Are we really hunting?

[JGRaider]

I can drive from here to San Antonio and see 100+ deer dead on the side of the road via car collisions. Seems to me we need to do whatever we can to kill more of them, legally of course. I've got 5 more does to cull this weekend at my buddy's place, which will make 25 this year (and every year), mostly off of wheat fields for his cattle. Is this ok?

 

[FLS]

Odd thought I just had

I wonder if any anti-hunting folks use bait to keep game on their land where they dont allow hunting?

Absolutely. We had an anti hunting neighbor pour corn out on the edge of a road thru a swamp we shot ducks in then, call the DNR to report baiting. She owned one side of the road and we had the other. Local game warden contacted us because he knew we hunted there, to warn us he had flagged the area as baited and we could not hunt there until 10 days after all evidence of bait was gone. He also warned her if she did it again he would ticket her. I do not remember the charge. We missed the Thanksgiving split due to that crazy broad.

 

[Rich M]

You live in Florida. Your deer population may be the most pathetic in the US. You have no frame of reference what a trophy population or management looks like, but you measure its success by dwindling trophy pictures. I think we can see where the problem lies. If harvest numbers are up 17% you’d hope for a similar increase in trophy kills as well. If there isn’t, is it because people “suck”? Only 7% of registered top 100 typical b&c bucks have been killed in the above mentioned timeframe. Numbers aren’t adding up.

Yes, people suck. Because they’re shooting too many immature bucks thinking they’re trophies.

Pretty much.

I don't hunt much in FL cause it does suck. 3-5 preference points to get a 3-5 day quota hunt. Last FL buck I shot was a 3 pts on 1 side and deformed nub on the other. A lot of the swamp bucks look like this.

My idea of a trophy is a symmetrical 16 inch wide 8 or 10 pt with the tips pointing at each other. Aint likely to get many like that in FL without a lot of work and selective management area selection.

That used to be the case in most states and still the case in some. There was a big push from the crossbow manufacturers quite a few years ago now to legalize their products for hunting in more and more states. With declining hunter numbers, states have jumped on board. Same reason they have greatly expanded deer hunting opportunities across the board. Unfortunately hunting has become synonymous with deer hunting. Not many people do much small game or waterfowl hunting anymore.

The subdivsion of the country is what killed small game. A rabbit or grouse isn't gonna go too far and the No Trespassing sign keeps the hunter from going over there to shoot them.

Waterfowl are heavily hunted. You just need to be in the correct circles to see that. Go to the local duck hunting lakes and watch the guys jockey for position.

I'm deaf and wish I could use a xbow in FL. I'm not considered handicapped, just can't hear. Leads to deer jumping string, so I don't bow hunt much cause lost 5 or 6 since about 1980.

 

[Mr. October]

Pretty much.

I don't hunt much in FL cause it does suck. 3-5 preference points to get a 3-5 day quota hunt. Last FL buck I shot was a 3 pts on 1 side and deformed nub on the other. A lot of the swamp bucks look like this.

My idea of a trophy is a symmetrical 16 inch wide 8 or 10 pt with the tips pointing at each other. Aint likely to get many like that in FL without a lot of work and selective management area selection.


The subdivsion of the country is what killed small game. A rabbit or grouse isn't gonna go too far and the No Trespassing sign keeps the hunter from going over there to shoot them.

Waterfowl are heavily hunted. You just need to be in the correct circles to see that. Go to the local duck hunting lakes and watch the guys jockey for position.

I'm deaf and wish I could use a xbow in FL. I'm not considered handicapped, just can't hear. Leads to deer jumping string, so I don't bow hunt much cause lost 5 or 6 since about 1980.

A huge part of the reduction in small game hunting though is the never-ending deer seasons from September to February. With all the emphasis on antlers, nobody wants to let a teenager on their land to hunt squirrels or look for rabbits. Landowners don't want anyone disturbing their target buck.

 

[Tx270WT]

Seems like most the “concern” is in places that either can’t or don’t have access to “bait.” Living in a state where it’s legal, it’s rare to get a shot at a mature buck near bait. Some will argue it’s actually more difficult and there likely is something to that. They got mature being smart, not dead. As for does, we have so many that in order to get the numbers crunched it’s a necessity.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Seems like most the “concern” is in places that either can’t or don’t have access to “bait.” Living in a state where it’s legal, it’s rare to get a shot at a mature buck near bait. Some will argue it’s actually more difficult and there likely is something to that. They got mature being smart, not dead. As for does, we have so many that in order to get the numbers crunched it’s a necessity.

If you didn’t bait… then the does would be wherever there is natural food. And if there’s not enough natural food, then the “too many does” problem sorts itself out really quickly.

The does are the “bait” for the bucks.

