Here’s my article that ran in The News Journal on November 3, 2011. – SMK
While shopping at an outdoors store several years ago, someone questioned my search for a specific type of bird hunting shells during the heart of the deer rut.
“What kind of hunter are you?” he asked. “You ought to be worried about deer. Forget those birds.”
I quickly responded with some witty barb centered on the fact that I already harvested two deer. But his question stayed with me: What kind of hunter am I?
If the question was posed with multiple choice answers like A) big game hunter, B) small game hunter, C) duck/goose hunter, D) other, and E) all of the above, I would circle E with no hesitation.
After all, in Delaware alone, I hunt deer, rabbits, squirrels, turkeys, ducks, geese, woodcocks, snipes, pheasants, quail, doves and crows. I’ve also hunted bears, hogs, various species of antelope and deer, wildebeest, and other mammals and birds in other states and countries. If I could base my definition on the types of animals I hunt, the answer would be easy.
Further considering the question, I thought about the hunting methods I use. I mostly use a bow for hunting big game (although I sometimes use a shotgun, rifle, or muzzleloader), and I use shotguns of various gauges for waterfowl, upland birds, and small game.
Quickly analyzing that basic data, I can provide a simple answer and succinctly define myself as a hunter who pursues various game species using various methods.
However, the answer is more complex and deserves more introspection.
To be clear, I am not a hunter who enters the woods with a bow and arrows or a loaded gun and takes shots at any animals I see. I am an ethical hunter who enjoys the spirit of the chase just as much as harvesting game, and I enjoy the diversity that Delaware’s woods, fields, and waterways offer.
Rather than strictly hunting deer one or two weeks of the year, or solely hunting ducks or geese during the open seasons, I consider myself to be a versatile hunter who enjoys the unique challenges presented by pursuing assorted game, at different times of year, and in varied habitat.
I am a hunter who appreciates the solitude of deer and turkey hunting, and I use my time afield as temporary escapes from life’s daily pressures. Sitting alone in the woods with my senses keenly tuned in to the natural world around me provides a relaxation that I don’t think I could achieve otherwise.
Conversely, I also enjoy the exercise, companionship, and faster pace of hunting small game with good friends and high-energy pointing dogs. Woodcock hunting ranks near the top of my list of outdoor activities, and I sincerely enjoy watching my dog work to find, point and retrieve the birds. I typically hunt with several hunting partners who also enjoy the pursuit of woodcocks, so the camaraderie surrounding the hunts is just as enjoyable as finding birds.
I am also a hunter who is just as much student as I am teacher. I am always looking to learn new game-specific tactics, techniques, statistics and biological facts, and I am always happy to share my findings, insights and opinions with others. I record notes about most of my hunts, so my hunts are just as much about observing and acquiring knowledge as they are pursuing game.
I am a hunter who likes to hunt. Period. If there is a hunting season open, I will find a way to enjoy it.
Therefore, I won’t define myself as any type of hunter.
More importantly, I won’t define you as any specific type either.