Attributes of a good hunter?

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djonathang

New member
Lately, I've been thinking about what makes for a good hunter. I mean this in the context of successful. What attributes does one need to possess and/or hone.

I always imagine that some folks might be better at thinking like their pray, while others use more brute force to reach the same goal. Examples might be the archer versus the rifle that reaches out 500 yards. Another example might be the great caller accompanied by a lifelike decoy setup, versus the guy with 3 robo-ducks.

Anyway, I don't mean to pass judgement on the aforementioned, I'm just providing some examples for reference (perhaps bad choices).

I am planning on hunting Elk in Oregon in October. I have used Google Earth to look at the land. I have talked to people who have been to the same area. I will scout the area in September (just to get a feel for the land - not intending to find animals). I feel somewhat like those skiiers you see on TV with their eyes closed as they imagine making their way through the course prior to their run. I have begun imagining the Elk hunt in a similar manner.

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

DG
 
My feelings are that you have to respect another life, your responsibility is to make a swift and clean kill.

Last year I had a good 8 pt. whitetail just inside a treeline. Problem was it was about a 300 yd. shot with a 30-06 BUT I had a crosswind that was gusting to 35 MPH. I had him very clear and steady in the scope and backstopped against a tree four times but I wasn't comfortable with the gusting winds. He gets another year making babies and "I'll be back".

Same place but different stand. Two does walk in (I'm holding doe tags) the big one might go 80#s and this is a duck shoot, maybe 50 ft. Too small, let'em grow up.

This is what my Dad and Grandfather taught me and is what I have passed along to my son. Of course there is much more.
 
Most really successful hunters I know are in very good physical condition and in excellent mental condition. They cover a lot of ground to find animals, and they know their quarry's habits and how to locate them in it. They are mentally tough, meaning they are prepared for the hunt and not easily discouraged when they don't get an animal right away. When hunting, it is easy to get discouraged and give up or take a smaller animal if you don't see what you are looking for. Explore the country, looking for sign and interpreting the sign to find good quality animals. Another thing is having the time to spend afield, which increases your odds by giving you more opportunity to see the animals.
 
They know a landowner, or can pay to hunt on private land. The land is rich with good game. The landowner tells them where the game will probably be located, or they have a guide, or they scout beforehand and figure it out. They have a lot of patience. And once in a while, they get lucky, too. ;)
 
... Patience and Humility ...

As far as your mapping goes; get ahold of the USGS maps for your hunt area. You can learn a lot about the terrain by studying nothing more than elevations. Of course, water and small flat meadows don't hurt. The key to studying terrain is laziness. Elk, deer, antelope, and other cervidae are lazy creatures. They'll take the easiest route possible, unless spooked.

Oh, and another thing many people overlook, that I have found to be of use. Elk and deer seem to hate wind as much as I do. If the wind direction is predictable in your area, you probably wont find a lot of animals on a slope facing that direction, or in valleys where the wind gets funnelled. It may not apply everywhere; but it has helped me quite a bit in the western Muley states, Florida, Georgia, and Washington. If the wind is not predictable... business as usual.
 
"...in the context of successful..." Kind of depends on what you call 'successful'. Hunting isn't always about taking game. Just being out there is good enough. My best hunt involved a very relaxing nap under a tree.
However, you must know how the game and how it lives when and where you intend hunting. Elk may be in one place in September and another in October. You have to know the local conditions. Ask the local CO and the local guys in the coffee shop.
"...just to get a feel for the land - not intending to find animals..." Do that. It may or may not matter, but if you can't find them when scouting, you won't when hunting either. Just seeing game in the off season is fun too. The best hunters, know everything about their prey.
Forget Google Earth. Get some topographical maps, learn how to read 'em and use a compass with 'em. You won't have Google anything in the bush and you can't navigate using Google Earth. GPS kit doesn't help if you don't know where it tells you where you are in relation to the rest of the world either.
 
Just some thoughts/observations:


Patience is a virtue in hunting...

I tend to respect hunters who are more 'outdoors oriented' and respect the wildlife than I do the ones who are 'trophy oriented' and see the shooting as just a kind of 'sport.'


Hunting is a kind of macho activity...and sometimes I think it attracts people who are trying too hard to be 'macho' or have something to 'prove.' A good hunter isn't trying to prove something inasmuch he/she is trying to discover new things in nature and in themselves...and finds being in the outdoors a kind of positive alternative and escape from 'modern society.'


I tend to like hunters with old beat up guns more than I do the ones with bright new expensive guns<nothing wrong with bright new guns> Wilderness skills and respect for nature...just impress me more than expensive gear.


A good hunter tends to be creative and enjoys studying the minute behavioral details and habitat of the game he/she is hunting.
Good hunters tend to be good cooks.:cool:
 
"...who are trying too hard to be 'macho'..." Yep. That's why magnums exist. Some of 'em think a big, noisy, shutzenblaster will overcome shooting skill.
 
My feelings are that you have to respect another life, your responsibility is to make a swift and clean kill.
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First and foremost. Respect your game and take only good shots. If you wound something it is your responsibility to find the animal and finish it.

Patience. Patience. Followed by patience.
 
Since the OP spoke of success as the marking of a good hunter...

Aside from basic knowledge, patience is probably the most important factor. That means that when sneaky-snaking, you're not in any hurry to take the next step--or get careless about where you set a foot or how you move a branch out of the way and thus make noise.

Patience means that if sitting and watching is part of your deal, you can imitate a stump or boulder without twitching or fidgeting.

Then, I guess, knowledge of the behavior patterns of the prey animal. Where it likely feeds, where it likely beds down, what sorts of travel paths are preferred.

