grand veneur
AH elite
I got interested in hunting as a kid because of Fred Bear. Everything he did seemed like an adventure and adventurer spoke to me very deeply - it still does. I've never had the time, money, nor opportunity to become a quantity or 'trophy' hunter. I've never felt disappointed because I walked out of the woods empty-handed, but I also do no share the view that 'just being out there' is the same as hunting - it's not. I won't take a gun if I just want to be out there - and I do plenty. But when I hunt, my intention is that I will take game PROVIDED the situation fits a very narrow window of expectations. Meaning everything has to 'be right.' If at any time I feel the situation is 'cheap' or 'easy,' (I personally will not use trail cams, but I don't want them banned either) I won't shoot. As a kid I made one stupid mistake which was to kill a deer the evening before the season actually started. That shitty feeling still sticks with me. I prefer to hunt alone if possible, and when hunting with someone, I don't have any interest in just yapping all day. I try to notice the very small things and observe observe observe.
I don't know what stage that makes me - but I no not feel that I have changed this perspective from when I started hunting - as they say, I was 'born this way,'
Fred Bear was best known for hunting with bow and arrow, a hunt that was something special even back then. I also dreamed about this kind of hunt once, but I stopped thinking about it for many reasons.
As far as carrying a rifle in the wilderness is concerned, it is certainly only associated with hunting if you intend to shot something. Nevertheless, carrying a rifle in the wild without the intention of hunting is a necessity at times, for example during an expedition to areas where the risk of encounter with polar bears is very high, and being a hunter makes in this situations things more easier. Also a reason why you can become a hunter.