GR8atta2d

I find it an interesting read..andI can agree with a different perspective. There are many varying observations thatallow your eyes to open to others thoughts, this help whenevaluating your own goals and accomplishments.

I'm really suprised that Dan would make this statement after making a post of the greatest QDM thread ever. Thats a thread I skipped over after seeing the self proclaiming guru of a title!

Washington Hunter

I'm thinking the QDM thread came about after the post in this thread. I could be wrong though.

Rob/PA Bowyer

I have as much fun if not more than anyone I've ever come across and that includes these forums. I love bowhunting, it's in my blood, always will be. I can't imagine ever not doing it ever year. I tell my wife, my life stands still when bow season rolls around and she understands. I try to be a good husband but I'm hunting, she knows it, she knows not to schedule anything during bow season. I know that's selfish, I love to go sit in a tree and I don't have to kill something when I do. I've passed more animals than I will ever kill. I give her 10.5 months of the year, I ask for 1.5 to do my passion, well that and some mornings the month of May..gobble gobble, but I'm a bowhunter, everyone who knows me knows that. I'm called upon for advise, not only here but via the phone from my friends and neighbors, I'm a bowhunter, I love this.

I'm 40 years old, I've seen hard times, I've grew up in hard times, perhaps not to the extent of Davidmil, but hard none the less. I never had a father, I am a self taught bowhunter. I took my first deer (recovery) when I was 23, I started bowhunting hard when I was 15. I didn't kill that buck until 25. I've learned from many, many, many mistakes I've made through the years so when I speak of something, most likely it's from a mistake I made in the woods in the past and I'm hoping or assisting others not to make the same mistakes.

If anyone ever told me that I wasn't a bowhunter, I don't know how to bowhunt or I don't love the whitetail deer regardless of my tackle, I'd lookem right in the eye and tell them how incredible ignorant they are. You don't know me or anything about me.

Did I mention that I love bowhunting, I have a fantastic time and I've never shot a book buck. Imagine that.

TxStarr

I understand where Davidmil is coming from and the attitude he is talking about.

My husband shot the biggest deer of his life. 14 points (only 12 were scorable b/c two were less than an inch) and he grossed 164 1/8 B&C. My dad was excited. I was excited. All his friends. Then came the attitude. We were hunting land we lease. The land around it is private and not hunted. It was fair chase (as in the only fences within 100 miles or more are barbed wire for cows -- nothing to keep the deer from going where they want to go). The deer was only 3 1/2 years old. So then he gets the "Why didn't you let him grow -- imagine what he would have been like in a couple of years!" and one guy, when told what he scored, said "Oh, that's not even big enough to make the record books!"

And I have only killed a spike this year (my second deer ever and my first one was also a spike -- both taken with a gun) and have been blasted on several fronts for that. Who knows what he would have been in a few years? What were you thinking taking a dinky deer like that? Keep in mind a spike and one over 13 inch spread is what is legal in my county this year.

My nephew got a yearling -- his first deer ever. He was thrilled. His Dad (person whom I think I coming to hate more than anything in the world at this point, who has yet to kill anything in the 8 years he has been married to my sister-in-law, and who will not take my nephew hunting with him) told him on the phone "Is that all? Cool I guess."

I too remember when ANY deer was a trophy. I have no problem with someone who wants to only hunt mature bucks. More power to you. But keep any and all smart remarks and derision to yourself over what I take. And if you let that nice buck walk becuuse it is not what you are looking for, don't make fun of someone who took that same deer and is thrilled to have it.

Ok, through with my rant and off my soapbox.

Germ

What the hell, quoting the Germ, LOL That was my basketball coaches line, LOL. JB I like your point we are all in different boats! Some have bigger boats, some have small boats, and some poor souls have boats with holes in them. You just have to learn how to best sail your boat and be happy.

davemill another classic, I agree with some point also. MyGrandpa tells me about seeing 100 deer a day, and 2 of them were bucks in Northen MI. 10 guys hunting for 1 persons buck tag, and were lucky to fill it. I bet must guys do see 100 deer a year now in Northen MI.
I bet now some wish to have shot a few doe's back then. Just maybe northen MI would not be such a mess. We go from to many deer, to no deer. We just need to find a balance. I believe we can do it, and everybody can hunt the way they want.

Urban Sprawl is what is killing us. I will be in this boat in 10 or so years, I have no way to stop it.

_Dan

I made this statement before I started my thread. The only reason I used that title was to catch the eye. How do you skip a thread and still have your name at the top as one of the users viewing the thread?

Talondale

Actually there's less hunters today than before but there's also less large tracts of open land and the attitude towards hunting is different. I think there is a more selfish attitude in general in America now and that's also reflected in how people approach hunting. So to a degree I agree with you David but I also think I like being able to see deer, or have a reasonable expectation to see deer, over maybe not seeing a deer all season.

I once posted an idea for a TV show I'd love to watch. It's where a person would host a prostaffer on their property. It would show how the pro would go about hunting the deer and see how he did. I don't mean it to be as a challenge to showup the pro but to see how someone else would hunt your property that has some skill in hunting. I will say this for the "pros". They weren't born in that position and at some point they had to do something to either attract sponsors or start their own show, especially the older guys where there wasn't someone out recruiting them for their show.

Germ

I missed this one, great post Rob!!

burniegoeasily

I can remember when you could ask a farmer for permission to hunt his land, and 9 out of 10 time he would say sure. Now finding land to hunt it like pulling teeth. Ask a farmer now and he will tell you, Im leasing the hunting rights, or an outfitter has already bought the rights.[:@]


I agree, the one with the most money wins. I just thank God I have some family land.

-DeerSlayer-

lol . Live for today