Woods Craft or Rifle Craft Hunters?

[Long Knife]

Well I am interested into which category you think you fall as a hunter.

I have seen many hunters whom like the "woods craft" part of hunting and consider it a challenge to just "find the animal". They typically do not want the "challenge" of "rifle craft" once they find their quarry. These guys will have the biggest scopes, flattest shooting rifles and other gizmos to "complete" the hunt with minimal rifle craft required.

On the other hand, I also see those whom have "mastered" the woods craft part of hunting and consider the "rifle craft" part of the equation as the baseline of challenging their skill. They hunt with limeted gizmos and/or choose to hunt with BPC or ML rifles, open sights, or shoot at extended ranges.

Where do you see yourself???

Long Knife

[hatchet]

I'm the latter, that's why I'm always getting lost in the woods.

[hatchet]

I hunt in jeans, flannel shirt, cowboy boots & hat. No, range finders, scent lock, camo, short mags w/ scope. All after pumping diesel fuel into my truck and a big chew of Levi Garrett.

In fact, Levi Garrett is the only smokeless I use when hunting.

[Old Doe Shooter]

LK,
That's really a revealing question for some hunters. I would say I fall into both camps. I do not distain all technology but a lot of it. On the other hand, hunting is rarely 'catch and release' so I don't think much of those who "do it the hard way" but miss constantly, lose game are not capable of a clean kill. Big scopes on LR rifles do not insure accuracy. Some people still think if one hits an animal anywhere with 300 wounderby it is killed by hydrostatic shock or some other crazy concept.
SOME woods craft is needed to kill your game, so is SOME shooting ability. As one side of the equation increases the other MAY decrease and equal success is retained. A great woodsman who is a belowe average marksman can still shoot well because he gets in close. The opposite is also true to a point.
Obviously, the goal should be to become the best you can become at both pursuits. Unfortunately, as we get older some learned skills become
diminished by physcal limitations and it's human nature to compensate for your shortcomings when and where possible. The woodsman and the marksman meld into a hunter with some degree of proficiency which is often judged by success rate, consistency or trophy size. And, as we all know, sometimes trophy game is half luck or more.
A man must know his limitations.........
ODS

[pete]

I guess I'd fall into the second group even though I have far from mastered the "woods craft" aspect. I don't think though that guys that have mastered the "woods craft" aspect shoot at extended ranges. They don't have to.
I agree alot with Old Doe Shooter except that I do admire people that "do it the hard way". I don't think they "miss constantly, lose game are not capable of a clean kill". They may not get as many animals or trophies as big as some others but they are making a challenge of it. And after all isn't that one reason we use these old time guns?

[Trigger Dr]

Gotta put me in the "do it the hard way" class. I have not killed a deer in 2 years, Not because I did not see one, but because I could not be certain of a well placed bullet. Heck, The last 2 hunting seasons I went out every day that I did not work... sometimes, I even loaded the rifle. ( I do carry more than 3 cartridges though)
Jim

[Old Doe Shooter]

Colo Pete et all,
I did not mean to imply all those who " do it that hard way" miss or wound game. I simply said I dont think much of those who say they "do it the hard way" BUT constantly miss or lose game. Doing things the old fashioned way is very rewarding when it succeeds. One does not need to kill to have hunted but to have hunted successfully one does kill.
There are those who fail to hone their skills in both woods craft and marksmanship. In my home state we see a lot of this. People hunt maybe 3-4 weekends a year but don't practice enough to be proficient with their chosen weapon. "Missed", "lost the blood trail" or "couldn't find him" happens to every hunter sooner or later but for some it's an all too familiar refrain to the song " how did you do".
Those on this board might rarely fall into that trap but it seems to me a growing percentage of so-called hunters are actually proficient in neither area of woods craft or marksmanship.
Ask almost any guide or professional hunter what they think of their clients abilities afield. Physical limitations aside, I believe the some DIY hunters are just as lazy if not even more so than the paying client hunter or serious landowner hunter, as they don't have any investment of money or time involved.
Punching hole in paper is not the same as killing game.
Fewer hunters have the passion needed to consistently succeed every year it seems to me. And that makes me sad.
ODS

[bobw]

ODS maybe thats the way it works in Wisconsin. Sometimes maybe where I live, what I see mostly here in SD are well heeled folks who lack in woodscraft,gun handling and marksmanship because they think their money can buy the success they want. As it usually pays, to lease up the best hunting proprties,buy the latest gismos,trucks, campers, ATV's and hottest ,latest rifle -cartridge combos for their use. Learn how to use to its potential ,hell that takes time away from making money. On the other hand I see alot of folks afield who don't have these resources or great expectations and consistantly fill their tags with quality animals which they process themselves and feed their families with. using the same gun their dad or grandpa did. They get their satisfaction as well, from using the skills learned and equipment handed down to them. The whole spectrum of resource users are out there. Look harder and you will see it. Our values are all different,we are Americans and thats the way it works. Money or lack of it changes the approach you use to everything you do. bobw

[pete]

ODS; I here you now and I'll agree with that.

[Headhunter]

I really don't know where I fall, and I possibly have my own catagory. I take great pride of my hunting method and skills as a stalker. I no longer hunt out of a deer stand, No longer use Smokeless Powder, No Scopes or such. But I do use a set of binoculars. I bow-hunt. For I feel that bowhunting has taught me 90% of my riflehunting skills.

I hunt from the ground 1 on 1, slipping quietly, slowly and with a definate purpose. On full alert way back in the deep dark woods where bigfoot lives.

Instead of seeing how far I can shoot a Critter, I see how close I can get. And I have shot big game, more times than I can remember, close enough for them to be englufed in a cloud of black powder smoke. But I also am prepared to shoot at range if need be.

I do carry a Lazer rangefinder but rarely get the chance to use it.

The like the Feel of a Shiloh Rifle in my hands as I slip along, it is very Motivating to me, it makes me feel like a hunter and not a shooter Killer. Those days are behind me after 30 years of hunting big game.

I do try to keep my scent down but I also realize that there is no substitute for having the wind in my face. I live the creed of balance, slow movements, and using my instincts to guide my way.

I am fortunate enough to take off our entire season and hunt from Daylight to dark. I hunt this way, because the critters are out there all day long and have to be hiding somewhere. I know, success is when luck and opprotunity meet, skill in getting into the right place at the right time, and ultimatley, making the shot count is what it is all about.

With over 2000 inches of Boone & Crocket Typical and Non Typical Whitetail points on the walls of my home, Not to mention bears and antelope. I feel that I have earned the right to hunt this way.

And I love it.

This is the Hunter Catagory, not everyone can be in this catagory. You have to earn it, and the qualifications to earn this right is in your own mind.

My username may signify other, but as we all know, its more than a head on a wall or meat in the freezer.

None of my animals will EVER be placed between the pages of a Record book. And I do have Whitetails that qualify. It sickens me when someone is standing over a record class Whitetail, they sit their rifle down, and reach for a tape measure.

And thats how I see it.


Headhunter