Hunt Your Own Hunt And Respect It

Why Hunting for Validation Undermines the Hunt Itself, and How to Embrace a More Ethical, Respectful Approach to Deer Hunting

You’ve seen the comment before. Maybe you’ve even thought it:

“Then don’t complain when you shoot a small buck.”

It’s usually dropped in response to someone venting after a tough season or trying to figure out where they went wrong. But some assume they’re just whining or they didn’t put in the work and they deserve to feel a little dumb for tagging something “less than impressive.”

Let’s just get this out of the way:

This kind of attitude is a big part of what our brand is working to leave behind.

Not Everyone Is Complaining

Not every frustrated hunter is making excuses.

Sometimes it’s the new hunter who’s trying to make sense of deer behavior. Sometimes it’s the dad of three who has only gotten out three times this year.Sometimes it’s the weekend warrior trying to piece together 10 days of hunting across 3 months of work, family, and life.

They’re not crying over inches; they’re expressing a human reaction to doing something challenging and not seeing it all come together.

Most of the time, it’s not even complaining. It’s just someone processing it all.

It’s a community.It’s a conversation.It’s how we learn.

The Pressure Is Real (And It’s Dumb)

Somewhere along the line, success got boiled down to antler size.

Big racks. Trail cam trophies. Grip-and-grin glory. That’s what gets posted, shared, and celebrated. And because of that, some hunters don’t even feel like they’re allowed to be proud of a spike or a basket 8.

So, of course, they take a deer and immediately go into apology mode.

• “He’s not the biggest, but…”
• “This guy walked out and I couldn’t pass…”
• “Wasn’t my target buck, but I’ll take it…”

Just fucking own it. Be proud, dammit. It was your decision, and it was your hunt.

Here’s the Flip Side…

If you’re actually not proud of the deer you tagged, if you feel let down or disappointed, maybe it’s time to ask yourself why you pulled the trigger in the first place.

Was it pressure, comparison, social media, or was it to say you got one?

If you can’t respect the animal enough to be thankful for the moment, the meat, or the memory, you’re probably hunting for the wrong reasons.

We owe deer more than regret. It deserves respect, no matter how many inches it scores.

You Can Want to Get Better Without Beating Yourself Up

Wanting to grow as a hunter is good. Wanting to fill your freezer and improve your strategy is also good. Wanting to shoot a mature buck next year because you’re leveling up? Great.

But if that ambition turns into shame for what you shot this year, you’re missing the point.

Pride and progress aren’t enemies. They can walk side-by-side in the same boots.

A Better Way Forward

Here’s what we say instead of “don’t complain”:

• “That’ll eat just fine.”
• “Congrats, man—that’s your deer.”
• “What did you learn this year?”
• “Let’s make next season even better.”

The goal isn’t to lower the bar. It’s to raise the respect.

Okayest Hunter isn’t trying to celebrate mediocrity. We’re celebrating authenticity.

We celebrate the hunt, the grind, the effort, the choice, the memory. Whether you tagged out on a giant or went home with a spike or a freezer queen, your story is valid, your hunt is real, and your experience is enough.

For the love of the Deer Woods, don’t apologize for the buck you chose.

Respect it. Own it. Learn from it and hunt your own damn hunt.