What stage are you in

[Arrow Flinger]

I'd have to say I'm a 3 & 5, although I do on occasion divert back to #1 while out goose hunting but that's more or less because I always miss the darn things!

[WNYBuckHunter]

Im with phade on this. I used to think i was in one of the stages, but i like some of all of them. This year i discovered how much i truly love helping others be successful, or introduce someone new to the sport. At the same time, i like to knock down as many as i can, and the environment can sustain. I like the camaraderie of group hunting, and the solitude of lone hunting. I like all of it really.

[CuseHunter]

Preseason I think I'm a Jim Shockey trophy hunter about to walk up on a deer 15 yards away and put an arrow to it. By the end of the season it's if it's brown and I have the tag, it's down.

[bubba]

As I said you move from stage to stage all the time.

[Suilleabhain]

I'm a number 5. I only saw 8 deer in my short time out, had one coming close to a shot but it turned away and had a fine year. The weather could have been a lot better but that's the game. Next year I'm going back to basic. Forget the blinds, tents, scents in favor of picking a deadfall to sit in. I didn't see any turkey this year, that's something new.

[Suilleabhain]

That was me yesterday in 9H with my muzzleloader in thigh deep snow. It would have to be one heck of a deer for me to drop the hammer yesterday.

 

 

[Suilleabhain]

Jeremy, where were you in 9H? That's where I hunted. I heard from my brother 3 feet this morning

[Catskill Hunter]

There is a sixth stage.....The Last Stage.

 

That's the one where you go out hoping that you don't actually shoot anything that you will have to gut and drag. The 6th stage includes the phase of hunting where you get all dressed up and out the door and then turn around and go back to bed because it's too cold outside.

Approaching this rapidly :-)

[waterweasle]

stage 6 for me...........only half heartedly bought a license this season, and already considered harder to not buy one next season, just not enjoying it much anymore

[First-light]

I find it humorous so many want to complaint about the curriculum in hunter ed. There is a big correlation between hunter attitude and the stage if you choose to believe it or not Sent from my LGL35G using Tapatalk 2

 

Bubba,

Just saying from what I heard from the last two people who went through the course. They said the instructor spent more time on survival skills then anything else. 

As you know the majority of hunters can find their way out of the woods at the end of the day. The daks are a different story but I did say the majority.  They also said there was a lot of time wasted taking breaks. I'm sure this is not the norm but why not just have a streamlined course to get people in and out and focus on one thing gun safety. 

[bubba]

That would be a question for the State.  I have to go by their outline.  I totally agree there should be more emphasis on gun safety.  I tell me classes I am not here to teach you to hunt, I am here to teach you how to safely handle a gun. My criteria fora passing grade is if I do not feel comfortable in my brown carharts in the woods around you, you do not pass. The whole purpose of these stages is more than just a futile exercise.  There is a lot of safety involved in them. For instance I read on here about a hunter who empties his gun into a deer so he does not have to track it.  Seems like a shooter guy to me.  Is it the safest thing as lead is flying umm no.  I read all the stories of opening day multiple shots.  One would hope that a hunter would mature from this.  Or the guy who has to limit out regardless of the reasons they give.  Do you think they always take the safest shots just to say they got three deer to everyone else's two.  Umm I tend to doubt it.  As these are taught in class, those points are stressed very much.  Those who responded negatively to the thread, I am more than willing to bet fall into these categories and prefer to ridicule than admit.  Just my opinion. Teaching hunters to move to stage 3 4 and 5 is the best thing we can do as they are the safest stages.

Edited December 14, 2013 by bubba

[bubba]

BTW at -7 this morning I went immediately to stage 6.

[bubba]

They now do combo classes where you can  get both and a lot is not covered twice. I did one of them, but there was little interest.  Most ppl did not want both.  You could tell those who did not want the bow part by the test scores.  

[bubba]

A great plan, but common sense evades the state.  I suggested last year that if you  make it mandatory to have the gun course first, you could modify the bow course to include more about bow and stream line it as people would already have the basic info. However again common sense is not common at the state level\.  Unfortunately when you do your paperwork for the class for the state the emphasis is on time spent not content.  I did a bow course in the fall and turned in the paperwork.  about a month later I get an email from my regional coordinator saying I was 15 minutes short of the required time.  I shook my head and did not respond. 

[Deerthug]

I would say I'm definitely in the 5 category and also in the 4. I love being up at the cabin with family and friends and just being up there away from everything else and come this spring I can't wait to show my son the ropes. I'm also in category 4 because I make a conscious decision on what implement I will hunt with or whether I will be sitting in my blind or climbing a tree every time I go.

[GreeneHunter]

#5 for me !

[wheelieman]

3,4,5 a combo of all three its nice to shoot a good mature buck but at the same time i like watching other people get deer, 

[Dinsdale]

#1

Why else do they make guns that hold more than 1 round?

[Tio1]

5 - I have two children that are interested and I spent more time getting them ready than hunting solo. I must say this was one of my favorite seasons because I got to share it with my kids. 

[Elmo]

4 and 5.  In regards to 4, method also consists of types of game that I haven't taken yet.  Once I've successfully taken a particular game, I may or may not pursuit them again.

[Terry]

I am a mixture of 3,4, and 5. I appreciate the time I spend doing it and with who. But my goal every year is a 3 year old or better buck. However, I want to kill that buck my way. Usually that means while tracking or still hunting, but I have different goals some years.

[nycredneck]

What about the stage where you want to pass on some of the knowledge you have gotten over the years and teach someone. That should be in there somewhere, although I agree with phade about enjoying more than stage, I've been doing bowhunting only for a looong time now and still enjoy all but the old fart stage.  

[UpstateNomad90]

I was raised with a #5 attitude and I will stick to #5 for as long as I hunt. Any deer will be a trophy to me, I am thankful to have a place to be able to hunt every year. If I get a deer I am happy, even if I only see a tail I still love just being in the woods and with family and friends at camp

[FX62]

3,4,& 5 for me. I like to set goals which usually contain type of implement. However, just "getting away" with friends and family is first and foremost. One of my goals each season is for my dad, myself and my son to each harvest a deer on the same day. We've each gotten one the same year, but not the same day.

[Five Seasons]

Sportsman/trophy. The hunters on here and those I know in life that brag about numbers? Meaningless to me. I love the hunt, the woods and the experience. Tags filled or not. I pass many deer looking for my trophy (quality over quantity) but I will still fill my freezer. I still consider any bow kill a trophy. However I focus on bucks. A gun kill has never been too impressive to me.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Belo