is it shooting or hunting??

[bheadboy]

Forgive me for opening this question but it has been on my mind for a good while.

as an old poop, started hunting when 8, 70 years ago in Ga, we did what i was taught - hunted, no planted plots (laws for dove considered them baited fields), no box stands, no enclosed hiding screens. we began to use open tree stands in recent years to get wider view in thick forest - mostly pines as i understand they are widely used elsewhere. remember OPEN STANDS.

I hunt out west when i can, ID, WY, NE etc. and it is huntin, stalking, spotting etc.

The question, is shooting from a box (enclosure) over a planted field (designed to draw game, Baited?) really hunting? or is it just shooting at a target from a short distance, after a choice is made?

Again, i appoligise if i offend some of you, i just need some understanding of this question.

Bob

 

[SDDasher]

I had the unfortunate situation of hunting with a former partner last year in TN who thought using night vision on full moon evenings over corn (both illegal in TN) was hunting. When I discovered what he was doing I immediately left his camp and informed authorities.
Many in the camp of Quality Deer Management support the year round practice of feeding deer on their property to help maintain a healthy heard and keep the deer local as much as possible. I have hunted for over thirty years and assure you whether you are in an in closed shooting house or open tree stand it is still quite a challenge to take a North American Whitetail. I "hunt" to be in the great out doors first, and to put food in the freezer second.
Taking a systematic approach to accomplishing a correct doe to buck ratio for your hunting property is very important to having deer to take each hunting season. Personally if you are seeking a "right" answer to your question I would suggest we arm the deer and really make it a fair game. JMHO!

 

[areaone]

over food or bait.........SHOOTING. When we shoot dove over sunflower fields, we call it a dove shoot, same with prairie dogs, you do not hunt prairie dogs, you shoot them. Try an elk hunt in British Columbia, now that is a HUNT.

 

[bheadboy]

6Br

in my years of hunting we worked to limit the harvest to mature bucks, old doe, and bucks with diformed racks,

grooming a hurd in a given area only takes hunting commitment
bob

 

[MrMajestic]

hunt
   [huhnt]

verb (used with object)
1.
to chase or search for (game or other wild animals) for the purpose of catching or killing.

2.
to pursue with force, hostility, etc., in order to capture (often followed by down ): They hunted him down and hanged him.

3.
to search for; seek; endeavor to obtain or find (often followed by up or out ): to hunt up the most promising candidates for the position.

4.
to search (a place) thoroughly.

5.
to scour (an area) in pursuit of game.

 

[TheSnake]

I have a clear field of view for 500 yards from my back porch and have rifles that can easily shoot that distance form the rail on my porch. I shoot coyotes from that spot throughout the year and I could easily take deer every year the same way but don't. I have a feeder that is full of corn and rosted soybean all year and it feeds everything including birds, coon, hogs, deer, squarrels etc. For deer, I have a portable ground blind for bow season and a short tower stand for rifle season. My wife and I also hunt from the ground in camo from various spots depending on the weather conditions and such. My wife is out many more days than I each season because we are blessed and she does not have to work a 9 to 5.

With all that being said, I do think that as you go from the ground, to a ground blind, to a tower stand, you do gain a small advantage with each step but I don't feel it is 10 fold. If we don't use proper scent control, required camo, face paint and sneak in, we don't see nice deer. The mature bucks at my place over 150 inches do not eat from the feeder ever, and we are lucky if we see them or get a few game cam pictures of them somewhere behind the feeder. My wife has had deer 10 feet from her many times and has had them walk up and stick there head in the ground blind window less than 1 foot from her face to see what's up and that does not happen unless you do your part properly. I took my wife on the first hunt of her life and it was a spot and stalk and she got that first buck. She will be the first to tell you sitting in the ground blind windows open with deer 3 feet from her is more difficult than the spot and stalk was.

Still or spot and stalk; are they both hunting? I feel they are different techniques used depending on the location and situation but they are both indeed hunting.

 

[CJ6]

My .02 cents, You Shoot from a blind (any artificial type), You Stalk to hunt. Done/Do both...........

 

[K22]

Wow, this a real hot button issue. I say live and let live but personally I consider it shooting. I'm only interested in fair chase hunting. For me, the thrill is being in the outdoors up close and personal, experiencing all nature has to offer. Of course I want to bag a big buck but I like the thrill of trying to out smart them (they usually win which is ok with me).

My favorite part of hunting is stalking, just love it whether be big game or varmints.

