"Good ole days of deer hunting"

[AT Hiker]

Re: "Good ole days of deer hunting"

Then again things were always better "back in the day", right?


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[Buzzard Breath]

I firmly believe the good ole days are here and now. Hunting for almost all species throughout the state has greatly improved. There are some changes to the regs that I think are BS; 2 buck limit, antlerless definition, but I don't let it get to me too much. My wife and I are involved in the community and come from families that are also, so finding private property to hunt for free has never been an issue (i do hunt a ton of public land also). I also don't worry about public acceptance and do very little with social media, so I don't notice the negative comments that some of you have to deal with. I'm having more fun than ever hunting and can't wait to get out again in the morning.

 

[larry ipock]

Bone Collector, I could not agree more! Great post! This is how I've felt for some time.

 

[Bone Collector]

I firmly believe the good ole days are here and now. Hunting for almost all species throughout the state has greatly improved. There are some changes to the regs that I think are BS; 2 buck limit, antlerless definition, but I don't let it get to me too much. My wife and I are involved in the community and come from families that are also, so finding private property to hunt for free has never been an issue (i do hunt a ton of public land also). I also don't worry about public acceptance and do very little with social media, so I don't notice the negative comments that some of you have to deal with. I'm having more fun than ever hunting and can't wait to get out again in the morning.

Your post is sincere and I think we can all relate to it in some fashion.
I will say this though; the lease/land holders are a huge part of why we have abundant game in some places. They took the time and resources (money) to improve habitat and in conjunction with TWRA have made for some excellent hunting. Sure, back in the day I had a ton of free land to hunt but most of that land was void of game. Now I have lost most of my private land connections but the public land I hunt is far better than the private land I used to hunt.

**in addition, I think you are seeing a transition in hunting in TN. Those big antlers are now a real possibility here for hunters to kill and mind sets have changed.

Again, you both are saying in more detail what I eluded to in my post as to why many think we are in the good ole days (abundant game), but the last statement AT made (in bold) is what I am talking about. I have no problem with mindsets changing and mine have too, but the issue is people who have changed their mindsets and want to force that mindset on everyone else, which is why we have high dollar leases, the two buck limit, and people clamoring for a one buck limit.

The mindset that bigger bucks = better hunting and that we need to manage for bigger bucks is the issue. That and the belief that everyone should get on board with that mindset. The more we manage for bigger bucks vs. actual herd health, the more we move away from the North American game management model and towards the European model, which will eventually result in only the wealthy being able to hunt.

 

[larry ipock]

Very true.

 

[muddyboots]

Idk. I think today is better. Back then yes if u killed a buck it was a big deal. But it was very hard to see a buck where I live. I kind of enjoying seeing several bucks a sit when i go now. Whether I kill one or not is not that big of deal anymore. I love the feeling of knowing I could see a real big buck anytime. I think if things were still like they were back then I probably wouldn't go much.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

You say you don't want a debate, but yet, you want to contradict what I post???

Would that not be called a debate?

BTW, I never once mentioned anything about big bucks, I said I was against a 2 buck limit (definitely against a 1 buck limit), and said finding free land to hunt was easier than ever. I'm not really sure why you quoted me.

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[gobblegrunt]

The "good ole days of deer hunting in TN are here and now". Almost every hunt I go on I see deer. We have an abundance of game in this state now. I take few does every season with my bow. Before I shoot a buck I always ask myself is this deer going to make me happy. If the answer is yes then it is a trophy to me. If the answer is no then I'm not going to shoot because I don't go hunting just to kill something. I'm not in the "if it's brown it's down crowd". But if a person is and that's what makes them happy then so be it. I really could care less what other people think about what buck I shoot or what anyone else shoots. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Riverday]

Agree, it's not always about killing. I find my deerstand is a great place to read my pocket Bible, i always have my Bible in my pack...you can get a great piece of mine reading your bible. My plans are to read the Bible at least 2 - 3 times before leaving this world...

 

[Bone Collector]

You say you don't want a debate, but yet, you want to contradict what I post???

Would that not be called a debate?

BTW, I never once mentioned anything about big bucks, I said I was against a 2 buck limit (definitely against a 1 buck limit), and said finding free land to hunt was easier than ever. I'm not really sure why you quoted me.

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I didn't contradict anything you said. I used your's and AT's post as a more detailed example of what I was saying about abundant game. I even said that in the post. I used AT's last sentence as an example of what I am talking about "changing mindsets". If I contradicted you, I'd say you are wrong and here is why...

