Are you a real hunter?
There's an ongoing trend among social media that seems to be getting worse every day and I feel a strong sense of urgency to address it.
Let me paint a picture for you.
A girl strips down to practically nothing, maybe a bathing suit if she's feeling extra conservative that day, picks up a bow, takes numerous sexually enticing photos and posts them for the world to see, with a caption or hashtag that casually labels herself a hunter.
Men love to see their favorite hobby mixed with a beautiful girl, and while I can understand and appreciate marketing, one thing consistently goes through my mind. Does this girl even hunt?
I personally don't know when I'd ever need to wear a bathing suit (or less) in the woods. In fact, even in the Texas summer when it's miserably hot, I still cover every inch of my body in camouflage. Why? Because hunters have to disguise themselves to get to an animal! Also, shooting a target is great and you should, but that doesn't make you a hunter. At this point you are simply someone that likes archery. All these thoughts brought me to discuss the things that truly make someone a hunter in my eyes.
SCOUTING
Many think of hunting as going to a blind and pulling the trigger, but how would you ever know where to go if you weren't looking for patterns of behavior? Scouting requires going out and looking for tracks, rubs, scrapes, wallowing, and maybe setting up some trail cameras to help cover some ground for you.
PRACTICE
Taking a picture while you sling one arrow every couple of months is not and will never be enough. When you finally get close enough to hunt an animal with a bow, the last thing on your mind should be whether or not you're capable of hitting the target. I find myself tweaking my bow all the time due to traveling, increase in strength, stretching my strings, trying new product, and correcting my form. Practice at different distances and in all different positions so you're prepared. A lot of bowhunting is mental, and I'm guilty of letting my head get to me. Consistency is what will build your confidence up so that you don't question your ability.
FEEDING
In Texas we hunt feeders, plant food plots, set traps (hogs & varmints only), and bait trails. If someone isn't filling the feeders and consistently checking areas, the animals will find a new hangout. In other words, grab the bags of corn and get to work!
SETTING STANDS
One of my absolute favorite things to do
is set up tree stands and ground blinds. While that may seem like boring work to many people, I love being able to create my own space. It's fun to get in the stand after all your hard work and visualize where the animals will come from and really have the ultimate setup for yourself. Notice I mentioned this AFTER scouting, because it's really important to consider where the animals are coming from before you go through the trouble of putting up a stand.
GETTING UP
It may be convenient to sleep in and only hunt evenings because 3-5am is too early, but I can assure you that you're going to miss out on so many opportunities. Besides, watching the sunrise from up high is one of the most beautiful free gifts in this world. Take advantage of it!
PATIENCE
I don't know a single true hunter that lacks some kind of patience. There will be times that you sit in your stand and don't see a single animal. What you do see is a beautiful world and it will humble you to learn to enjoy some quiet time away from everyday responsibilities.
ETHICAL SHOTS
This one is extremely important to me because I cannot wrap my mind around some of the shots people take at animals. There are multiple ways to kill with a bow, but nobody can argue that broadside or quartering away from you are the most ethical. Don't ever sling an arrow and "go for it" if you can't confidently get to the vitals.
TRACKING
Learn to track blood trails! Start by finding the arrow if you had a pass through and notice if the blood on it (assuming it was a good shot) is thin, thick, has meat on it, etc so you can try to determine what organs were hit. Use the arrow or ribbon markers to keep track of blood by placing it on the last spot of blood. Try to pick up on the patterns so you can determine if the animal is leaning to one side or the blood is starting to clot. Don't be afraid to get on the ground and crawl!
FIELD DRESSING
When you learn to clean your own animals, it makes you so much more appreciative. You know where your meat is coming from and how it's handled. Also, this process helps to understand the anatomy so much better and how it varies between species. With that being said, your shots will begin to improve because you have a better idea of where the vitals are located.
In Summary
Don't let others do all the work for you. I promise you'll be so much more appreciative if you participate in every aspect of the hunt and you will learn so much more in your journey as a hunter.
