How do you celebrate a successful hunt?

[OntarioHunter]

I post on this thread reluctantly as I am an old woman, so what the hell do I know, but a couple of fellows ask me if we celebrated AND my opinion of a post made by another member

My first thought is--the problem with a pissing duel, is nobody leaves with dry boots

The short answer is yes, we always celebrated in one way or another, at some point after the animal was down. As Randy and others know a Coues hunt can be very challenging, and we celebrated when we were successful. Cougar hunting with dogs is like running a marathon, it is exhausting and so again if successful, we celebrated.

sheep hunts, start with saving for the hunt, planning the hunt, traveling to an area you are unfamiliar with, maybe flying commercial and then a float plane. Then horseback, then hike and then "the shot" so if our shot was successful, yes we celebrated.

Africa has been mentioned. And again, saving for the hunt, traveling to Africa, the hunt, the danger ( real and/or imagined ) and when successful, yes we celebrated and not just at the moment, but many times at a village or with the trackers and their families, as the locals dont just use and enjoy the meat, but the hooves, bones, skin, blood, organs and some of their celebrations are very enjoyable to be a part of and almost as dangerous as the hunt---you want me to eat--what ???

When in the Arctic, the Inuits celebrate as mentioned by Panda Bear and BuzzH and their celebrations are also interesting.

IMHO. I think Ontariohunter hit a nerve with his below statements, more than whether or not he celebrates after a hunt.


However, to each their own, far be it for me to dictate to others, ---except-- on the music thread !!!!!

I don't think I was dictating to others. It's just the way it is with me. Guess because I'm different (and damn proud of it), everyone naturally assumes I'm belittling anyone who doesn't follow the same path. Wrong.

Because I generally have always hunted alone, the after shot socializing culture has never been part of the hunting scene for me. Yes, it's part of the stereotypical African safari culture for sure, but not that important to me. I show up for campfire but don't usually drink much if anything. Fortunately (VERY fortunate), there were no smokers among hunters or PH staff. I'm usually tired and ready to hit the hay at the end of the day. Maybe someone has a story to tell ... if I can stay awake long enough to hear it.

When my brother and I hunt together it's different. We went all through public school in the same grade so we have lots to catch up on re the family and community in Montana. Thinking back now I don't remember us actually being together when harvesting a big game animal ... except my first buck in 1969. Must be at least a hundred animals between us. Even when hunting out of the same camp we have always been separated. That's something that just occurred to me. Interesting. So I guess there's never been much of an opportunity to develop the typical celebratory post harvest culture. Just me and the dead animal. Is what it is.

 

[Hammsolo]

You make assumptions based on stereotypes. If you follow my posts, you would know I don't fit into stereotypes. I hate them. Let's see ... I live in a simple one bedroom home built in 1929. Less than 800 sq ft plus finished basement. The one 10'x10' former bedroom on the main floor is now my daughter's (our?) taxidermy business showroom. It has two shoulder mounts (whitetail and pronghorn) and two full body mounts (cougar and fox), none of which were shot by me. Several cap mounts and euros are mine, including two 350s elk, a couple of muleys and one whitetail (+ my dad's from 1955). Kudu and gemsbuck euros are hanging in a corner of the trophy room. Springbuck, impala, wildebeest, blesbuck, and warthog euros are in the approx 13'×13' living room (also the two whitetail caps and one rainbow trout). Buffalo euro is in kitchen entrance. Three cap mount moose racks are stored in the garage. In the basement office/rec room there's a spectacular recently restored whitetail deadhead (an interesting and challenging project), wildebeest hide on the wall (something my daughter wanted and then decided she didn't want), and a couple of client fish projects waiting to be picked up. And there's this almost finished pedestal muley, the only fur and glass eye mount trophy in the house that was taken by me. Nothing special but my daughter wanted to have a pedestal mount to practice on before doing them for clients. Good thing. We learned a lot. Now where do I put the damn thing?View attachment 185934

So, does it sound like I do a lot of entertaining and showing off trophies in this little house? No. Though I have lived here since 1989, this town never really was "home" for me. My career kept me either away in school or travelling most of the time. Most of our limited social life revolved around the university where my wife worked and when she died so did socializing. Really, the only ones who come to the house now are my daughter and grandkids and the odd client. My trophies are personal mementos. They are respectful memorials to the animals and the memories of special times and places. Something with more dimension to it than simple photos. That's all.