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Re: "Good ole days of deer hunting"

You say you don't want a debate, but yet, you want to contradict what I post???

Would that not be called a debate?

BTW, I never once mentioned anything about big bucks, I said I was against a 2 buck limit (definitely against a 1 buck limit), and said finding free land to hunt was easier than ever. I'm not really sure why you quoted me.

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I didn't contradict anything you said. I used your's and AT's post as a more detailed example of what I was saying about abundant game. I even said that in the post. I used AT's last sentence as an example of what I am talking about "changing mindsets". If I contradicted you, I'd say you are wrong and here is why...

Sorry about the misunderstanding. Have a Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and your family.

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[Bone Collector]

Re: "Good ole days of deer hunting"

You say you don't want a debate, but yet, you want to contradict what I post???

Would that not be called a debate?

BTW, I never once mentioned anything about big bucks, I said I was against a 2 buck limit (definitely against a 1 buck limit), and said finding free land to hunt was easier than ever. I'm not really sure why you quoted me.

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I didn't contradict anything you said. I used your's and AT's post as a more detailed example of what I was saying about abundant game. I even said that in the post. I used AT's last sentence as an example of what I am talking about "changing mindsets". If I contradicted you, I'd say you are wrong and here is why...

Sorry about the misunderstanding. Have a Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and your family.

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No worries. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.


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[fairchaser]

I'm gonna say deer hunting is different today in some ways better and other ways worse. Game cameras, deer stands, bows and the ability to scout from your computer definitely gives you more of an edge. It's amazing how the deer adapt to our technology and continue to make us look silly much of the time. But, back in the 80's and 90's I did not have the ability to kill a legal deer almost every time I hunted. I felt lucky to kill one an entire season. We are talking spikes and fork horns here. Are you kidding me? I wouldn't trade what we have now to go back to those days. The only aspect that is worse is the competitive nature of killing big bucks. For me that has diminished some of what hunting is all about and turned it into work or a sport where there are only winners and losers. You shouldn't feel like a loser if you kill a young buck. Yet I belong to a club that doesn't say your a loser but will penalize you for doing so and I completely understand why. My choice! I've blindly fallen into the trap because I enjoy the challenge. Sometimes I wonder but it would be hard to go back to shooting spikes. These are the good ole days but I do miss some of those old ole days too!

 

[csi-tech]

I hunted back then, alot more than I do now in fact. We could kill 14 bucks and if you saw a 75" 7 point it was a shooter. I like how it is now. Does are everywhere and we can take all the meat we need, 3 a day in fact. Now I am seeing rubs on coke can sized trees and leaving them behind for phone pole sized rubs. Everyone is doing better IMO.

 

[AT Hiker]

Re: "Good ole days of deer hunting"

The only aspect that is worse is the competitive nature of killing big bucks. For me that has diminished some of what hunting is all about and turned it into work or a sport where there are only winners and losers. You shouldn't feel like a loser if you kill a young buck. Yet I belong to a club that doesn't say your a loser but will penalize you for doing so and I completely understand why. My choice! I've blindly fallen into the trap because I enjoy the challenge.

Trophy hunting for me is a personal challenge. By no means is it a competition between my fellow hunters and I. If someone kills a bigger deer (by whatever definition) than me, then I simply congratulate them. Take this EXTREME example for instance; Joe Blow TV hunter kills
A giant 200" buck on XYZ ranch in KS. I pay to watch his show on prime time network TV, but his shirt, use the scope he uses, etc,etc,etc. Then I go out later that year and kill my biggest buck to date in hill country hardwood ridges TN. It's a fork horn buck (first buck I have ever killed) on a piece of property my co-workers uncle owns that granted me permission. Who won? That is not even a question that should be asked, it's not a competition. That's like saying Bill won the game of life because he makes $100k a year while Joe only makes $30k.
Maybe we have identified the culprit, competition between hunters. I'm a "trophy" hunter but I could care less who kills a bigger deer than I, it's a personal challenge between me and my goals. My goals include more than inches of bone, my goals are the adventure and memories I can acquire.


