Is hunting still THAT FUN anymore?

[FLATHEAD]

I grew up on a decent sized reservoir, back in the 70's - 90's.
Even as teenagers we did our best to avoid the crowds while
fishing. As soon as the skiers/jet skiers/pontoon boats showed up
in the summer, we would start night fishing or hitting the creeks.
Still doing it now in my 50's while hunting -fishing. I simply will not hunt
around the crowds. I seek out alternative solutions, even if it's for
less glamorous species.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Cross the border and hunt Canada...you'll be amazed at how different it is, especially if you bow hunt.

 

[rclouse79]

I hunt one of the more popular elk zones and never ran into another hunter in the field over my ten days out.
Last year the spot we deer hunted was a zoo. We still saw a lot of cars driving the road this year, but no one ventured up our ridge either day. I am keeping my fingers crossed it is vacant again this upcoming weekend.
My stress level does go up when I have to compete with other hunters, but so far it hasn’t been a game breaker. I am sure my wife would be happy if I decided hunting wasn’t “that fun” anymore.

 

[SDHNTR]

Heck, even on the front page of this very website there’s a blurb about a podcast on “How to Draw Elk and Deer Tags”. That’s the garbage I’m talking about. That’s the kinda of shortcut that cheapens the experience. We don’t need that stuff. That info is already out there for the dedicated ones who really want it bad enough and care enough to do the research themselves. Those are the guys we want in the field. The woods can’t handle another dude who’s there because the Internet made it easy.

 

[jhm2023]

My #1 priority when hunting is seeking solitude and not seeing other people except for those I care to take with me. Just enjoying the mountains and wilderness with those I care about. Obviously filling a tag and the freezer is a bonus, but let's be honest with ourselves, it is about the killing of an animal or at least the possibility of it. If it weren't, we wouldn't carry a rifle and other hunting gear and would just hike around like hippies. So, hunting areas with better chances of success and less competition helps with that part too. One of the reasons I love sheep hunting above all else is the fact that it is very rare to see another person and I'm left alone with family and good friends in the mountains and away from the world. Just this year for example. There were 5 or 6 vehicles at the trailhead where I hunted sheep. Every single one those hunters piled into the first two drainages. We just kept on going, eventually having a drainage completely to ourselves. Just because an area has a lot of people and pressure doesn't mean those people are out there busting their asses and really getting after it.

I hunt with my wife and young daughter a lot of the time and because of that, sometimes we just can't go too crazy with getting way into the backcountry. Yet we've still been fortunate enough to take animals right out of areas that have a lot of people pressure often times surprising the hunters that are there because they had no clue that nice bull moose, caribou or bear was there until I shot it. That said, I've also had people mess up me hunts too because I chose the risk of hunting a pressured area due to time restraints or hunting with the kiddo. Just this year I had a bull moose coming into my calls and another hunter just passing by shot that bull. Sucks, but it happens. I will always choose to put in the work and seek out the most solitude possible depending on time and logistically constraints. I've never understand the gross lack of consideration of many hunters that will attempt to stalk the same animal as you, go right through your camp or try to hunt right under you when they clearly know you're there.

The book of faces seems to have ruined some otherwise great hunting areas too over the last few years. I can't quite wrap my head around blasting out herd / animal locations on hunting groups. Go ahead and share your stories and memories but keep your trap shut about locations and let people go HUNT rather than have half of town descend upon the area with every form of motorized vehicle imaginable just to show up to shoot and blow out herds. I'm personally not a fan of telling the mASSES how to do everything on social media and go out an get an easy kill. Go out and figure it out and enjoy the wide open spaces or find a mentor. I thoroughly enjoy teaching people how I do things and sharing that part of my life. Those lessons, experiences and memories aren't handed out freely to just anyone though.

Ok I'll get off my soap box and go back to planning hunts with those I care about in places few people are willing to go.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'd hunt tacos and pizzas if I could.

