in my opinion

By: Justin Hunold

A bit ago there we did a Retay Roundtable called “Don’t Be That Guy” and it concentrated on not being an aggressive asshole, or trophy shaming other hunters. But apparently we need to cover this again. 

This question was posted in a Whitetail hunting group, and spelling aside it is a simple question. Let me say that about twenty nine of those fifty eight comments were either shaming the original post for needing water on stand, saying he’s not asking the right questions, not prioritizing the right thing or plain old being mean. This is a simple question. What is with us? Why? 

You know what I hate? The sound of a cheap plastic single use bottle crumpling when I move, the fact that it’s one more thing in a landfill when I’m done with it, the lack of ability to put it in the tree with me if I don’t have it in a pouch and I’m not always in cargo pants, that I may be hunting in 75 plus degrees and I want more than twelve ounces of water and other hunters being jerks to a simple question. Context matters folks. 

Maybe the original poster is the good lords gift to hunting, but maybe the sound of a cheap bottle cost him a deer, maybe he’s diabetic or has another medical condition that would make staying well hydrated paramount, maybe he’s sitting all day, maybe he is very particular with his gear, maybe he doesn’t care about shooting stuff and he just enjoys being out there, maybe Adam Sandler is his idol and he loves high quality H2O?  None of these are wrong. He asked a simple question and a lot of people decided to respond with vitriol that we should be leveling on those folks that stand against us not with us. There are plenty of people against hunting and the Second Amendment. Why oh why are you crapping on another hunter for an innocuous ask? 

This isn’t an ethics question. He’s not asking about the “Age” of an animal. He’s not discussing the flexibility of bag and possession limits (to which there is none). He didn’t say he was out shooting every Suzie he saw, or the timing of shooting mature does during the season. He was asking specifically what do you guys do with the vessel of water you brought in while hunting. There is nothing to bash here. Please for the love of Teddy Roosevelt STOP BEING THAT GUY. 

You wanna be “That Guy” why don’t you go do that in an Anti Second Amendment Forum or Group. Or jump over to an Anti Hunting group and drop some truth bombs in the comments over there. Even better yet, take that keyboard energy and engage with someone who might be on the fence about hunting or the Second Amendment or even the eating of game meat and try to level some relevant points and reasons why these things are important. Be a force for good, if you can handle being non condescending while doing it? If you understand that I was being condescending in that question you can probably form a cohesive argument to help us out rather than a shitty comment to a fellow hunter.  

What I am asking isn’t a stretch here. And don’t get me wrong, I bust balls with the best of them, with my friends and family. I’m not trying to be a keyboard warrior. I try to limit what I will say online to what I would say to someone’s face. I assure you if I heard you crapping on another hunter for asking a water bottle, backpack, waders, boots, knife or any other piece of gear that can make their day in the field better question I would call you out for being a jerk. 

If this is a fairly new hunter asking this question guess what, he may now be a fairly non hunter. Probably not, but how ready do you think he is to go to a Ducks Unlimited Banquet or a NWTF event to become an active member of the hunting community in that way? We get enough nonsense from the non-hunting community, we certainly don’t need more from people who are supposed to be “Blood Brothers”. 

We often hear people say the thing they enjoy the most about hunting is the comradery, we sure pick a funny way of showing it. This stuff is constant. You are entitled to your opinion. But ask yourself are you just the hunting version of a Woke Social Justice Warrior when you’re screaming online about someone not doing it your way. Gear, Species, Sex, Age, Method of Take. All of it is none of your business if it’s legal and it makes the person happy. 

Now debating these things is encouraged on my part, so don’t be that guy and hijack someone else’s post, vibe and flow to make it known that you’re virtue signaling like a college kid feeling who just read their intro to philosophy assigned reading. By engaging in this behavior, you my friend are being a snowflake, of the hunting kind. 

Ask a real question. Does this season structure continue to make sense in our current population dynamics? Are the methods of take lining up with the seasons properly? What is the maximum amount of tech allowed? Should I be concerned about the fact that the early season Canada limit is fifteen birds when a week later it’s one? What’s the rationale behind the decision making process on these things and can I help? Post that. Ask that. 

I know your confidence is hurting. I know you haven’t done the “Hard Work” . That’s obvious.  Maybe you’re having a hard day and you feel that knocking someone else down is a sure way to build yourself up. I know you know the very best way to do everything which is why you’re the on high ruler of all things hunting. But I promise we plebes are just trying to learn from you, the second coming of Jim Bridger. 

Before you’re about to crap on another hunter asking a question that has nothing to do with you or posting a picture of their legal harvest, or just enjoying nature in the way that makes them happy please, go look in the mirror and learn how to validate yourself. Or just remember that the internet is not the digital version of Austin Powers defrosting. You have an inner monologue. It doesn’t have to be written on Social Media. 

Now, See what I did there? I voiced my opinion without using your post. I didn’t steal your thunder. I didn’t try to personally put my spin on your thoughts. I was directly shitty to a population of hunters publicly and let it live on its own. Not because I think I am awesome, or my opinion is right, but because I know the way we treat other hunters is wrong. Don’t be that guy.