What is a successful hunt?

[urbanhillbilly]

I don't really intend to kill something whenever I put a weapon in my hands. The best way to ruin a perfectly good float trip is to kill a moose during it. However, I still kill a moose if a good opportunity presents itself. I can fill a tag when I really want to or think I need to. Certainly it's a different story when I'm guiding. The kill is everything when I'm guiding, and to me, it's why I'd rather not guide.

I understand what you were saying here, but there is a difference between a float trip and a hunt. Sure, one can include the other, but I believe you were talking about two distinctively different things.

Obviously, there is a huge difference between going out on a trip just to get away from things and going out on a trip with the purpose of a hunt. Just because you have a weapon on you doesn’t make it the same thing.

 

[4merguide]

I think that luck has very little to do with filling a tag. In my opinion it has a lot more to do with preparations and effort than luck does.

I think luck has little, or a lot, to do with it depending on the situation of the particular hunt. For instance.... A few years back I told a little story here that I called "The ten-minute bull." A friend and I decided to take the wheelers in to hunt a place I'd never been before. I/we had no idea if there were any moose around or not. The only preparations made were to load up a pack and get to the spot. The only effort made was to walk a few hundred yards. The first morning we had in mind where we kinda wanted to go but really for no good reason other than a possible good view. After only a few minutes walking I noticed a few fresh beds and decided we should stop, and I'd throw out a few calls. In about ten minutes a 57" bull was down. Again, basically no preparation and no effort. At least not what I would call real prep and effort.

If a person has the time, and knows there is game in the area, then a lot of prep and effort can be involved. He could hunt for a day or a week and finally kill something, Or, by luck, he could wake up, step out of the tent, and kill an animal right there the first morning. Once while guiding for caribou, we did just that....woke up to find one nice lone bull right in camp. Boom, done.

What about hunting deer on an island for a day? If two guys leave camp and they decide to split up and for no particular reason one guy heads north and one guys heads south, if all the deer are on the north end of the island, then who's got the better chance to kill one? Would seem to me that only by luck he decided to go north. There again, if more time was allowed, then prep and effort could easily come into play.

Then there's the bear hunter that takes the boat across the lake to go bear hunting and finds one walking on the beach when he arrives. Preparations? Effort? Perfect timing? Luck?

Personally, I feel luck comes into play when hunting a lot more than we may think. But I do know most times a guy usually has to get up off the couch to make even luck happen.

 

[mark knapp]

So keep it no pressure no tension so that way if you dont get anything your not disappointed in your efforts? Just curious do you feel the same about fishing. Go boating with a rod if you get fish its a bonus?

"The best way to ruin a perfectly good float trip is to kill a moose during it."
you lost me at this...

I never have any pressure or tension when I'm out. I leave all that at home. I didn't say I never get anything I said I don't feel pressure to get something and I don't hang success or my manhood on whether I get something or not.

When I go fishing I never feel pressure to get something but always do. I can't remember if I've ever gotten skunked. That doesn't mean I always bring something home.

I enjoy being out so much it doesn't matter if I get anything while hunting or fishing. My enjoyment does not hinge upon whether or not I get something. Though, I agree it's fun to get stuff.

When I float, I sometimes plan it during moose season. If it's during moose season I carry a rifle in case a moose presents itself. I fish and came and if I see a moose or something else I have to decide if I want to shift from a nice float trip to taking care of a moose. Everything after a moose is killed, is toward making the best meat we can instead of having the best float trip we can. The two are not the same and they are almost exclusive. When we are floating, we sit around the fire, we have good meals and we fish a lot. When we are taking care of meat, the goal is to take care of meat, we hurry the trip, we keep it dry and we hang it every night. I'd actually rather just be floating than hunting hard core or taking care of meat.

I never go out where the central purpose of a trip is filling a tag, the purpose is being out. I go out (when I'm well) on about ten extended trips a year.

 

[mark knapp]

I understand what you were saying here, but there is a difference between a float trip and a hunt. Sure, one can include the other, but I believe you were talking about two distinctively different things.

Obviously, there is a huge difference between going out on a trip just to get away from things and going out on a trip with the purpose of a hunt. Just because you have a weapon on you doesn’t make it the same thing.

