What Has Happened To True Hunting?

[buttrunt]

Does it seem like over the last ten years or so hunting has become less enjoyable for some of the following reasons:
1.The greed factor,were you need to kill something every time you go out.
2. Upset when you don't see anything (deer, duck, turkey etc.)
3. Trespassing.
4. Slob hunting.
5. Disrespect of fellow hunters.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. I hear more people complaining more than I hear how much they enjoy hunting. When I was a kid I looked so forward to hunting season and even fishing, but today all I hear is pepople complaining about the deer herd, the DNR and other hunters blah, blah, blah.

I have a 4 year old son that is realy wanting to hunt and I love the idea that he does. I have taken him out squirrel hunting a few times and while we were out I explained to him that we may not get anything, but that is alright. I try to tell him that the ability to go out and hunt is the real honor and killing something is a bonus. While we are out there I also show him deer signs, birds, turkey feathers etc. I want him to enjoy his time in the woods and the previalge (not your god given right) to enjoy the hunt.

I have seen kids on the youth duck hunts and deer hunts and they are so excited to be hunting. It doesn't always matter to the kids if they get something. Why can't more adults be like the kids and just enjoy the hunt. I am very concerned about the future of hunting and if my son will get to enjoy it like I do.

To end this topic I look at hunting as the opprotunity to presue game, but that does not mean I have to harvest anything. I just enjoy being able to do it.:)

[Bob S]

Buttrunt, I think a lot of numbers 3, 4 and 5 are caused because of numbers 1 and 2. Too much pressure to impress the guys at work on Monday morning.

[Banditto]

I really don't have a problem with any of those 5 choices, however I have had problems with trespassers in the past. If it gets too bad I switch to a different lease or property opportunity.

As for slobs on public land, not sure where you hunt (south or north?). Up north there is so much public land there are years that we don't even see other hunters, let alone have problems with them...

[Canadian Hunter]

You are so right!

This was my week at deer camp in Ontario last week. There were 6 of us hunting just under 1000 acres of private property in an area with a very high deer population. 4 of us had either sex tags, 2 had buck only(we are allowed to party hunt, so anyone can fill anyone elses tag in the group).

One member of the group made a trip to the emergency on sunday night and was told not to hunt for 2 days, he possessed an either sex tag. When he got back to camp sunday night and informed us that he could not hunt for 2 days. I immediately told every member of the group his tag was off limits to everyone until he got into the field. I got a hard time about closing the tag and all I said is no one fills that tag unless he gets too hunt it a couple days! 2 in the group said I was crazy(they had never been to the property and didnt know what to expect), we wont fill every tag if we close one right off the hop!

Needless to say 5 of us filled our tags by 2pm on the openner, and they realized I wasnt that crazy! Hell I could have filled every tag we had by noon! The group of 5 party hunted trophy buck only(bigger than anything they already have), the 6th was able to fill HIS tag on anything he saw fit. We all passed deer for 2 days, then the holder of the tag friday morning gave the command, brown its down! It was filled in the first 30 minutes on a fat doe, and not by him!(I had passed on a doe and 2 fawns at this point)

But between tuesday and friday, 1 member was ready to go jacklight on the property, only reason he didnt was because I told him I would go straight to the police and I would have him proscecuted! He was also caught by me following a run onto the neighbours property, that he had been told was off limits. He still doesnt understand why he's been asked to find somewhere else to deer hunt next year!

[birddog]

No greed in this family check out my gallery to see the buck the kid shot on 4th day of season while sitting with my wife its his first buck and going to be a hard one for him to beat.I guess it sucks to start at the top!!!!:D

[Steve]

Congratulation Joe, that's one heck of a buck for your boy.

[buttrunt]

I guess my point is more to the fact that our society, not only hunting but society in general has become a me society and screw you attitude. I wan't my children to grow up respecting other hunters and the environment and I would like them to get that in return. People watch a lot of those outdoor hunting shows where all they shoot are the trophy bucks and then I think some people think that is all that should be shot. I was taught to enjoy the hunt ( the whole aspect of it). I just hope my children get to enjoy our great state's resources and then pass them on to their children. :)

[boehr]

Excellent post buttrunt...you have echoed many of my posts. I am in full agreement with you.

