Need to blow a little steam in the direction of folks who might understand...

[OkKeith]

Guys...(and gals, I use this as a non-gender specific greeting),

It's real early in the morning here, I am having a little trouble sleeping. Why? I'm ticked-off. Many of you may not be aquainted with this term. Source or history of the word is unknown to me. All I know is it was used a lot as I was growing up. It was as hard a word as my Momma would allow in the house for being mad enough to spit (couldn't do that in the house either).

My prose is not elegant, and I have been told that crayon drawings by blindfolded preschoolers are easier to understand than the stories I tell. The essence of my anger stems from what is happening to my world and how it views those of us who choose to hunt.

I have been looking for a new place to live. Have to move closer to town to get away from all the people who live in the "country". Was stopped twice on the way home this year by "neighbors" wanting to know why I had a dead deer in my truck. I explained that I killed it with a bow I made from a tree I cut down. I wasn't sure what they were more taken aback by, I had killed a deer on purpose or that I had cut down a tree.

Can't hunt all the places I used to because they are parceled out in "estate acerages" now. Real nice houses, I couldn't afford one but the guy down the lane says the goverment is gonna make his house payments for him now (guess he couldn't either).

Found a nice place in town, close to work to save on gas (or at least to put more towards hunting) and went through all the 20 questions a lifelong renter is used to...no pets, don't smoke, will mow the yard, no weapons. Weapons?

"Yes, weapons", she said. "We don't believe in any kind of objects created for the purpose of killing".
"You mean like assault-rifles and stuff?" I asked.
"Anything." she says.
"Well all I have is my hunting gear. A rifle and shotgun or two. All my fishing rods and of course my bows. A lot of bows."
"No, not here."
"They are all legal. Not a one of my bows holds more than half a dozen arrows in the quiver at a time. I don't have any pre-ban high capacity quivers." (She didn't get it)
"No not here."

In an effort to bring this to a hastier end, I did finally find a place that accepted me and my habits. I think it may be important for some of you to check my profile, see where I live. Not a far western state or on the eastern seaboard where I here this type of thing may be common. I live in Oklahoma. Oklahoma for Pete's sake. Most of you probably think we still live in teepees and HAVE to hunt just to eat. If this sort of thing can happen here, God help the future of hunting in this country.

OkKeith

[Abel]

The best thing you can do is keep on keepin' on. Go the extra mile to take folks out to 3D shoots and on fishin' trips. Give deermeat to folks who otherwise wouldn't eat it. Make kitchen knives for old ladies out of rusty files and deer sheds. Get involved with Hunters for the Hungry. Hold a fish fry and invite folks who won't or don't fish. In other words, fight dirty politics with good politics. We live in a world where folks are just more citified and your situation is just one symptom. Best of luck to ya.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Mate, being a tad ticked-off is more than understandable. The bottom-line is that popular attitudes these days are increasingly disrespectful and insulting - actually, adultery's cool, as is homosexuality, as is simulated mass-murder on computer games, as is loud music that encourages all sorts of rot...but the one thing that is certainly not cool, more and more so, is to be a hunter, because we're all wicked, evil, mean and nasty!

And pre-ban high capacity quivers? What, are back quivers out where you're at?

All the best to you, Keith. I hope you find some decent spots and some respectful people.

[MadDog]

Keith, you have got to be joking, I live in the city limits in Okmulgee and have not had a problem yet, but I'm sure its only a matter of time. I hope you have better neighbors this go around.

[Killdeer]

They are out there and they breed.
Rapidly.
Fight them at every turn, maintaining the utmost decency and utilizing the high road, but do find a way to introduce contraceptives to their water supply.

Heads up, country folk. It is happening everywhere, under your noses. It starts with subdividing, realtors and city councils eyeballing tax bases.

Killdeer

[OkKeith]

Hey Guys,

Didn't think anyone else would still be up/ would be up already this early.

Abel, you are exactlly right. New neighbors, fresh chance. I lived in the previous place for nearly ten years. It went from a rather scattered farming community, where we all knew each other, and helped each other; to a pretty crowded place where everyone peeked at each other over the stockade fence, but would never talk to ya. Believe it or not, Hunters for the Hungry was turned down when they tried to donate hundreds of pounds of venison to the City of Tulsa's homeless shelters because some folks in the city were upset that "animals had to die" to get that meat! In OKLAHOMA this happened.

Ben, not all that early or late for you is it? The pre-ban statement was sort of a wise crack. We passed some gun control legislation here some time back that had to do with how many rounds a rifle could hold and still be a "good gun" versus being a "bad gun". She seemed anti-gun so I figured she would get it. Maybe she did, and didn't think I was funny. I saw the pictures you posted. You fellas have some interesting looking country over there. How nervous are you climbing into a brush blind in the pre-dawn with all those crazy snakes ya'll have?

Phillip, hey man your not too far away from here! All the newer neighbors were OK folks, just not the farmer/rancher types I grew up around. Seems like before, a dead deer in the truck and everyone KNEW what you had accomplished. What sort of work goes into it.

Thanks for the words guys. Guess I just thought folks in MY state knew better. I know this type of thinking is out there, just not in MY state. Guess what upset me the most was the abrupt realization that yes, even people in Oklahoma can misunderstand and have illogical predjudices against hunting. Daddy always said the more important the lesson, the more it might hurt when you learn it.

