mixed feelings on success

[jjhack]

This will be difficult to put into words but I thought I would see how it goes.

The anticipation of a hunting trip and the days spent afield are what I am beginning to think is the best part of the trip in many instances. I find the effort to stalk the game, prepare gear, pack in, enjoy the sights and sounds and everything else so much a part of the hunt that it's really what I look forward to. I find the "fore play" of the hunt to be where I have the greatest enjoyment.

I have hunted with an awful lot of guys who have killing on their minds first and formost and never really listen to the birds or care about the habitat or the sights. Nothing seems to get into their minds but the "KILL". It's sad to think guys put so much effort into the gun and equipment but have little recollection of the details of the environment or the wildlife and scenery around them. The best part of many trips for me is the whole trip without the kill even considered.

The second best part is the after effects around the camp with my friends or family when the pleasure of the days events have settled in. The third part of the enjoyment is the setup for the shot and the making of a clean kill with little to no tracking. What we would consider "text book" shooting.

The actual taking of the animal is not the high priority for me or many of the more experienced clients and friends I hunt with. I think the lack of, or loss of "buck fever" or what ever you want to call it makes the killing more academic and the lack of stress and excitement in the kill itself removes that part of the hunting trip from a higher priority spot on the list.

I have hunted with some really cool characters who were not shaken or overly excited when it came time to shoot. Many of them even seemed let down or disturbed and quiet after they make a brilliant shot. It's some kind of momentary post hunt depression syndrome. I can't say I have ever been "depressed" from success but it's such a huge build up and anticipation to get to the point of pulling the trigger that when it's over and your done taking the photo's many hunters seem to have a huge let down, if just for a short time.

The more novice the hunter the less likely this is to occur in my experience. A new hunter with me is shaking from excitement for an hour after the hunt, and never stops talking about it the rest of the day. The cool calculated shooter who is expert with his equipment and very skilled in his shooting will usually shoot the animal and be content but rarely has the same excitement a less experienced guy shows. He will also typically have this post hunt sadness or depression until the evening fire when they seem to snap out of the depression and they begin re-living the days events.

I guess the guys at the apex of the "experience bell curve" are the best clients from a skill and effort standpoint. However the clients that are still on the way up the curve are certainly more exciting to watch hunt and shoot. Fortunately all that levels out in the evening around the fire. That is certainly one of my favorite parts of each hunting day.

I guess what I'm saying don't be in such a hurry to have so much experience that the rush and thrill of hunting wears off. Enjoy your whole trip and take in the experience. Don't put so much pressure on the killing alone that you forget to see and enjoy the time spent in the bush too. Everyone wants success but way to many people I have hunted with have been miserable for days because they missed a shot, or passed on a good animal and then go without seeing another for much of the trip. They are so preoccupied with killing success that the entire trip becomes stressfull and miserable to them if they don't shoot something.

The guys who hunt with a more care free additute and "go with the flow" end up having a great time and shooting great trophies many more times then the dedicated trophy hunters who can recall very little of thier experience when it's over! Does this make sense or have any of you seen this? How many of you can relate in some way to the momentary post hunt depression? I don't mean having to return to work when the hunt is over I mean the let down when the chase ends and the rush is sucked away from you and your left with this empty sad feeling that all the anticipation is over and your done. jj

 

[Speckmisser]

Kinda surprised no one has responded to this post, JJ.  Brilliant, and true.  

I don't generally pop in here, because an African hunt is still way out there in the "one day" list.  But thought I'd see what folks were talking about.  Glad I did, and had the opportunity to read this post.  

 

[EL CAZADOR]

I don't think I could add anything to your post to express how I feel.

I sickens me the hunters out there who are out in the field to see who can bag thier limit the first and then go ahead and shoot everybody elses limit too!!  Hunting is more about comradere than killing, otherwise it would be called killing instead of hunting.

When I shot my first big game animal this past season, I put absolutely no pressure on myself.  I could have cared less if I bagged a deer or not, it was the experience that mattered the most, the filled tag was icing on the cake.

Great post, my sentiments exactly!!!

 

[One Track]

Well said JJ.  Conversations about hunting always come up at my office, when people see a photo of me with a deer, a hog, or a bunch of albacore.  They  always comment, "You really like to kill things."  Then, I try to explain that the killing has very little to do with my passion, and that I have more respect for those creatures than they do.  I'm the conservationist in this office.   They don't get it.

What brings me the most joy is the anticipation of the hunt, the hunt itself, and like you said, sitting around the campfire sharing stories.  Trying to outsmart the game is the game.  In San Diego County it doesn't come easily. If it did, I would spend a lot less time in the outdoors.  During archery season, I pass on does, just to maximize my time in the field, trying to outsmart a nice buck.  Fishing brings me tons of pleasure. There's nothing like hooking into a 30 lb. yellowfin, or better yet a 30 lb yellowtail.  However, I enjoy putting my friends on fish more than I do catching them myself.  I find myself totally in my element when HUNTING for fish. Being on the ocean with no land in sight, reading temp. breaks, looking for signs of life, and offering the right bait - that's the challenge - that's what I get off on.  

Do I want a giant mule deer buck on the wall, a huge bull elk, a monster bear rug....YES.  However, I want there to be a long story to go with each trophy.  I want each to come from hard work.  I want to have a lot of respect for each of those creatures.

Thank you, and good day.

