Thread: Taking the Hunt out of Hunting.

Yep I aspire to be Tasman but in my late 50's it probably won't happen.

All good points, comments and opinions.
Once again there is no right or wrong, just different.

I agree hunting videos do struggle to portray the feeling and essence of the hunting experience with the caveat some do it alot better
Obviously some channel creators have become salesman for their various sponsors etc so have to be seen to be using and pushing their sponsored products.
Those channels have in my opinion stepped further away from the hunt and more towards an outdoor infomercial.
Remember this is only my opinion and 1 subscriber leaving is probably replaced 10 fold by people attracted to the bling and perceived improved success.

Yes Ive been subscribed to Tasman's and Arvid's channel for a few years now.
Hes got a few new sponsors coming on board now, so hopefully with the need to apprease them he doesn't lose what currently makes him entertaining.
That man is a machine and very creative. Hats off to him and his can do explorer mentality.

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

As a recent first timer, I'm hoping that won't be my experience! It took me 18 months for the first, and I didn't even spook a deer for a year after my first trip.

But I love bush hunting. Just getting out there and trying is worth it for me.

Good on you for getting out and having a crack.
Just like most things in life there's a learning curve before we become proficient.
Can be very frustrating getting so close so often or spending days on end seemingly doing everything wrong.
Good luck with your journey.

Yeah, it's all about the experience for me. When winter bush hunting for hours on end, I sometimes catch myself dreaming about glassing across my favourite mountain gully in summer. When glassing across my gully in summer, I catch myself pondering what deer might be lurking around in the surrounding bush. Learning to long range hunt, glass, backpack, camp, train and work with an indicating dog, bush hunt, meat prep, nerd out on gear, oh so good.

Here's my list of YT favourites:
Adam Schmidt (the bush hunting machine), Gone Bush (Bush hunting), Back Ridge Butcher (tops/bush/awesomeness), Deer Tracker (bush hunting), Keeping It Wild (does he ever not smile), NZ Wild Adventures (sooo goood), Nik Maxwelll (great area commentaries), The Grundins (Kane is a legend spearo trapped in a hunter's body), Sika Boom (sika hunting), Stagslayer300 (just getting out there in the Kawekas/Ruahines), Bolar Triangle (bow hunting disease), Bush Escape (enthusiasm), Controlled Recoil (long range hunting), Scott Giltrap (all the above). A couple of Aussie favourites: Aussie Bush Harvest (just shear enthusiasm for life), Liquid Antler (Kiwi based in Aussie, Spearo/Hunter)

Originally Posted by whanahuia

I kind off agree. Though I mostly enjoy the vids produced by guys like Tasman who really show much more of the small detail of the adventure of it all.

Philosophical time- Maybe we can call it harvesting- the metaphor has been around for along time- Otherwise what is " The Grim Reaper'?

I object to it personally because its an attempt to take the killing out of hunting, which means its no longer hunting. I think using the word "harvest" both makes hunting itself sound banal, and it also demeans the death of the animal. It's also an Americanism, and I am wary of adopting American cultural tics.

(The Grim Reaper is a quite different metaphor, also associated with harvests - death in great swathes. (swathes - sythe) And implies regular seasonal carrying off of the population - like a harvest. From memory mostly associated with the plague. But nothing to do with hunting at all.)

Here is an article about it from Outdoor Life: (It puts both sides of the debate over substituting harvest for either kill or hunting, just for further reading. But it does illustrate how purely American it is.)
https://www.outdoorlife.com/opinion/...-kill-hunting/

Interesting discussion I have always used "take" whether it be a deer,duck or fish. Most often people knowing I have been out say did you shoot or get anything never did you kill anything.

I find it really weird on these American youtube channels when they say "Kill" (which is exactly what they / we are doing)
eg: "Thats a sweet bull.....I'm gonna hike over there and kill it"

Just sounds weird to me?!

I feel very similar, woodsmans hunting and fishing on youtube might be your cup of tea. Hunts with a beaten up old gun, close quarters after sika without a flash camera or any flash stuff of any kind really. Its awesome.

I love the idea behind this, but I don't think youtube hunters should be a good representative for all hunters when it comes to this.

I also think just because someone starts off in an easier way using the technology or some other means doesn't mean that's the way they'll keep doing it. I started off hunting by going on a few paid for farm hunts with mates and then caught the bug. When those hunts started feeling too easy I slowly started dipping my toes in to more challenging hunts and trying my hand on public land which was significantly harder and took me a lot longer to be successful in, but I loved the fact that it was more of a challenge and when my style of public land hunting gets easier I'm sure I'll try and find ways to make it more of a challenge (i.e. would love to get to the point of bush hunting a deer with some iron sights or even a bow if I can dedicate enough time to it).

A lot of new hunters don't necessarily have the benefit of previous generations that were into hunting, so we've got to rely on other methods such as books, videos, google maps, forums etc. to up skill ourselves and get maximum bang for buck. There is a lot knowledge and tech out there, but actually finding what works where is also a challenge in itself - a classic all of the gear, yet no idea scenario.

