How many can remember

[trad"Doc"53]

I grew up on a 460acre farm. Had lots of room to roam on bike or horseback. I can remember when no one cared about a deer with a big rack,in fact,most everyone wanted the younger deer for eating.

[Clintbow]

I remember those days. I grew up on a ranch in Kansas and had "permission" to hunt just about any piece of property near us. Wherever I hunted I made sure me and my friends picked up all empty shotgun shells. If we crossed a fence and happened to break a wire, I fixed it. It was just basic respect for the land and the landowner. It seems everyone now wants to make as much money as they can and charge for hunting so they can keep up with the Jones' and buy a new fancy truck. It's also really sad when you go to a place like the LBJ National Grasslands where the Federal government provides a place, free or charge, for you to hunt, and it is just littered with trash and carcass'.

[muzzlebrake]

I remember. And all you had to do was stop by the house and ask and shut all gates

[doghouse]

I remember those days very well. I coon hunted all over Mills county. Of course back then it was by foot only. In those days we didn't have near the deer population we do now.

[Gom]

I remember going on day hunts in Llano for 35.00 a day, That was in 1980's. In the 90's, I paid 150.00 for a year round lease.

[Greywolf in Hawaii]

Yep sure do, I remember stringin fence to have rabbit hunting and trapping privileges and one farm I gave the farmer and his wife couple of suppers of bluegill, and small mouth bass just about every trip out to their place.

Even heeded their warnings too, the Bulls mean in the back pasture LOL, out ran that sucker more than once when I cut across too.

[Wudstix]

Remember the days when hunting was free. Offer to fix fence you found broke while scouting or hunting, offer some meat from a successful hunt, pick up some trash left by others and I had all the spots I needed to hunt.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

It isn't the free deer hunting that I miss the most... I miss being able to walk the creek or river bottoms and the low areas around the lakes busting rabbits out of the brush piles on a cold January morning or waiting for the fog to lift in the pecan bottoms and listening to the squirrels chattering.. I grew up knowing that world and my daughter got to experience some of it growing up... but my grandchildren will never know it except from stories told by their mother.. My oldest granddaughter is now 10 and asked me to take her hunting like I did her mother, it broke my heart to tell her that it isn't possible to do that today unless you can afford to pay big bucks for the privilege or can travel.

[Txnrog]

No, I'm too young to really remember those days. Fewer and fewer ranches are actually owned by ranchers, I think that has a lot to do with it. Income stream has in a large part shifted from Ag to big game, has a lot to do with it as well. I think when you grow up used to the pay to play environment, you get used to it. People can still hunt very reasonably with a few connections, but if you want to own your hunting calendar, it's going to cost you.

That said, I've enjoyed quite a bit of public land hunting up here in CO, and in NE, WY, MN & WI - it's enjoyable to get out, but to do well, you have to 'pay' in the form of more time in the field and harder work to get on game.

[super_dave]

I wish it was still that way.

I hunt 100 acres that belongs to an old man. I asked and he allowed. No payment no questions. Too bad there is not more of this

[Wayne Meuir]

My Parent's families were all farmers, so I always had a place to go hunt rabbits, squirrels, and the like. There were no deer or hogs in this area at that time, but I spent countless hours roaming around with my pellet rifle when I was young, with a shotgun when I got older. Now all of the fields and woods that I scoured are filled with $400K homes.
I take my Grandson to my deer lease every time I can. Every generation gets farther and farther from the countryside and the freedom to experience it the way I did.

Wayne

[Drawknife]

I remember when mom moved us to Illinois to be close to her folks in 72. I hated it but soon realized you could hunt anywhere any time with a knock on a door. Those where some great times growing up. It's still that way there sometimes but the land leasing is creeping there too as people really need the money now.

[Robhood23]

Yup, starting to see the same thing happening in MN. Keep those relationships with landowners strong!!!

[bob sarrels]

I grew up in Abilene. Started being my dads birddog at a really early age. He knew several farmer ranchers in the area and I don't think he ever had to pay. As a young kid I would take my slingshot after rabbits and nesting birds. Later a pellet gun and 22 after small game. I could usually walk somewhere to hunt or ride my bike. Back in those days there were no deer in Taylor County. I am talking quite a ways back guys, like the mid to late 50's. There was not even a deer tag available for that county. I used to go down with my father to my granddads place in Mission Tx, which is near McAllen and rifle hunt deer. Even then my granddad was paying for a lease but it was not too expensive. He had 5500 acres with 10 guns and each hunter paid $75 a year. Guess that was a pile of cash back then. I returned from Vietnam in Jan of 1970 and after a year of a different kind of hunting over there had completely lost my zeal to kill things. Many years passed before that returned. Now you really do have to pay to play in our state.

[TWP]

It isn't the free deer hunting that I miss the most... I miss being able to walk the creek or river bottoms and the low areas around the lakes busting rabbits out of the brush piles on a cold January morning or waiting for the fog to lift in the pecan bottoms and listening to the squirrels chattering.. I grew up knowing that world and my daughter got to experience some of it growing up... but my grandchildren will never know it except from stories told by their mother.. My oldest granddaughter is now 10 and asked me to take her hunting like I did her mother, it broke my heart to tell her that it isn't possible to do that today unless you can afford to pay big bucks for the privilege or can travel.

Mike, let me talk with my dad. After deer season we should be able to let you and your granddaughter come out and play. We are just ten minutes out of San Angelo and have a trailer house with hot showers, etc. Just cost you to get out here, but it breaks my heart to hear about a little one who can't go hunting with her grandad. All it will cost you is some gas, food and a couple lessons for a newbie. Send me a PM if you are interested, and I will talk to dad.