Do you think a buck knows or cares what brand of bow is flinging an arrow at him? Tim Kjellesvik says it’s not the brand that makes the hunter.

I love watching hunting shows. They help to satisfy my bowhunting urge, especially during those in-between months. If I must live vicariously through a TV host’s pursuits, I’ll do it.

Outdoor media absolutely has a place, and plays critical economic and educational roles for our tradition, but if not tempered with reality, it can skew a person’s understanding of what it means to be a bowhunter.

We must guard against media unintentionally defining what a ‘real’ hunter is. I cringe at the thought of anyone feeling like they aren’t a real hunter because they haven’t met some imaginary litmus test. Perhaps this will save someone from chasing that wind.

Your life doesn’t need to be dipped in camo

I love camo. I have a favorite brand and type, too. If you’re really that interested or just that bored, you can ask me what I wear, but you won’t find me in a camo wrapped vehicle with camo seat covers sporting camo screened sunglasses. Nor will you see me out in public (unless I’m on my way to or from the field) clothed in it.

I get why people enjoy wearing the stuff though. It’s a statement that says something. How you wear it probably determines just what it says to others, but nonetheless, you’re identifying as a hunter. I choose not to wear it outside of hunting scenarios, just because I’m trying to avoid fading and unnatural scents.

But, square inches of camo isn’t a test for being a hunter. Wear as much or as little as you like, just know that you don’t need to have a single bit of it to be a real hunter.

You don’t have to shoot next year’s bow this year, every year

My dad used to drop pretty consistent groups at 90 yards in the 1980s with his wood-limbed Golden Eagle while shooting finger release. I’ve seen guys in the present day with rigs that put their children’s college fund in jeopardy fling a shotgun pattern at 20. They spent more money on their setup than they did time becoming a proficient archer. Buy the best bow that you can, but don’t feel like you aren’t a legitimate hunter unless your bare bow price was four digits.

Be proud of your rig, no matter what it costs. You make it shoot well. The sticker price on a bow won’t make you any more or less legit.

You don’t need a pickup truck

Contrary to hunting shows and a lot of the music coming out Nashville, you can get to and from your hunting spot, and transport your game back home in a vehicle other than a pickup truck. The utility a pickup affords and the ease of cleanup makes it the perfect hunting ride, but most regular Joes have other considerations besides hunting when buying a vehicle…like kiddos or MPGs.

In fact, when I see a deer strapped to the trunk of a Honda Civic, I can’t help but admire that guy. If you’re waiting to feel like a “real” hunter gearing up and spraying down at the tailgate, quit waiting. You’re good no matter what you drive.

You don’t need to record every hunt

Having pictures and videos of your time in the woods is great, it’s just another version of a photo album, but you can be an accomplished bowhunter without uploading all your exploits.

You don’t need to apologize for your deer

Taking any animal with a bow is a trophy. When people feel the need to start downplaying their animal, it sends a message that only certain deer ‘count.’ In some parts of our country, guys are just happy to see something with hooves and a four-chambered stomach, let alone put one down with an arrow. Not every trophy is recorded in the Pope & Young books. The 10-pointer I have above our fireplace certainly wouldn’t qualify, but my pulse still spikes when I look at him and relive those tense moments when he materialized out of the October woods.

What I can say is don’t worry about being a real anything. Simply do what you love, learn from those you respect and the rest will come naturally.

Want to find ways to make this fall’s hunting season more memorable? Read the fall issues of MidWest Outdoors, available the first full week of each month at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.