Speaking for myself, I love the challenge of the hunt and technology helps a newbie get a foot in the door, but I certainly think as my experience grow so do the types of hunts I like and that's when I start stripping away more and more of the technology.

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

I object to it personally because its an attempt to take the killing out of hunting, which means its no longer hunting. I think using the word "harvest" both makes hunting itself sound banal, and it also demeans the death of the animal. It's also an Americanism, and I am wary of adopting American cultural tics.

(The Grim Reaper is a quite different metaphor, also associated with harvests - death in great swathes. (swathes - sythe) And implies regular seasonal carrying off of the population - like a harvest. From memory mostly associated with the plague. But nothing to do with hunting at all.)

Here is an article about it from Outdoor Life: (It puts both sides of the debate over substituting harvest for either kill or hunting, just for further reading. But it does illustrate how purely American it is.)
https://www.outdoorlife.com/opinion/...-kill-hunting/

You mean to say you've never schlocked a few animals in your time? I can just see you fist pumping and going Booya after a mean harvest!

I think in all seriousness, we all use a euphemism or two in our hunt descriptions. Lets face it, Killing something is and should be hard and harsh and unnerving in a positive manor.

I myself will unconsciously avoid the word kill. It dropped on the spot, collapsed dead, slumped, tumbled etc. Though Ill happily kill possums.

Like you I used to have concerns about the word harvest. Ive grown used too it so that it no longer concerns me as much.

I dont get into any of the arguments about ethics - I am absolutely a meat hunter - I pay for gas ( biggest expense ) and my mate and I go out to get meat early morning -evening - spotlight thermal what ever - we go out to get animals and meat - I wont change - yes we enjoy our hunting - much of it careful stalking -stuff the semantics around what deer etc the only criteria I apply is if I see a big bugger in velvet on the property's I hunt yes he is safe but the rest dead on the side by side heading for the freezer

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I dont get into any of the arguments about ethics - I am absolutely a meat hunter - I pay for gas ( biggest expense ) and my mate and I go out to get meat early morning -evening - spotlight thermal what ever - we go out to get animals and meat - I wont change - yes we enjoy our hunting - much of it careful stalking -stuff the semantics around what deer etc the only criteria I apply is if I see a big bugger in velvet on the property's I hunt yes he is safe but the rest dead on the side by side heading for the freezer

Exactly. Context is everything. Do whatever.
What I am and need to be now is not necessarily what I was and would love to be able to do again. But I cant.
So long as I can draw breath I will keep adapting and adopting to do what I love.
Some people really do need to get over their judgements. It's not about putting the hunt back into hunting for me, it's about keeping the hunting in the hunter.

And sorry chaps, I dont harvest. I kill stuff.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Exactly. Context is everything. Do whatever.
What I am and need to be now is not necessarily what I was and would love to be able to do again. But I cant.
So long as I can draw breath I will keep adapting and adopting to do what I love.
Some people really do need to get over their judgements. It's not about putting the hunt back into hunting for me, it's about keeping the hunting in the hunter.

And sorry chaps, I dont harvest. I kill stuff.

exactly Thar one is a long time dead - forget the bullshit and get out there I wish over summer I could do more but work tractor driving - winter is hard hunting but just to get out there - thats everything on the hill with the 308

Originally Posted by Snoppernator

Yeah, it's all about the experience for me. When winter bush hunting for hours on end, I sometimes catch myself dreaming about glassing across my favourite mountain gully in summer. When glassing across my gully in summer, I catch myself pondering what deer might be lurking around in the surrounding bush. Learning to long range hunt, glass, backpack, camp, train and work with an indicating dog, bush hunt, meat prep, nerd out on gear, oh so good.

Here's my list of YT favourites:
Adam Schmidt (the bush hunting machine), Gone Bush (Bush hunting), Back Ridge Butcher (tops/bush/awesomeness), Deer Tracker (bush hunting), Keeping It Wild (does he ever not smile), NZ Wild Adventures (sooo goood), Nik Maxwelll (great area commentaries), The Grundins (Kane is a legend spearo trapped in a hunter's body), Sika Boom (sika hunting), Stagslayer300 (just getting out there in the Kawekas/Ruahines), Bolar Triangle (bow hunting disease), Bush Escape (enthusiasm), Controlled Recoil (long range hunting), Scott Giltrap (all the above). A couple of Aussie favourites: Aussie Bush Harvest (just shear enthusiasm for life), Liquid Antler (Kiwi based in Aussie, Spearo/Hunter)

Ha pretty much sums up my feelings exactly apart from the wanting to learn and then shoot long range.
That's another discipline and set of equipment i don't want to get involved with personally.
I'll leave long range to those with more patience, skill and dedication than I have.
Yes subscribe to all those channels you've mentioned, well did, as 2 of them I unsubscribed to as mentioned above in my first post.

Originally Posted by hebe

I feel very similar, woodsmans hunting and fishing on youtube might be your cup of tea. Hunts with a beaten up old gun, close quarters after sika without a flash camera or any flash stuff of any kind really. Its awesome.

Yes been a long time subscriber of his.
Seen his vehicle parked up a few times while Ive been in the similar area hunting, although never crossed paths with him personally.