Thoughts From The Deer Stand

[IB]

Master JOE............Thanks I needed That          

[Larry247]

[Weekend Warrior]

Dead on!!!
How True..
I've fell into the horns part also..

That poem reminds me of a day that a bowhunter brought a small 6 pt into a local bow shop.. You could see on his face how proud he was of his first bow kill..   One guy smarts off that he wouldn't have wasted his tag on it.
   I shook his hand and gave congratulations.. I talked with him a few days later he was still grinning from ear to ear.. Thats what its all about..
  Needless to say he never came back to the shop..

[pine nut]

I really enjoyed this Whip.  It expressed what I have been feeling for a long time.  There is a lot of food for thought in those few but very well chosen words.  Makes me wonder and think about what part I might play in changing things for the better.  I will try to "sweep in front of my own door".  Thanks for the great read.  Bill

[Eric Krewson]

I was in one QDM club for about 15 years, land owner rules, not mine. I helped run the club and have never seen so much jealousy, envy, and backstabbing among hunters. I am in a "brown it's down" club now and haven't seen anything but great camaraderie among members in the 10 years I have been in the club.

[Missouri CK]

Joe,

If you get a raghorn or a spike...or even better yet a calf you just scored the best trophy you freezer could ever acquire.  Young elk is the best I've meat I've personally ever eaten bar none.

Chris

[JOKER]

TRUE, sad but true!!!

[Talondale]

Eric,  I had a friend in GA who was a member of a QDM club.  They had a 14" inside spread rule for bucks.  He shot a buck that was 14.25" and they gave him grief about it.  Told him it would have been bigger if he let it go.  He hunts in a different club now.

[northern fisher]

I'm pretty sure that I will piss somebody off but here goes.I HAVE NEVER had any use for food plots and GROWING big deer.I'm sure that there are arguments for it but most of the people that will say it is a good thing are most likly in one way or another drawing an income from the "farming"of wild deer.
If you are not trying to find me and string me up by now just give me a minute.
I do not condemn hunting with hounds,I do not condemn hunting bears over baits,I do not condemn field hunting ducks or geese,hell I don't condemn night hunting coons over hounds cause I would love to try that.
Everything that I just listed are age old family traditions,thats the way that they have been done for years, because it worked.It my have been the only way that worked for the region that you were raised in.
Bearbaiting is a good example.I read E Donnall Thomas thinks that spot and stalk bear hunting is the WAY to do it and that is fine if that is what you like but that does not work in the thick spruce forest of northern Ontario.
Food plots are being promoted by people with a product to sell.Lets make it easier .lets not go through the trouble to hunt a deer ,lets just kill a deer ,and a BIG one.
Are you mad yet!
Can one person on this forum tell me that your grandfathers idea of preseason scouting had anything to do with food plot?
We need to be careful because societies need for instant success is carring over to our sport.
We're different because we choose a harder path and if I have to grow a deer to kill a deer I think I will give up.
Keep e'm sharp, pick y'er spot
Gary

[doug77]

sad but true, this is my first year beck to traditional and things are looking a lot different for me. my goal is to make a good shot on a deer.

Doug77

[Plumbob]

Great thread, great poem.

[Whip]

That's a great goal to have Doug - I wish you luck  

[northern fisher]

I wish you luck Doug .That is what it should be about.Set a goal and work for it .Do it for yourself.

[KILLER B]

I have just got into tradational last winter when I got the urge to make my own bow so I started trying to find out how to make one. Low and behold I found this wonderful place. Season opens for me in 16 days and I have been stuggling with taking my wheelie or my stick that poem has just made up my mind up for me. thanks guys.

[kctreeman]

Joe grest poem.  A lot of it rings true.  Not sure where I fall in there.  I am all about each hunter taking a deer and considering it a trophy, horn or not.  A hunter that drops the string on an animal must first consider the consequences of the act.  If he or she is doing it to only to impress others or gain some kind of recognition, maybe they are in the wrong sport.  A hunter must establish their own goals and limitations and stick to them.  

