It is sad what hunting has become.....are we our own worst enemies????

[DV1]

1 hour ago, MGHunter66 said:

Well I guess the people you text with are the problem not the guys on here, maybe you should reach out to them instead of posting it here

Why would I do that? I don't care what they kill, and isn't the entire point of this thread about not worrying about how others hunt? You don't want people telling you that you can't use a crossbow in bow season, but you want to tell someone else how they hunt is  "problem"?  What happened to.. "hunt how you want, as long as it's legal"?

What these guys are doing is exactly what the State wants, it's almost entirely on private land, and they eat the deer. I didn't post it to be judgemental, just to confirm what Hammer said seems to be accurate... and if they only had 2 buck tags, they probably would fill the freezer with does because they would have to. Right now though, a 130-140 lb 2.5 yr old buck puts a lot more meat in the freezer than a 90 lb doe. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by DV1

[Lunatic]

8 minutes ago, DV1 said:

Why would I do that? I don't care what they kill, and isn't the entire point of this thread about not worrying about how others hunt? You don't want people telling you that you can't use a crossbow in bow season, but you want to tell someone else how they hunt is  "problem"?  What happened to.. "hunt how you want, as long as it's legal"?

What these guys are doing is exactly what the State wants, it's almost entirely on private land, and they eat the deer. I didn't post it to be judgemental, just to confirm what Hammer said seems to be accurate... and if they only had 2 buck tags, they probably would fill the freezer with does because they would have to. Right now though, a 130-140 lb 2.5 yr old buck puts a lot more meat in the freezer than a 90 lb doe. 

I would say : 

“ hunt how you want, as long as it's legal and you are not disruptive to others. 

[Sudsy]

On 12/28/2023 at 11:48 AM, nmc02 said:

 

What you guys think???

The point of this post is simple; NOT KILLING A MATURE, LARGE RACKED BUCK SHOULD NOT RUIN A HUNTER'S SEASON.

Then you have guys like me that have -0- interest in that 150 buck. I want the big fat doe.

I let the bucks go, I know there are lots of guys that will be far happier then me with a big stinky buck, so why take that from them?

Leave me the best eaters !!

[BowhunterNJ]

23 minutes ago, Sudsy said:

Then you have guys like me that have -0- interest in that 150 buck. I want the big fat doe.

I let the bucks go, I know there are lots of guys that will be far happier then me with a big stinky buck, so why take that from them?

Leave me the best eaters !!

Also why I'm not interested in shooting a buck unless it's BIG (for me).  I'd rather eat a doe.  And I don't need to fill a buck tag to feel like I've accomplished anything, if I have a shot opportunity and know I could have killed a given buck, that's good enough for me.  If it's one I'm REALLY after, then I'll let an arrow, bolt or bullet fly.

[GetOutdoors]

On 12/28/2023 at 12:06 PM, archer36 said:

If you own a small piece of land (under 300 acres) and you hope to manage it for "trophy" deer and your neighbors are not on the same page, good luck with that.

^ yep.

I go round and round with this every year.  Or, used to.  Now, I really dont try to convince anyone of anything.  Ever.  

Just do you.  IMO/IME.

[fab]

So I been hunting 41 seasons now 

I have taken a lot of deer. I have taken a few bucks over 120.  I havnt broke 140

 

We evolve as hunters as we mature and achieve success and make our own new goals moving forward 
 

so my 3 most rewarding deer harvests ( they were not first deer first bow kill first buck ) 

 

#3.  Taking a 61 lbs bb with a t/c 50 cal flintlock using black powder and a patched round ball 

 

#2. Taking a plump bb from the ground in 2017 using the same fiberglass long bow as well as cedar shaft/ broadhead combo my dad used in 1961 when he took his first archery buck 

#1. This past 6 day I took the small 6 pt ( pic below ) using my grand fathers 1897 Winchester pump loaded with 000 buckshot.   The gun is about 105 years old. My dad used that same gun in nj for over 65 seasons taken many deer with it.  
 

now my bucket list harvest is trying to get a buck in ny on my own property using my dads 3030 he got for Xmas from my mom 

 

I don’t need a 120 or even a 150.  If one walks by.  Great.   If not.  A small 5 pt in ny will be just as rewarding 

Figure out what makes you excited to harvest    Strive for that Don’t judge what anyone desires to harvest or not harvest   As long as it’s legal    Celebrate you success and that of others 

 

 

 

[Nomad]

6 hours ago, fab said:

So I been hunting 41 seasons now 

I have taken a lot of deer. I have taken a few bucks over 120.  I havnt broke 140

 

We evolve as hunters as we mature and achieve success and make our own new goals moving forward 
 

so my 3 most rewarding deer harvests ( they were not first deer first bow kill first buck ) 