This is a very interesting response. Honestly, I don’t find anything wrong with you celebrating your and others’ experiences, and the animals for that matter through mounts. It’s your tone, and what appears to be judgement of others. I made no assumptions, and had no stereotype chosen. I made inferences based upon the data (your statements and the images) given. Hopefully, you can find it in your heart to open your mind to others experiences. The “simple photos” of my brother and I with our bucks miles deep, and then back at camp with our Rainiers are priceless. Oh, and the European mounts hang next to each other in my garagemahal as mementos.

 

[Hammsolo]

I hope to answer this question once I kill my first animal. I think this is going to be my year.

I anticipate a lot of jumping around with high kicking like a ninja but not so quietly - more like a ninja empowered with the berserker rage of a viking. Its gunna be pretty cool.

You should love every moment. It’s a blessing. I shook, then cried, and then cheered my first time.

 

[Hammsolo]

I post on this thread reluctantly as I am an old woman, so what the hell do I know, but a couple of fellows ask me if we celebrated AND my opinion of a post made by another member

My first thought is--the problem with a pissing duel, is nobody leaves with dry boots

The short answer is yes, we always celebrated in one way or another, at some point after the animal was down. As Randy and others know a Coues hunt can be very challenging, and we celebrated when we were successful. Cougar hunting with dogs is like running a marathon, it is exhausting and so again if successful, we celebrated.

sheep hunts, start with saving for the hunt, planning the hunt, traveling to an area you are unfamiliar with, maybe flying commercial and then a float plane. Then horseback, then hike and then "the shot" so if our shot was successful, yes we celebrated.

Africa has been mentioned. And again, saving for the hunt, traveling to Africa, the hunt, the danger ( real and/or imagined ) and when successful, yes we celebrated and not just at the moment, but many times at a village or with the trackers and their families, as the locals dont just use and enjoy the meat, but the hooves, bones, skin, blood, organs and some of their celebrations are very enjoyable to be a part of and almost as dangerous as the hunt---you want me to eat--what ???

When in the Arctic, the Inuits celebrate as mentioned by Panda Bear and BuzzH and their celebrations are also interesting.

IMHO. I think Ontariohunter hit a nerve with his below statements, more than whether or not he celebrates after a hunt.


However, to each their own, far be it for me to dictate to others, ---except-- on the music thread !!!!!

That last piece is what hit people. You never get gold stars for implying that others are stupid.

 

[Europe]

I don't think I was dictating to others. It's just the way it is with me. Guess because I'm different (and damn proud of it), everyone naturally assumes I'm belittling anyone who doesn't follow the same path. Wrong.

Because I generally have always hunted alone, the after shot socializing culture has never been part of the hunting scene for me. Yes, it's part of the stereotypical African safari culture for sure, but not that important to me. I show up for campfire but don't usually drink much if anything. Fortunately (VERY fortunate), there were no smokers among hunters or PH staff. I'm usually tired and ready to hit the hay at the end of the day. Maybe someone has a story to tell ... if I can stay awake long enough to hear it.

When my brother and I hunt together it's different. We went all through public school in the same grade so we have lots to catch up on re the family and community in Montana. Thinking back now I don't remember us actually being together when harvesting a big game animal ... except my first buck in 1969. Must be at least a hundred animals between us. Even when hunting out of the same camp we have always been separated. That's something that just occurred to me. Interesting. So I guess there's never been much of an opportunity to develop the typical celebratory post harvest culture. Just me and the dead animal. Is what it is.

With all due respect I am sorry to hear that ( you were always alone ) but it does help understand your mind set.

My earliest memories of hunting were with my father and grandfather and their "attagirl" congratulations. I was raised close to and hunted with Navajo children and they celebrated after each hunt. Then with my husband, our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

I actually remember some of the trips and celebrations as much or more than the hunts. The smiles, camp sites, hunts, rivers, mountains, plains, family, beverages, cigars, traditions of people from other countries and cultures. Those memories will forever be lovingly pressed between the pages of my mind and in my heart.

As to dictating. I am not a word critic, english teacher, or perfect grammar junkie, but please sir. Please reread your first post on this thread and if you truly feel that way, I wonder why you hunt at all. Maybe take a trip to the mountains and watch the animals, take pictures of them, enjoy them in your way, but dont shoot them. And, IMHO, calling others stupid is not usually a good way to get people to belly up to the bar with you.

I will log off now and let you have the last word sir.