 

[Robert]

Just a thought...hunt local with a bunch of local red-necks instead of with a bunch of Rich doctors that look down thier noses at you and everyone else, and dont really give a damn about or respect the animals that they are shooting. It isnt anything but another Purchase with all of thier boring money that they have so much of to burn. Some [people kill for the meat...some people are just bored and want to kill.

 

[jjhack]

Robert, A friendly suggestion, Be very careful in mixed company how you refer to those , "rich folks" they are the ones funding our hunting programs and the ones defending our rights.

Ever been to an SCI meeting? The auctions there will gather up 100's of thousands of dollars to fight the anti hunting establishment. One guy in one afternoon will contribute more money then I can in my whole lifetime. I was of a similiar opionion as you at one time. However I have since realized the error of my ways. I don't care about their clubs and records and various levels of gold awards or huge outragious 200 bucks a plate award dinners. We do have to realize without them we would not have squat to fund our common hunting needs. This is true, whether folks want to believe it or not. The wealthiest folks in this country who are sportsman and hunters are the ones making it possible for the guys of lower income and middle income to protect hunting form going away.

 

[Robert]

That is an excellent point, I stand corrected, and humbly apologize. I posted that when I had a very crappy attitude to start with, and should have just kept my mouth shut if I didnt have anything good to say. Just working too hard I guess. I havent got any business posting here anyway, as I have never been to Africa to hunt, but always dream about it. Maybe I was feeling a little jealousy toward rich folk that can afford such an extravagance. I certainly don't see it in my near future with the economy and my work being what it is.
I sure love to read this stuff and dream though.
Once again, I apologize to all. Robert

 

[Kensco]

I came back from my first trip to Africa last month. I hunted just Oryx and Kudu. When I tell that to most people that have hunted Africa they think I'm nuts because they bought a package hunt allowing them ten or twelve trophies. (Killing one of everything isn't my bag.)

I've wanted to hunt Gemsbok since I was a teenager in New Mexico, and I think the Kudu is the most elegant looking antelope on the face of the earth. I want to look at both of them in my den for years to come, and remember that I did it right.

I was disappointed that being in Africa didn't thrill me more than it did. Age I guess.

I was embarrassed by some of the other hunters I came up against in the airports, planes, and in the field; and some of the comments by the local PHs regarding the lack of patience and poor shot placement being used to cripple game by many of the "hunters".

We have a responsibility when we hunt and kill game. To sit around in public talking about how it took us 13 shots to kill a bull giraffe sickens me but that's what I listened to in JHB. Another "hunter" only took eight shots to do the job. Is it any wonder that some non-hunters are offended by what we do?

I'm not elated when I kill an animal. I enjoy hunting and the culmination of that hunt is the kill, if I do my job well. I've done my job well when I wait for a clear, broadside, standing shot, at a shootable range. When that trigger trips I know that animal will die quickly. I don't worry about blood trails or bullet deflection. I take those variables out of the equation before I send that bullet down-range.

The final act of pulling the trigger is very clinical and free of emotion for me, no Hail Mary, no wild running shots, no outlandish long shots. A quick one-shot kill is satisfying; anything less is a nightmare to be relived later.

 

[amosgreg]

Well said Kensco!
JJ Nice idea for a thread sorry I didn't see it earlier but I didn't go back several months. To me the idea of a clean kill is more important that a number of trophies on the ground. The PH I hunted with this past trip seemed a little upset when I passed on a real nice Common Reedbuck, but the truth of the matter is, He was about 70 yards dead upwind looking at us in the hunting car, during drought conditions with very dry grass. The kind of conditions to allow a stalk and possible bow shot? Not to me, and even though I had a rifle in the back with me I am a bowhunter. He carried the "grudge" for several days. Even my wife noticed his attitude! This is why I pay the day fee and then trophy fees upon a harvest. As a bowhunter, it's tough enough hunting and I don't want to be in a position of, I paid for x animals and only got 1, since indirectly I have already paid for x animals.

Thanks

 

[jjhack]

Gregg, (and all)With my Safaris if you take a package hunt and don't get a chance to harvest the game on the list you get a refund for the ones you did not take. I know there are plenty of safari companies that sell a package collecting the money if you shoot them or not. I know many people who have paid for a package and did not even see some of the animals on it for the whole trip. Yet they were required to pay for them as part of the "package hunt". The package is only a best guess or estimate of the trophies the clients want. This way we can better price the trip to his advantage.

There are two elements in the safari price schedule. Daily fee and trophy fee. Then there is a fixed price for all the expenses to keep somebody in the lodge for 10 days( or what ever length the hunt is) So once we know the expenses we can adjust the cost of the game to the cost of the trophy fee for a minimum price. additional game works out to make some profit or cover additional expenses.

If we have a hunter who says he has no idea what he wants so he will pay the daily fee and individual trophy fees for his game. Then The daily fee is going to be full price due in part to the minimum amount of expenses. We must accept he may go home without a single animal or only a couple of animals. This is very expensive hunting compared to a package hunt where we can reduce the trophy fee's or the daily fee's to make an affordable total amount that will cover our costs.

In any case the tropies not killed are always refunded at the Package price value, not the list price. This is because they were not sold at list price. I've had that arguement a dozen times now. There is a reason why so many Safari companies have folded and then changed names. They cannot treat hunters poorly and stay in business. We have been doing this for many years and have had over 150 clients now. Nobody leaves our safari lodge unhappy! We don't make anyone pay for the game in our packaged hunts that they don't harvest( wounded animals are considered killed)

We still have several spots for the 2003 hunt in June see the post above regarding the group hunt.