OkKeith

[bentpole]

I feel your pain Keith. We have them out here too. We call them Bunny Huggers.Amazing the state of OK . Where some of the people that previously inhabited this great land were thrown together and placed on reservations. The almighty dollar.Looks like there will be Mini Mansions popping up in your State soon too.I myself would consider moving if you can.

[Featherbuster]

Keith,
I just moved out of the city the @$%# hole they call Memphis and I had neighbors that acted the same way.  For example, i had been crappie fishing one day and at home later that afternoon i had pulled aroynd behind my house in my backyard to clean my fish.  one of neighbors walked over to tell me that catching fish wasnt right because of the pain they went thru with that hook in their mouth.  Another example was cleaning a turkey in my backyard and my backdoor neighbor was had stood up on something to see in my backyard what i was doing and said something about it. The point i am tryng to make is, people need to keep their noses out of others business, and where do they go off thinkiong we are the bad guys who are trying to ruin the world.  I bet most of us if not all of us in here always respect the game we kill or hunt or catch and have never done anything disrespectful or harmful to anyone.  The ones are talking all the BS are the ones that ignorant and do not know any better.  OH keith, you have gotten my blood boiling this morning.      
The best quote i have read on here is "I didnt fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegatarian".  Everyone have a great day, i going to hunt somnething.

[HATCHCHASER]

I am feelin ya.  We need to do our part to stop it but I am afraid socializm is around the corner.  I don't believe that God will continue to put up with the United States attitude.  He whips his children.  I pray everyday for my 2 year old son.  I am 32 and have seen a portion of the better days, not like some of you who were fortunate enough to be born in a different time.  We need to pray for these little issues in our country.  I want my son to see the good days.

[Steve in Canton]

I will probably take some flak for this but the owner of the rental property has all the right to ban weapons in their apartment. Just because we hunt and own weapons does not give us the right to tell other people what can and can not be on their property.

[Lost Arra]

Cheer up Keith!

Most Okies are in your corner.    
(Heck, it looks like we are even going to get a bear season soon.)

Life's too short to worry about folks that don't agree with you. I can't find anyone anywhere who agrees with me on everything.

[arrowslinger22]

[BrianfromTulsa]

I live just down the road on the west side of Tulsa.  My next door neighbor and me always have some type of critters laid out in the back of the truck.  

Most of the "others" didn't know how to take us at first, but I've had my other side neighbor and her daughter watch me clean turkeys and ducks and deer and ask all kinds of questions which I answered.  They do not hunt but they don't have a problem with me doing it.

I do have one woman down the road who questioned why I needed goose decoys and then why would I hunt.  I told her what I thought about how (in detail) store bought chickens are raised and butchered and she left me alone after that.

[nd chickenman]

Keith, I am sure its seems like you are surrounded a times, but there has to be alot of good folks around you. When you have to deal with idiots it is best to do it quick and retreat, lest it is contagious. The bunny huggers don't last too long here in North Dakota, too damn cold for em. chickenman

[heydeerman]

I live in a small town that shuts down school the first couple days of the deer shotgun season so the kids can go kill some deer with their families. The next town 10 miles south of here is that much closer to Columbus and is slowly being turned into a Columbus suberb. I use to live there. You can tell by the attitude folks carry and the bunny /tree huggin bumper stickers that cover their cars. Mall walkers is what I call em. I like the good ol days when you killed a nice buck and strapped it to the hood of your car and went around town to the hardware store, auto parts store...ect and showed everybody what you did and they were proud for ya. Those days are gone but there are still alot of good folk out there who understand what huntin is about.

[Eric B.]

I hear you !You are not alone....

[dano140]

Living in Tulsa, I expect a bit of that attitude from some people, but it is kind of shocking that that attitude is rampant in Claremore. Heck, y'all have one of the best archery shops in the area up there (especially for trad.)

Good Luck, and like Lost Arra said "Most Okies are in your corner"

[Lone archer]

I would have answered no to all her questions. Moved in and said nothing. As much as it is her right to know it's your right to keep your matters private! If she did find out it would take her a year to evict you and cost her a small fortune!

Steve from Canton, as long as it is legal in this country, and in the city you live, You will win in court!

What you do outside your house, apartment maybe a different matter. There they can set the rules! No shooting, changing oil, no commercial trucks, clothes lines, a/c out the windows, etc; all that has to do with the value of property, or others, or cost to repair.

It's called discremination! It comes in all forms!

Fight the Fight!

[GrnMtnTradNut]

I can see why you would be upset, I have tirned down places to live because of this reason and paid more for others. I try to do all of my hunting things with respect for others who do not like it even though most of them do not show us the same respect. It go to the point, we have all of our deer form our November bow hunt in SE Ohio butchered before we leave wich can be costly upwards of $450 this year for only the 3 of us. Getting the finger more than th e thumbs up gets old, and my son will be going this year and I do not want him to see all of this at 9yrs old. If onl ythese people knew why we do it and could feel it in their heat they make look at us in a different view.

[Apex Predator]

I live in the deep south, and can't imagine being anywhere else.  You would be welcome around here any time!