ignorant question
why do people enjoy hunting so much?
asking as somebody that's never gone hunting before
Discussion
Skill to eat. Reward.
hmm, but those folks wouldn't go hungry on a bad day tho
Legal murder
It’s the skill we developed that helped us develop the brains we have today
elaborate 🤔
We were chimps that *could* eat meat but in practice didn’t
Then the forests receded and left us with few leaves to eat
We started scavenging, probably mostly brains from things other animals killed
Eventually learn to hunt, unlike any animal ever, not with our teeth and claws but projectiles
Also learn to use fire
Then learn to summon fire at will
The rest is, literally, history
The most passionate find connection to the land and the cycle of life. The grunts just like to shoot shit. Then there's all the reasons in between.
The longer you hunt; you will probably find that your attitude and behavior will evolve. There are six distinct stages of hunter development. You may not pass through each of these stages and you may not progress through them in this exact order.
Shooting Stage
The impulse here is to get off a shot quickly, usually at the first animal that appears. This eagerness can lead to bad decisions:
the wrong animal being chosen,
a poor shot being taken that wounds the animal or
even a shot that endangers others.
Target practice, good mentoring and more experience will lead most hunters out of this stage quickly.
Limiting Out Stage
This hunter wants to always bag the limit. This may cause a hunter to take unsafe shots or misidentify targets in the zeal to limit out. More experience and hunting with mature hunters will lead hunters out of this stage.
Trophy Stage
Success is judged by quality, not quantity. The hunter is very selective and will pass on many opportunities that do not match the desired trophy characteristics. Many trophy hunters focus on big game. The hunter’s patience and commitment must be highly evolved.
Method Stage
Here, the process and challenge of hunting becomes the primary focus of the hunter. A more challenging method, such as using a bow, muzzleloader, or handgun may be chosen. The hunter may choose to stalk or still hunt, rather than sit in a stand next to a feeder.
Sportsman Stage
The total experience of the hunt is what is important to the sportsman:
What animal is being hunted,
How it is being hunted,
The immersion into nature and the companionship of who you are hunting with,
all combine into creating a more sophisticated appreciation of the hunt.
Give-Back” Stage
At this point the hunter is motivated by the desire to pass on the proper hunting values, safety skills and responsible attitudes to others. They want to preserve our hunting heritage by introducing new hunters to the sport in the most rewarding manner. The hunter may choose to join a conservation organization that improves habitat through wildlife management and promotes hunting.
Being outside. Continuing the traditional ways of your ancestors. Knowing where your food comes from
A good publication that reflects a lot of the heart of hunting: https://modernhuntsman.com/
There are going to be alot of different answers to this. A few things I enjoy.
The total experience surrounding shooting. The calm before the firing is almost meditative.
The feeling of your primordial instincts. The parts of us we dont acknowledge in modern times but are still there.
There is the meal that follows and the comradery.
There is in some cases like bird hunting where it can be fast and exciting like a irl video game.
With this is the sense of adventure where there is no telling whats coming. No advanced technology to help. Just how good are you on your own.
These are just a few of mine but Im sure there are many others
Knowing where your meat comes from is a big thing. Also it’s the most humane life and death for an animal that’s going to be processed for its meat.
I genuinely enjoy getting deep into the woods away from any signs of people and being in beautiful natural settings.
I also get very excited to make a kill on something delicious that I can't obtain otherwise at the grocery.
Its deeply satisfying bc it requires both trained skill and random good luck to be successful at.
The excitement is the same feeling like when you feel a fish bite the hook. It tingles something in the lizard brain
Fresh meat lol
Independence and clean meat
I think it is more the fresh and natural meat together with the spirit of the hunter
there's something almost magical about providing for yourself and your family
it taps into that unknown part of the brain that reminds us of a happy and satisfactory experience
try it for yourself at least once!
it’s the self-sufficiency. you can stock a freezer full of venison for the winter. inflation has no impact on the cost.
Adrenaline rush.