Here in MO we can kill as many does as we want for under $10 each.  We are also able to kill three bucks(managed hunt) with our bows and another one with our bow in rifle season if we choose.  My goal is to harvest meat for the freezer early in the season.  Towards the rut my goal is to get a shot at the largest buck possible.  I have no regrets about my choice of goals.  I choose to pursure them with traditional tackle by fair chase.  I love the whole experience and would never fault a person for choice of bow or hunting method.   About a week to the season.  Let's enjoy the hunt.

[Whip]

You're sure right John. Each of us make our own choices, but I hope we keep sight of the ethics they can bring with them.  I would love to shoot a hog whitetail someday.  Heck, who wouldn't!  And I do pass up small bucks every year.  

For me personally, it's more about prolonging the season, and hopefully getting some meat to boot.  In WI we also are now allowed multiple doe tags each year - to the point in parts of the State they are pretty much unlimited.  But only one buck per year in most parts of the State.  So I'll shoot does until I have enough meat for the year, but like to hold out on the buck tag.  Some years I've filled the buck tag earlier, and had chances at other bucks later.  Sometimes bigger bucks.  Even if I can't shoot I love to see them, however the adreneline rush that comes only with a tag in your pocket is missing. If offered a choice of killing a decent buck on the first day of season, or having multiple opportunities all fall but not filling the tag I think I would choose option #2.

I think the biggest message in the poem is to make your own choices based on whatever it is that drives you personally.  But be careful about imposing your own beliefs and wishes on everyone else.  A small buck, doe, whatever, might be a far better trophy for some people than a real nice buck might be to someone else.  

My wife shot a small 6 pt. buck with a rifle last year.  She doesn't bowhunt, but she was thrilled with her success.  Although I probably would not have killed that deer, who am I to say that she didn't deserve to enjoy and relish her acheivement?

[kctreeman]

Joe, I was just reading up on the MO deer hunting rules.  Under the section about ethics and safety: " Remember hunting is not a competetive sport"  Glad to see the state understands.  Man I wish my wife I could get my wife out in the woods for a little hunting, she's better looking than Irish and doesn't care about my snoring.

[hunt it]

Great poem Joe. I've printed it off and it will hang on the wall at the gun club for awhile.

We each have our own goals and desires in our sport. For me first of all I love to hunt,the longer I can make any season last the better. Second of all its a tie between the challenge of trad equipment and the guys and gals behind the trad equipment. Nowhere before in all my hunting years have I seen or met so many fine folks that enjoy the hunt so much. Trad hunting is the only sport where size dosn't matter! People with trophy shots of chipmunks and frogs! It's great, heck youv'e got me taking trophy shots of groundhogs! Before trad hunting I'd killed thousands of those things and never took a picture except for the first one my son shot! We also have the option to take multiple deer each year so I will always take a doe or two. But my true love is finding and taking the big one. I spend all year scouting watching and photographing deer. To me there is no greater acomplishment than to find a deer like this and eat sleep and hunt him till you get him. Now with trad gear this is one of the greatest challenges in the woods. There is a smile on my face every time I see that deer and if I never get him thats just fine with me because I'm having alot of fun trying.

John, be careful of what you wish for! If your wife gets to liking hunting your hunting budget will have to double or be divided in two. That Mel guy aint all that bad a huntin buddy!! I'm taking off north for moose next week, 15 days in the bush. Hope I'll have some good pics on return. Have a great season.

[Whip]

John, I'm not sure saying your wife is better looking than Irish is paying her much of a compliment!  :p  But if she puts up with your snoring she must be a good one!  My wife used to bowhunt, but never developed a love for it.  She does enjoy gun hunting, and that is about the only reason I even go gun hunting anymore.  

Good luck on the mooses Dave!

[JC]

Great thread Joe. Contemplating the why's of what I do often takes up a great portion of my time on the stand. I've been re-reading "A Hunter's Heart" before season starts Saturday, great book full of reflective essays.