Thoughts From The Deer Stand

[Whip]

I feel a bit like a hypocrite to be posting this, but the following poem got my attention.  It calls into question our motives in some decisions we make.  I personally have advocated QDM as a legitimate tool in managing our ballooning deer herds.  But I have often wondered about the cost of following the principles with the wrong motives in mind. Although it was written with gun hunting in mind, it applies equally as well to any form of deer hunting. It certainly is food for thought, and I thought I would pass it along.

 From the deer stand

by Robert Crikelair, Jr.

 

When I was young, the gun hunt

Was the highlight of my year.

At the end of the day the standard greeting was

"hey, did you get your deer?"

 

We'd gather together up in the barn

Where we hung each of our kills.

And we'd swap our stories of the hunts

And share each other's thrills.

 

Though we all admired the biggest ones

The small ones didn't count less.

And every successful hunter

Considered himself blessed.

 

To the older generation

The horns didn't mean so much.

It was about getting some meat, and having some fun

And shooting straight and such.

 

Through the years the old guys left

For that woods up in the sky.

But they took with them the essence

Of how we hunt, and why.

 

Something changed in deer camp

It was sneaky as a thief.

Till gradually it became about antlers

And not about the meat.

 

We cut back sharing stories

Out of a stupid jealous fear

That those who were listening might end up

Going out and killing OUR deer.

 

Our group was once friends and family

But then we figured it out

The friends had to go 'cause they shot some big bucks

It really was their fault.

 

My heart used to race when I'd see a deer

And I'd hope that it was a buck

But now I just sit and study it

To see if he's big enough.

 

More than once when showing my kill

My excitement would quickly dim

When a brother or neighbor looked with disgust and said

"Yea, I passed on him!"

 

Letting them go makes for bigger deer

But I wonder if it's worth the cost

I sit in my stand now and wonder

Just what it is that we've lost.

 

And I think to myself as I lower my gun

On another buck . . . too small!

We've gone from building friendships

To hanging dead stuff on the wall.

[ChuckC]

amen !

Hey Whip...do you all of a sudden have hordes of mosquitos by you ?  I can't even go out in my backyard...imagine what the swamps and marshes are gonna be like in two weeks .
ChuckC

[fxe]

Good read,thanks!A lot of truth in it.With the recurve this year anything with 4 feet and fur might be in trouble.I ain't above shooting a 3 legged deer either.  

[DW]

That is so true....Thanks for sharing...those old-timers are leaving here much too fast,Don

[whitebuffalo]

That is the plain old truth right there buddy,Great read,,J

[Flatstick]

Dang this one hits where it hurts! I'm just as guilty about this as the poet implies. I know my love of hunting big whitetails has not always been a positive reflection and in a way has helped to contribute to some of the things I despise the most. Like hunting leases,outrages non-resident hunting fees and so on....

But on the other hand to hear the crunch of frost covered leaves and hear the deep grunt of an OLD buck,,and the sway of his heavy antlers as he works his way towards the stand....

You are right Whip,this is certainly food for thought,,deep thought,,maybe enough to keep a guy sitting all day on stand to try and figure it out    .

[AnointedArcher]

Good stuff Whip, it's still the vision I try passing down to my family and Lord willing my son and grandson will continue to pass it on down the line!

[robslifts]

hits right in the chest right there

[Missouri CK]

Nice work Whip!

Like Mr. Lamb and Fred Bear before him said.  Stop and take time to put a colorful flower or sprig of grass in you hatband.  "A bit of curiosity" I believe Mr. Lamb has referred to it. Makes a person see the small stuff.

I will freely admit that late in the season I find myself cursing my luck that I haven't seen any big deer...."after all this time I have spent in a stand."  "I deserved to kill a big buck".  Instead I should have been enjoying the small stuff and looking for bits of "curiosity"

Thanks for giving some well deserved prospective.  

Now your head out to New Mexico and soak up a great hunting experience.  Take lots of pictures so I can travel along with you vicariously.

Chris

[hormoan]

Yes siree, it is great to have the chance of harvesting a 3 plus year old buck. Some places you may get several a year, chances (siteings) that is. Others once a year if you are very fortunate. And the others, just see one period.

The greatest joy is just partaking, everything that you get to see. The partaking part is the harvest, weather its the geese over head. Or the squirrel's chasing each other around and around a tree!

Granted I've meet a lot more 3 year old and plus does than bucks in range. Those old does, are the real trophys in my book. They know and live by only one thing RED ALERT! I've had them hunting me, when they SHOULD NOT have known I was even there. But did.

