US hunter or UK stalker? You choose...

Sheprador1973

Well-Known Member
Hi all, hope you are all safe and well.

So with limited opportunities to get out and too much tv being watched, it got me thinking. Would I rather be in the UK or USA as a hunter?

May sound like a strange thought but I find myself watching a variety of material on youtube, Netflix et al from both sides of the pond. I enjoy most. The differences are quite revealing and stark to my mind though.

Anyway, I'd always assumed that being a hunter in the US would be the ultimate experience. I'd have no interest in bears tbh, but Elk, whitetail, cous deer, moose, Dall sheep, an abundance of 'hogs', turkeys etc the list goes on...how good would that be? Especially when compared to our relatively small and fewer species available. And our gun laws. And the significant difficulty most have in finding permissions. This combined with the relatively relaxed gun laws in most states had me convinced the US had it better.

Then I began to realise that it's not as clear as that. Take the very complicated, and very often extremely short seasons for species with certain weapons in states in the US. The price and the 'literal' lottery for tags'. The sheer numbers who simultaneously have access to public land. The outfitter costs. Hiring of float planes. The peculiar laws on shooting legal animals (dall sheep regulations concern the circumference of their horns). Having to wear orange!:lol:.

Made me wonder if we are hard done by in comparison after all.

Anyway, just wondered what your thoughts might be? And this is absolutely not having a go at our US counterparts...just food for thought if you're interested :)
 
I really enjoy trips over in Canada, the trips have been superb and variety is great, but man the game densities are low, the pressure is high, the season so short. I think if you have grown up in that environment It would not be a shock, but, to go from here to there would be if you are use to shooting deer year round!
 
I'd take the US hunter mentality and equal opportunities public land hunting over our system. I personally think it's a good thing they cant sell venison and pretty much only hunt what they can eat while still managing to cull the right amount of animals each year. More people shooting less and the lottery for tags on rarer animals mean it's not just the preserve of the wealthy.
 
Is it the preserve of the wealth in the uk? Possibly the preserve of the lucky when you look how many on here have stalker for a long time on ground for little cost it’s the popularity of stalking that’s pushing it that way when people are going to farmers/landowners and waving cheque books to get shooting be it as groups or individuals.
 
As far as I remember in the U.S. you have a season for modern rifles, black powder rifles, bow hunting, so if you are inclined you will have plenty of hunting.

I agree. But unless I'm wrong, and just as an example, Colorado's muzzle loader seasons is 8 days every year.
 
I think we're pretty lucky in the UK, particularly if you have either contacts or money. If someone's outside of the 'club' though, it can be more difficult. In that sense, the US seems more inclusive.

Each of us on here has a responsibility to ensure the next generation (strangers as well as family and friends) gets opportunities to stalk, shoot, fish, hunt, etc.
 

Not sure how up to date or accurate this is but is interesting to look at for comparison.
Good Lord! I thought only the European Commission was allowed to create rules that complicated.
 
I think we're pretty lucky in the UK, particularly if you have either contacts or money. If someone's outside of the 'club' though, it can be more difficult. In that sense, the US seems more inclusive.

Each of us on here has a responsibility to ensure the next generation (strangers as well as family and friends) gets opportunities to stalk, shoot, fish, hunt, etc.

Can I come and experience hunting in Moz please Carl. I fee it’s your duty to let me! 😜
 
I have been watching a few of the American hunting programmes lately too, made me wonder if there is anywhere in America where you can shoot as many deer as you see fit? Similar to the UK setup, or is it all the hunting limited number of tags per season? (Not a comment on which setup is better btw, just a curiosity!)
 
I'm in the process of sorting out my hunting license and tags for Wisconsin with a view of doing a fair bit over then in 2021 onwards.

Honestly, I think the UK is infinitely easier.

So far I've faffed around with online hunter training, worked my way through the frankly baffling hunting area and tag regs and I'll be putting in for tags as soon as I finally get stateside.

As for the hunting, well it's going to be a challenge as well.

On the one hand it's pretty cheap, there's loads of space to explore with plenty of species to go after (black bear, elk, white tails, turkeys, salmon, trout and more), but on the other, the season is short, the hunting pressure sounds massive (580,000 hunters!), the success rate seems low and it's all unguided. I suspect that it'll take a lot of outings to fill a tag, especially as a newb. The chances of drawing black bear for example are also very low and it might be as long as 5 years before I'm successful.

Plus you're maybe looking at 1 or 2 tags for each species a season, so that actual volume of hunting is way lower than I manage over here, even considering that I only take 3 days up in scotland on hinds per annum.

I think it'll be a great experience, totally different to the UK and great fun, but if you consider how many deer I'll take a season, the UK is well up.

Al.
 
I believe that the US have got a better set up where everyone has a fair chance to public land and a fair opportunity at hunting unlike over here where someone can tie up all the stalking and never go!!
There’s a limited amount of tags so that there can be quarry species for years to come I think this is a good idea however not much different to a managed set up over here.
I think there’s good and bad in both the UK and US. However I think they have more support for their way of life than we do. Everyone is out to get the UK hunter because it doesn’t sit well in their PC world. The sooner they wake up and realise we are a tiny country in a big world the better!
 
Is it the preserve of the wealth in the uk? Possibly the preserve of the lucky when you look how many on here have stalker for a long time on ground for little cost it’s the popularity of stalking that’s pushing it that way when people are going to farmers/landowners and waving cheque books to get shooting be it as groups or individuals.
That is a fair point Dickie. Theres a large area of land adjacent to some woods near my small perm that I have regularly seen herds of 70+ fallow grazing on in broad daylight. Slots everywhere. I eventually tracked down the landowner who said theres been some guy shooting it for years and he enjoys it so hes happy to leave him to it. But I've never seen him. Or heard a gunshot. Or a highseat. Or any evidence whatsoever that he actually visits. And his absence is borne out by the rapidly expanding deer numbers. Shame, as someone more dedicated or available could manage the area really well IMHO.
 
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