The Metamorphasis of Deer Hunting

[jerp]

I'm sure there are a lot of bucks killed by TBH members that they don't post pictures of for this very reason. To each his own! Many are exclusively trophy hunters and don't mind all the rules/restrictions that go with that. That doesn't affect me because I'm not on a place like that. Others just like to shoot and eat any legal deer, period. They may shoot bucks that I wouldn't shoot but that doesn't affect me either. Get on a place with hunters who's goals align with yours and have fun!

[arrowsmack324]

You're absolutely right the elitist mentality these days is absolutely sickening.

[eastxhunter]

Another guy mad about 13” rules tisk tisk

[flywise]

Yep

[DRT]

I remember my first buck. A spike I shot with my dad's 12 gauge Browning A5. The blood on the snow, dragging him out of the swamp, him hanging in the garage.
I don't worry too much about social media. This forum is about as social as I get. I have kind of been missing the days when any deer was a good deer but still passed up a mid 120s 9 point Saturday hoping he'd get a little better next year.
That's on me, no one else.
Still, I'll probably kill one or two in the next few weeks with my longbow and regardless of score I'm sure the adrenaline will course through my veins, my heart rate will rise and I will sweat even the most profuse blood trail until I find them at the end.
Then the rack will get thrown in a box or nailed to the porch and I'll dream of how next year I'll tag a 150.

Gary

[doright]

I can also remember those times. The only scoring system we had was counting points and if you could hang a ring on it then it counted. I had no idea a deer had to be a certain age before it was acceptable to kill (harvest ) it. I still operate that way . When we were kids playing sports we only kept score if it mattered who won or lost. We would play ball until it got time to go in and didn't matter who was ahead. I don't score any deer I kill for the same reason . If it matters to you if you out score me then I will go ahead and forfeit. You win I loose, I'm just going to have a good time and enjoy myself.

[jdelago67]

Very well said

[Razrbk89]

I miss running dogs, and I’m not old.

Took a lot of the fun and fellowship out of deer hunting for a lot of guys, up here.

[wloftis]

spot on.

[Txarrowhunter]

The hunters of yesterday led the way to the hunters of today. But I agree it’s hard hunting these days.

[wloftis]

Growing up we had our "first buck" and it could be pretty much whatever we wanted. We didn't do much "scoring" back then but after our first buck; we didn't shoot a buck unless it was bigger than the first and getting shoulder mounted to hang on the wall.

All in all; it was all about being with family and friends at the lease and the experience.

[Sika]

When I was a kid and would go hunting with my dad (roughly 20-30 years ago) in Hays county, just seeing a deer track was exciting. I can only remember a handful of hunts that I actually saw deer. And I mean 1 or 2 deer at a time. The average age of a buck harvested in that area was 2.5.

It wasn’t until we started hunting with management minded hunters that we really starting having great hunts. We saw deer every sit and had multiple opportunities to kill mature bucks.

I’m glad things aren’t like they used to be.

The deer population is better than it’s ever been. I love watching and patterning the deer. I love watching bucks grow up. To me, it’s extra fun hunting a buck I have some history with.

There are a-holes everywhere. The more time you spend on the internet, the more of them you will encounter.

[Hammer-1]

This is exactly how I still hunt after I killed my first deer in 1984. I teach my son to do the same. We hunt public land only in Arkansas and Texas. Any legal deer is a trophy and meat on the table. My boy tagged his first deer with a bow('90s hoyt supperslam@84#) this season, his first with muzzle loader( $75 traditions sidelock in 50 cal) and a nice buck with my daddy's 1978 rem 700 He achieved the Arkansas triple trophy award with a bunch of old and obsolete weapons and couldn't be prouder of him self. I've tried to teach him the value of hunting skills. High dollar equipment doesn't make a good hunter. Skills and patience mingled with passion makes a good hunt to remember.
Not the biggest deer in the woods but definitely a hunt to remember.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stickbow]

When I was a kid and would go hunting with my dad (roughly 20-30 years ago) in Hays county, just seeing a deer track was exciting. I can only remember a handful of hunts that I actually saw deer. And I mean 1 or 2 deer at a time. The average age of a buck harvested in that area was 2.5.

It wasn’t until we started hunting with management minded hunters that we really starting having great hunts. We saw deer every sit and opportunities to kill mature bucks.

I’m glad things aren’t like they used to be.

The deer population is better than it’s ever been. I love watching and patterning the deer. I love watching bucks grow up. To me, it’s extra fun hunting a buck I have some history with.

There are a-holes everywhere. The more time you spend on the internet, the more of them you will encounter.

well said