 

[KMart]

If you harvest an animal and use the meat, it is hunting. If you harvest an animal and leave it lay or give it away because you don't eat that type of meat, you are shooting.

 

[CaptainMal]

Been hunting most of my years. Starting in the 50's it was a crow hunt, dove hunt and groundhog hunt...even though we did more shooting than actual seeking out the target. Still called it hunting because our "hunting" took a lot of preparation and skill to put us into a position for success that was not guaranteed.

Have hunted deer for 5 decades or more. Natural oak trees are a type of bait, like a food plot. Killed many deer under and near them. It's a hunt. Same with apple and pear trees, corn fields, clover, water areas etc. My effort to put me into that situation is part of the hunt. The shoot is at the end and is just a small part of the overall HUNT.

Look at this tower view I have at my place in Georgia. Took lots of money, tractor work, preparation and effort to get those 4 food plots in and build that tower. They are essentially grass areas I can both feed deer and get a clear shot at long, long range If I choose. North and south of these plots I still hunt and have stands set up for deep woods HUNTING. Often do that, actually more than HUNTING from that tower.

Want more - There's actually another food plot at the base of that hill out 800 yards. Too far for good kill energy but good to keep deer in the area. That 4th food plot is about 500 yards. It takes lots of preparation to take a shot at that range. I call it a hunt when it's that hard to even do the shot.

Wai t... There's nothing to shoot at in that picture. Well, you wait there in the heat, cold, rain etc. and see if anything comes. Unlike occasionally looking out the house window, you have to spend hours and days there just to see something. That's part of the HUNT.

I call it a hunt if all is fair chase, you prepare far in advance of your actual shot and the animal is not fenced or captive in some way.

Don't diminish your house buying, location, skills and land clearing when you finally take a shot. It's a HUNT.

Now go shoot.

 

[people]

"Hunt" or "hunting" means shooting, shooting at, pursuing, taking, attempting to take,
or killing any game animals and game birds; searching for or attempting to locate or
flush any game animals and game birds; luring, calling, or attempting to attract game
animals and game birds; hiding for the purpose of taking or attempting to take game
animals and game birds; and walking, crawling, or advancing toward wildlife while
possessing implements or equipment useful in the taking of game animals or game
birds. The term does not include possessing or using photographic equipment.

That is from the ND century code. So in ND it is hunting. Prairie dogs are considered a nuisance species in ND and they are legal to shoot by any ND citizen out-of-staters need to have a license to shoot them. I do not know if there is a provision for trapping them.

I say to each their own within reason. I try to shoot long range so I walk out well before first light and get into position. I sit in position or lay in position depending where I am hunting that day. Many have tried to tell me that is only a exercise in shooting. This comes from the guys who have not walked more than a few feet after shooting a deer from the pickup window.

 

[Nodak7mm]

Taking game animals in accordance with the G&F regulations/statutes set forth by the state of which "you" are hunting in, is legal and ethical hunting as deemed by the laws of that state. Those regs/laws do not necessarily match what may be in place in other states, (Ex: bear baiting vs dogs vs stalking, all legal, but dependant on the state). Shooting of non-game animals are to be done iaw the resident state regs/laws also.

Failure to adhere to these rules/regs is poaching, wanton waste, bottom line wrong!!!

Is one hunting or shooting? Provided all regs/laws are followed, that is a personal decision and I have no right to judge them, simply beacause I dont agree with the method, as they have no right to judge me. I believe we can call this indvidual rights..

You take game/non game critters illegally, your a POS Slob, who does not have the right to call yourself a hunter or fisherman in my book and I will call you out on it..

Just my .02$

Rod

 

[mikecr]

Hunting is stalking.
It's NOT recreational shooting, nor game control, regardless of challenge.

Here in North Carolina deer hunting amounts to releasing dogs into a block of woods. Club members line up along the roads around the woods to shoot at deer as they are driven into the open(crossing the roads). There are some stand hunters, but these are baited.
While this is animal control, it's important, and there is no better way to do it here, it's not 'hunting' in any sense.

 

[floydj]

I heard once that Chuck Norris does not go hunting because the word hunting implies a possibility of failure. Instead, Chuck Norris goes killing.

 

[MrMajestic]

Hunting is stalking.
It's NOT recreational shooting, nor game control, regardless of challenge.