I’m convinced that if you collated the collective wisdom of every “expert” making a dime off selling whitetail advice, and then did the exact opposite, you’d end up with more good quality deer at zero cost.

 

[JGRaider]

If you didn’t bait… then the does would be wherever there is natural food. And if there’s not enough natural food, then the “too many does” problem sorts itself out really quickly.

The does are the “bait” for the bucks.

I’m convinced that if you collated the collective wisdom of every “expert” making a dime off selling whitetail advice, and then did the exact opposite, you’d end up with more good quality deer at zero cost.

I'd much rather shoot them and give them to the Hunters for the Hungry, needy families, etc than have them starve to death and die in the pasture somewhere.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I'd much rather shoot them and give them to the Hunters for the Hungry, needy families, etc than have them starve to death and die in the pasture somewhere.

Funny. Where I live, the deer just move to better food sources.

 

[Tx270WT]

If you didn’t bait… then the does would be wherever there is natural food. And if there’s not enough natural food, then the “too many does” problem sorts itself out really quickly.

The does are the “bait” for the bucks.

I’m convinced that if you collated the collective wisdom of every “expert” making a dime off selling whitetail advice, and then did the exact opposite, you’d end up with more good quality deer at zero cost.

That’s not what we see, when the rut hits, the does stop showing at the feeder because they are getting harassed by the bucks. I’d bet less than 10% of the mature bucks we shoot are within 300 yards of a feeder. Most end up being killed spot and stalk

 

[chicoredneck]

We are still having a discussion in a thread started by a scammer or bot?

 

[JGRaider]

Funny. Where I live, the deer just move to better food sources.

Well, there are deer in virtually every county in TX. Here, we have this thing called drought, and not every county is anywhere close to being an agricultural area.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Well, there are deer in virtually every county in TX. Here, we have this thing called drought, and not every county is anywhere close to being an agricultural area.

So, because of this thing called drought, you feed the deer far beyond the land’s natural carrying capacity and then complain about too many does? So you can shoot more of them

If you want to convert corn into extra venison, you do you. They’re already inside a high fence, so you might as well treat them like cattle before you shoot them at your feeder.

 

[JGRaider]

So, because of this thing called drought, you feed the deer far beyond the land’s natural carrying capacity and then complain about too many does? So you can shoot more of them

If you want to convert corn into extra venison, you do you. They’re already inside a high fence, so you might as well treat them like cattle before you shoot them at your feeder.

Trying to explain the TX way to a yankee isn't very easy to do apparently, especially with regards to the "high fences" statement which is asinine. I don't do jacksquat with regards to feeding, I'm trying to explain why it may be done, and what the repercussions are. I don't give a ratsazzz what you think about it either. Yeah, I like shooting lots of does every year. It provides a great way to test bullets, scopes, other gear, and feed hungry folks. I don't see a real problem with it either.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Trying to explain the TX way to a yankee isn't very easy to do apparently, especially with regards to the "high fences" statement which is asinine. I don't do jacksquat with regards to feeding, I'm trying to explain why it may be done, and what the repercussions are. I don't give a ratsazzz what you think about it either. Yeah, I like shooting lots of does every year. It provides a great way to test bullets, scopes, other gear, and feed hungry folks. I don't see a real problem with it either.

A Virginian invites his long-lost-cousin from Texas up to visit. The Virginian picks Tex up from the airport, drives down 81 for a bit, then exits onto a country road to go to the old family farm.

As they drive down the road, a little cottontail rabbit jumps across the road. “What’s that?,” says the Texan. “Oh, that, that’s just a rabbit.”

“That’s a rabbit!? Hell, in Texas, a small rabbit stands three feet tall at the shoulder and jumps sixty feet at one hop.”

They drove on a bit further and a whitetail deer bounds across the road in front of them. “What’s that?,” says the Texan. “That? That was a whitetail deer. Pretty good-sized buck too…”

“Shit, cuz, that weren’t much of a deer. In Texas, our yearling does are four times bigger than that. And have better racks!”

They drive on a bit further and a big old snapping turtle starts crawling across the road. “What’s that?,” says the Texan. “That? That’s a tick.”

 

[JGRaider]

Weak, very weak.

 

[Tx270WT]

It’s been proven in texas.M, we really can’t feed past the carrying capacity of the land without significant expense. It’s also been shown that after a year, deer will change their movement patterns and can actually avoid feeders in high traffic areas. Doesn’t mean they don’t work, just means they don’t have the impact people make them out to be. Throw in our hog problem and sometimes feeders are counter productive but that’s a different conversation.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Love it when people have no clue about a particular style of hunting but they still talk shit about it.


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[Rich M]

Love the snapping turtle joke. can always tell when season is over.