a bad, bad dude if you have fur or feathers, so even minus Dan, no.

There are two dudes in the sportsman club I’m in that are pretty hardcore, also great trappers.

But scouring swamps with a hang-on? I’m probably more nuts that a bunch of others minus them.

[DhD]

I don't know about most hardcore I know, but most hunters around here look at me like I'm insane when they find out what my off season routine is.

[Dewey]

I don't know about most hardcore I know, but most hunters around here look at me like I'm insane when they find out what my off season routine is.

I know that look well. Sometimes I think I’m the only normal person around.

[stash59]

You don't have to be tooting your own horn to be hardcore.

If you can't make it through most days without, at least thinking about hunting your hardcore!!

If you've picked up stakes and moved else where, specifically to have better/more hunting opportunities your hardcore.

You can be hardcore and not even be close to the best, most accomplished hunter out there.

If you always consider how your hunting will be affected whenever you make a life decision your hardcore!!!

And yes if you strip down to your undies to cross a cold piece of water, your hardcore!!!!!

[Trout]

As far as overall for all game species, no way. I've known some chuck Norris hunters over the years that were at the top of the game in a duck blind or a treestand or on the trapline, etc. I never got into waterfowl, never cared for the meat. I dont trap much anymore but knew some seriously hardcore trappers that should have books written about them. I know some bear hunters (houndsmen) who eat, breath and sleep bear hunting 365 days a year. Speaking of dogs, I know some upland bird hunters who I would say are seriously hardcore, too. When it comes to trout fishing, I was absolutely the most hardcore person I knew, no question about it. I can catch fish in a mud puddle, but I'm slowing down there the last couple years.

But when it comes to deer, I dont think so if you count the people in this forum, but I'm probably there in my circle of acquaintances who deer hunt. I dont know anyone who is working as hard as I have to get better at it. I'm the only beast style hunter in my circle, but one of my buddies is a food plot hunter and he is out playing farmer all year long on two pieces of land he purchased specifically to deer hunt on, that's a pretty big commitment, time and money, that I've got a lot of respect for even though that's not my preferred way to hunt. He had a no till planter get delivered to the shop (we work together) a couple weeks ago, which I thought was pretty hardcore. But he thinks I'm crazy to carry everything in and out with me to some of the places I do and for being out in the yard practicing hanging my stand in late May.

[ThePreBanMan]

I'm the only hunter I personally know, so yea... But compared to 90% of the folks here, not so much...

OP

Just be careful in NY... That state has some pretty stupid "weapon" laws pertaining to guns, knives, and archery tackle. Make sure you're familiar before traveling there to avoid getting jammed up. Not just the states laws but the municipalities you'll be traveling through as well. Avoid NY City like it's infested with the black plague. A bow is pretty much a terrorist weapon of mass destruction on their books. So is your average hunting knife. 4,000 people a year are persecuted and prosecuted for possessing a common pocket knife in that city.

For whatever it's worth, which is probably next to nothing, but here in the NE there are better options where you don't have to worry about being persecuted by the government. VT and NH are absolutely beautiful and have tons of public land. ME too for that matter.

[SwampBrian]

Excluding people met on the internet absolutely! Had a few friends that were close to being the same level but some new hobbies come along and hunting takes a backseat for them. It’s hard to find friends or co workers that want to sit and talk hunting all the time. Far from the best but most hardcore fits.

[cspot]

You don't have to be tooting your own horn to be hardcore.

If you can't make it through most days without, at least thinking about hunting your hardcore!!

If you've picked up stakes and moved else where, specifically to have better/more hunting opportunities your hardcore.

You can be hardcore and not even be close to the best, most accomplished hunter out there.

If you always consider how your hunting will be affected whenever you make a life decision your hardcore!!!

And yes if you strip down to your undies to cross a cold piece of water, your hardcore!!!!!

There are some people that go thru a lot of the prep, but then seldom follow thru on the execution though.

As an example I used to know a guy who every year would have a new gun, bow, muzzleloader, etc that he would buy for hunting. He would spend countless hours researching different scopes, he would work up different loads, shoot rounds thru it, etc to have that thing working perfectly prior to season. Then when it would come to the season he would only hunt a couple of days. I would say he was far more hardcore than me when it came to the prep of his gear and weapons. To me if the old weapon that I have still shoots good then I am good to go. The best thing about knowing the guy was that since he was always try to improve what he had, he was great to buy used guns and bows off of. They were setup perfectly and you didn't have to mess with it.

