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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 20, 2023 13:08:19 GMT -5
So how many folks still spend time in the deer woods with weapon in hand during a season if they have no intention of shooting one if the opportunity arises? After I shot my buck in archery, I hunted probably 8-9 more sits over the following two weeks knowing if a doe came past, I wasn't going to shoot it. Got up at 4:30am a few days, probably put on another 350 miles and burned a full tank of gas.
Pretty crazy I guess. Is it just me? I guess I spend the time in the woods knowing that I learn something to apply towards future hunts.
Say you shot a buck on the opener and had a doe tag but only wanted one deer, would that be the end of your "hunt"?
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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 20, 2023 13:47:51 GMT -5
I plan to sit all day Saturday and Sunday with my rifle even though I won't shoot a doe unless one comes past that is wounded or something. Maybe a dumb coyote will wander past.
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Post by dougl on Nov 20, 2023 14:28:23 GMT -5
I hunted bear on Sat and sunday with zero intentions of shooting one,even if I saw one.It was nothing more than an excuse to get some fresh air,exercise and a little scouting in.I doubt I would be out the door by 5:00am to sit in a treestand though,which is different than just taking a gun for a walk.I hunt quite often knowing full well I have no intentions on shooting a deer that day.I did it for years with my son but always assumed we'd be dealing with some dead deer before the day was over.
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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 20, 2023 14:46:25 GMT -5
Guy that used to hunt in our camp shot the biggest buck in camp history maybe 10 years ago on the first Tuesday. I pushed it to him. After he shot the buck, the arsehole left and made excuses for why he couldn't hunt the rest of the season to help others fill tags. He doesn't hunt out of that camp any more.
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Post by dougl on Nov 20, 2023 15:32:20 GMT -5
I get far more satisfaction pushing deer to other people than I do shooting them myself.Back sometime in the eraly 90's I was home for the first day of rifle season.I had already killed a buck with a bow so I went home to drive deer to my Father and brother.We hooked up with a neighbor named Dwight Evans.He had just started hunting a few years earlier but was eager to go along with us.He ended up killing a small busted up 5 point on one of my pushes.I'll never forget how excited and appreciative the guy was.It made my whole day to see his enthusiasm.I think about that day often because several months later he was killed in that Plane crash outside of Pittsburgh,coming from Chicago.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 20, 2023 17:24:12 GMT -5
My dad carried his gun for 55 years with no expectations of killing anything. LOL
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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 20, 2023 17:35:17 GMT -5
.I think about that day often because several months later he was killed in that Plane crash outside of Pittsburgh,coming from Chicago. That was horrible. I drive right past the site 5 days a week and had a patient who was a first responder on the scene. |
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Post by moosemike on Nov 20, 2023 17:56:54 GMT -5
I'm always ready and planning to fill my tag. But every day I don't I think "well at least I don't have to gut or drag anything "
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Post by bushmaster on Nov 20, 2023 18:44:13 GMT -5
I'll be hunting rifle season and not shooting, maybe lol. Hoping for yotes. I don't need another deer.
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Post by Loggy on Nov 20, 2023 19:20:06 GMT -5
I'm always ready and planning to fill my tag. But every day I don't I think "well at least I don't have to gut or drag anything " Yep same here Mike. When I loose that desire.......it will be time for me to hang it up and get some tightie speedos/helmet and join the mountain cyclers or join the bird/leaf nature watching gang!! lol The thrill of a challenging shot/kill and trophy catch while fishing is still the same for me at age 72 as it was at age 12.  |
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Post by moosemike on Nov 21, 2023 6:15:32 GMT -5
Loggy, I need to tell you, on Saturday morning we were hunting at Slab Run down past the Hoagland Vista. My son came out to the parking lot around 9 am to get some food and three guys in a newer black F-150 were trying to break into the trucks in the parking lot. One of them yelled "hunter" and they jumped back in the truck and spun like hell getting out of there. We reported this to the DCNR.
