Is hunting still THAT FUN anymore?

[9.1]

Some of my best spots this year were within 50 yards of the road.

This rifle season I found a buck that likes to watch a trailhead parking lot from one of at least 2 beds. I keep seeing him slip out when I've been going into what I think is a really overlooked spot. I'm excited to try some different setups to catch him slipping up next archery season.

This kind of hunting is a lot different than what I was doing 20+ years ago, but I've been able to adapt to find ways to keep having fun. The only constants in hunting or any other aspect of life are change and people grumbling about it. At any rate, I don't understand why some guys still seem to be surprised about seeing the public use public land.

 

[Yoder]

This rifle season I found a buck that likes to watch a trailhead parking lot from one of at least 2 beds. I keep seeing him slip out when I've been going into what I think is a really overlooked spot. I'm excited to try some different setups to catch him slipping up next archery season.

This kind of hunting is a lot different than what I was doing 20+ years ago, but I've been able to adapt to find ways to keep having fun. The only constants in hunting or any other aspect of life are change and people grumbling about it. At any rate, I don't understand why some guys still seem to be surprised about seeing the public use public land.

I had a spot that was 30 yards from the white line of a double lane road. It was about 100 yards from the parking lot of a recreation trail. I had 4 shooter bucks on camera along with a few smaller bucks. Almost killed my biggest archery buck ever there this year. I found the spot walking out to my car after scouting. There was a huge patch of leaves all torn up where they were eating a bunch of acorns from some white oaks.

 

[2-Stix]

Some of it is people can access more with the SXS. I saw this in offroad. It was reserved for guys that pushed hard on 2 wheels...then the big peak in 2007 and crash...bikes, toy haulers, etc all for sale and the trails emptied out again. I think with hunting the SXS made it a lot easier for guys to get around that are older and wont hunt as hard. Not as much hard foot hunting. If the ecomeny tips...NR will lighten up some.

 

[Fujicon]

I expect I'm opening myself up to snarky responses by saying something this personal, but for me hunting is more of a spiritual than "fun" experience. And I don't mean spiritual in the religious sense. Because I usually hunt alone, and always trek much deeper into the hills and wilderness than less ardent hunters, that total solitude creates a kind of closeness with nature that rarely happens any other time. I'm not ashamed to admit that it affects my soul and touches me with feelings of being both small in the universe and grateful for beauty in this world. That's why I will never stop hunting, because of those spiritual moments surrounded by wilderness.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I expect I'm opening myself up to snarky responses by saying something this personal, but for me hunting is more of a spiritual than "fun" experience. And I don't mean spiritual in the religious sense. Because I usually hunt alone, and always trek much deeper into the hills and wilderness than less ardent hunters, that total solitude creates a kind of closeness with nature that rarely happens any other time. I'm not ashamed to admit that it affects my soul and touches me with feelings of being both small in the universe and grateful for beauty in this world. That's why I will never stop hunting, because of those spiritual moments surrounded by wilderness.

I feel the both the exact same, and opposite. I don't solo hunt in big country for various reasons, but sharing that experience with someone close is what I love. My wife and I had one of the best times ever last year on a wilderness backpack hunt. Just her and I against all odds, and I ended up shooting a pretty nice mature buck. She's 130lbs and had half a mule deer on her back, the look on guys faces when we got to the truck was priceless.

 

[49ereric]

I expect I'm opening myself up to snarky responses by saying something this personal, but for me hunting is more of a spiritual than "fun" experience. And I don't mean spiritual in the religious sense. Because I usually hunt alone, and always trek much deeper into the hills and wilderness than less ardent hunters, that total solitude creates a kind of closeness with nature that rarely happens any other time. I'm not ashamed to admit that it affects my soul and touches me with feelings of being both small in the universe and grateful for beauty in this world. That's why I will never stop hunting, because of those spiritual moments surrounded by wilderness.

Hunting is natural and has been connected spiritually for thousands of years.
you seem to be one of the few that are aware these days.

 

[BryanAustin]

I have been hunting in SC with some family members this past year. Unfortunately the farming rights creates issues. The farmer decides to ride the ATV every time I am out there and nothing will be done. I will not be hunting there next year.

However, in NC where I live...I am lucky enough to be the sole hunter of 400 acres of mountain land. Only one way in and one way out for motorized vehicles...and anyone seen inside is introduced to the train station.

 

[Naiche]

Had a guy barge in on me while trying to make a stalk on a mule deer in January. I guess he never heard of first come first served. Watched him drive in the canyon slam his doors and get out and obviously saw me with glass on a buck then he gets his bow and blows the deer out by making a beeline for it. Then there were the crew from Utah that came in and camped right next to me after passing miles of good camp spots that were empty. I was on a dead end side road with no trails and had pulled off under a juniper. The spot they were in wasn't an obvious spot it's like they were looking to be right up on somebody.

 

[akcabin]

I started hunting when I was 12 in northern WI. At 64 and living in ak for 45 years now. And hunting just keeps getting better. Although my success rate has went down. Work out body. Doesn't matter to me when I'm in bush. I'm out. And that's a win. I'm blessed that we were able to stake 20 acres of remote land in the middle of nowhere years ago. And can go out and not see other hunters.
Although I enjoy just sitting near the little pond out front of the cabin. Any time of the year. Doesn't have to be hunting season, I'm out. I enjoy watching the wildlife. And the solitude. Going out for a month or 2 is real nice.
I have always had an interest in getting out into the bush. And knew I would get oller. So my beautiful wife let me build our cabin. Sure glad to. As I get oller my body can't keep up with my desires to do all the things that I used to be able to do. And I can sit on the front porch and be in good moose hunting grounds.
Just blessed to have had the desire to do all the work it took to get a remote cabin built. And to be able to have a special spot like this.

 

[Kilboars]

Hunting to me is just about getting away from the concrete jungle for a week or two or even just a few days. Killing something is just a huge bonus. I don’t have any room for trophies so it’s just for the meat in the end.

I’m fortunate enough to have private land to hunt in FL year round and MT for archery season.

 

[MNBob]

Hopefully the overuse of public lands is only a trend and levels drop to a more sustainable level in the coming years.

 

[Kilboars]

Hopefully the overuse of public lands is only a trend and levels drop to a more sustainable level in the coming years.

Not sure that will happen.

Running into more and more people wanting to hunt free range meat for themselves.

 

[Sanchez]

Hopefully the overuse of public lands is only a trend and levels drop to a more sustainable level in the coming years.

Overall public land is not overused.

There are time and areas with better hunting that have excess hunters. There are also some tag limitations that concentrate people. There are also many, many areas with challenging hunting and very few people if you seek them out.

I hunt Oregon and Montana these days. It is always a job of prioritizing multiple good options to fill my time from September through December. I am not a trophy hunter and do not mind hunts with low success rates on average.