Ya, you can hunt anything, but it's a lot more fun when they bugle.......they even know you're there.....and they still want to play the game.

I've had some really really good "fun" elk hunting as recently as this year. But out of an entire season, that was just one day. I've had entire seasons that were that "fun" as recently as 2018, and I ate my tag that year passing on several bulls. A big part of that "fun factor" is solitude, for me. Archery elk hunting isn't normally 14 hours every day of screaming bulls. So all of that down time is just being out there in a pretty awesome environment and terrain enjoying the solitude. When I hunt, if there are other hunters within a couple miles of me, I won't be in solitude for long.

 

[stanginthe11s]

I don't know that the short cut thing is the real problem, I mean, if you had the chance to save time back in the day you probably would have done it. I think its more of an education thing. every new hunter goes on the internet to learn and unfortunately the only people who reply are the ones who also cant hunt and then pass on info that is wrong. most common info on elk that is given is to run through the woods up a mountain and start glassing then run after them. oh and bugle the whole way up, regardless of time of year. really? teach new hunters how to slow hunt and be quiet and it wouldn't matter as much how many people are out there. I cant tell you, if you had a hundred of me in one spot you would never know. when I teach people, I do not allow them in the woods with a weapon for the first year and if they don't do well then it goes another year. you need to learn the basics first. then I only allow a doe for the first kill, teaches that all animals are a "trophy" and there's no place in the woods for your ego.

 

[roosiebull]

One thing that I am learning is if you let everything around you dictate your level of fun/success, your in for a bad time.

Like you though, it is getting harder to go with more and more people. I use to archery hunt a spot for deer and you may see one maybe two more people in there and they generally were passing by to go deeper. I went there opening morning this year and there were 11 people in that area. You couldnt move without running into people and the deer were blown out by 730 in the morning.

I am starting to do more waterfowl as it doesn't seem to be as popular here and do have access to more private land to hunt for birds.

For big game, more than too many people, I find a lack of reliable friends/hunting partners is far worse than the number of people. At least for me.

very relatable reply. i have pretty much gave up on the stuff i hunted growing up, it's become stupid in some areas, but i still don't have much issue finding solitude in the woods.... we have to adapt or accept the victim mentality, i choose to adapt.

early archery elk i saw people 3 occasions, 2 were the 2 times in an area i have written off, which validated that, the other was on NF and i stopped and chatted with him, super pleasant guy. i was skirting a herd of elk from a distance up on a ridge, and after i ran into that guy i told him what i was doing, and where those elk were and going.... don't think he ever got on them, because i found them quickly that afternoon, but i left that guy alone and got out of there myself.... i figured if he did bump them, it would put them in a good spot for me, but he obviously didn't.... older gentleman that didn't want to dive down the canyon after them.

i don't think it's so much the amount of people, but the type of people that the new age hunters seem to be, most have no respect for others, and have no clue..... they think they are experienced hunters due to the volume of youtube videos they watch

luckily for me, in my region, the yahoos just keep piling into the easy obvious areas, don't branch out, and accept the success rates they read which leaves me a lot of country to hunt by myself

 

[tuffcity]

I hope my grand kids never see the type of hunter pressure you describe. I count myself among the fortunate as the Yukon is almost the size of Colorado and Wyoming combined but with an overall population of around 40,000 and about half of that hunts (number includes people who don't require a licence).
You can be alone pretty easily up here.

 

[beachbunny]

no,it is not and that is all i did when i was young,i lived it and it was great but i dont like what it has turned into

 

[Billy Goat]

It's all fun and games until Texas shows up.





I still enjoy it, perspective and objectives change, but I still enjoy it.

 

[IdahoElk]

I'm getting a little long in the tooth, but I still enjoy the hunts I go on. The issue is, my friends have either passed away, are suffering from health issues or personal problems, or in a few cases are still working. As the years pass I have fewer friends and family to enjoy the time in the field with, the story telling around the camp fire, the excitement of finally getting that perfect shot to claim your reward for all your effort. Without a doubt, I miss hunting over a bird dog. (As you know I recently lost my last GSP, Axl) It will never be the same without watching them work a field, and watch their excitement when they get to retrieve the bird they worked so hard for. I simply love hunting over a bird dog.

