The Life Journey of Hunting

When someone passes on the hunting heritage to another person, what they're really doing is helping that person embark on a life-long journey. The hunting journey's destination is never arrived at because it is always changing. You may have heard of the five stages of the hunter. The first stage is the "Shooter," and it's especially true with young hunters. During the shooter stage, a successful hunt is marked by lots of shooting and opportunities. The second stage is the "Limit" or "Bagger" stage. In this stage, a successful hunt is when the hunter takes a limit of game. The third stage is the "Trophy" stage. During the trophy stage, the hunter measures success by taking trophy-class animals, such as a deer that qualifies for Pope and Young. Success during the trophy stage requires more time, better skills and the possibility of coming home empty handed. The fourth stage is the "Method" stage. During this stage, the way a hunter hunts is the most important and satisfying aspect. Hunting ducks over decoys or bowhunting deer are good examples of method hunting. The final stage is the "Sportsmen" stage. During this phase, the hunter focuses on the overall experience and is likely to mentor other hunters, finding as much enjoyment in their success as in his or her own.

The fact that a hunter's goals and aspirations are always changing is one of the true joys of the hunting journey. And it's possible for a hunter to be in several different stages at the same time. A hunter who has hunted waterfowl for years may be firmly in the method stage, hunting over decoys and measuring success by the effectiveness of the decoy spread and calling. However, if that hunter recently took up turkey hunting, he or she is likely still in the early stages of evolution, wanting lots of opportunities and experiences to learn from. The final stage is truly the pinnacle because a hunter has learned to enjoy every aspect and minute of every hunt, including the preparation. Results are unimportant, and success is always attained.