 

[Otto Matic]

You make assumptions based on stereotypes. If you follow my posts, you would know I don't fit into stereotypes. I hate them. Let's see ... I live in a simple one bedroom home built in 1929. Less than 800 sq ft plus finished basement. The one 10'x10' former bedroom on the main floor is now my daughter's (our?) taxidermy business showroom. It has two shoulder mounts (whitetail and pronghorn) and two full body mounts (cougar and fox), none of which were shot by me. Several cap mounts and euros are mine, including two 350s elk, a couple of muleys and one whitetail (+ my dad's from 1955). Kudu and gemsbuck euros are hanging in a corner of the trophy room. Springbuck, impala, wildebeest, blesbuck, and warthog euros are in the approx 13'×13' living room (also the two whitetail caps and one rainbow trout). Buffalo euro is in kitchen entrance. Three cap mount moose racks are stored in the garage. In the basement office/rec room there's a spectacular recently restored whitetail deadhead (an interesting and challenging project), wildebeest hide on the wall (something my daughter wanted and then decided she didn't want), and a couple of client fish projects waiting to be picked up. And there's this almost finished pedestal muley, the only fur and glass eye mount trophy in the house that was taken by me. Nothing special but my daughter wanted to have a pedestal mount to practice on before doing them for clients. Good thing. We learned a lot. Now where do I put the damn thing?View attachment 185934

So, does it sound like I do a lot of entertaining and showing off trophies in this little house? No. Though I have lived here since 1989, this town never really was "home" for me. My career kept me either away in school or travelling most of the time. Most of our limited social life revolved around the university where my wife worked and when she died so did socializing. Really, the only ones who come to the house now are my daughter and grandkids and the odd client. My trophies are personal mementos. They are respectful memorials to the animals and the memories of special times and places. Something with more dimension to it than simple photos. That's all.

Okay, you don't celebrate.
But you do seem to be a bit (?) braggadocious.

 

[OntarioHunter]

That last piece is what hit people. You never get gold stars for implying that others are stuid

Don't expect much but a negative reaction from me if you make false inferences from what I write.

Smoking is an expensive waste of money that deprives family members of valuable economic assets. It's inherently dangerous, often unnecessarily depriving same family members of the useful or actual companionship of a loved one. It's addicting, usually rendering its victims helpless to stop or reverse the ill effects. I have only met one smoker in my life who wouldn't admit it's stupid. That includes two university profs who puffed away till they couldn't breathe any longer. Neither of them were stupid. Both were brilliant in fact. But they both acknowledged smoking is stupid and they would say it quite bluntly and frequently, especially to young people. The facts bear it out. It's also dirty, as the pile of butts lying everywhere in front of every place of business confirms. And it stinks. I have lost loved ones to smoking and about to lose another almost thirty years younger than me. If someone wants to light up after hunting, especially a stinking stogie, there won't be any socializing or celebrating with me. Which is fine I'm sure. Is what it is.

 

[OntarioHunter]

With all due respect I am sorry to hear that ( you were always alone ) but it does help understand your mind. ...

And, IMHO, calling others stupid is not usually a good way to get people to belly up to the bar with you.

I will log off now and let you have the last word sir.

I am not sorry I mostly hunt alone. You are obviously into the commercialized socialized culture of hunting. That's fine. I'm more into bonding with the outdoors one on one when I'm hunting. I get enough socializing at church and the gun club. That's what civilization is for. If you follow my posts you know I live in town instead of wrecking the woods with my permanent presence. So I'm not a hermit ... just not a social butterfly in the field.

Again, I never said smokers are stupid. But smoking is stupid for multiple reasons. It's something that is usually (or invariably?) started when young people foolishly succumb to peer pressures. We are vulnerable during that first hormonal shift. Perhaps being a bit of a hermitish outdoorsman from age twelve has not been such a bad thing? Maybe it has added a couple more healthy decades to my life. I know my daughter who lost her mom and brother when she was still a teen is very grateful I never took up smoking.

 

[Hunt&FishCO]

I might “reward” myself with a good hot meal at a local diner in the closest town; great place to run into other hunters and share the experience.

I don’t drink / smoke. As others have said in various ways - I thank the animal, reflect on the experience, focus on the work at hand, getting the meat/cape taken care of, and getting back to home-front responsibilities ASAP.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

When everyone you meet is an a-hole, you are probably the a-hole....

 

[Hunt&FishCO]

I am not sorry I mostly hunt alone. You are obviously into the commercialized socialized culture of hunting. That's fine. I'm more into bonding with the outdoors one on one when I'm hunting. I get enough socializing at church and the gun club. That's what civilization is for. If you follow my posts you know I live in town instead of wrecking the woods with my permanent presence. So I'm not a hermit ... just not a social butterfly in the field.