The black truck has an American flag inlay in the letters "F-150" on the tailgate. It's black and grey though instead of red,white,blue.
My wife says this is the same truck that tried to break into my truck last flintlock season on Hoppestown rd.
Keep your truck locked and they check for keys in the gas cap door so don't have them there
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Post by Loggy on Nov 21, 2023 8:07:58 GMT -5
Unbelievable!! Thanks for headsup.
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Post by rusty on Nov 21, 2023 9:14:47 GMT -5
I filled my buck tag early, before I had filled any of my 3 doe tags. I have never much enjoyed killing does, but we all do like the venison. I only sat in a stand 4 times after killing the buck, twice I didn't even take my bow. Every year, especially since my sons and wife started hunting, getting a deer myself means much less to me.
I'll hunt a little in rifle season and maybe in late archery. And I'll be doing a little pushing to the family if they ask.
Kinda strange that I like hunting almost as much as I ever did, but killing has become a much smaller part of it for me.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 21, 2023 9:51:45 GMT -5
I filled my buck tag early, before I had filled any of my 3 doe tags. I have never much enjoyed killing does, but we all do like the venison. I only sat in a stand 4 times after killing the buck, twice I didn't even take my bow. Every year, especially since my sons and wife started hunting, getting a deer myself means much less to me. I'll hunt a little in rifle season and maybe in late archery. And I'll be doing a little pushing to the family if they ask. Kinda strange that I like hunting almost as much as I ever did, but killing has become a much smaller part of it for me. Well said. My feelings as well |
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Post by moosemike on Nov 21, 2023 11:41:38 GMT -5
I love the heck out of killing a big Doe
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Post by dougl on Nov 21, 2023 11:44:46 GMT -5
I do as well but also tire fairly quickly from dealing with them.
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Post by Loggy on Nov 21, 2023 12:00:33 GMT -5
I still enjoy the challenges of the hunt....narrrowing down areas to hunt, scouting, still hunting, effective blind placement(if applicable) and making a challenging shot on game & tracking after the hit(if required)....... whether any resultant bone is involved or not. Have killed boatloads of deer over the years and the excitement of the hunt is still there!! A nice whitetail hanging on my camps deer pole is something I'll never get tired of. |
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Post by ridgecommander on Dec 1, 2023 9:13:04 GMT -5
Well, I was pretty excited to get up to go hunting today with the intention of actually shooting. A friend that doesn't hunt wants a doe for meat and I planed to go to a farm I usually only hunt in flintlock. Got up and it was pouring rain and the radar looked liked it was going to keep coming. Probably would be a good day to still hunt but I wasn't motivated enough t go stand in the rain to get someone else a deer. Off to camp this afternoon to push around for the guys and will be back to no intention of shooting unless I see a coyote.
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Post by rusty on Dec 1, 2023 9:24:32 GMT -5
After killing my buck in archery season I sat in a couple stands four different evenings and a couple mornings. I have some doe tags but I only carried my bow twice after filling my buck tag. I have not taken my rifle for a walk yet but have made a couple small pushes toward my wife's stand. Maybe I'll try next week. My wife says she thinks I have come to like deer so much that I don't want to kill any more of them?
I do want at least two more deer in the freezer.
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Post by Dutch on Dec 1, 2023 9:42:45 GMT -5
Kelly was bugging Ryan to go hunt today before the rain. What wife bugs a husband to go hunting? LOL. Refreshing
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Post by moosemike on Dec 1, 2023 10:48:47 GMT -5
Kelly was bugging Ryan to go hunt today before the rain. What wife bugs a husband to go hunting? LOL. Refreshing Mine. I wanted to stay in bed yesterday morning and she made me get up and go out in that 15° shidt |
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Post by Dutch on Dec 1, 2023 11:51:28 GMT -5
Kelly was bugging Ryan to go hunt today before the rain. What wife bugs a husband to go hunting? LOL. Refreshing Mine. I wanted to stay in bed yesterday morning and she made me get up and go out in that 15° shidt Yes. She's the other one that would do that. 😂 |
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