For as long as man has been living on this planet they have had to hunt to survive. Early humans used primitive tactics from spears made with rock arrowheads to driving buffalo off cliffs to their death. Today however hunting in America is mainly a sport with no need to do it in order to survive. All hunters have their certain techniques to pursue their game of choice but the one common goal is to take a trophy animal. Some hunters just hunt for meat and are not concerned with taking the largest trophy they can find. All hunters try to adhere to an ethical code as well as state and national laws.
The setting of a hunt of a hunt can take place anywhere in country from the black water swamps of the south to the high mountains of the west. Most hunters will usually go into the area surrounding their home town to take game. Once the hunter arrives at the grounds in which he plans to take an animal he will get set up briefly as his car and prepare to walk into the woods. In order to be set up to go into the woods the hunter will either carry in a tree stand or already have one set up at a specific location. Additional supplies will include a firearm or bow, scents for attracting the animal of choice and a call or two if the hunter decides to use them. Making sure all supplies are in check is probably the most important thing when going hunting.
The hunter arrives early in the morning an hour or two before sunrise or near the middle of the afternoon to avoid detection by animals. He climbs into the tree stand and prepares to wait silently for many hours if need be. Depending on his style he will use a attractant scent and calls to lure the unsuspecting game. Different locations, weather patterns, current weather, type of animal and many other factors all play a role in determining how long the hunter will have to sit in the stand. Hunters may see animals as soon as the sun rises or a few hours later, it just depends on those factors mentioned above.
Once the animal has entered the hunter's line of sight they will draw their weapon. After they draw their weapon the hunter will patiently wait for that perfect shot whether it is with a bow or rifle. The range at which the hunter takes the animal will be determined by his experience and by the caliber or draw weight of their weapon. The range can vary from zero to one thousand yards and beyond. Based on the situation the hunter will generally know whether to shoot or not.
The definition of a successful hunt depends on the person hunting. To one it can mean simply observing nature its purest undisturbed form. On the other hand some hunters are not satisfied until they take that trophy animal in which they pursue. When the hunter takes an animal they will either field dress their game or load it into a truck or onto an all terrain vehicle to be processed later. This is how the majority of hunts happen in America. In some places around the world hunting is still a primitive art that takes place in order to survive.