 

#3.  Taking a 61 lbs bb with a t/c 50 cal flintlock using black powder and a patched round ball 

 

#2. Taking a plump bb from the ground in 2017 using the same fiberglass long bow as well as cedar shaft/ broadhead combo my dad used in 1961 when he took his first archery buck 

#1. This past 6 day I took the small 6 pt ( pic below ) using my grand fathers 1897 Winchester pump loaded with 000 buckshot.   The gun is about 105 years old. My dad used that same gun in nj for over 65 seasons taken many deer with it.  
 

now my bucket list harvest is trying to get a buck in ny on my own property using my dads 3030 he got for Xmas from my mom 

 

I don’t need a 120 or even a 150.  If one walks by.  Great.   If not.  A small 5 pt in ny will be just as rewarding 

Figure out what makes you excited to harvest    Strive for that Don’t judge what anyone desires to harvest or not harvest   As long as it’s legal    Celebrate you success and that of others 

 

 

 

It’s about the size of the hunt not the size of the deer.
 

If you get both then that’s really special!

[hammer4reel]

1 minute ago, Nomad said:

It’s about the size of the hunt not the size of the deer.
 

If you get both then that’s really special!

Thats the part guys who think hunting a big deer means nothing don’t understand .

i get to enjoy the woods 10 times more holding out for a nice buck .

get to really enjoy watching the show nature puts on for us .

guys needing to shoot just anything have made that hunt more about a kill than the hunt itself .

I hunt because i enjoy the chase .

and while I know its best to shoot a mature buck the first sit , i actually like the years its takes the whole season to get it done .

Becomes bitter sweet once anticipation fleets by and the deer is on the ground .

knowing how much fun it was finding them and watching them daily on the cameras and sightings in the woods .

a guy hunting hard for mature deer is playing chess , not checkers .

 

.

[Bucndoe]

6 hours ago, fab said:

So I been hunting 41 seasons now 

I have taken a lot of deer. I have taken a few bucks over 120.  I havnt broke 140

 

We evolve as hunters as we mature and achieve success and make our own new goals moving forward 
 

so my 3 most rewarding deer harvests ( they were not first deer first bow kill first buck ) 

 

#3.  Taking a 61 lbs bb with a t/c 50 cal flintlock using black powder and a patched round ball 

 

#2. Taking a plump bb from the ground in 2017 using the same fiberglass long bow as well as cedar shaft/ broadhead combo my dad used in 1961 when he took his first archery buck 

#1. This past 6 day I took the small 6 pt ( pic below ) using my grand fathers 1897 Winchester pump loaded with 000 buckshot.   The gun is about 105 years old. My dad used that same gun in nj for over 65 seasons taken many deer with it.  
 

now my bucket list harvest is trying to get a buck in ny on my own property using my dads 3030 he got for Xmas from my mom 

 

I don’t need a 120 or even a 150.  If one walks by.  Great.   If not.  A small 5 pt in ny will be just as rewarding 

Figure out what makes you excited to harvest    Strive for that Don’t judge what anyone desires to harvest or not harvest   As long as it’s legal    Celebrate you success and that of others 

 

 

 

Is that a Winchester "thumb buster" (1897) ?

[fab]

Yes it’s the thumb buster. 
 

first time I shot it I thought I was losing an eye.  U see that darn bar coming at you. Still freaks me out a lil.   Lol.  
 

 I want to jump on what hammer said about being bitter sweet.   That sums up exactly what I was trying to figure out how to say:

 I’m going to New York for a week I’m taking a week off to hunt the jersey rut  or going six day for the week Or going the two days for muzzleloader before six day    U can’t wait to hunt and then you’re done in the first hour.     I Shot a big 8 one year I was chasing in the First 45 minutes of a five day hunt.   My first thought was oh crap now what am I gonna do all week.   Lol.   I then was excited that I harvest him and then I went and immediately thought it would’ve been nice to take him on day four.  

now I don’t like shooting deer   The hunts over and the work begins    

 

[archer36]

Hunt and shoot the way you like. I like a big rack as much as anyone but do not obsess over it. All my "big" deer were incidental to hunting, not targeted. That's me. Not right or wrong. It's nice that we all have the privilege of hunting for recreation and not to survive. If it was to live, then how many trophy deer would you hold out for if you had to feed a family? Do what you like and don't judge others. 

I was raised a "meat" hunter. I still am a "meat" hunter because I will not hold out for a "big" deer anymore. None of my properties are conducive to that. I have done that in past years and have been disappointed 95% of the time. I don't like disappointment. 

