Douchbaggery so thick you could cut it with a knife.

[DV1]

My first bad experience with the 6-day wonders was 1983. Was hunting private property. Had a nice, chunky 5 point buck come in and I put a slug right between his shoulder and neck as he was quartering towards me. His face nearly hit the ground as he plowed forward about 75 yards before crashing down. I knew he was done and climbed down right away. As I hit the ground, I heard a shot from where the deer ran. I get over there and a guy who was trespassing with his "group" was already gutting the deer. Said it came running by him and he shot it. I began to argue with him as his buddies arrived. They said "get lost kid, this is our deer" (I was 16). So what could I do. It hasn't been much better since then.

 

Used to love the anticipation of it, hearing shots, wondering who shot, what they got, that always brought some level of excitement but that was mixed with the problems of trespassing, confrontations over who actually killed the deer, stands too close to each other, etc. I never really had good property and public land is totally impossible to hunt during buck week unless you are in a driving club around here. You can forget it. It's the most ignorant time of the year for hunters. 

 

Bow season is losing it's luster for me too though. Maybe I'm just getting to that age or stage, or could be because there isn't much worth getting excited about on the public lands I hunt but it's getting tougher all the time to get motivated enough to go out. Maybe I've killed enough, who knows. I wouldn't say I still have 'The Drive' but do the the itch once in a while. Not this week though, no thanks. 

 

Good luck to those going out, be safe, and hopefully you have an enjoyable week. 

[Nomad]

Love opening day.  Will be out with my son. He is really excited, about it.  He and I will have trouble sleeping tonight.  Lucky to have a good relationship with adjoining land owners for many years.  Good luck and safe hunting to all.

[JHbowhunter]

Love opening day.  Will be out with my son. He is really excited, about it.  He and I will have trouble sleeping tonight.  Lucky to have a good relationship with adjoining land owners for many years.  Good luck and safe hunting to all.

 

That's awesome. I remember that feeling well but its been about 30 years and I am not sure I will get it back.  Good luck!

[Ravenrock_bowbender]

I actually used to hit zone 4 every first day in worthington state forest. Since bear season came into play I haven't been there. Im not driving 2 hours to have yahoo's walking around all day searching for bears.

[Nomad]

That's awesome. I remember that feeling well but its been about 30 years and I am not sure I will get it back.  Good luck!

I think having kids keeps it alive.  Seeing their excited anticipation helps keep it special.  As long as the season is now it is a lot different than in the past.  When the whole gun season was only 6 days long everyone was out on the opener and that was really your best chance of getting a buck.  And you were not picky, any buck was a trophy at least where we hunted.  Back in the 70's when I was a kid hunting up in Stokes it was like a war zone!  You would hear volleys of shot going up and down the mountain.  You knew it was a buck running as shooting does was not allowed.  That was reserved for 1 day on the following Wednesday.  As much as I love hunting, season is too darn long now.  

[BowhunterNJ]

I don't plan on going this year. Not the same without my dad joining. It's been a few years now since he's hunted. Just not into it like I was. Used to be so exciting anticipating the action or what might come by. Now I prefer the peacefulness of bow season. Agree with others, season is too long.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JHbowhunter]

good luck to all going - try to have fun. I will do my best to enjoy it - I am off all week.

Edited December 5, 2016 by JHbowhunter

[JHbowhunter]

I think having kids keeps it alive.  Seeing their excited anticipation helps keep it special.  As long as the season is now it is a lot different than in the past.  When the whole gun season was only 6 days long everyone was out on the opener and that was really your best chance of getting a buck.  And you were not picky, any buck was a trophy at least where we hunted.  Back in the 70's when I was a kid hunting up in Stokes it was like a war zone!  You would hear volleys of shot going up and down the mountain.  You knew it was a buck running as shooting does was not allowed.  That was reserved for 1 day on the following Wednesday.  As much as I love hunting, season is too darn long now.  

 

My son started hunting at 10 - he is 20 now.   I took him on two consecutive youth days. First year - I rattled in a nice thick 6 point and he dropped it at 70 yards with his H&R 20ga slugger.  Next year, he had 15 deer all around him, and waited out the biggest doe in the rear and put her down at 45 yards.  He got mostly liver - took the doe a few minutes to perish with her fawn standing over her. (the typical NJH response would be "should have told him to shoot the fawn too.." but this is NJWW)  He never wanted to hunt again.  He had last his mother to cancer at when he was 10 - I feel like I really messed that up.  He loves to go fishing with me but never hunted deer again.

Edited December 5, 2016 by JHbowhunter

[Nomad]

My son started hunting at 10 - he is 20 now.   I took him on two consecutive youth days. First year - I rattled in a nice thick 6 point and he dropped it at 70 yards with his H&R 20ga slugger.  Next year, he had 15 deer all around him, and waited out the biggest doe in the rear and put her down at 45 yards.  He got mostly liver - took the doe a few minutes to perish with her fawn standing over her.   He never wanted to hunt again.  He had last his mother to cancer at when he was 10 - I feel like I really messed that up.  He loves to go fishing with me but never hunted deer again.

Sorry about your loss.  Must have been tough on him.  As for the deer hunting, maybe he will come around to going again.  Regardless, you have a fishing partner and what looks to be a fine man in the making, from some of the fishing pictures I have seen.  Best of luck to you and him.

[Thrudheim]

I am gonna make a few signs that say "If you can read this you're on private property get the f!@# on the other side of the swamp."

I will be back out again Fri and Sat and know for sure these clowns will be back.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Thrudheim

[Haskell_Hunter]

The Hudson Farm has a sign on their property that says something along the lines of this:  "You are trespassing.  Don't bother running away, our game cam just took your photo and alerted our security staff.  The police are on the way to pick you up."

 

I can't find an image of it, but it seemed very effective to stop trespassers.

[Live to Hunt]

Hate gun season.. I stopped going when I stopped enjoying it which was many years ago.  

[Live to Hunt]

The Hudson Farm has a sign on their property that says something along the lines of this:  "You are trespassing.  Don't bother running away, our game cam just took your photo and alerted our security staff.  The police are on the way to pick you up."

 

I can't find an image of it, but it seemed very effective to stop trespassers.

Never saw the sign but they do prosecute if they catch you. 

[1957Buck]

Post deleted felt it did not fit with Content of this post   

Edited December 7, 2016 by 1957Buck

[BenedictGomez]

I wonder what percentage of the folks who hunt during 6-day, it's the only hunting they do all year? 

 

Each year I'm curious as to this, thought about starting a thread, but dont know if it's thread-worthy.  My suspicion from hearing all the "day before" shotgun sighting stories is there are plenty of folks for who these are the only 6 days they hunt all year.  Heck, I've even heard stories of the ranges being busy on 6-day Friday, meaning Saturday might be the only day they hunt all year.  Might explain some of the insane stories you read posted.