The world's greatest shot can't shoot what he can't find. Same for the bunny hugger's infinite respect and admiration for some animal; respecting, loving and cherishing ain't finding.
 
The common thread with most of the above hunters is patience. I learned this sport with a bow and arrow. I find that most of the people I hunt around/with lack patience.
Second is Observation. If you are very observant and see sign well, you are loads ahead of most.
Third is to know what it is you are observing. Read, study and spend time around your quarry in the off season. I do with whitetail. If you spend many hours observing the habits of Elk or Whitetail, you will have a fair idea what they are up to.
It takes a lifetime of hunting to understand why the elk are traveling in Sept./Oct and what the mating habits are. What is driving them to lower elevation or higher at times of the day and year.
No, I do not know even a small percentage of what some of these guys know. You are talking to many years of experience in some of these guys.
I will be in Colorado in September for a muzzleloader elk hunt. I will be earning more of my dues in the mountains. This will be my 4th trip to bag an elk. My first with a smoke pole. I have yet to take my first shot. I have seen elk and watched 3 other people take shots. It is a chore to be successful when you are 700 miles away for 11 1/2 months out of the year.
Yet I say this in complete honesty. I have never had an unsuccessful hunting trip to Colorado. I enjoyed every one.
 
My father is the ideal hunter, he only kills what he is going to eat, doesn't care about trophies and his weapon of choice is a Sear/Ted Williams single barrel 20ga shotgun. He told me when I was little that his shotgun would take anything Alabama, where he grew up, had to offer. He's doesn't really have a big interest in guns, but he does keep the ones he has in brand new condition.
I believe the true hunter doesn't dewell on things like MOA, muzzle velocity or the latest trends. They know how to use what they have and know their own limitations. Most importantly they know the habits of the game their going after, have good woodsman skills and know the hunting regulations for the areas their hunting.
 
Luck isn't enough

Skill and Patience are the two very important aspects of the hunt. Without these you are not going to be successful on A regular basis. Just Luck is not enough. Of course there are other factors involved, equipment.experience, availibity of game(ect.).
 
I like what I have read so far, but one other thing a good hunter is, he is a safety nut. he knows what his gun is capeable of and makes sure not to endanger others with his shooting.

and he knows what he is going for and doesnt shoot at everything that walks within range. if he is hunting for a trophy he will wait for that perfect shot at the perfect animal. if he is a meat hunter ( and this is where I come In) he isnt shooting at everything that comes by he want to get a good size animal. so he can get the most for his tag.

I one time took a eight point buck here in Texas. the rack was ugly but he was a large bodied animal and I sure did enjoy eating that ugly little racked deer. :p
 
I agree with most of what has been posted here. But there are a couple of things I don't agree with.

or can pay to hunt on private land
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or they have a guide
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Being able to afford to hunt private land or hire a guide doesn't make one a good hunter or give him/her the attributes of one. There is plenty of good hunting left on public lands and if the person is willing to put in the effort they can be a good hunter with out the private lands or paid guides. Plus every year there are people who pay to hunt private land or hunt with a guide who lack every attribute of a good hunter

he only kills what he is going to eat
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I hear this statement used a lot, and while I don't totally disagree it is a flawed statement. I don't view people who love to hunt predators/vermin (coyotes, fox, racoon, and prairie dogs) any less of a hunter because they don't eat the game they pursue. I do believe that all edible game should be eaten but if a hunter doesn't want the meat then is should be donated to someone who can use it. This again doesn't make them any less of a hunter IMO. I went to AK and hunted bear in the spring, any bear shot before Jun 1 had to have the meat recovered before any trophy. I couldn’t afford to bring the meat back with me, so I donated it and several people were very happy to have it.
 
It's difficult to learn an area in a few days. I bow hunted in an area for several years before I got a good idea of where the Elk moved and when. Then it burned and it all changed.:)

They usually feed early and by 9 AM or so wander off in to the thick stuff. If it's early October you may hear a bugle. I don't know how hilly your area is but if you have any high meadows, try to glass them as early as you can get there.
Snow is your friend as you can see tracks, droppings and urine. Also, makes tracking a world easier if you make a shot.

If you find any recently used river crossings, it's not a bad idea to sit there some. Keep in mind that summer traffic can make these look like a cattle yard, but it changes a bunch in the fall and they may not use it at all then.

If they are moving from point A to B , their normal gate is like a man's trot, so you aren't likely to get around them.
 
This weekend our tags for the Colorado M/L Elk hunt arrived. I will be taking my oldest Grandson on his 1st Elk hunt.
I have a most important task. I will have to teach this eager young hunter to respect the Environment, the Game, Landowners, Other Hunters, Non-Hunters while his priority's will naturally be in getting a shot at a Bull.
If I don't get this done right he could become a bad hunter, even if he brought home game.
Times have changed, We have to change also.
I invite you to read a letter I sent out to friends 3 years ago upon returning from the last Colorado hunt.
http://www.nashwauk.net/LastHunt.html
 
A good hunter has family and or friends that are good hunters.

Oregon is a great place for elk. Get a good topographical map from the state. You might be able to down load one from http://libremap.org/data/state/oregon/
or some similar.

Definitely talk to the folks at Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/

If you haven't taken the hunter education course do so. If you can take the course that is closest to the area you plan to hunt in that might be a good idea even if you have taken the course already. Getting to know people who have "been there and done that" is a great way to become a better hunter.

Scouting the land is a good idea. Look for game trails, look for bedding areas, heck look for scat.

Where you hunt might determine how you hunt. Lots of open land in Eastern Oregon, especially true in the Southeast. Pretty closed up from the Cascades West.

The main thing is to have fun.
 
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