Lately, especially in the light of recent ivory import ban,what is more important in hunting?
Is it the process with or without goal of killing desirable animal or just go and kill, take pictures and be satisfied?
We could almost do it just with rubber bullets or pellets guns if it is just the process after we took pics of the animal alive.
Ultimately hunting evolved as a mean to an end of the activity, which was killing desired animal either for meat/supplies or just trophy.

Anyway, good topic for inquisite minds ...

How long is a piece of string? (I want it all...)

Personally I think at this time in my life I could be quite satisfied with not bringing home the trophy. Having said that though I think the animal needs to die in order for the process to be complete. A hunt where you do not kill your intended trophy can be a great experience if a hunter lets it but to me the hunt is not complete until the target is killed.

Mark

Depends on the hunt that I am undertaking. I hunt for more than one reason.

On a meat hunt, well, I am pretty much out to fill the freezer and that is the primary goal. Enjoyment is somewhat secondary, though I enjoy any hunting endeavor. I have a job to do for my family.

There are hunts where my primary goal is a specific animal, or class of animal (old grizzled whitetail buck for example). In that case, I stacked the odds against myself, and have no expectation of success. Although, I will of course pull the trigger. In this case, experience trumps simply killing my quarry.

Then again, there is collecting a type of game, like all of the turkey subspecies. Again, no animal, means no success. At least to me.

All very subjective and ever changing with the individual hunter, and chosen hunt.

Some hunting is all about adventure, while some is all about filling the freezer of fulfilling a goal.

Jeremy

As far as the "process" of hunting goes, I look at travel as part of the "process" and sometimes enjoy it as much as the hunt.

Whether it be landing on a sandbar in Alaska or BC, or the horseback ride up the mountain, or walking through an African airport, or driving past a remote village with its strange sights, smells and sounds.

Probably not what you meant in your OP, but for me, the process of getting to the hunt has a meaning all its own.

Cheers.

For me it's both a process and a goal.

Am enjoying the well thought out comments and lack of "troll's" comments. Thank you guys.

I just thought what is out there
I. Think this is extremely important how we all conduct hunting in general and how it is perceived
For me the goal precedes the whole process, because without the goal, process will not happen

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
For me it's both a process and a goal.

Me too.
I like the planning and then seeing how the trip pans out. I am gravitating to the more unusual hunts now and enjoying it more.

Awhile back I posted that I had lost my interest or mojo in hunting and needed a boost to get my head around it again.

Well, I went on a couple of just "fun" hunts for aoudad and white tails and had a blast not really working too hard at the hunt but just enjoying the " flow" of the hunt. It did the trick, so I am now back on track to hunt sheep a couple of times, an elk hunt and a couple of deer hunts this fall.

Anyway, I decided to not work so hard at it and let it flow so to speak.

Need to do a beat boat hunt in the next couple of years ...

Isn't the whole point of hunting is to kill the animal?


Having the animal mounted and displayed at home just adds to that experience.

But, with today's technology, one might get by with just photos and videos of the safari.

I enjoy the whole aspect of the safari - from the preparation to the participation.

But, if I leave camp and follow a lion, elephant or buffalo for hours and come back empty handed, that days has not been successful - despite t5he fact it might have been very enjoyable as an experience in the bush.

I seriously don't understand the question. Or perhaps, I don't see that it makes a difference.

Yes, the death of an animal is the culmination of a successful hunt. I've always thought the main purpose was just to be there. As I grow older, being there has become more important than filling the tag.

My next trip is to a place I dearly love; that I didn't have the time to fully explore due to killing and setting baits, etc. This time, the wish list is short and the exploration will be long. The latter is much more important to me.

To me it makes difference, otherwise might as well become observer and not a hunter