Home Forums Campfire Forum Five stages of a deer hunter

Viewing 11 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • Charles Hoff
      Member
        Post count: 13

        Can anyone post the five stages of a deer hunter? I have two young teenagers that want to learn why I love bowhunting so much. They are the sons of a member of a club I belong to and they want to understand why I am happy with one deer with a bow verses 3 or 4 they get with a rifle. I’m in South Carolina, with a four and a half month hunting season with no limits. I am self taught and not sure how to go about teaching them how to bow hunt, but I am a believer in the 5 stages. I can stumble my way thru teaching, however I would like for them to understand what drives me. And numbers are not it. The 15 year old went with me last year turkey hunting and the archery god was looking upon me. I arrowed a 25lb Tom with a 11.5 inch beard. He was totally amazed. (so was I). But this hooked him. Now he wants to try archery. I feel understanding the 5 stages of a deer hunter, makes a person a better hunter.

      • Alexandre Bugnon
        Member
          Post count: 681

          Charlie,
          Just google “5 stages of hunter”, there is a lot about it, but here is one:

          http://www.24hourcampfire.com/stages.html

        • SteveMcD
          Member
            Post count: 870

            That was an interesting read, Alex. I was also very surprised by “the 3 Types of Hunters”. I was surprised by the small amount of “nature” hunters, although I think not all but many traditional bowhunters would fall into this category.

          • Chris Shelton
              Post count: 679

              Wow that was interesting. I have never heard of the “3 types” before. I had only heard about the 5 stages. That 3 types data was interesting! Thanks Alex!

            • David Petersen
              Member
                Post count: 2749

                Alex! Brother, looks like you had a really hard night just before that photo was taken! 🙄 Another late double performance? On “hunter stages,” this of course assumes that the hunter/person is not so stuck in “true believing” that they can’t open the mind and heart to learn and grow. Today, so sadly, most “hunters” seem stuck in permanent immaturity. By studying the stages — how we should progress as hunters and humans — it becomes painfully obvious when we encounter poor souls stuck in permanent immaturity. By asking the hard questions of ourselves and not lying to ourselves, we can work through the stages to “wisdom.” I’m still working on it! 😀 dp

              • Clay Hayes
                Member
                  Post count: 418

                  Pick up a copy of HeartsBlood by the old dude in the post above. It’ll help you answer your questions about why you do what you do. Great read, thanks Dave.

                  ch

                • Patrick
                  Member
                    Post count: 1148

                    Clay Hayes wrote: Pick up a copy of HeartsBlood by the old dude in the post above. It’ll help you answer your questions about why you do what you do. Great read, thanks Dave.

                    ch

                    lol! I’m polishing off 2 of the “old dudes” books right now as well. Highly recommend his books. I like his style and way of thinking. I’ve learned alot!

                  • SteveMcD
                    Member
                      Post count: 870

                      Well, I did pick up a copy of Heartsblood, from Dave, actually a few month’s ago and FINALLY got a chance to sit down and indulge into reading it over the Holidays and absorbing the printed words. I knew it would happen since I read “A Hunter’s Heart” quite a few years back, and I found “Heartsblood” to be compelling to point of being one of those books you start reading that you just can’t put down. I had used a good portion of the “messages” from “A Hunter’s Heart” in communicating my own personal Agenda in Hunter Ed classes over time, no doubt with “Heartsblood” I am fueled with even more perspectives and greater depth of knowledge in explaining “why we hunt?”. Again the three type of hunters, my hope is that the number of growing hunters is leaning toward the Nature / Spiritual hunter. I think this is what I was searching for in my earlier post query on “What is the thing you like most about bowhunting?”. I believe “Heartsblood” explains those answers very well.

                      Interestingly, side note.. I had a father and son take one of our Hunter Safety courses earlier this fall, and as I always ask, as a matter of discussion regarding ethics and behaviour, “Should a hunter expect a 100% gaurantee on a guided hunt? This father was adamant – oh yes, If I am paying thousands of dollars for an animal, I expect to come home with an animal”. I slightly tried reasoning with him, but a classroom with me as the instructor is no platform for debate, my conscience wanted me to throw him out of the class, but all I could do was think how sad. Maybe he’ll remember something I said an mature into a better hunter.

                      Great work by Dave Petersen. Highly recommend reading this one. Especially if you are involved in Hunter Education.

                    • Patrick
                      Member
                        Post count: 1148

                        SteveMcD wrote: Great work by Dave Petersen. Highly recommend reading this one. Especially if you are involved in Hunter Education.

                        Hopefully, we all recognize that all of us are involved in hunter education one way or another. Just may not be in a structured classroom setting.

                      • SteveMcD
                        Member
                          Post count: 870

                          Agree with you there, Patrick. A great read for All Hunters and Non-Hunters alike.

                        • Bloodless
                            Post count: 103

                            Well guys I am just a bumpkin and not great with words either reading nor writing so these kinds of “serius” books is probly over my head. But I still have a heart and (I hope) a soul, and one reason I’m proud to be a trad bowhunter is because I believe that our little corner of hunting and hunters has the highest percentage of folks who think about the things your talking about here — self-respect and personal growth and as Elkheart might say, a mature life philosophy built around hunting right. Thanks for your thotful thoughts. BB

                          • bates777
                              Post count: 34

                              To me hunting is about just that hunting for ones soul, wisdom, knowledge, stringth. You can only get to know someone if you spend alot of time with them that is what I am doing on a hunt getting know myself what my ethics are when no one is watching will I take that shot will I use my wisdom and knowledge to do the right thing or will I do what I think I can get away with.:?

                          Viewing 11 reply threads
                          • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.