Laymen: what have they asked you?

[Mtn_Infantry]

The most common questions from non hunters are:

Is it legal

are the animals endangered

How many can you shoot

Can you take a gun there

Why do you want to kill it

What do you do with the meat, does it just get wasted.

and my favourite question:

What does your wife say about this

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Questions from hunters/shooters


How much did it cost

Is success guaranteed ( I really scratch my head with that one. My response is generally “it’s called hunting for a reason “ )

How do you get the head home

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Comments from hunters that are really statements, not questions.

I don’t pay to hunt

I don’t want to be lead around by someone and told what to shoot

I’m not a trophy hunter, I just hunt for meat ( yet many have heads mounted and or photos of their trophies ready to show you)

Nah, too expensive for me .

I’m gunna do that one day! ( but they never do)

And from Australian hunters/ shooters only: I only shoot feral animals

Having friends all over the country due to living in multiple states over the years I get very similar comments.

Growing up in New England there tends to be a little more biases towards the trophy hunting mentality and not understanding it. I'm glad to say I've converted several people and at least made them understand it. Even from hunters there's a bit of a misunderstanding and lack of education on African Hunting and the conservation model/adding value to wildlife for preservation.

From the southern states I've lived in and Texas its more wide eyes, asks for pictures, and questions about cost and logistics.

I normally tell them for what they pay per year for their deer lease, or a pretty basic guided Elk/Mule Deer Hunt they can go round trip for 7-10 days. They'll end up pulling the trigger a H**L of a lot more, shooting more animals and especially trophies, they'll get treated like kings, and have access to WAY more cold beer. If they inquire more I explain that the taxidermy and shipping isn't included in that but they can minimize that with pictures, a videographer, or euros.

In the last couple months I've started to tell them I can get them a rough ball park idea and contacted several outfitters that I've hunted with in the past to get quotes. I just did that with @KAROO WILD Safaris for a couple buddies and their wives. For another friend group after giving them quotes I told them to work dates out and we'd plan the 5 of them going, plus I'd tag along to plan all the logistics, help with the flights, gun permits and everything. This is on the table for 2025 as we need to wait for one to complete a deployment and another to finish flight school. I told them all to avoid kids, divorces, and strippers between now and then

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

You say that 80% of your friends don’t own guns, and their most frequently asked question is “how’s the sex?” Perhaps you should branch out and find other friends.

I’ve been asked all of your other common questions…where does the meat go, can you take guns on an airplane, is it expensive. Generally they are just curious and I enjoy filling them in.

Hahahahaha good advise!!!
i think the same!

 

[Safari Dave]

Well, I live and grew up 12 Miles North of Berkeley. We own an art gallery and have artists studios right on either side of my personal office. Outside their artist studio’s hangs representations off their work, outside my office/above my door hangs a massive shoulder mount Wildebeest and a sign under it that reads “HUNTER”.

I’ve gotten all the standard questions and then some…

Most of the time I tell them I’m a conservationist and go to Africa to feed hungry Africans. The smart ones figure it out. If they push it, I’ll ask them how many hungry people have they personally provided food for?!

If they are sincere and want to know the truth, I’ll take the time to explain, if not, I have a pretty effective way of coming across that generally warns people that they are at risk of getting told to go F^ck themselves; in a “nonbinary” way…

Yeah, it's hard to argue with...

 

[Safari Dave]

Giving money to organizations that keep 90% as "administrative expenses", probably doesn't get a few hundred pounds of fresh meat to villagers.

 

[CBH Australia]

Giving money to organizations that keep 90% as "administrative expenses", probably doesn't get a few hundred pounds of fresh meat to villagers.

Regularly,

 

[fourfive8]

The only people I've heard talking about women and sex and the like are some PHs who travel to shows around the world or travelers in mid-life crisis from a demographic I do not associate with and have no interest in associating with. I've also over heard that talk amongst Europeans, especially Eastern Europeans, Russians and a few from Mexico who have more money than sense and only ask about hunting in Africa because it is a bucket list item for them. They really have no interest in hunting nor conservation nor even becoming a hunter.... just a bucket list glamor thing they see on the internet or hear about amongst some in their circle of acquaintances... something to check off on their travel though life- nothing more.

Most folks whom I run into, if they are hunters, simply ask about cost and what happens to the meat. The ignorant, low information, but "regular" people usually ask about the meat and if any of the animals hunted are endangered species. Also oddly, or maybe not given the hype and build up about DG, are questions about how common is it to have to shoot certain DG that are charging. The life and death, close call stories are so embellished by the hunting industry itself or the few or deadly encounters are so focused on in the media, that impression among the largest percentage of the population who are also the uninformed, may be understandable.

 

[Excessexpress]

I’ve never heard anyone discussing hunting and women/sex in any way other than a benefit to the hunting being a way to get them away from women/sex.

I would suggest the question says more about the people asking. I would be happy putting distance between myself and those people.

 

[mark-hunter]

I would suggest the question says more about the people asking. I would be happy putting distance between myself and those people.

Exactly.
To some, I did.