Dirt2

I guess I'm not that hung up on the "challenge". I don't see hunting as being a sport, either. It's a way of life, existing out there in the woods, and putting meat in the freezer. Within that framework, I'm going to play around with getting a big buck so long as I get my meat tags filled. Taking a big buck is all the challenge anyone could want, and it provides the kind of movable standard (maybe any branched antler buck is a trophy in your woods and a 130 buck is a trophy in mine) to infuse any hunt with challenge.

Mr. Longbeard

Not much

Dunezilla

Yeb scouting and outwitting is exciting and a challange indeed. Remember this as well that many hunters are limited as to how many days they can hunt, therefore to see a number of deer may be a benifit to them. I hunt an area that has a number of deer and to get as close as I can to the deer is important to me whem I am out hunting.

Even if they spook no fear, there are more out there. So I use this kind of hunting to get more educated on camo clothing, scent killer, and there (the deer) reactions when they spot me, but they see no movment from me. Now they get to wondering what I am so....they come a little closer to make me out...boy this is exciting.

mwaite

[/align]When I lived and bowhunted in Iowa, it was a like a deer parade by my favorite stand near the end of Oct. Each and every deer got my heart rate up, whether it was a shooter buck that didn't offera shot, or a doe and fawn just out grazing. I don't think the challenge was in the killing for me, but being that close to so many animals without being detected. Or managing to remain still enough to put them at ease after they had made out my form in the tree. And all the things I learned about the by just watching them in their environment! And the final reward of good meat in the freezer at the end of the season.

chuck41

Getting out in the woods in the quiet and solitude is it's own reward. I hunt with a camera as much as a gun and each deer sighting is a special reward. Don't shoot that many but enjoy every one.

Dunezilla

Hear,hear..well said. Yeb I bring my camera along too, I liked my video camera but it was stolen along with my Jeep. Yea if I want two deer then that is all I take for that year, if I want three deer then I take 3 for that year...but if I go for 5 deer then I keep 3 and give the other 2 to those in need. Well I actually share my deer every year except last year. Anyhow I thank God that I get at least one each year and I am happy for getting that one.

dkbs

I'm an old fart and have been hunting for many years. I still don't see a deer every outing, but definitely more that I used to. One thing that comes with more deer spottings per outing, is keep the bowhunter numbers high. Which has both good points and bad points. Years ago when deer weren't as plentiful, people would buy a bow, hunt a few times and they were on to something else. Now they do it long enough and become hooked.

Dan

Dunezilla

"I still don't see a deer every outing"..."but definitely more than I use to"

Outside of last year I am glade that I don't see deer that I can legally shoot, otherwise my hunting season would be two short, like it was last year, but last year I was glade I saw the three deer I killed on my first three outings. After that I started a new job, so my huntinfg season was shorten. I went out looking for mulies about 8 times but that was that, and all the mulies I saw were not legall to shoot. So I was skunked on my mulies.

So this year I have a 3-day hunt planned in Sept., and a5- day hunt planned in Oct., and a 3-day hunt planned in Nov., and lastly a 3-day hunt in Dec.. Oh and if all goes well a 1 or 2 day hunt each week...but it may end up every two weeks.