Heberlein wrote: “When an attitude is part of who you are—your identity—it has many beliefs, considerable stability…and a strong emotional basis…Strong attitudes resist change because they’re based on direct experiences…and many…values.”
When it comes to deep-seated identities based on beliefs, emotions, traditions, and direct experience, deer hunting has few equals. “Deer are important to our identities as hunters, and as members of hunting camps and hunting families,” Heberlein told MeatEater.
I think that section really hits the nail on the head. We (as a general rule) work hard and spend a lot of time and resources to pursue deer and the experiences we have stick out in our mind like they happened yesterday; success or failure. If those experiences are with family on land you always hunted they probably stand out more. My dad still tells the story of my first chance at a buck when I was 12 like we were in the woods that morning to anyone who will listen; that was 28 years ago and the man who forgets the name of the donut shop he got breakfast at can tell you about the tree I hit instead of the deer.
Durkin is a really interesting guy, fun to listen to and read, thanks for sharing.