You are right. I never feel like I have to kill something but I am almost always ready to kill something if we are calling it a hunt. We are always quiet, always have our eyes open and always have binoculars on. We seldom camp for a while and climb hills to spend lots of time glassing. We would do those things if we thought we needed to kill something. We'd get up before dark, we'd get home after dark, we'd sleep or float during the middle of the day and glass during the evenings and mornings if we are hard core hunting. We never do those things when we just want to enjoy the float trip.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

i guess i just dont understand why you would bring a rifle on a float hunt if it ruins the float if you get an animal. You're making it sound like shooting a moose is a huge inconvenience when floating. If its that terrible, why bring the rifle when its going to attempt to possibly ruin your float. I appreciate your input and all but when someone posts what they feel hunting success is its going to get some blow back because hunting success is not a definitive answer and going back and forth with people on their definition of success isnt going to go any where. Most people i know, when they go out hunting its to bring home some meat and not necessarily a hike with a gun or an expensive camping trip. Sure those can be fun if you dont get an animal your were unsuccessful in bringing back meat.

i will now read replies

 

[mark knapp]

I think luck has little, or a lot, to do with it depending on the situation of the particular hunt. For instance.... A few years back I told a little story here that I called "The ten-minute bull." A friend and I decided to take the wheelers in to hunt a place I'd never been before. I/we had no idea if there were any moose around or not. The only preparations made were to load up a pack and get to the spot. The only effort made was to walk a few hundred yards. The first morning we had in mind where we kinda wanted to go but really for no good reason other than a possible good view. After only a few minutes walking I noticed a few fresh beds and decided we should stop, and I'd throw out a few calls. In about ten minutes a 57" bull was down. Again, basically no preparation and no effort. At least not what I would call real prep and effort.

If a person has the time, and knows there is game in the area, then a lot of prep and effort can be involved. He could hunt for a day or a week and finally kill something, Or, by luck, he could wake up, step out of the tent, and kill an animal right there the first morning. Once while guiding for caribou, we did just that....woke up to find one nice lone bull right in camp. Boom, done.

What about hunting deer on an island for a day? If two guys leave camp and they decide to split up and for no particular reason one guy heads north and one guys heads south, if all the deer are on the north end of the island, then who's got the better chance to kill one? Would seem to me that only by luck he decided to go north. There again, if more time was allowed, then prep and effort could easily come into play.

Then there's the bear hunter that takes the boat across the lake to go bear hunting and finds one walking on the beach when he arrives. Preparations? Effort? Perfect timing? Luck?

Personally, I feel luck comes into play when hunting a lot more than we may think. But I do know most times a guy usually has to get up off the couch to make even luck happen.

To me personally wind would have involved every move I made in each of your scenarios. On your moose hunt, you didn't walk with the wind to your back, you didn't slam the truck doors and you didn't try to drive right up the the area before calling. You walked away from your machines and let the area quiet down some. You will have to answer this question for yourself. How much of that was luck? How much was planning and how much was second nature.

In the deer hunting scenario I would not have split up, I'd have checked the wind and walked with my buddy into the wind. It doesn't matter how many deer are in front of you if you walk with the wind to your back, they will all be blown out.

With bear hunting, I always want to hunt with my face into the wind, I glass and plan stalk with the wind in mind.

Personally I want to take luck out of the factor as much as possible. Everything is for a reason to put odds in your favor, nothing is just because. Little room for luck, in my personal opinion.

 

[mark knapp]

i guess i just dont understand why you would bring a rifle on a float hunt if it ruins the float if you get an animal. You're making it sound like shooting a moose is a huge inconvenience when floating. If its that terrible, why bring the rifle when its going to attempt to possibly ruin your float. I appreciate your input and all but when someone posts what they feel hunting success is its going to get some blow back because hunting success is not a definitive answer and going back and forth with people on their definition of success isnt going to go any where. Most people i know, when they go out hunting its to bring home some meat and not necessarily a hike with a gun or an expensive camping trip. Sure those can be fun if you dont get an animal your were unsuccessful in bringing back meat.

i will now read replies

The moose is the excuse. I bring a rifle because I always have the option if I have a rifle. And I will shoot a moose if "He has his lips in the water and his butt on the gravel bar". It makes it worth it. I pass up the moose that are 3/4 of a mile from the river because I have done enough long packs, I don't need a moose that bad. I also go on float trips that aren't during the season. The only difference being, I could shoot a moose during the season. I don't feel the NEED to.

We will all have different answers about what hunting success is and that's why I asked.

 

[bottom_dweller]

The definition is as individual as the person is. And definitely changes with age as mentioned earlier. To me, success is a story. Will I remember this hunt when I am laying there in my last days? Or was it just another awesome day in the woods that got filed in the junk drawer? My freezer is full as it is every year around this time.