[stash59]

You don't have to be tooting your own horn to be hardcore.

If you can't make it through most days without, at least thinking about hunting your hardcore!!

If you've picked up stakes and moved else where, specifically to have better/more hunting opportunities your hardcore.

You can be hardcore and not even be close to the best, most accomplished hunter out there.

If you always consider how your hunting will be affected whenever you make a life decision your hardcore!!!

And yes if you strip down to your undies to cross a cold piece of water, your hardcore!!!!!

There are some people that go thru a lot of the prep, but then seldom follow thru on the execution though.

As an example I used to know a guy who every year would have a new gun, bow, muzzleloader, etc that he would buy for hunting. He would spend countless hours researching different scopes, he would work up different loads, shoot rounds thru it, etc to have that thing working perfectly prior to season. Then when it would come to the season he would only hunt a couple of days. I would say he was far more hardcore than me when it came to the prep of his gear and weapons. To me if the old weapon that I have still shoots good then I am good to go. The best thing about knowing the guy was that since he was always try to improve what he had, he was great to buy used guns and bows off of. They were setup perfectly and you didn't have to mess with it.

Guys not a hardcore "hunter". He's a hardcore shooter!!! Have known quite a few. Big difference IMHO!!!

[xpauliber]

I'm the only hunter I personally know, so yea... But compared to 90% of the folks here, not so much...

OP

Just be careful in NY... That state has some pretty stupid "weapon" laws pertaining to guns, knives, and archery tackle. Make sure you're familiar before traveling there to avoid getting jammed up. Not just the states laws but the municipalities you'll be traveling through as well. Avoid NY City like it's infested with the black plague. A bow is pretty much a terrorist weapon of mass destruction on their books. So is your average hunting knife. 4,000 people a year are persecuted and prosecuted for possessing a common pocket knife in that city.

For whatever it's worth, which is probably next to nothing, but here in the NE there are better options where you don't have to worry about being persecuted by the government. VT and NH are absolutely beautiful and have tons of public land. ME too for that matter.

I appreciate the heads up and I did give that some thought before I went scouting. I picked NY because the border is 2 hours north of me and I can hunt it and be back home the same day. I carry a sidearm most everywhere when I'm scouting and hunting mostly because I'm wary of any weirdos I might run across and not because I'm worried about any dangerous animals. I really wish carry laws were universal across the country like your driver's license.

VT & NH are getting to be a haul for me; probably 8-10 hour drive one way. If I'm going to put that kind of miles on, I'll be slipping farther into the mid-west mecca of Booner country. Indiana, Illinois, maybe even Kentucky as some whoppers have been coming out of there recently.

[cspot]

You don't have to be tooting your own horn to be hardcore.

If you can't make it through most days without, at least thinking about hunting your hardcore!!

If you've picked up stakes and moved else where, specifically to have better/more hunting opportunities your hardcore.

You can be hardcore and not even be close to the best, most accomplished hunter out there.

If you always consider how your hunting will be affected whenever you make a life decision your hardcore!!!

And yes if you strip down to your undies to cross a cold piece of water, your hardcore!!!!!

There are some people that go thru a lot of the prep, but then seldom follow thru on the execution though.

As an example I used to know a guy who every year would have a new gun, bow, muzzleloader, etc that he would buy for hunting. He would spend countless hours researching different scopes, he would work up different loads, shoot rounds thru it, etc to have that thing working perfectly prior to season. Then when it would come to the season he would only hunt a couple of days. I would say he was far more hardcore than me when it came to the prep of his gear and weapons. To me if the old weapon that I have still shoots good then I am good to go. The best thing about knowing the guy was that since he was always try to improve what he had, he was great to buy used guns and bows off of. They were setup perfectly and you didn't have to mess with it.

Guys not a hardcore "hunter". He's a hardcore shooter!!! Have known quite a few. Big difference IMHO!!!

I guess so. He was always doing it in prep for hunting. LIke I said a good guy to know if you were looking for a new weapon. When he bought something you might as well figure it would be for sale in a year or 2 and would be ready to go.

[Thesouthpaw]

I would say I'm in the top three when it comes to whitetails. I eat sleep and breathe deer, but I have a few buddies that really get after it too. If your'e combining deer and turkeys, I am definitely the most hard core hunter I know.

[walleyeralph]

Of the 3 guys I gun hunt with yes. From the 70s until now.They don't bow hunt.Worst part now that iam old I don't bow hunt where I want to.To hard to get back into marsh where I hunted when younger, even harder to get deer out.Ralph