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[Mike Belt]

I guess it's a trade-off. There are things I miss about yesterday's hunting and things I much prefer about today's hunting. One thing for sure is that you can't go back. To those hunters that are just beginning to hunt, these are the good old days and eventually will be remembered and compared to hunting down the road. I wonder how those future debates will go. What we all have to remember is that collectively, we all may have some influence on what lies ahead. How we conduct ourselves as hunters and decisions made regarding deer management will be tested.

 

[fairchaser]

Re:

The only aspect that is worse is the competitive nature of killing big bucks. For me that has diminished some of what hunting is all about and turned it into work or a sport where there are only winners and losers. You shouldn't feel like a loser if you kill a young buck. Yet I belong to a club that doesn't say your a loser but will penalize you for doing so and I completely understand why. My choice! I've blindly fallen into the trap because I enjoy the challenge.

Trophy hunting for me is a personal challenge. By no means is it a competition between my fellow hunters and I. If someone kills a bigger deer (by whatever definition) than me, then I simply congratulate them. Take this EXTREME example for instance; Joe Blow TV hunter kills
A giant 200" buck on XYZ ranch in KS. I pay to watch his show on prime time network TV, but his shirt, use the scope he uses, etc,etc,etc. Then I go out later that year and kill my biggest buck to date in hill country hardwood ridges TN. It's a fork horn buck (first buck I have ever killed) on a piece of property my co-workers uncle owns that granted me permission. Who won? That is not even a question that should be asked, it's not a competition. That's like saying Bill won the game of life because he makes $100k a year while Joe only makes $30k.
Maybe we have identified the culprit, competition between hunters. I'm a "trophy" hunter but I could care less who kills a bigger deer than I, it's a personal challenge between me and my goals. My goals include more than inches of bone, my goals are the adventure and memories I can acquire.


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You might have misunderstood my post or I stated improperly but when I speak of the competitive aspect of hunting, I refer only to the need to kill a mature buck or trophy buck as a competitive challenge or accomplish something difficult to do. I am genuinely happy for any hunter who kills a good buck! We all will be tested on that and it has happened to me where a buck I've hunted will be killed by another.

 

[Bone Collector]

Re:

The only aspect that is worse is the competitive nature of killing big bucks. For me that has diminished some of what hunting is all about and turned it into work or a sport where there are only winners and losers. You shouldn't feel like a loser if you kill a young buck. Yet I belong to a club that doesn't say your a loser but will penalize you for doing so and I completely understand why. My choice! I've blindly fallen into the trap because I enjoy the challenge.

Maybe we have identified the culprit, competition between hunters. I'm a "trophy" hunter but I could care less who kills a bigger deer than I, it's a personal challenge between me and my goals. My goals include more than inches of bone, my goals are the adventure and memories I can acquire.
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Here we go. Sometimes I have a hard time putting my thoughts into words. These two posts as well as a few others touch on what I was trying to say, which is basically this; The competitive nature of deer hunting IMO will be its downfall. Not the competitive nature from a personal perspective, but the desire to push others to that level of competition, whether they want to or not. I know most on here do not care, what others do, but I am seeing more and more push to force hunters in this state to adopt management practices of people who have been hunting a long time. I also agree we are in a much better place as far as numbers, which we have touched on.

I guess after reading all these responses I feel a little bit better about it. Mike Belt really hit the nail on the head IMO:

I guess it's a trade-off. There are things I miss about yesterday's hunting and things I much prefer about today's hunting. One thing for sure is that you can't go back. To those hunters that are just beginning to hunt, these are the good old days and eventually will be remembered and compared to hunting down the road. I wonder how those future debates will go. What we all have to remember is that collectively, we all may have some influence on what lies ahead. How we conduct ourselves as hunters and decisions made regarding deer management will be tested.

With regards to the bold sentence, maybe we just need to curb our desire to push our competitiveness when it comes to deer hunting onto others and remember that it is suppose to be fun and relaxing and fun and relaxing have different meanings for different folks. The herd should be managed with ample opportunities for all.

 

[Bone Collector]

Also wanted to thank everyone for responding and not turning this into a Meat hunter vs. Trophy Hunter post.

That stuff has to stop. We may have different goals, but we are all hunters. Attacking each other is just as detrimental to the future of hunting as over competitiveness. IMO

 

[Rjratliff1975]

Also wanted to thank everyone for responding and not turning this into a Meat hunter vs. Trophy Hunter post.

That stuff has to stop. We may have different goals, but we are all hunters. Attacking each other is just as detrimental to the future of hunting as over competitiveness. IMO

Agree!