Again, I never said smokers are stupid. But smoking is stupid for multiple reasons. It's something that is usually (or invariably?) started when young people foolishly succumb to peer pressures. We are vulnerable during that first hormonal shift. Perhaps being a bit of a hermitish outdoorsman has not been such a bad thing? Maybe it has added a couple more healthy decades to my life. I know my daughter who lost her mom and brother when she was still a teen is very grateful I never took up smoking.

Please stop; nobody on the internet cares. Furthermore, this isn’t the audience that cares about your virtue signaling.

 

[TheJason]

When everyone you meet is an a-hole, you are probably the a-hole....

My thoughts exactly.

 

[TOGIE]

Don't expect much but a negative reaction from me if you make false inferences from what I write.

your words are literally the only thing there are to make inferences from. if you dont like the inferences people are making from the crap you're writing you better start writing different words

 

[OntarioHunter]

your words are literally the only thing there are to make inferences from. if you dont like the inferences people are making from the crap you're writing you better start writing different words

And if you don't like getting called out for making false inferences then don't make them. Those who twist my words can expect to get clarified. I would expect no less if I did it to you. Because I march to a different drum doesn't mean I think anyone else is less for following their own path ... or the herd.

 

[Gr8bawana]

When everyone you meet is an a-hole, you are probably the a-hole....

 

[BucksnDucks]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...=&form=VDSHOT&shth=OSH.hkcYNOHVM8JBjaVZnajveA

 

[Hammsolo]

Don't expect much but a negative reaction from me if you make false inferences from what I write.

Smoking is an expensive waste of money that deprives family members of valuable economic assets. It's inherently dangerous, often unnecessarily depriving same family members of the useful or actual companionship of a loved one. It's addicting, usually rendering its victims helpless to stop or reverse the ill effects. I have only met one smoker in my life who wouldn't admit it's stupid. That includes two university profs who puffed away till they couldn't breathe any longer. Neither of them were stupid. Both were brilliant in fact. But they both acknowledged smoking is stupid and they would say it quite bluntly and frequently, especially to young people. The facts bear it out. It's also dirty, as the pile of butts lying everywhere in front of every place of business confirms. And it stinks. I have lost loved ones to smoking and about to lose another almost thirty years younger than me. If someone wants to light up after hunting, especially a stinking stogie, there won't be any socializing or celebrating with me. Which is fine I'm sure. Is what it is.

Ontario, put down the shovel and gavel. Look at people’s responses. I believe your feelings about smoking are valid. How did you misconstrue sharing a cigar once a year for chronic smoking? This discussion isn’t about winning and losing. Do you need to be “right?” I hate McD’s and believe it’s every bit as bad as smoking, but did I pass judgment on the reply? To each their own...

 

[Panda Bear]

You are obviously into the commercialized socialized culture of hunting. I live in town instead of wrecking the woods with my permanent presence.

She said she had fond memories of hunts with her family and also enjoyed learning the traditions and customs of American Indians, Canadian Inuits, and Africa villagers, which I am not sure would be considered "commercialized"

The "woods" are where my family and I live. We never thought we were "wrecking it", nor did my ancestors who proceeded us, who also lived in the "woods"

If you simply prefer to hunt alone, that is fine, not a problem, but others enjoy time in the woods hunting with family and I am not sure that makes them a "social butterfly"

You like being alone in the field, that is fine. You dont like cigars, o.k.. You prefer to live in town, your choice. You have that right and I support your right to do those things and will not call you out for doing so--directly---- or indirectly.

 

[geetar]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?view=detail&mid=1EEB3EBEB3A4FBEC2D561EEB3EBEB3A4FBEC2D56&q=coyote+gets+roadrunner&shtp=GetUrl&shid=d162fdf3-de0c-4392-b66f-20bf2686fe51&shtk=Q295b3RlIGZpbmFsbHkgY2F0Y2hlcyBSb2FkcnVubmVyIQ==&shdk=WWVzc3Nzc3MhIFRoZSBSb2FkcnVubmVyLCBmaW5hbGx5IENBVUdIVCwgS0lMTEVELCBieSB0aGUgQ295b3RlLiBZb3UndmUgQUxXQVlTIHdhbnRlZCB0byBzZWUgVEhJUyE=&shhk=rkYguIrYs2zm5MboDp8XcpTyjJeKpAiN4QV4KlJs69k=&form=VDSHOT&shth=OSH.hkcYNOHVM8JBjaVZnajveA

Is Dirtclod missing a pet?

 

[The Hedgehog]