I trophy hunt also, but not in NJ. My two Safaris in South Africa were strictly trophy hunts. I wouldn't even call them "hunts" because of the amount and variety of game. They were basically harvests. But, I knew that. My Moose hunt in Newfoundland was about 50/50. Sure, I would have liked to bring home a rack, but I didn't pass up the chance to take a Cow Moose on the next to last day. I hunted Illinois once and saw, even in the best of places, the odds of shooting a trophy deer are pretty low. You have lots of things that can work against you in a weeks' time. 

Trophy hunting in NJ is an almost useless effort for obvious reasons. It's managed for low deer numbers, not trophy animals. But I do admire those who persist in it. If you are blessed with a piece of land that you can totally control (if that's possible in NJ) then you have a pretty good chance of shooting a trophy every 5 years or so. 

What's important is that we don't vilify one another for their choices. 

Edited February 28 by archer36

[archer36]

29 minutes ago, archer36 said:

Hunt and shoot the way you like. I like a big rack as much as anyone but do not obsess over it. All my "big" deer were incidental to hunting, not targeted. That's me. Not right or wrong. It's nice that we all have the privilege of hunting for recreation and not to survive. If it was to live, then how many trophy deer would you hold out for if you had to feed a family? Do what you like and don't judge others. 

I was raised a "meat" hunter. I still am a "meat" hunter because I will not hold out for a "big" deer anymore. None of my properties are conducive to that. I have done that in past years and have been disappointed 95% of the time. I don't like disappointment. 

I trophy hunt also, but not in NJ. My two Safaris in South Africa were strictly trophy hunts. I wouldn't even call them "hunts" because of the amount and variety of game. They were basically harvests. But, I knew that. My Moose hunt in Newfoundland was about 50/50. Sure, I would have liked to bring home a rack, but I didn't pass up the chance to take a Cow Moose on the next to last day. I hunted Illinois once and saw, even in the best of places, the odds of shooting a trophy deer are pretty low. You have lots of things that can work against you in a weeks' time. 

Trophy hunting in NJ is an almost useless effort for obvious reasons. It's managed for low deer numbers, not trophy animals. But I do admire those who persist in it. If you are blessed with a piece of land that you can totally control (if that's possible in NJ) then you have a pretty good chance of shooting a trophy every 5 years or so. 

What's important is that we don't vilify one another for their choices. 

Ha Ha. I just realized that most of this is a duplicate of my previous post a while ago. It's an old thread. Sorry to bore you. 

[DonW]

This was the first season holding out for a buck on our farm. I have never been a trophy guy, like to feed the family that's all. This season I shot a crippled 7 pointer that I had passed on opening morning. I thought it was a doe the first time we saw him, and I told my son if the shot presents itself, I'm going to take her out. She/He looked to be hit by a car or something, limping really bad.  When he finally came out into the pasture later in the week, I still thought he was a doe, until he picked his head up.  I finally took a buck! Been about 40 years or more for me. His right shoulder was completely gone when I butchered him. Didn't get a lot from the shoulder. Felt bad for the deer, but good to take him out. 

My son had the opportunity to shoot one of the big bucks on the farm ,but was afraid of rushing the shot. He jumped him up from the creek bed, and it kinda freaked him out a little. He did have a shot, but said it didn't feel right. Proud dad moment. 

I love the guys in this group, there is some ball busting, but It seems to be all in fun. Except maybe political talk.  You guys have been nothing but supportive to my son and I. We ended up with one, and 3 empty tags. This is the first year passing on deer and holy moly, we saw more this year than ever.

[archer36]

54 minutes ago, DonW said:

This was the first season holding out for a buck on our farm. I have never been a trophy guy, like to feed the family that's all. This season I shot a crippled 7 pointer that I had passed on opening morning. I thought it was a doe the first time we saw him, and I told my son if the shot presents itself, I'm going to take her out. She/He looked to be hit by a car or something, limping really bad.  When he finally came out into the pasture later in the week, I still thought he was a doe, until he picked his head up.  I finally took a buck! Been about 40 years or more for me. His right shoulder was completely gone when I butchered him. Didn't get a lot from the shoulder. Felt bad for the deer, but good to take him out. 

My son had the opportunity to shoot one of the big bucks on the farm ,but was afraid of rushing the shot. He jumped him up from the creek bed, and it kinda freaked him out a little. He did have a shot, but said it didn't feel right. Proud dad moment. 

I love the guys in this group, there is some ball busting, but It seems to be all in fun. Except maybe political talk.  You guys have been nothing but supportive to my son and I. We ended up with one, and 3 empty tags. This is the first year passing on deer and holy moly, we saw more this year than ever.

This in Iowa or Kansas?

[DonW]

39 minutes ago, archer36 said:

This in Iowa or Kansas?

This is in Kansas Sir