Here in North Carolina deer hunting amounts to releasing dogs into a block of woods. Club members line up along the roads around the woods to shoot at deer as they are driven into the open(crossing the roads). There are some stand hunters, but these are baited.
While this is animal control, it's important, and there is no better way to do it here, it's not 'hunting' in any sense.

Mike, I travel to assist in your management(over bait) and I see no other way to do it. Your wooded areas are impassable and make the PA woods look like a walk in the park!

 

[TheSnake]

So it seems that some folks think the only way to "hunt" is to be moving while you do it. If this is so, then when you stop and steady your rifle to make the shot, at that moment have stopped hunting and are shooting. In all the hunting situtations i have ever seen, the PH says "get ready to shoot" then they say "shoot when ever you are ready" or just say " shoot". I have never heard them say "hunt" even when completing a stalk.

When stalking, you put yourself where you think the game will be to make a good shot. You see the game over there and it's moving in some direction. You cover some ground staying down wind and go to the place you think it will end up, possibly to a beading area or a better food source. You move quickly and quietly then stop and glass for your game being as still as possible as not to give up your position. If you were correct and out smarted your game, it will move to where you calculated and you will use your weapon and take your game.

When still hunting, you spend weeks or months observing your game before the season and learn their patterns. With this knowledge, you place a blind where you think the game will be to make a good shot, possibly a beading area or a better food source. You move to your blind quietly staying down wind as not to give up your position. When you get there, you glass for your game and if you out smarted your game, it will move to where you calculated and you will use your weapon and take your game.

Sorry guys, in the above two scenarios, you are hunting. I hope no one is taking anyone too seriously with this thread, I respect everyone's opinion on what they consider hunting and as long as it is done legally, they have the same rights as anyone else.

 

[mikecr]

Mike, I travel to assist in your management(over bait) and I see no other way to do it. Your wooded areas are impassable and make the PA woods look like a walk in the park!

I'm actually from PA, -where the deer chasing dogs would be shot on sight.
But the woods in coastal NC are too thick to walk through, and the preferred load is buckshot.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's needed and even fun I'm sure.
Just not fun for me.

 

[Nodak7mm]

Off on a tangent here; Isnt there a county in Connectidot or maybe its the whole state, but where its legally permitted to shoot Northern Pike for a short period? There was an article in outdoor life or field and stream yrs back that highlighted this "old time" method..

For that matter, I grew up spearing northerns in a darkhouse with my Grampa before I knew you could angle thru the ice. Proud part of my scandihoovian heritage.... I used to troll for salmon on Lake MI and would get into it with a coworker who was a die hard flyfisherman (his average fish was bait for my meat rigs, hah!)

My point is different strokes for different folks, as long as their abiding by the regs... Good to go.. ;D

Rod

 

[Joe C]

This past year I took a very dear friend of mine to the range with his dad because they needed to make sure there rifles were sighted in and good to go for the upcoming seasons. Now, my friends dad is from Alaska. He has hunted and harvested just about everything that walks up there including some LARGE moose. He is about the most ethical gentleman hunter I've ever met.

So there we are standing around one day deer hunting and he starts telling us about the time he and his buddy were driving along in the back country looking for moose to stalk. Suddenly one appeared when they came around a bend and he "hopped out of the truck and took off in the direction and shortly there after murdered that moose!"... Now, I know to some of you that may not be funny, but in his northern accent and knowing him like I do now it was HILARIOUS! When I asked him if he really "murdered it" he said, "Oh ya, I mean what else are ya dooin' when ya shooot somethin' that is tryin' to escape ya by runnin' through da woods!" HA!

Just a different somewhat humorous (at least to me) take on hunting from someone that has probably harvested and consumed more game than I'll ever dream of having a chance at.

P.S. His buddy and he split the meat and not a scrap of it went to waste. ;-)

 

[bozo699]

Bob,
I was going to read all the replies but figured what the replies would be so I didn't bother, I don't have a problem with others doing this so called hunting from a snipers nest, if I was tired and hungry I would do it in a heart beat, but I would and do not call it hunting,...it is killing, if your trying to match wits with a cagey white tail then do it on foot like he is. I am not a bleeding heart as a matter of a fact I have killed more animals then most probably have,..I am the Snakes signature,....
I'm not a hunter, I'm a wild game population control specialist. so it doesn't bother me people hunt from blinds, my 78 year old father has started using one since he can't get around very good anymore, but I still say it is killing not really hunting but to each his own and again I am not pointing fingers or judging, I may do it myself someday but for now I will walk and stalk
Wayne.