Define an accomplished hunter...

[Singing Bridge]

I think there may be many personal interpretations of an "accomplished hunter." Is it someone that has killed more big bucks than anyone else? Or maybe someone that has a lifetime of hunting experience that passes it on to future generations? Maybe its just someone you know that has been successful in the hunt, large or small buck and doe...

Attempting to not sound arrogant, I couldn't care less about what other people think about my hunting... it is so personal to me and no one else has hunted where I did and taken the bucks or does that I took... the reason I mention this is so many hunters compare themselves to others and their accomplishments, sometimes even ruining their own outlook.

Thoughts?

Bridge

[Boogieman1]

The guys I consider as reaching the pinnacle of accomplished hunter are the ones who have passed through every phase of a hunter with success. From punching tags, killing bucks, killing good bucks, to finally passing on that knowledge in the form of being a good mentor/teacher.

It’s just my opinion of course. But feel many guys/gals can punch tags with ease, kill good bucks on the regular, or teach. But when a hunter can do all of that and has the hard taught life lessons to back it up. Well that is what I consider accomplished.

[Trout]

I compare myself to my peers and people who hunt the same places I do. There are a couple guys who are on the same playing field as everyone else around here. and who shoot better deer than everyone else year after year, and to me, that warrants thinking of them as an accomplished hunter. I also think of someone like my father in law as an accomplished hunter, but he has never anything bigger than a 5 point. But he is a woodsman, and master trapper, in every sense of the word. Below is a pic of him with one of his season's catch before heading to the fur market, and it was not even in his top 3 seasons. The next year he filled a bigger barn, and it was a bundle of 6 pelts in every nail instead of singles.

FB_IMG_1580259697685.jpg

[Jackson Marsh]

reason I mention this is so many hunters compare themselves to others and their accomplishments, sometimes even ruining their own outlook.

Thoughts?

Bridge

I started thinking about how I can improve myself and stopped worrying about what others kill quite a few years ago....it's refreshing to change your mindset. Although I do like to hear what other guys kill in areas I hunt, not for envy, but to get an idea of what is possible .

[mipubbucks24]

There are a lot of “Accomplished” hunters on tv, and they will be the first to tell you how many pope and young’s and boon and Crockets they have killed, but they would have a hard time killing a fork horn on most public land.

I’m not an accomplished hunter in anyway but I know a lot of guys who have killed more and bigger buck then me, and when I try to talk to them about deer behavior they know very little about actual mature bucks.

I say all this to point out, the size of the racks and the amount of deer does not equal woodsman ship. I consider an accomplished hunter someone who can take a piece of property especially public and narrow down where the mature bucks will be and figure out how they use the terrain, and go hunt them down.

This place has the greatest concentration of accomplished hunters anywhere.

[PredatoronthePrairie]

One that realizes the trip is in the journey not the end result, and that there is always something to learn.

[Jonny]

A guy who gets after it every year desiring to learn more

[cspot]

Honestly I have a hard time putting people or myself into defined groups when it comes to hunting. Hunting to me is such a personal thing.

[Hawthorne]

Someone that pursues and kills a wild animal for sport or food.

[muskieman]

Someone that pursues and kills a wild animal for sport or food.

This

[Dewey]

I would say that anyone that has completed a Super Slam of all 29 big game species in North America with archery equipment is obviously an accomplished hunter.

That’s a big difference when compared to an accomplished deer hunter.

I would say if you can go anywhere in the country and kill a mature deer consistently your probably a pretty accomplished hunter.

Those people are very rare. The rest of us are just “hunters”. No need to label us as any more than that. Everybody deals with totally different circumstances.

[tgreeno]

I don't believe in labels as far as hunting goes.

Everyone who hunts has a reason why they do. As long as you're enjoying your self, that's all that matters!

It's all about the journey, not the destination

[Tennhunter3]

Accomplishment is something every hunter will define differently.

To me
I like the growth as a hunter challenging myself figuring out new properties. Every failure I try to learn from. Theres been a list a mile long of failures and lessons.

Noone will care about our bucks after were long gone.
I hunt because I enjoy it and find my inner peace in the woods. It's just who I am.

I doubt anyone keeps up with if I got a buck or not. I've always tried to be humble and share knowledge. I do greatly appreciate the support when I'm having a hard season.

Imagine how great of a world we could have if everyone picked each other up instead of turning life into a competition of greed. It's a dream but would be amazing.

Hunting is as much as we want it to be.
Im free, in control and can be selective with my harvest. Many would think I'm foolish to let 2 year olds go and I'm ok with that. I enjoy the hunt more then the kill. I get alot of satisfaction in watching a buck grow up.

To break down what I consider accomplishment.
Desire to learn. Share Knowledge, Never Quit, Respect wildlife I Pursuit, Be Humble.

[PK_]

With how crazy life is nowadays, it is an accomplishment just to get out and hunt.

[stash59]

If I accomplish what I want while hunting. I'm accomplished. Same goes for others.

As far as folks I look up to. Those I seek to learn from. They need a passion that borders on fanatasism. This passion is what made them seek out all of the knowledge they could about their quarry. And have many seasons of experience under their belt to back up what they are saying. And quite a few kills along the way.