I saw this post last year and enjoyed it, just wondering where yall are now? I skipped the trophy stage, don't care what kind of ducks I shoot but I love the methodology of this sport. Lots of birds on the strap is really nice but one of my favorite hunts this years so far was one Jack between 2 hunters.

FIVE STAGES OF A HUNTER
Hunters change through the years. Factors used to determine
"successful hunting" change as well for each hunter. A hunter's age,
role models, and his years of hunting experience affect his ideas of
"success."


SHOOTER STAGE
The hunter talks about satisfaction with hunting being closely tied to
being able to "get shooting." Often the beginning duck hunter will
relate he had an excellent day if he got in a lot of shooting. A
beginning hunter wants to pull the trigger and test the capability of
his firearm. A hunter in this stage may be a dangerous hunting
partner.

LIMITING OUT STAGE
A hunter still talks about satisfaction gained from shooting. But what
seems more important is measuring success through the killing of game
and the number of birds or animals shot. Limiting out, or filling a
tag, is the absolute measure. Do not let your desire to limit out be
stronger than the need for safe behavior at all times.

TROPHY STAGE
Satisfaction is described in terms of selectivity of game. A duck
hunter might take only greenheads. Shooting
opportunity and skills become less important.

METHOD STAGE
This hunter has all the special equipment. Hunting has become one of
the most important things in his life. Satisfaction comes from the
method that enables the hunter to take game. Taking game is important,
but second to how it is taken. This hunter will study long and hard
how best to pick a blind site, lay out decoys, and call in
waterfowl. Bagging game, or limiting, still is understood as being a necessary part of the hunt during this phase.

SPORTSMAN STAGE
As a hunter ages and after many years of hunting, he "mellows out."
Satisfaction now can be found in the total hunting experience. Being
in the field, enjoying the company of friends and family, and seeing
nature outweigh the need for taking game.

Not all hunters go through all the stages, or go through them in that particular order. It is also possible for hunters who pursue several species of game to be in different stages with regard to each species. Some hunters feel that role models of good sportsmen, training, or reading books or magazines helped them pass more quickly through some stages.

Excellent post! I get more excited about how I am going to setup and the company in the blind

I definitely agree that a hunter can be in a different stage for different species. Also, someone can be in a mix of stages. I love shooting birds, but I'll take a few with good company over a solo limit anyday. And as you know Rooster, I ain't picky about birds

I'd say that there's a correlation between how long one has been hunting and what stage they're in

I absolutely love to scout and hunt new spots. Seeing new water and learning how birds will work that area intrigue me. I'm in a meld of limiting trophy and method right now. Moving fast to just method though.

After hunting 7 out of 10 days I was tired of the "work" of hunting.

Definitely with number of days spent in the field. I know duck hunters that have been hunting every year for 30 years...but only 5-6 hunts a year. I also now fellas that have been gunning ducks for a few years but go 40+ times a year. I've been in the blind more this season than I remember my dad going the entire time I was growing up.

yeah, but you are proof positive that scouting pays off. Looks like your having a great season so far.

And Ashton, you are hands down the best 17 year old duck hunter I have ran across...

METHOD STAGE
This hunter has all the special equipment. Hunting has become one of
the most important things in his life. Satisfaction comes from the
method that enables the hunter to take game. Taking game is important,
but second to how it is taken. This hunter will study long and hard
how best to pick a blind site, lay out decoys, and call in
waterfowl. Bagging game, or limiting, still is understood as being a necessary part of the hunt during this phase.

This is me to a tee. I have to hunt public, have to be in my Sneakboat. Use a small motor. Old school G&H decoys, yentzen call. Ducks inside 25 yards feet down. Need a drake limit.

After my last hunt I'm in between the shooting and limiting stage and its called the "I have no clue what I'm doing stage"

Yeah I've seen this post several times in many places. It pretty much holds true.

I think we need a new stage, lets call it the:

SOCIAL MEDIA STAGE
The hunter is not in it for just themselves, rather their perceived greatness through others approval on social media sites. Hunt success is defined in "thumbs up", "likes" or "good job". This type of hunter can limit out, but forgetting the camera results in a wasted day.

I have my own uniqu stage

THE BEAVERSNIPE STAGE

, LIKE , Good job!

SPORTSMAN STAGE
As a hunter ages and after many years of hunting, he "mellows out."
Satisfaction now can be found in the total hunting experience. Being
in the field, enjoying the company of friends and family, and seeing
nature outweigh the need for taking game.

I think this is me,sometimes I don't even put shells in the gun...
eh Rooster?

The last few years I duck hunted a LOT, I measured my hunting success (which is NOT the same thing as enjoyment to me) by the spent cartridge to bird in bag ratio. To bag one duck per shell requires more than good shooting. The real art of duck hunting is getting good #'s of ducks in "the kill zone." And that takes proficiency in a variety of skills. This makes the shooting part much easier.

Since I became disabled, my "enjoyment quotient"...or priorities...have changed RADICALLY. Now I'm just grateful for the opportunity to GO now and then. The last time I went duck hunting (about 4 years ago), I bagged 3 ducks with 3 shells. I was happier than a pig in slop! That was the first time I had had a shot at a duck in 6 years. I shot 2 Goldeneye drakes and a Wigeon that day. I didn't care what species they were, but I was shooting at drakes only.

Becoming an invalid changes your mind and soul in a LOT of ways. I fought my way back from there to some semblance of normalcy over a period of 5 years with the help of some great docs and therapists, but nowadays it actually bothers me when I'm fishing or hunting with someone who gets upset because the bite isn't happening or the birds aren't in shooting range. You know what I miss the MOST about duck hunting? Whistling wings, cupped up and feet down, watching a flock turn to a few puffs on a duck call...a good dog at work. I don't miss shooting. I don't miss the "splat" of a dead duck on the water. I miss the spectacle.

Great post.

@Ol_Yeller, thats funny, I thought of you when I read that one.

Definitely in the method stage myself. I am a self admitted gear junkie- with everything, not just duck hunting. I love the setup, tweaking the spread, building the blinds, etc. I think there should also be a "Biologist Stage"- one where the hunter builds more than just a blind, but a duck mecca of sorts, creating appropriate habitat. Planting, diking, managing water, etc. I think this is probably the next stage for me as I have my own land now to create habitat and manage appropriately. I'm having fun learning the science behind the sport.

Surviving cancer moved me into the Sportsman Stage. I really think the only reason I shoot is to watch my dog work. I have discovered the going with a group, calling and working my dog is far more fulfilling than actually shooting the duck.
Maybe years of hunting the Cashe River Bottoms of NE Arkansas has had something to do with it also,

Great post, Thanks rooster!

Im in the social media stage. I quit duck hunting all together and just read what other people post about it. Then I make snide comments.

I enjoy the hunt and watching birds work for sure. But I get a lot of enjoyment out of watching a good dog work, watching other wildlife, and the comedic relief in the blind. Often times we leave with only a few ducks, but my sides hurt from the laughter in the blinds.

I think I've been in the, hunting is an excuse to BBQ stage for a couple years now.

method stage but i do love sending pictures of full limits out on social media ha