trophyhuntr

It is amazing to see how the sport of deer hunting has changed. When i started 17 years ago i could walk out of my back door and hunt all the land i could see about 1100 acres. If i walked on it now i would probably be shot due to hunting clubs and subdivisions. When i started everyone killed a deer and was happy about it, now it is who' s can score the highest. I say no it is who can afford the best hunt it seems like.. Dont get me wrong i travel and hunt with guides but it is for my own satisfaction, not to say hey mine is bigger take that. Now it is that everyone is preaching about deer management, not saying this is a bad thing but hey where do you draw the line. I hear about people in hunting clubs fighting with each other because they hunt to close to the property line, unbelieveable. When are people going to get back to the basics and enjoy this awesome sport for what it is and not what people are trying so hard to make it. Definetely want to hear some feed back and as always Good Huntn

CarolinaDeerHunter

Deer hunting has changed over the years. A lot around here. When I was a kid, you didn' t see or hear of many deer unless you traveled to another part of the state. When somebody did harvest a deer localy, it was the talk of the town. Thanks to a great DNR, we have a great deer population in our area now. I do believe in deer management and have been practicing it for years. I hunt over 6,000 private acres and can count on two hands the number of people that hunt it in one season with all but 2 of us being guest. A lot of this land is land that was either left from past family members or land that I myself or my cousin aquired through purchases or long term leases. We take a certain number of does each year and try not to shoot anything that the rack won' t score at least 125. We are able to watch our deer for several years while they mature. We work extreamly hard at maintaining our land and at the trophy management program. We take it very serious but that is where we get part of our enjoyment. The other part is being able to take kids, women, or someone who just hasn' t been able to harvest a nice buck. Another part of pur enjoyment comes from being able to sit in a stand or blind and seeing a lot of wildlife. One good example is I have met a friend through this site. He has about 900 acres of private land that he is able to hunt. he has sat for 30 straight days without seeing but one deer. He was giving up or anything but he did get in touch with me about possibly helping him pattern his deer or setting up his land. Of course I am glad to be able to help anyone I can and by the time next year rolls around, he will be set. Anyway, I took him to my land and he saw (if I remember correctly) around 12 - 15 deer while 2 or 3 were decent bucks. I don' t know what you consider the basics but if I recessed back to where I once was, I wouldn' t get near as much enjoyment out of deer hunting as I do now. I feel with anything you put effort in, you need or desire to move forward and should set certain goals. I do feel people get too wrapped up in all the gadgets they see on T.V. shows or hear a paid spokeman talk about. Just as you hunt with guides (nothing wrong with that) and get your satisfaction from that, I put a lot of work into my land and deer mangament and get a lot of my satisfaction from that, plus the trophies I am able to take off my own land. People are amazed at the racks I have nailed on the side of a barn (anything from an 8 point to 12 point) UNTIL they see the true trohpies I have hanging on the wall of my den or office. Another thing that helps out too is all the land owners around us also do trophy management. My 2 cents worth. Good Luck!! -- CDH

formula1

I appreciate your viewpoint and opinions, and I too feel deer hunting has certainly changed over the 33 years I' ve been hunting. Some change is for the better, some isn' t.

The changes I don' t like:
1) It' s much more difficult to gain permission to hunt, mostly because of #2.
2) The price of property leases has skyrocketed.
3) Local hunting traditions have often been replaced with the ' outsider' s' way of hunting. Example: the southern dog hunting tradition is slowly disappearing.
4) Many more pay hunts on plantations and fenced game.
5) Some land as you say is going away.
6) Some people can be difficult to hunt with, so I try to avoid those.
7) Some folks believe trophy hunting all that matters.
8) Merchandising the sport is a big money business.

The changes I do like:
1) The management of the deer herd for health and well-being of the whitetail has to be the best improvement to all deer hunting. True, too much management can be overkill, but in the long run, the deer benefit.
2) In spite of all the change, I can still deer hunt in this free and wonderful country!

rebel wolf

If you believe in hunting should be the old fashion get out and enjoy yourself type attitude why is your log-in name trohphyhuntr not that it matters to me. I will agree with you it has changed alot with technology, trophy hunting, canned hunts, and of course sponsorship for those who are lucky enough to harvest trophies on a regular basis will gain monetary benefits from it. I don' t hate nor envy them for what they do actually I wish them good luck alot of peple are jealous of the Chuck Adams, Ted Nugent, Bill Jordan ,Jackie Bushman type hunters, I' m sure they enjoy the sport as much if not more than I do but I doubt that part. I am the old fashion hunter I go out bust my a$$ every season in hopes of putting meat in the freezer, I scout,make stand location, practice with my bow and gun, and when I' m lucky enough to kill an animal I thank the good Lord and I drag it home and begin the processing duties, if I go all season and don' t shoot a thing every time out after the day is done I thank the good lord for letting me have a opportunity to enjoy his creation set before me that evening. I also am glad that my kids are interested enough to ask dad can I go with you tonight and you can be guaranteed that they will be camo' d up and sitting with me enjoying what Ma Nature has to offer for the day.... God bless the outdoors person....

trophyhuntr

Both of youll are right, formula1 where do you hunt in Ga. We manage our deer strictly where i hunt largest taken last year 154

formula1

Trophyhunter,

Hope got my mail message, then you' ll know where I hunt. Since I' m hunting a brand new place this year, I don' t know how it' s going to go. I like the management of the club and the hunting pressure is better than where I was previously. I think the best off this property is a 150 class, but that' s been many years ago. I' ve seen several that were taken in recent years in the 130' s, though, so I' m upbeat. My previous place had too much hunting pressure and the best buck I ever saw come from it in 10 years was 125 gross. That' s why I decided to make the change.

trophyhuntr

I got your personal message formula1, good luck on the new land, hope you kill theat buck you found the sheds on he should be bigger,