Traditional ML Hunting Mindset?

[pab1]

Over the years I've come across people who hunt with traditional muzzleloaders but are rarely successful. They often dismiss or ridicule other successful hunters using the same type of weapons. They often say something like "I get into the spirit of traditional muzzleloading" or "I immerse myself in the experience" to explain their lack of success. It also implies that somehow the successful hunter cheated.

I've never understood that mindset. If they were honest with themselves about "getting into the spirit" or "immersing themselves" they would realize that if they weren't successful, they wouldn't eat. If they're truly trying to emulate a longhunter or mountain man they need to realize that you can't stop at the store on the way home and grab a steak.

Maybe start the season with a little jerky, some flour and coffee beans. No other food can be consumed. If you're not successful before its gone you go hungry. What kind of motivation would that provide to become a better hunter? That would truly be getting into the spirit of the hunt!

Don't get me wrong. I've often had unsuccessful hunts and have enjoyed many seasons when I finished with only tag soup. I just can't understand the mindset of not being happy for the success of other hunters even when I'm unsuccessful. They also chose to accept the challenge of hunting with traditional muzzleloaders. Just because we don't do things exactly the same doesn't diminish their success.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just trying to understand that mentality. Has anyone else come across people like this? :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

If it's there, I started ignoring it a little over 50 years ago when I took up bare bow archery hunting. Did that until my hands kind of gave out 15 years ago or so. Somewhere about 40 years ago I also took up hunting with open-sighted revolvers. Did that til about 10 years ago when my eyes were finally misbehaving too much. About that same 40 years ago I pretty much gave up my modern shotguns in favor of a muzzleloading double.

I came to traditional muzzleloading rifles through the back door. Didn't take them up until about 15 years ago as I was dropping archery, and then revolvers.

For me it's all about the animals and my respect for them, getting up close and doing it on their terms.

Can't say I have the least regard for what other hunters think. As for their opinions of me, I know of a nice pile of sand for them to pound.

 

[Vaino]

I have hunted since I was 8 yrs old {1940} and haven't met anyone w/ the "mindset" you're talking about. Why? Because I don't think about or try to guess what the mindset of other hunters might be and really don't care what mindset they do have, if any. In other words....I mind my own business.

Buddies who I hunt w/ are like me....they hunt and don't think at all about various mindsets....afterall, we're not psychologists....just hunters.

Whatever the mindset of other hunters is, certainly is of no concern to me....or the guys I hunt w/.

What puzzles me....how and why do you get into conversations about what other hunters think?.....Fred

 

[coloradoclyde]

Has anyone else come across people like this? :hmm:

Nope!....Maybe it's a local thing.... :idunno:

 

[pab1]

Why? Because I don't think about or try to guess what the mindset of other hunters might be and really don't care what mindset they do have, if any. In other words....I mind my own business.

....afterall, we're not psychologists....just hunters.

What puzzles me....how and why do you get into conversations about what other hunters think?.....Fred

So you've never engaged in a conversation with another person and not understood their point of view? If you have, you never wondered why they might have that mindset? You've never tried to understand why someone might have a different opinion about something?

Not everyone focus' solely on hunting and considers anything outside of that to be the realm of psychologists. Having conversations and discussing different views is a normal part of human existence. I'm sure everyone in your circle doesn't agree on everything and discuss issues occasionally. Its not a matter of "minding your own business" when having a discussion and it comes up in conversation. If you didn't have an opinion or always minded your own business you wouldn't have posted.

I'm just trying to understand why someone would act or feel that way. I've encountered this in conversations with other hunters that can't be happy for the success of another hunter and has nothing positive to say about their success.

Nope!....Maybe it's a local thing.... :idunno:

I'm sure that's it.
:shake:

 

[BrownBear]

...other hunters that can't be happy for the success of another hunter and has nothing positive to say about their success.

Sounds like childish jealousy to me. I have zero time for them and no regard for anything they have to say. They and their sentiments are not welcome in my hunting circles.

It's easy to guess that's why Flehto doesn't encounter them any more than I do. There's that pile of sand for them to pound. Gives them something to do, because they certainly won't be hunting with me or anyone I know.

 

[pab1]

...other hunters that can't be happy for the success of another hunter and has nothing positive to say about their success.

Sounds like childish jealousy to me. I have zero time for them and no regard for anything they have to say. They and their sentiments are not welcome in my hunting circles.

It's easy to guess that's why Flehto doesn't encounter them any more than I do. There's that pile of sand for them to pound. Gives them something to do, because they certainly won't be hunting with me or anyone I know.

Good point. Sometimes I analyze things too much. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Sometimes I analyze things too much.

Nah. A sure sign you're thinking.

And that's a very good thing. :hatsoff:

 

[pab1]

Sometimes I analyze things too much.

Nah. A sure sign you're thinking.