[Ron L]

I'd agree that society's attitudes in general are part of the problem, "it's me or nothing". And that also brings a lot of one-upmanship. Also in a small part, we have all kinds of people trying to sell all sorts of items and it's getting harder to justify that $2K deer rifle if you don't bring home any venison, so people are more than willing to cut corners and try to make it good, at least in their eyes. They're sold the latest Magnumocilator rifle and gut shoot a deer, have to have help tracking it for over a mile until it finally succumbs, but hey, the rifle did the job, didn't it? It brought down a deer. :rolleyes:

For me and the small group I hunt and shoot with, attitude is everything. As of this morning, we have a day and a half of the season left. It's been good for some and not so good for others. But if you look at it like we do, it's not all about the deer. We do gunshows and go out for lunch afterwards. We buy gadgets and then do group outings to the range to try them out. We get together and just BS while we clean the rifles and handguns. Those of us who reload, we try new loads, bullets, or powders. We spend time in the outdoors scouting and camping. The deer season is just the culmination off all the fun and camaraderie we've had all year. So for us, venison is just a bonus of what's already been a good and fun year. And we dont' just say that because we've come up empty. I'd come up empty again next year and still smile and vow to do it all over again because the time with friends and family, especially my son, has been more than worth it. :)

I think it would suck to have that much pressure, either internally or externally, to bring home a deer that you're willing to cross the line. Those folks should just stay home. Not only are they unethical, they're dangerous to others as well.

[stevebrandle]

I think the cross section of soceity we meet in the outdoors is comparable to the entire population. Some good folks and some not so. I guess it'll always be that way.

If everyone could just hold on to that wonder and enthusiasm of youth throughout their life, it would be better for all of us. Not just in the outdoors, but at work and in all we do each day. I think boredom and the need to excell robs us of much.

We'll never see a perfect world, but you can make your part of it a little better. The strong urges to compete and be the best are throw-backs to the first needs of man to survive. Hunting and fishing are supposed to be relaxing pastimes now. Hopefully, more of us will come to understand this.

[dieseldude]

birddog,
your lil guy buck will be tough to top, he has his whole life to try thanks to you.
buttrunt,
i have seen so many of the things that you mentioned in your post through the years, but ill agree that this year its been a little extra irritating. #5 expecially

[mrarcher62]

I have always felt that a sucessful hunt doesn't always mean a kill.
And have taught my son and his friends that very thing. and to stricly adhear to all laws no matter what our personal opinoins.

I think the remedy to this situation begins with those whe feel the same way. Putting peer pressure on those who dont, to abide by the rules, to respect nature, and to realise its a "privalage" to hunt and not a "right". We may never be able to change every one, but we can try one at a time. And thanks buttrunt it is folks like you that brings hope to the future of hunting :cool: keep up the good work!!!:D

[newbostonmike]

You hit the nail on the head with slobs. It is a great privledge to hunt, not a right. I hunt the Petersburg state game area with my son 6 to 10 times a year. Every time we go there, we carry out shell boxes, beer cans, plastic bags from hunting products, etc... What I don't understand is how these jerks simply discard trash in the woods and the parking area. I wish just once I would see the guy who throws his trash on the ground so I could follow him home and throw it on his lawn. A little respect for everyone else you uses the state game areas would go a long way. These are the same guys who do all the bitching that there's no place to hunt.:confused:

[uniborn]

Throw his garbage on his lawn ....HELL!!
He aught to lose hunting or "outdoor" privelages for 5 years for slobbing up our greatest resource! I mean we are the people ,cant we enforce the slob laws any better than we do. I have seen garbage everywhere in the woods lately.
Line em up and give em our extra rounds is what I say. Something has to be done about this!!
Someone about a mile from me on public land dumped 10-12 bags of leaves along a 2 track! they coulda dumped the leaves and took the bags but noooo, they leave the bags right there with the leaves. Ignorance.....
uniborn