I agree to a point of QDM, but it has no score.


          Good luck to one and all this season.

          Most of all be safe.

          Brent

[Whip]

Thanks Chris, I'm anxiously awaiting a chance at redemption on those elk!  I promise not to pass up a raghorn!    
One way or another, we will have a great trip, and hope to bring back stories and pictures, with or without the bones to go with them.....

[**DONOTDELETE**]

               

[BamBooBender]

That was right on the money Whip! Thanks for posting it here.

[hormoan]

One of my backyard trophy's 50 yards out the back door!

 

I'm sure she will give me a run for my time invested!

Good Luck in NM Joe    Can'nt wait for the stories.

                 Brent

[gregg dudley]

AOL headline news yesterday was related to the significant drop in hunter numbers in the nation.  The vast majority of people responding to the attached poll did not see the drop as a problem though the professional opinions in the article explained the damage in revenue loss and management.  It is my humble opinion that QDM as marketed by the video and seed companies is as much to blame for this drop as any other factor with the exception of urbanization.  

The single-minded insanity that pushes people to "grow" better deer at any cost is not a good thing for the future of deer hunting.  Yes, I join a lease.  Yes, I plant food plots.  Yes, I dream about monster deer.  But, I pray that I never get over the thrill of the memory of that first spike buck that I killed with a shotgun.

When did we start expecting kids and newcomers to pass on animals that we would have loved to kill as a novice?  I have seen some deplorable behavior exhibited at check stations by people who belittled deer that other people were proud to have killed.  When a grown man belittles a youngster or newcomer (or anyone else for that matter) for taking a fork horn he has a priority problem.

Sorry to get on a tangent!  You got me fired up, Whip!  At least on tradgang you can post a harvest photo of an animal you are proud to have taken and most people will congratulate you whether it met their personal harvest criteria or not.

[paleFace]

Whip you are right on with that poem my friend. i can think back to when i first started hunting. we wouldn't even get in the woods until after 9am a lot of mornings. we were to busy standing around the wood stove talking about hunting.

as a young boy i can remember the anticipation and wanting to get in the woods but having to wait for my dad, uncle and grandfather. then once in the woods being scared to death sitting all alone in a big forest.

the morning would pass and soon it would be time to get with the gang again for lunch. i will always remember the lunches that my mom would make. left over ham & turkey sandwiches from
the huge thanksgiving dinner and desert was a big hunk of my grandmothers fruitcake. i would sit and listen to all the old men talking about past hunts.  life was good and hunting was special.

since switching to traditional gear i think i am finding that peace again.  it feels good to just hunt and not worry about the size of headgear.

thanks for bringing back the memories!    

[frassettor]

Right on whip!!!        

         

[pseman]

Great read!
I think I am like many on here in that I think QDM is a good practice but it has been taken to the extreme by those on television. It has become a competition amongst celebrity hunter types that need to sell something.
I don't generally shoot spikes and forkhorns(although I do not think it is wrong to do so), but the idea of having to "score" a buck before being able to shoot it defeats the purpose of hunting for me. If I have to measure the size of the bucks rack before I have "permission" to shoot, that kinda kills the excitement of the hunt in my opinion.

Mark

[twisted]

Hey guys im new here and i just finished reading this post now take in mind i have never been deer hunting but im going for a coure to get my lisence this yr.

 This is my thoughts on what Whip wrote in his poem it did hit home for me my outlook on hunting isnt for the trophy everyone dreams about its about meat on my table i just turned 29 back in july some would say im still young and other say im old lol.

 But the truth in the matter is that its not the trophy or the hunt or the thrill of the kill that has me pumped up its the thought of making new friends and the memories that i can pass to my kids and to new friends we make as time gose by.
  Some of use will be fortunate enough to me old timers no offence and others wont but if your one who dose respect and learn from them in the time you have knowing them wich could be very short. And if they take u under theyer wing to teach u what they know listen and pay attenion closie and charish theyer memories and FRIENDSHIP.

 I hope im that lucky to make such a friend.

PS we all start somewheres then we become a hunter and the best part we turn into hunting buddies then into Bestfriends if were lucky enough

 twisted

[JoeM]

Great poem I need to print that one out and keep it around to show some folks.  Hey fxe what if that 3 legged deer has a limp and one eye missing!!!  I personally might sneek up on his blind side, but thats just me.