tiercel Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 Was sitting here all on my own (no one in the p/w arms) when the thought struck me what makes a good hunter, is it the ability to shoot 200 rabbits in a night, or the ability to shoot 200 pigeon in a day. What in your opinoins rates a first class hunter. If for example there are two rabbits in a field and a chap with a long net gets them both. then in the next field there are 50 rabbits and the chap in there has 35 who was the better hunter. The man who had 100% or the chap who had 70%think about it i would like to hear your oppinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 Very deep and meaningfull tiercel (i'm in the same sort of mood though having found the remainder of a bottle of 18 yr glenmorangie that i forgot i had )I suppose the good hunter would be the one who has used te most skill and fieldcraft to catch his pray,so this could either be the man who has longnetted 2 or the had the 35 depending on each situation.I know i have had days decoying when it allmost feels like i could be sat out in the field with a bright red jacket on and the birds would keep coming,on days like this its not down to being a good hunter,its just down to being a good shot.On the other hand i've had days were the birds for what ever reasion are very cautious,i may only shoot a fraction of the number but i will get just as much satisfaction from it as a sportman/hunter as i know i have drawn these into my "trap" in order to shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 I think a good hunter is someone who can be successful, despite difficult circumstances. The long stalk, the awkward decoying situation, atrocious weather, etc. Someone who is capable of working out the way to success. I don,t think it has anything to do with big bags, long shots, killing rhinos with airpistols etc. We have all had days when overcoming a "problem", has resulted in a measure of success. That always makes you feel really satisfied. Perhaps its part of the way to becoming a good hunter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highdowns hunter Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 A good hunter is someone who can go out and fill the pot every night or day without failing everyone has good or bad days but if you are good you can feed the family every day without fail Dont think there are many people can do that these days and i certainly am not one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooktrout Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 Hey Teircel, When did numbers ever come into that equasion?, When a hunter knows damned well that he can get a few for the pot at any time, whatever the quarry, then what else is there to achieve?. P S Are they watering down the beer again in the P/W or what?. Sounds like a bloody mortuary to me, It never used to be like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted October 11, 2003 Report Share Posted October 11, 2003 A Good Hunter Strives to do their best each time they go out Has respect for their quarry Has respect for others Has respect for the tools of his craft Has time to promote his sport - to pros and antis Has the strength of character to not be drawn on issues he/she doesn't understand Enjoys what he/she does, regardless of bag size at the end of a forray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest charlie Posted October 11, 2003 Report Share Posted October 11, 2003 The good hunter would be the one who leaves some for more action later in the year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted October 11, 2003 Report Share Posted October 11, 2003 I don't think the best hunter is necessarily the person who has the biggest game bag at the end of the day. Theres a lot more to hunting than that, I don't think it should ever become a "competition" , so long as you enjoy yourself then its a successful day hunting. I don't think anyone should have to try and conform to someone else's ideas of being a "good hunter". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 I don't think 'hunting' has much to do with shooting pigeons over decoys. Finding somewhere to do it, might be a more analogous with 'hunting'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 I've thoght long and hard about this subject TC I have come to the conclusion that a "good" hunter is sombody who can read "the sign's" . If you can go off your own "patch" and pull a rabbit out of the "hat" .Or track a fox etc. I would suggest that your hunting skills are very good . Also imo a good hunter will have a lot of field craft. (wind , lie of the land etc). Species recognition would also be high up there in the skills a good hunter would need . i.e mushroom identification , do we hunt mushrooms? or do we just go out to gather 'em ? all the best yis yp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave15 Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 I think a good hunter is some one has respect for the quarry he is hunting and is very great full to it for giving its life. I know that sound a little funny but dying is a part of nature and I think as human beings we flatter our self way too much. After all we aren’t nothing but mammals (And no I don’t say that to girlfriends!) but if you think about it that’s one of the only reasons we were really put on this earth to do look after and manage animals. I think a good hunter is someone who only takes what he needs and doesn’t get greedy. But if that’s the case then why does rabbit casserole taste so good? All the Best Bigdave15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saluki Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 A good hunter is someone who can come back with his dinner & some for his dog without wreaking havoc on the countryside,the larger the bag fewer rabbits for later,it might take me above four hours to walk three miles,sneaking about like a cat with my lurcher,six rabbits,& i'm heading for home,thats two days food for dog & me,as for respecting the animals that you hunt,how do i respect something that i am going to kill,if i respected rabbits they would not be in my bag, i think people use the word respect ,to make themselves feel,or look better,it may also be used as an attempt to justify killing us humans kill for pleasure,not