Dan Ladd: What exactly defines ‘putting the time in’ for a hunter?

One of the ongoing themes surrounding the crossbow debate many of us have been following these past two decades (and then some) is in relation to the amount of time it takes one to become proficient with a vertical bow, compared to shooting a crossbow out of the box. This, some believe, warrants exclusivity to hunters who use vertical bows rather than a crossbow.

Acquiring a certain level of proficiency with a vertical bow obviously requires one to “put the time in,” there’s no disputing that. The question I raise is why practicing with a bow is the only hunting skill that should, or could, warrant exclusivity within a season? Many hunters work very hard at their craft in a number of ways, not just archers.

That said, practice with any hunting implement is always a good thing. Whether it’s the backyard or 3D bowman, a wing-shooter regularly busting clays or a rifle hunter spending hours on the shooting bench testing handholds, the more time a hunter spends shooting their implement the better the chances are for a positive result when they literally set their sights on their quarry.

But the reality is that there are varying levels of dedication when it comes to “putting the time in,” including with hunting implements, or even at hunting, period. Some hunters are simply more into it than others. And there are times when life gets in the way and even those once highly dedicated hunters struggle finding the time to match their previous participation levels.

Bowhunting is certainly no exception to this. As much as there are bowhunters who practice nearly every day, there are also those who don’t dust off their bows until weeks, if not days, before opening day. Who knows how much shooting they do, if, and how far their bow might be out of tune.

Or, what the end result is once they’re in the field hunting whitetails? Such things are immeasurable. Gun hunters, too, are no different. We all know of hunters who don’t touch their deer rifles until just prior to the season. Some never do so at all from one season to the next. Sad, but unfortunately true.

Again, it comes down to dedication and how much of it an individual hunter has. If we were to draw some form of a line in terms of exclusivity, where would it be and what hunters using what implements would benefit, or be shut out? And why does one hunter feel they are more deserving than another because of the implement both choose? Knowledge, skill, passion and other intangibles come in many forms.

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Outdoor skills

Beyond practicing with a hunting implement, there are other outdoor skills that certainly warrant time and dedication on the hunter’s part. Woodsmanship is at the top of the list. There are so many skills a hunter can and should learn before in their time afield and it comes with effort and experience.

Take good old boots-on-the-ground scouting, for example, still practiced by many. Some would say there’s no substitute for this and the hunter who has success with any implement because of their scouting efforts is certainly a well-deserving one. Serious scouting requires dedication, effort and chunks of time.

In my hunting world, if you don’t develop certain skills you will not only lack success, you could get yourself into trouble. In a mountainous area like the Adirondacks, learning to use a map and compass is paramount, and so is terrain association and basic survival skills.

These are skills that you can never stop learning and they enhance the hunting experience. And if you intend to climb hills or travel deep into the backcountry, you need to take steps to be in good physical condition prior to the season. As I age, I spend more time on this than anything else, but it’s worth it when you have to drag a buck out of the woods in a place where no ATVs are allowed.

Getting into handloading has also made me understand just how dedicated some rifle and handgun hunters really are. I’m barely scratching the surface at this but I’ve become acquainted with many I would consider to be experts. The amount of time they spend doing research, developing hunting loads and testing them at the gun range is astounding with the end-goal being a well-placed shot with a custom bullet that can do the job more than adequately.

These days, hunters spend countless hours managing trail cameras, developing food plots or pouring over electronic maps. While these might not be considered hunting “skills,” they are activities that require time and effort, which could be considered dedication regardless of what implement you hunt with.

The end goal – hunting success – is the same.

Weekend warriors

Circling back to the hunter who simply does not have the time, or even chooses not to spend as much time at hunting as another, this is the way it has always been and always will be.

I won’t embellish on my brother’s personal life, but I will say that job and health issues prevent him from hunting as much as he’d like. About the only preseason work he did last year was a trip to the gun range with me. When hunting season came, he had all he could do to find some time to get out there.

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with only a few hours to hunt, he slipped into a public land swamp for a morning sit. Within a half-hour, he downed a fine 7-point buck.

This isn’t to say that effort doesn’t equate to, or make one deserving of success. But, hunting will always be an activity where the participants have a variety of interests, goals and ambitions, each at varying levels.

No matter the implement or the time one has to dedicate to hunting, that time – great or small – is time well spent. Within the legalities, and with a dose of ethics, we all deserve the chance to spend as much hunting time as possible as we wish, as we are able, and with the hunting implement we choose.