Kind of OT- Are you a shooter or a hunter?

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:22 pm

I'm curious as to how many people like just shooting over hunting, or vice-versa. Given the choice, would you rather spend the day hunting or at the range?

Personally I like them both about equal. Given the choice, though, I'd probably rather spend the day hunting. Maybe it's because I don't get to hunt as much as I get to shoot. If I could hunt as much as I could shoot, then the choice might be different. Just curious as to what y'all's take is.

lever-4-life · Post by **lever-4-life** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:26 pm

I like a good day of deer hunting or upland hunting over about anything except a good trout stream! But I do love shooting with friends and shooting in contests. Good topic!

deerwhacker444 · Post by **deerwhacker444** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:35 pm

lever-4-life wrote:I like a good day of deer hunting or upland hunting over about anything except a good trout stream! But I do love shooting with friends and shooting in contests. Good topic!

+1

I'll take hunting over shooting, but shooting is still high on my list of fun things to do.

cnjarvis · Post by **cnjarvis** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:36 pm

I'd take a day of hunting over a day of shooting but I thoroughly enjoy both.

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:38 pm

cnjarvis wrote:I'd take a day of hunting over a day of shooting but I thoroughly enjoy both.

Shooter.

Quit hunting in the late 80s, after a little over 20 years of doing so.

Noah

Pete 22 · Post by **Pete 22** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:50 pm

Hate to make a choice....but it's hunting OR fishing, whichever the season allows, sometimes both!

Shooting could not be any closer of a second choice though! Still playng a little softball as well, just not very well

Pete 22

.45 · Post by **.45** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:57 pm

I would take hunting over shooting.

For me, when hunting season is over shooting season starts.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:10 pm

Shooter primarily. Hunter occasionally. Can't stand fishing. I either fidget and scare them all away, or fall asleep and ignore them.

Joe

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:10 pm

Shooter,....I think?

I like to shoot, and I like to hunt (but don't like to kill stuff in general), but when I hunt, it's "with a mission", I use a scoped bolt gun mostly for making meat. Some don't think that's "hunting". Oh well. I guess I get my "experience" of walking around in the woods and mountains, since I'm out in the hills daily with a gun. Roaming the wild and silent places with a rifle isnt one of the choices listed, but it's first on my list.

One of the daily dog (and gun)walking spots.

[img][img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/ ... G_0084.jpg[/img][/img]

Haven't shot a formal range in many years, we just go out in the hills and shoot. If you can see the vehicle in this pic, it's one of the shooting spots also. Between this spot and another a half mile away I've shot about 6 or 8K rounds in the last 3 or 4 years.

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:12 pm

Hunting, fishing, shooting in that order.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:26 pm

Hunting for me. I've been a member of three "Shooting" clubs, I only enjoyed one of them and thats because most of the shooters there were also hunters.

I have nothing against target shooting I enjoy a day at the range but over here we have some dedicated target shooters that would bore the average gun nut to death.

Pete 22 · Post by **Pete 22** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:29 pm

J Miller wrote:Shooter primarily. Hunter occasionally. Can't stand fishing. I either fidget and scare them all away, or fall asleep and ignore them.

Joe

LOL!!! sleeping is the best part of fishing:D In fact I've been known to take a snooze while on stand as well! Safely harnessed in of course!

Pete 22

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:32 pm

Primarily a shooter.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:45 pm

I'll take a day hunting over shooting. That's likely 'cause the days spent hunting are fewer and farther between than days shooting.

Post by **Hobie** » Thu May 08, 2008 4:24 pm

I generally think that if it is recreation and has a gun involved it is a good day. I might be shmoozing, shooting, hunting, reloading, cleaning, or whatever, I just like guns, they interest me.

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Thu May 08, 2008 4:52 pm

Wow! If you would have asked me that just say 5 years or more ago; I would have emphatically said hunting.

But here of late I have been experiencing a real softness when it comes to the kill part of the hunt.

I have noticed I am also spending much more time at the range.

Like packing everything but the kitchen sink and spending more time with the set up, and time between shots.
I have been putting much more emphasis on satisfying accuracy.

Used to be, hurry up get to the range make sure the gun still worked then get in those woods and get to huntin.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Thu May 08, 2008 5:37 pm

hunter

buckeyeshooter · Post by **buckeyeshooter** » Thu May 08, 2008 5:54 pm

I enjoy both, but big game hunting is as good as it gets

tman · Post by **tman** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:00 pm

equal

victor · Post by **victor** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:03 pm

I shoot to hunt and hunt to shoot

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:06 pm

What do ya think?.....

Still enjoy shooting though, 'bout 2k + worth of lead a year down range.

Fishing is a daily break in my daily routine, carry a rod and tackle with me at all times. I'll drop the line wherever I'm at that has water, today I caught a couple of Blue Gills at a mill pound behind a customers establishment during the lunch hour, this afternoon around three I saw some Bass mouth open on lake I was passing. I stopped and tossed a line in and caught a nice Big Mouth Bass. 'Course threw 'em back.

budliteguy · Post by **budliteguy** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:11 pm

I shoot and hunt, they both accomplish the same thing, RELIEVE STRESS

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:53 pm

Hunting first (small game, deer ) fishing then shooting. In my opinion any day outside be it working or playing is a great day.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu May 08, 2008 7:39 pm

Hunting - as in wandering around with a gun and finding things to shoot - even if it's only dirt clods.

"Shooting" (public range time) is only interesting if there is a group or I'm working on a specific load. Ranges are either empty & boring or full and obnoxious. Haven't found much in between.

Besides, Leverguns are made to be carried, not laid on a bench/gun rack.

