Concern for direction of hunting

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I keep picking on Aldo but I just finished reading a Sand county almanac again so it's fresh. He warns about what happens when government agencies try to increase revenue and manage money over resources.

The DNR needs to find a balance. They have raped and pillaged our resources and continue to dig themselves deeper. The more they try to fix an issue the worse it gets. They are wearing Chinese finger cuffs.  Here they are taking away hunting land to make way for more ski runs.

Why, there is more financial benefit to take away from one special interest and give to another.

I think the focus on deer kill should go back to hunting and not tag sales. Overpopulation here is rhetoric.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Just read all this again...

I do believe hunters should learn everything possible about the game they hunt and be the best woodsman they can be. My problem is when people post about how others choose to hunt and make snide remarks like ( I don’t do bla bla because I’m so awesome I only do it this way ) what good is that doing.

It’s not doing anyone any favors to hear your not a real hunter if you hunt over bait or hunt from a tree or use a gps.. Why not start a thread about scouting or stalking or natural ground blinds. Or how to find and hunt a funnel or scrape hunting. Use your knowledge to help others instead of trying to make yourself look like the Trad superhero. Like I said it’s awesome you don’t hunt in X-fashion we don’t need to hear about it everyday..

 For sure we don’t have the hardcore woodsman of the old days but I think we have enough to help the new guys along but helping ain’t easy when they are  being told they are not real hunters.. I believe anyone in traditional archery new or old is willing to learn if helped in the right manner.

,,Sam,,

[pavan]

My game warden friend tells me about some of the stuff going on with public land, everything from Deer Cane, to deer licks, to  food piles, to artificial corralling to steer deer towards them and away from others, to using deer repellants around other hunters tree stands, you name it they are out there trying it.  One of his favorites was a deer shot from a bridge with a black powder and then getting and arrow stuck in the hole, while he watched them do it and on posted land to boot.  When things are over manipulated, it kind of cheapens the value of the trophy.  Providing adequate and helpful nutrition for an area herd is one thing, growing one particular buck to trophy proportions in a controlled setting is another.  I did see one encouraging thing last year, a young guy with a fake shoulder injury emptied his quiver shooting at a buck that was a good hundred plus yards out in a field with  a cross bow, when he was out looking for his stubby bolt thingies, an older man that can no longer shoot his recurves and is now using a cross bow, went out in that field and ripped the ouchy shoulder faker a new one.  Not a lot he could do about it, he was out of bolts.

[GCook]

First of all Sam, great post.
Second pavan, let's be clear, there is a big difference between poaching and hunting.
Public land is a whole other mess.  I keep seeing people on forums saying we need to recruit new hunters.  Seems to me like we have too many for the land available now.
I hunted public land for the first three years in Texas.  It was crazy.  Scary at times.  I took a young buck each year but only because I knew how to read the woods. 
Even private land is becoming a menace. The lands around our place in Missouri are selling off in smaller parcels and 3 to 7 or 8 hunters will be on a place 80 to 160 acres in during rifle season.  11 days of frustration is what it has  ecome.
Leases have gotten crazy expensive and with slob hunters like you described they will only get worse.
In the end I think hunting for the average person is a dying thing.  Probably not in my lifetime but at some point only the financially more blessed will be able to afford it.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[pavan]

40 acres a parcel when farmers sell off their wooded river slopes around here.  There are enough rich people to sell every bit that comes up for sale, 40 acres at a time.  Some of our private lands that we have had access to is worse than the public land. 

[Tooner]

So do we want new hunters or not?

Based on some of the posts, I'm beginning to wonder.

[Wudstix]

    From reading these posts again, it seems like we are on the same general thread.  Again, " I am not wise enough to determine what is right for everyone else, but I do know what values I hold close."  Perhaps, having the opportunity to hunt in different areas of the country, or even other countries and use the methods of several different locales would greatly benefit those individuals who have hunted the same county their entire life.  There are methods that I have read about that I find unusual and that personally would probably never take part in, but having hunted the Northeast, Southeast, Germany, and now Texas it has flavored my life and outlook on many things.  I draw your attention to my first sentence once again.  Blessings, Ad majoem Dei gloriam.
          

[pavan]

Rules are NOT made to be broken.  Sometimes new rules are required to deal with specific changes.  One new rule that i advocate is 'leave no trace hunting' on all public land, if you came with it, you leave with it.  That would solve a lot of issues in Iowa.  It always amazes me how just two or three that don't follow the rules or are total land hogs can ruin everything for the more respectful hunters on any public area.

[Wudstix]

As backpackers those are the rules my brothers and I live by, usually come out with a bag of someone else's stuff.   

[Mark R]

Not all area's have the same management problems, I'm in a situation where across the street from me there are 5 to 6 sections of public forest preserve criss crossed with a couple roads but still all preserve, NO HUNTING ALLOWED, they manage by baiting and mass extermination when  overpopulated, which is every couple years depending. I have to travel a good 2 hrs to get to subpar public hunting grounds. Had to throw that out there.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

We catch poachers pretty much every year on our private land they are stalking or still hunting...

Poacher is a poacher , law breaker is a law breaker right ????

Has nothing to do with anything.....

,,,Sam,,,

[Terry Green]

Did I miss something?

Did someone actually say rules were made to be broken?

[1Arrow1Kill]

Interesting Stuff Here . . . Usually Is!

When Ya Talk Ya Teach . . . When Ya Listen Ya Learn . . .

I'll keep my mouth shut, my ears open and keep carrying the torch.

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Gotta say, I'm with Sam on this one. The hunting industry has and will continue to change.

Companies and politics will follow the money, this I fear will not change and take things out of hand.

Our job is to teach and include, rather than point fingers and put a wedge in whomever is left. No need for hard feelings until seasons or rights are taken away.

Hunting is a personal venture. Some guys choose to be lazy, others try to become better and more proficient. This will never change. Choose what suits you and enjoy

[Terry Green]

Did I miss something?

Did someone actually say rules were made to be broken?

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Crickets , Crickets.......

,,Sam,,

[Terry Green]

quote author=SAM E. STEPHENS
 For sure we don’t have the hardcore woodsman of the old days

,,Sam,, quote


Yes we do....I talk to many frequently.  Three in
the last week.  I will be glad to name them if you wish

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

I agree totally Terry , I should have said I don’t think we have the number of hardcore woodsman now days. I have had the pleasure of hunting with many and I know we have some great guys here on Tradgang also....

,,Sam,,

[Terry Green]

Yes....and thankfully we do!!!

[Jon Stewart]

I  agree with the  OP for the most part. Been shooting a bow for over 60 years, worked in my dad's archery shop where on occasion a guy the name of Fred Bear would call and ask for my dad who was on Bears advisory staff for a few years, had Art Laha over from Wisconsin putting on tracking deer tactics.

It has been a fun ride for me. I passed on what little I know to my son and grand kids. Took up flint knapping and self bow making. Killed a deer with stone points but not with my self bow.  My 11,13 and 16 year grandkids can out track most adults and in most cases out work most adults. I can hold my head high knowing I did my best to teach them traditional archery, hunting and as important woodsmanship.