my final thoughts on Pa deer management !
01-24-2007, 09:05 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lancaster pa
Posts: 3,015
my final thoughts on Pa deer management !
I know this is long but my son has taught me a valuable lesson and I just fealt the need to pass it on.
It wasn’t until recently that I truly got caught up in the dispute that divides hunters throughout Pennsylvania. I listen as one side claims that the deer population is taking a drastic hit and hunting isn’t what it used to be. At the same time I hear from others that they may not be seeing the same number of deer but the buck they are seeing are much larger. You know, for awhile there I really didn’t know that I even had a dog in this fight let alone which side I wanted to be on. I would talk to folks at local gun shops about hunting and the conversation would quickly change to PA deer management. Ten years ago that same group of hunters would have been laughing at each other as they joked about great memories from this past years hunts. Now, as soon as someone says "I was out hunting this year" another person will jump in and say "I bet you didn’t see anything". It seems as though we spend so much time trying to enjoy our sport and make new memories that we don’t even take the time to re-live those same memories.
Until now I was just as caught up as everyone else. That was until a two year old taught his dad the most valuable lesson he has ever learned. My son loves to walk through the woods with his Remmington .270 broken branch action, and try to see how many deer he could shoot. Nearly every day this fall, as soon as we got to my parents land he would jump from the car and grab my finger as he lead me towards the woods. I can still hear his words as he yells "me shoot deer daddy, me shoot deer like you !!". We would spend hours walking through the oaks as I sat quietly and watched him sneak from tree to tree. Every now and then a "shot" would ring out as he yelled over "me shoot eight point buck".
Now, I’m sure countless other fathers have stories similar to mine but it’s not the story that hits home. You see, what really gets to me is the energy with which he wants to get out there. Only one time has he ever seen a deer in the woods, yet not one complaint ever comes from his mouth. He has taken more trips into the woods than most hunters I know and has never seen a deer. Yet, his drive to get out there is more profound than mine on some mornings. This two year old boy truly enjoys and understands what it’s like to go out into the woods with family. While the rest of us are caught up on how many and what size deer we see he is having more fun than we have had in years. He doesn’t care if he sees fifty deer or no deer at all. He doesn’t care that every time he turns the corner there isn’t a 140 class buck standing there. All he cares about is that he’s out there with his dad and got the opportunity to even turn that corner in the first place.
I guess we should all sit back and give our children a chance to teach us a lesson or two. I can guarantee that we’ll once again start enjoying the companionship and friendships that go along with this great sport that we all enjoy.
It wasn’t until recently that I truly got caught up in the dispute that divides hunters throughout Pennsylvania. I listen as one side claims that the deer population is taking a drastic hit and hunting isn’t what it used to be. At the same time I hear from others that they may not be seeing the same number of deer but the buck they are seeing are much larger. You know, for awhile there I really didn’t know that I even had a dog in this fight let alone which side I wanted to be on. I would talk to folks at local gun shops about hunting and the conversation would quickly change to PA deer management. Ten years ago that same group of hunters would have been laughing at each other as they joked about great memories from this past years hunts. Now, as soon as someone says "I was out hunting this year" another person will jump in and say "I bet you didn’t see anything". It seems as though we spend so much time trying to enjoy our sport and make new memories that we don’t even take the time to re-live those same memories.
Until now I was just as caught up as everyone else. That was until a two year old taught his dad the most valuable lesson he has ever learned. My son loves to walk through the woods with his Remmington .270 broken branch action, and try to see how many deer he could shoot. Nearly every day this fall, as soon as we got to my parents land he would jump from the car and grab my finger as he lead me towards the woods. I can still hear his words as he yells "me shoot deer daddy, me shoot deer like you !!". We would spend hours walking through the oaks as I sat quietly and watched him sneak from tree to tree. Every now and then a "shot" would ring out as he yelled over "me shoot eight point buck".
Now, I’m sure countless other fathers have stories similar to mine but it’s not the story that hits home. You see, what really gets to me is the energy with which he wants to get out there. Only one time has he ever seen a deer in the woods, yet not one complaint ever comes from his mouth. He has taken more trips into the woods than most hunters I know and has never seen a deer. Yet, his drive to get out there is more profound than mine on some mornings. This two year old boy truly enjoys and understands what it’s like to go out into the woods with family. While the rest of us are caught up on how many and what size deer we see he is having more fun than we have had in years. He doesn’t care if he sees fifty deer or no deer at all. He doesn’t care that every time he turns the corner there isn’t a 140 class buck standing there. All he cares about is that he’s out there with his dad and got the opportunity to even turn that corner in the first place.
I guess we should all sit back and give our children a chance to teach us a lesson or two. I can guarantee that we’ll once again start enjoying the companionship and friendships that go along with this great sport that we all enjoy.
01-24-2007, 09:20 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 2,313
RE: my final thoughts on Pa deer management !
I feel the same way. I didnt shoot a deer this year but had many chances. Im leaving for the Marine Corps in june so this was my last deer season wiht my dad for a few years so i just enjoyed being able to go and spend time with just him and not have anything important to do. I had to see atleast 200 deer in our 2 week buck/doe season but i wasnt worried about shooting one. IM ready for the last time im going to get to hunt wiht him this spring for turkeys. We go to Black Moshannon State Forrest to hunt turkeys for spring and fall with alot of people i grew up around.
01-28-2007, 06:51 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 85
RE: my final thoughts on Pa deer management !
Reading this story brings up alot of memorys and emotions.I'm 46 now but I can remember being that little person hunting with my dad.My oldest son also got the privelidge of those experiences with my dad.My son no longer has much interest in hunting.I have a younger son that is'nt sure if he wants to hunt or not and he never got to hunt with my dad.
My dad passed a few years ago and I realized that the time went much to fast.My dad never killed a truely big buck but he sure tried.The year he passed I used his favorite rifle and killed the biggest buck of my life.It scored 145 and had 12 points not bad for S.W.Pa.I would have more than gladely forfeited ever hunting or killing anything if it could have just been him one last time.
So what I'm saying is dont take the times your out doing this or any other activities for granted. .
My dad passed a few years ago and I realized that the time went much to fast.My dad never killed a truely big buck but he sure tried.The year he passed I used his favorite rifle and killed the biggest buck of my life.It scored 145 and had 12 points not bad for S.W.Pa.I would have more than gladely forfeited ever hunting or killing anything if it could have just been him one last time.
So what I'm saying is dont take the times your out doing this or any other activities for granted. .