I felt the same way when I lost my once in a lifetime bird dog a few years ago, I was going to give up hunting birds because no dog could replace" Duncan the destroyer."
God gave me Adler and here I am looking forward to chasing Chukar again all smiles.
Don't give up, things will get better.

 

[beachbunny]

I felt the same way when I lost my once in a lifetime bird dog a few years ago, I was going to give up hunting birds because no dog could replace" Duncan the destroyer."
God gave me Adler and here I am looking forward to chasing Chukar again all smiles.
Don't give up, things will get better.

same thing with me, was never gonna go again,
son bought a dog the second i left the house for a job.
got back after 6 months.he was worried how i was gonna take it.
love at first sight.....

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

OP, your first problem that needs taken care of is you’re a PSU wrestling fan Signed:Hawkeye wrestling fan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

#SammyBrooksSpladle...

 

[KurtR]

Reading this makes me really happy where I live.

 

[Jethro6x6]

same thing with me, was never gonna go again,
son bought a dog the second i left the house for a job.
got back after 6 months.he was worried how i was gonna take it.
love at first sight.....

probably the hardest thing I have done in 62 years, lose my best buddy,, my wife ,, in her infinite wisdom got me a litter pair,, didn,t want em at first,, I,ll kill for em now,, we gotta keep, on loving .....

 

[Dust Rider]

I still got the fire and thrill of the chase after 35 years of killing critters. Now that the kids are finally of age it’s even more exciting getting them on animals.
I understand lots of OP issues, its a craft to avoid all the ass clowns on public. I also tell the kids most hunters don’t really know how to hunt. Most hunters are lazy and most of them can’t hit crap.

 

[Mosby]

I just got back from pheasant hunting in South Dakota with my young GSP. The further out I went the fewer people I saw. I didn't see another hunter the last two days and I only hunt public land.

I have to have some surgery this coming week and will give it 10 days to get my stitches out and back I go for another two weeks of small game. I got a 10 month old Vizsla that will be going with me and it will be his first year hunting. He already weighs 58 lbs and I should have named him Secretariat.....he is a big running horse. He might be my best hunting dog ever. Thats the kind of stuff I look forward to. Isn't always about the kill or me or elk.

I have hunted all over the US. Some crowded. Some not. Sometimes I hunt around them or I change plans and hunt somewhere else. It can be annoying but I wouldn't quit because of it. Running out of coffee is more important to me than how many trucks are in the parking lot.

 

[KurtR]

I just got back from pheasant hunting in South Dakota with my young GSP. The further out I went the fewer people I saw. I didn't see another hunter the last two days and I only hunt public land.

I have to have some surgery this coming week and will give it 10 days to get my stitches out and back I go for another two weeks of small game. I got a 10 month old Vizsla that will be going with me and it will be his first year hunting. He already weighs 58 lbs and I should have named him Secretariat.....he is a big running horse. He might be my best hunting dog ever. Thats the kind of stuff I look forward to. Isn't always about the kill or me or elk.

I have hunted all over the US. Some crowded. Some not. Sometimes I hunt around them or I change plans and hunt somewhere else. It can be annoying but I wouldn't quit because of it. Running out of coffee is more important to me than how many trucks are in the parking lot.

Corn will be off in two weeks and it will be even better. Most fair weather people will be gone. Lots of grouse this year out by me would be fun with the pointing dogs

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Corn will be off in two weeks and it will be even better. Most fair weather people will be gone. Lots of grouse this year out by me would be fun with the pointing dogs

I have a friend who lives in Aberdeen. He and friends got 54 pheasant and said the same thing about prospects after the corn is off. I told him, 54 ain't too bad.