 

[brslar]

The experience it’s self is success in one way, taking an animal is icing on the cake. Full freezes, family tradition and teaching the young is what it is all about

 

[mark knapp]

The experience it’s self is success in one way, taking an animal is icing on the cake. Full freezes, family tradition and teaching the young is what it is all about

We could be brothers. Thanks for answering

 

[mark knapp]

The definition is as individual as the person is. And definitely changes with age as mentioned earlier. To me, success is a story. Will I remember this hunt when I am laying there in my last days? Or was it just another awesome day in the woods that got filed in the junk drawer? My freezer is full as it is every year around this time.

I agree with you. Thanks

 

[magpie]

I go to kill, a successful hunt means we killed what we were going after. Anything less is failure.

 

[mark knapp]

I go to kill, a successful hunt means we killed what we were going after. Anything less is failure.

Really? The experience doesn't mean anything to you? Isn't that expensive meat? I think you are cheating yourself.

 

[4merguide]

Really? The experience doesn't mean anything to you? Isn't that expensive meat? I think you are cheating yourself.

Yep, as we already know, for some people it's ALL about the kill.

And on the opposite side of the coin... I remember a bowhunter I guided from Wisconsin on a moose/caribou combo. I called in 7 moose for him. Some were sublegal, some were legal and just out of his range, and some were monsters where he just blew it. I kept trying to hand him my rifle, but he wouldn't take it. Went to caribou camp and saw some caribou. Had a few in range for him but he decided not to shoot. Were some nicer bulls out of range, and again I tried to hand him my rifle, but, with a smile on his face, he refused. After eight days he never let an arrow fly. When it came time for him to go, he told me he had the time of his life and would be coming back. For some, it's all about the experience.

 

[4merguide]

The definition is as individual as the person is. And definitely changes with age as mentioned earlier.

And it's not a surprise that when some people get to a certain age, they no longer want to kill anything. Not that they can't, but for whatever reason, just don't want to take a life anymore. Can't blame them for that.

 

[magpie]

Really? The experience doesn't mean anything to you? Isn't that expensive meat? I think you are cheating yourself.

Yes really it’s about the kill. You want to go on a nature hike and find yourself go for a hike and do that. When I go hunting it’s to kill. Anyone that says otherwise is lying to themselves. I know what you’re trying to sell but ain’t buying it.

Meat? Hell no. Beef tastes way better than any wild game. Fact.

The goal out hunting is to kill. And to not kill is failure. A guy running a race that quits without finishing will not look back fondly on that race. You go golfing and you don’t hit a ball? You’re not looking back on that trip.

You pay for a hooker and walk away without getting some? Failure.

It’s like the guys that use the term harvest when it comes to hunting. This isn’t corn. we be straight up killing !

 

[magpie]

Yep, as we already know, for some people it's ALL about the kill.

And on the opposite side of the coin... I remember a bowhunter I guided from Wisconsin on a moose/caribou combo. I called in 7 moose for him. Some were sublegal, some were legal and just out of his range, and some were monsters where he just blew it. I kept trying to hand him my rifle, but he wouldn't take it. Went to caribou camp and saw some caribou. Had a few in range for him but he decided not to shoot. Were some nicer bulls out of range, and again I tried to hand him my rifle, but, with a smile on his face, he refused. After eight days he never let an arrow fly. When it came time for him to go, he told me he had the time of his life and would be coming back. For some, it's all about the experience.

Finish the story. Did he come back?

 

[Patsfan54]

Beef tastes way better than any wild game. Fact.

You're either not eating the right wild game, or maybe you aren't killing and tending to your meat correctly. The only wild game meat I've killed and eaten that wasn't better than beef was an old Billy goat.

Venison, better than beef.

Elk, better than beef.

Moose, better than beef.

Caribou, better than beef.

Bison, better than beef.

I've never had sheep or muskox, but I've heard they're better than beef. Then there's all the small game that gives beef a run for the money...

 

[Patsfan54]

Going on a float isn't a hunt. As I said before this whole post is a fishing expedition.

 

[Doug in Alaska]

Yes really it’s about the kill. You want to go on a nature hike and find yourself go for a hike and do that. When I go hunting it’s to kill. Anyone that says otherwise is lying to themselves. I know what you’re trying to sell but ain’t buying it.

Meat? Hell no. Beef tastes way better than any wild game. Fact.

The goal out hunting is to kill. And to not kill is failure. A guy running a race that quits without finishing will not look back fondly on that race. You go golfing and you don’t hit a ball? You’re not looking back on that trip.

You pay for a hooker and walk away without getting some? Failure.

It’s like the guys that use the term harvest when it comes to hunting. This isn’t corn. we be straight up killing !

Your post is total BS. I've never had beef that was better than moose, sheep, or bison. In fact, I like deer and caribou better also but my wife will disagree.