I might feel different if I could shoot from my back porch, but If I've got to go somewhere to shoot, I'd rather go somewhere to hunt.

95fan · Post by **95fan** » Thu May 08, 2008 7:52 pm

Griff wrote:I'll take a day hunting over shooting. That's likely 'cause the days spent hunting are fewer and farther between than days shooting.

Well said.+1

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:19 pm

What Griff said! +1 Hunting season is way to short and the shooting sports are all year long. Still love to get out in the woods and hunt now and then.

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:23 pm

I much prefer hunting, but for the last 3 years I have been limited to 5-10 days per year hunting. I get to shoot at the local range once per week.

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:26 pm

Hunting provides the ultimate shooting experience. Most of my shootng is informal and opportunistic out at the place. I practically never go to a public range.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:27 pm

A whole lot of both, but probably more of a shooter. I don't more than a couple of days before pulling the trigger on something.-------Sixgun

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:35 pm

Well this is getting repetative, but I shoot a LOT more than I hunt, but I really like to hunt, so if given the choice, I'll take a hunting opportunity over a shooting opportunity every time.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:02 pm

Well, I guess I prefer hunting if I am shooting. I probably enjoy pheasant hunting about as well as any kind of hunting, because I am also shooting. I can enjoy a day of hunting without much action, but as a general rule, I crave a little action.

Fishing is ok as long as the fish are biting, but it if it gets slow, I get tired of it after a while.

And I still enjoy a day of heavy shooting, like shooting clay targets with shotguns, and will often shoot a couple of cases of shells in one afternoon. I used to do the same with rifles and pistols, espacally pistols.

I enjoy sitting on a deer stand for a few hours, but I tend to get bored after a while if I don't see some game eventually.

woods-walker · Post by **woods-walker** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:02 pm

For me, shooting and hunting are so closely related that one is pursued to accomplish the other.

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:09 pm

I lived near Eugene, Oregon for almost 20 years, excellent hunting in lots of beautiful forest lands nearby. But for years I been living in Kansas. Got lots of wheat fields here, not much timber lands. There are deer, but not as much fun to hunt them seems to me. With no pals nearby who like to shoot, I tend to collect more than anything else. Need to shoot more though.

Comal Forge · Post by **Comal Forge** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:25 pm

Both - I was raised in a family that shot target competitively over several generations so I was around target rifles from childhood. Those same kinfolk also spent many hours hunting and I greatly enjoyed those experiences - so I really don't have a preference of one over another...

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:27 pm

I guess I'm about 50/50.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:27 pm

Shooter. My father did not like "killing" things (I guess due to time in the military and as a FBI agent), so he never took me hunting, though we went shooting often. So I didn't grow up with the tradition. I've hunted some as a young adult with friends. Now that my son has expressed interest, it is something we are going to learn and do together, but I imagine I'll always be more of a shooter at heart!!!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:36 pm

Shooter these last 25 years in the city,
now that I am going back to the country; that will probably change to a lot more wingshooting

lever-4-life · Post by **lever-4-life** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:43 pm

I shot about 50 through the single six yesterday, and went and caught and released 12 trout today. Things are pretty good!

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Thu May 08, 2008 10:37 pm

As a youngster, all target. As a Teen, about 50/50. As an adult with 3 little ones....mostly all target with maybe a couple of turkey hunting excursions thrown in per year, if no one gets the stomach flu...maybe.

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:07 pm

Any thing that puts a gun in my hand makes me happy

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:52 pm

When I said "a day at the range", it didn't necessarily mean a formal shooting range. It means just out shooting, not hunting. The reason I ask is because I know a few people, and know OF a lot of people that just shoot once or twice a year to sight in their guns that they are going to use for hunting. I know practically everyone on this site shoots more than that, but I was just curious as to where the passion really is.

I guess a better question might have been, "Do you shoot to hunt, or hunt to shoot, or both?"

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:27 am

If I hunt I rarely get to shoot, and I shoot more often than I hunt, due to regular silhouette matches. So I guess I'm a shooter. But in spirit I see myself as a hunter more than a shooter. For example I'm not interested in competitive matches, just in my own score, for competence. But I do go out hunting/scouting about once a month, and when there's a conflict, I hunt.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:00 am

JReed wrote:Any thing that puts a gun in my hand makes me happy

That says it.

winchester1886 · Post by **winchester1886** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:22 am

Malamute your a lucky man I sure would like to mosy over that country on an Ole Ponie with a couple of Scottish Deerhound dogs and see what we could russle up, thats how life should be lived.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:23 am

I love hunting and shooting....
Its not only a passion...its an obsession....
If i could afford it.....I would hunt and shoot every day...
I shoot skeet every weekend....at least a couple of rounds
and BS and goof around with the guys
Recently competed in the Florida Sunshine Games in shooting...
and brought home the gold in my class...and 3rd overall
heres some of our shooters...good times for sure

Too bad we dont have rifle and pistol compititions around here

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:38 am

Both, but hunting comes first

Gobblerforge · Post by **Gobblerforge** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:38 am

I hunt for sport and meat. Then when hunting season is over, I shoot for sport and to hone myself for the next hunt. I don't shoot much during hunting season so as to not make the local game as nervous.
Gobbler

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:44 am

Shooter only. I would love to learn how to hunt, but don't have a clue how/where to begin. I compete in 5 different silhouette disciplines. I'm one of those "shooters of collectible firearms".

Dastook · Post by **Dastook** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:25 am

That is too tough of a decision to make. I love them both equally.

Rod WMG · Post by **Rod WMG** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:26 am

"Are you a shooter or a hunter?"

YES!

I actually do like them about equally, but my health won't allow me t hunt, so I guess I'll say shooter.