Whitetails have a way of captivating hunters.
One won’t touch the safety unless it breaks 160. Another guy shoots a forky and loves every minute of it. Both guys enjoy the outdoors. And each one is right for doing so. Obviously, there are many different types of deer hunters. Why type are you? If you aren’t sure, let’s help you navigate the wide world of whitetail hunting.
1. The Gear Guy
Some hunters are all about the gear — and rightfully so. They love testing their equipment. Tuning bows. Sighting new scopes. Testing the latest and greatest trail cameras. These and more are wildly fun. Plus, this vigilance ensures you’re prepared for the upcoming deer season. The better prepared, the more likely you’ll make the shot when the opportunity finally arrives.
2. The Minimalist
Others aren’t as excited about the gear. In fact, they find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum. They purchase the bare minimum gear. Oftentimes, it’s the budget bow or rifle. Virtually, all purchases are in the price-point category. The exception? When they purchase ultra-light gear that’s more focused on more challenging, deep-woods, public-land hunts.
Public-land deer hunters are all about that DIY life.
3. The DIY Outdoorsman
Some hunters are all about doing everything on their own. They aren’t ones to hunt with outfitters, or even frequently mooch off fellow hunters. Simply, they want to do all the work, and they want to do it every time. They love the process, and the harvest is merely the final step in that. Oftentimes, the DIY hunter focuses on public lands, or door-knocking on private parcels. Other times, they lease or own land and do all the work themselves.
4. The Trophy Hunter
A lot of modern deer hunters prioritize shooting big, mature whitetails. They select a target buck or two and dedicate their season to hunting specific deer. Why? Part of the joy of deer hunting is the chase for these specific bucks that walk the lands we hunt. It’s a significant fair-chase challenge, and one that captivates millions of hunters each season.
5. The Meat Hunter
Other hunters care not for a big rack on the wall. All they want is a full freezer and meals to carry them through until next deer season. For them, tasty venison is the only prize, and antlers don’t pair well with a skillet. It’s all about the jerky and steaks.
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6. The Brown-It’s-Down-But-Where-Are-the-Giants Guy
A good number of hunters talk about shooting big deer. They’re always asking the guy who always does, what they should do differently. But they won’t stop shooting that yearling fork horn, 2-year-old basket-rack, or 3-year-old loaded up with all manner of potential. Then, they’ll continue asking, why don’t I see and shoot bigger bucks? Reflect on the past to make changes in the present for a more desirable future.
7. The Collector
Hunters, in some ways, are like collectors. They enjoy harvesting deer with big or unique racks. In fact, some deer hunters place emphasis on targeting bucks with more unique antlers, such as a deer with a big, non-typical set of antlers.
8. The Accolades Man
Although they won’t always say it, some hunters like the accolades that come with shooting big, mature deer. After all, shooting a big buck is an accomplishment. Doing so consistently easy season (or most seasons) is really something. Other hunters see that and commend the effort and skill required to make it happen.
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Some hunters get really hyped up about gear.
9. The Know-It-All
As deer hunters, we should always be learning. We’ll never learn it all, though. In fact, there’s still so much about whitetails that remains a mystery. In time, biologists and researchers continue to garner new and better information. Stay on top of newfound discoveries and use these to modify your hunting. But don’t be that hunter who thinks they already have it 100% figured out. They’re lying to you, themselves, or both.
10. The Tough Guy
Some outdoorsmen are all about the ego. Muscle shirts are much too common on the socials. They lift, have their own protein shake buffet, and emphasize the physicality of hunting. Oftentimes, despite the challenges of hunting, they make it seem more physically demanding that it actually is or needs to be.
11. The Convenience Hunter
Hunters who really love the outdoors prioritize it. Outings are scheduled, and worked into the schedule, as needed. But others merely go out of convenience. They don’t plan or put much effort into it. If it works out, great. If not, no sweat off their back.
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12. The Steward
One of the allures of owning or otherwise managing land is being able to make changes to the landscape. For a lot of hunters, the ability to improve habitat, benefit wildlife, and create a harmonious landscape is a dream come true. We call these people stewards, as they steward over the whitetail herd, and other wildlife. It’s a very focused effort on macro and micro levels. Every decision is made for the utmost advancement of deer and deer habitat.
13. The Land Manager
Similar to the steward, the land manager is focused on making wholesale improvements to the landscape. However, this is about bulk management of moderate to large acreages. While this is done for the betterment of deer, it’s oftentimes done at a production level, and to produce as many top-end bucks as possible. This is common among outfitters, hunting leases, hunt clubs, etc.
14. The Bowhunter
Most deer hunters are opportunists. They’ll hunt with whatever is in season. Bow, gun, slingshot — whatever is allowed, and in season, they’re in the woods with it. But the bow guy? No, he’s only carrying stick and string. Sometimes, he’s a traditional diehard. Other times, he’s a compound junky. But he’s doing it the harder way, all the way.
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Gun guys like to smell that freshly burnt gunpowder.
15. The Gun Hunter
On the flip-side of that coin, we find the gun hunter. They don’t touch a bow, and even if they did, it wouldn’t work out well. They stick to the horsepower found in the firepower, and that’s all they’re hunting with.
What Type of Deer Hunter Are You?
So, all of the above begs the question, what type of deer hunter are you? There’s no right or wrong reason. We all hunt with different goals and objectives in mind. As long as they abide by hunting regulations and ethics, it’s all good. No matter the type of hunter you are, HuntStand Pro and Pro Whitetail can help you.
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