sport ,if it was not pleasurable we would not be doing it yours saluki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 I think its to do with skill and fieldcraft. The persons who catches the wily rabbit, or uses his skill to stalk deer over difficult terrain, or in adverse conditions using mainly his skill and self taught knowledge is the great hunter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 The man who can neck a roe at 50yds after stalking it all day is in my opinion a far better hunter than the one who head shoots one at 1500yds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbus Polumbus Posted October 14, 2003 Report Share Posted October 14, 2003 I'm with PP on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon Posted October 14, 2003 Report Share Posted October 14, 2003 PP is spot on the nail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbus Polumbus Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 Saluki Respect is a personal thing I agree but let me tell you where I am coming from, the other guys will, I am no doubt aware, share with you their thoughts. Some of the most acient races (Naitive red indians, eskimo's etc) who have had to hunt to live, all account for "respect" in their writings and stories that have been passed down form generation to generation with regard to the animals they hunt for food and clothing and tools etc. We are fortunate or unfortunate as the case may be, we only need to hunt for food and the other products from the kill are not used as technology has made it so and also the loss of these skills being handed down from father to son. So thats the basis, what about me, well I show a great deal of respect for each and every wonderful creature I dispatch, the ultimate goal of respect for me personally is my principle of eating or finding a table for the produce, if I cant, with the exception of unedible vermin, I will not shoot it. You at least owe it that much don't you think? Also you should pay respect for it in its skills at survival either being a hunter or prey species in that they have honed their skills to the point of matter of life or death for them and you as the hunter have engaged them in their territory, on their terms and got yourself close enough to despatch it cleanly and as far as we know pianlessly as possibly ie humanely. This also is respect because if you think about it in your everyday life if you do not respect another person or object then you care very little, if at all, what happens to them or it, so if it is damaged it matters not. To me that is not the way of the hunter. In Germany even today when you have shot certain animals they perform what is called the last bite ceremony and part of that is paying your respects for the beast and its life because without its life you would not have had the opportunity to hunt it, in a similar vein people respect each other for their place in society and what they have achieved in their time here. Hope this explains what is a deeply personal and difficult topic to describe perhaps someone somewhere has penned something they would like to share with us on this topic? I don't think I have made too good a job of explaining it. I enjoy being in the great outdoors, whats left of it and get pleasure from that. I do not get pleasure (in my definition of pleasure) from harvesting the land neither on the same hand do I feel guilty about the act of doing it either. I do not know of anyone in all my years of experience hunting, has any of them jumped about for joy at the point of despatching, they have all been quite people thinking about the whole experience and what they feel that has brought them to the point the're at. maybe I got a different view on pleasure? Col Pol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 Wonder if Col Pol could answer a question with less than 30 000 words? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbus Polumbus Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 Grateful for your support PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooktrout Posted October 18, 2003 Report Share Posted October 18, 2003 A bit unfair that PP. Are we now restricted to a limited ammount of words to get a message across? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 I agree that the "respect" that a lot of older cultures had for their prey, was borne from the fact that they relied upon them for survival. In some cultures, creatures were revered as being the reincarnation of ancestors, and therefore protected. I don,t think either of the above applies generally in modern society. (I,m sure there are contradictions to my point, somewhere in the World). The German ceremony (which I have witnessed) at the end of a hunt, is a tradition and seemed to me, about as meaningful as stirrup cups, blooding, formal shoot clothing rules and other traditions that we have/had. I think wasting edible game is a shame, as is food mountains, wine lakes etc. However, I shoot for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. It enables me to go to nice countryside, on my own, or with like minded friends. Get exercise, practise a skill and satisfy my hunting instincts. I don,t honestly recognise my prey as an "entity" with a soul, or anything similar. I think if I did, I might stop shooting. As Col Pol says, its a personal thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 Brooktrout, no! As many as you ike. It was apoor attempt at humour, but obviously travel well I think Col Pol took it in the spirit intended Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 That should have read..... A poor attempt at humour but obviously it didn't translate well. Got dyslexic fingers today!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooktrout Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 Sorry PP. I realised it was a joke only after I posted. I definitely {Jumped the gun}/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Angus Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 well TC i think that a good hunter, who only takes that he needs and leaves plenty for others. Not just to go out and shoot game for the sport, if it is sport shooting ur after go and hit some clays. BA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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