And that's a very good thing. :hatsoff:

I was a corrections officer for a long time. It gets ingrained in you to analyze conversations and peoples actions. Picking up on subtle signs often helped prevent things from "going south". Have to learn to turn it off sometimes! :thumbsup:

 

[wattlebuster]

I dont have to worry about such. As far as I know im the only one in my county that hunts with a flintlock an there aint but a few that hunt with cussion guns an all of them are of the modern cussion type. I get some very weird looks when folks ask what I hunt with an I say flintlock. I work for a city in my county an am friends with all of the police officers an they get a kick out of looking at my flintguns. The first time one of them seen one he said "Why it takes a darn rock to make that thing fire" :idunno:

 

[don hepler]

There is a macho side, to hunting. I mostly seen that when I was younger. At work, we had a rod and gun club, and at the end of the year, prizes and plaques were presented. In that environment, I did see some childish behavior. But, now that I'm older, I can't recall seeing such behavior. I'm the only family member that hunts with a flintlock and I do get some teasing, from time to time, but it's just all in fun. Our family likes all aspects of hunting and fishing and we all respect the others. In addition to flintlock hunting, I'm the only one that fly fishes. I catch some teasing on that too. Like, did you catch any flies today? But, it gets worse when they catch me with a spinning reel.

Shooting and hunting....a time to relax....a time to enjoy...a time to respect life....a time to spend with family, friends or even... alone with nature,... a time to remember the past and those that have gone on. Life is short, but memories live on. Enjoy it.

 

[Vaino]

"Idle minds think of all sorts of weird things to ponder".

Had a busy life....raised and supported 5 kids, stayed married to the same woman for 58 yrs, ran an engineering dept, had a design checking company, built MLers, fished and hunted a lot.... didn't have time to deal in trivialities such as you've mentioned.

Choosing ones friends carefully eliminates future complications in the relationships that follow.

A little fore thought is all that's needed to lead a busy, rewarding but simple life......Fred

 

[Lonegun1894]

With my friends, we tend to usually hunt alone, and are lucky if we get to do a handful of hunts each year together. But with this bunch, if they're not picking on you and giving you grief over something, that's when you need to worry. And we will pick on each other over absolutely anything and everything, but it's all in fun. As to the type that is negative like you're describing and just spreads misery, well, life is just too short to deal with them, so I do my best to avoid them.

 

[pab1]

"Idle minds think of all sorts of weird things to ponder".

Had a busy life....raised and supported 5 kids, stayed married to the same woman for 58 yrs, ran an engineering dept, had a design checking company, built MLers, fished and hunted a lot.... didn't have time to deal in trivialities such as you've mentioned.

Choosing ones friends carefully eliminates future complications in the relationships that follow.

A little fore thought is all that's needed to lead a busy, rewarding but simple life......Fred

Never had an idle thought or analyzed anything once in that entire time. Impressive. Somehow you pick this thread as a first time to analyze and ponder something. Don't try turning it into something its not. Some people are capable of pondering things and still live busy, rewarding lives.

 

[smo]

Shooting and hunting....a time to relax....a time to enjoy...a time to respect life....a time to spend with family, friends or even... alone with nature,... a time to remember the past and those that have gone on. Life is short, but memories live on. Enjoy it.

Well said :hatsoff:

 

[Idaho Ron]

Has anyone else come across people like this? :hmm:

Over the years I have seen this mentality here among some of the members. 99% of the guys here are awesome.
Then there are the ones that try to diminish it by saying my rifles are not "traditional" My load is not "traditional" my sight are not "traditional" and I don't belong here. Like I said 99% or more are awesome, but there are some that try to do exactly what your saying. You are not crazy it happens.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Your tools and methods may not be the most common in use at the time, or now, but they were definitely in use back then by a few. So don't let the 1% frustrate you, I mean, the guys doing paper-patching, "pritchett bullets" (IIRC?) etc, weren't in the majority back then either, but they were experimenters, target shooters, and long range shooters who achieved what the average rifleman of the day, with the average rifle, could NOT accomplish. So as far as I'm concerned, you're just following an old tradition that just happens to be very HC, and also very important in the development of firearms. I say keep up the good work! :hatsoff:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Choosing ones friends carefully eliminates future complications in the relationships that follow.

Words to live by.... :bow:

I once had a friend that shoved me out his way to shoot a nice buck.....in my own stand.....milliseconds before I would have pulled the trigger.
Needless to say, we are no longer friends...and that is but only one reason....

Life is too short. and complaining only makes miserable people content....not happy.

 

[sidelock]

It has happened to me---- BUT------just the opposite of what you speak. A bunch of years ago on opening day of "regular gun" deer season my camp was right next to some others. Around 10 AM I dragged a very nice 4x4 whitetail into camp. Taken with my TC .50 running wide open at 65 yards and a perfect shot. That evening my deer was the only thing hanging on a meat pole. My camping neighbor came over steaming. Why do you hunt with that trash he asked, they should be outlawed. Cause it's a killer as you can see friend--- go get you one, you might do better than you did today

 

[sidelock]

The gun you use has not much to do with your hunting success, your hunting skill does. I have hunted with both modern and BP since 1970, and equally successful with either. I realized many years ago one shot was all I needed and the only guns I have purchased sence have been one BOOM'ers. Did I just create a new word?????????