g squared 23
Well-Known Member
I've been hunting for ~18 years (I'm 31), and deer hunting has become the most important recreational activity of my life, second only to family and career. Early in my hunting career, I have to admit I was a bit envious any time another hunter in camp brought in a nice buck. Rarely did I actually feel happy for the other hunter, and relished only in the moments of my own success. Even fairly close relatives (uncles, cousins) scoring would only make me green, and I would have to force my insincere congratulations. I wanted to kill deer and have people feel happy for ME, but did a poor job of reciprocating. Of note, I was always hunting on a relative's farm or a guest at a relative's deer club.
So my first question is: Is that "normal" behavior? Am I the only selfish, insincere hunter out there?
Fast forward to today: 2 years ago, my brother and I bought a small property to deer hunt. We run trail cams and create a soft hit list of deer that we're after. I happened to score last year (and was of course very happy for myself), but my brother didn't. So far, I've enjoyed a better hunting experience on our place than he has.
Looking at trail cam pictures so far, there is one deer who stands out at the top of the hit list. I really, really would like one of us to kill that buck. Which is really a change. It doesn't have to be me actually, and theoretically, I feel like I would be just as happy if my brother killed that buck as if I did.
So what's the difference? Have I matured? Entered another stage of my hunting career? Is it because it's MY property that the deer would be killed on would make the success just as sweet and feel like my own? Was I just a selfish turd before who has transformed into someone resembling a normal person?
So my first question is: Is that "normal" behavior? Am I the only selfish, insincere hunter out there?
Fast forward to today: 2 years ago, my brother and I bought a small property to deer hunt. We run trail cams and create a soft hit list of deer that we're after. I happened to score last year (and was of course very happy for myself), but my brother didn't. So far, I've enjoyed a better hunting experience on our place than he has.
Looking at trail cam pictures so far, there is one deer who stands out at the top of the hit list. I really, really would like one of us to kill that buck. Which is really a change. It doesn't have to be me actually, and theoretically, I feel like I would be just as happy if my brother killed that buck as if I did.
So what's the difference? Have I matured? Entered another stage of my hunting career? Is it because it's MY property that the deer would be killed on would make the success just as sweet and feel like my own? Was I just a selfish turd before who has transformed into someone resembling a normal person?