Five Seasons

my thoughts exactly. I don't know a sole who cannot survive if it wasn't for his venison. Hunting can be done for cheap, but 90% of spend far more on the sport than we receive in reduced grocery bills.

I love the opinion that is absoultey right and cannot see the other side. Believe it or not, I enjoy my sit/hunt more than anything. It's time in the beautiful woods. Peace and quiet. The nice buck is just the icing. Be careful when you generalize why people hunt. People also enjoy a challenge. I think that's why you see the boom in archery. Not everyone wants to just shoot something brown and head back to camp. Not everyone wants it to be "easy".

It doesn't really matter because there are no regulations around food plotting. Like I said earlier in this thread, I hunted an old small orchard. Probably a dozen or so trees. Planted long ago not for deer. I spent several weekends trimming and clearing. Allowing light to get in and improving the apple output. Also cut a few trees and some bush and planted a 1/8 acre of clover. Call it what you want but those apples have been there and clover is naturally occurring, so if I hunt it because the deer are attracted to it then am I just being a good hunter in my opinion. This was a 5 acre piece of land and I hunted the transition, not the plot. the first year I hadn't yet done these improvements. Didn't get hardly any deer on the cams. The next year I saw deer like this come in (i have other pics during day and other nice bucks, just too lazy to post right now). Wish I still lived there just to see how much better it would get.

legally if it "grows". Meaning it needs water, soil and sun, and isn't just lying there already picked from the vine than you're legal.

I'm a 315er. I take no offense. It pays handsomely haha.

i've seen those even down south. Typical though is $25-$30.

what if i have a CC permit? Can I have it with me? you know... to shoot scary things that might attack me and stuff.

ha. my companies sales are booked through 2020. I'm in supply chain. Try to build stuff without hurting people, the environment or breaking the law.

I have a compliance role at a big company. We have something called the spirit and the letter. it covers the whole subject pretty well.

as I typed that I was going to elaborate as I agree but didn't want to type a book. haha. I feel the same. What I struggle with when it comes to food plots is when it comes to the group of apple trees I hunt near, or the farm I used to hunt. I too however enjoy the "unaltered" hunt. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to clear the tree that fell across a run near my favorite stand. idk, time is precious.

less about what it looks like and more about efficiency with less waste and time. Cutting parties are where it's at. Doing a single deer on your own can take some time. My rule is 2 or more and we're cutting. A lone deer goes to the butcher. Needs to be vacuum sealed. When you add grinding and pork and tools it's cheaper but there is some initial investment.

I would be ok even if he didn't use the meet. The main goal is to end the suffering.

gotcha. Does anyone know if it's illegal to carry a pistol during MZ? I know you mentioned shotgun, but it got me thinking... for a finishing kill?

totally disagree still. I don't see it as intentionally trying to hurt a neighbor. That would be if you did things to HIS property. I look at is trying to better my odds. Maybe he chooses not to food plot, log his land, cut trails etc. These are not my problem or in my control. So I do not think he can be mad if I choose to better my chances. In the end the guy that owns 100 acres has a better chance than someone who owns 3. I cannot be mad at him for investing his money in land. Now should your neighbor and you both be addicts, perhaps you sit down. Develop some QDM practices and rules for what you plant, what should be left alone sanctuary and what class deer and how many does can be harvested. Should he decline the opportunity than screw him

that's the difference between legally right and morally/ethically right isn't it. Nobody really says, although religions have tried. You just know what is wrong and what is right, especially when it comes to the innocent ie woman, children and animals. A good analogy is when discussing nudity vs pornography. I forget who said it, but when asked they basically said "i cannot define porn, but I know it when i see it".

often you don't haha. I've passed on bigger deer and tagged smaller. It's part of the sport. I don't regret passing the bucks, I feel better knowing i can stay in the woods longer and do not partake in tag sharing. I know a few guys at work who constantly bitch that all they ever kill is doe or small bucks. But then they tell me that they shoot the first one they see then quit. During the rut, you have to maintain your composure and wait to see if a buck is tailing her. Case and point for me was 2 years ago when my son was born. I wasn't going to have a lot of time to hunt so I shot the first buck I saw. A nice big and good tasting 5. A buck, that with a normal season I would have passed on. After I shot him, not 1 minute later walked out a nice 2.5 yr old 8. A monster? No, but within my goals.

food plotting isn't exactly a cake walk. If you put the time and effort to attract and hold deer, than I don't see it as "taking deer" from your neighbor. Deer do not belong to anyone. They go where they want.

i bought my switchback used in 04 or 05. It still is only 3 fps slower than mathews best single cam bow. It is quiet as hell even without monkey tails or a string stop. It may not be as smooth as the newest bows and it may be a few pounds heavier, but everytime I "think" i need a new bow I realize that i do not. I'm a fan of the simple single cams, so until there's something revolutionary it'll be my bow for a while. i am contemplating adding a harmonic stabilizer and perfect grip. Not sure if I want to spend the money though.

legally i think he was in the wrong. who knows when the DEC could have got there... I wouldn't and don't have a problem with what he did.

I disagree with this. It's the same argument being made. If you want to try for a bigger buck and then "settle" and that's what makes you happy than who cares?Certainly better than the no tagged/tag borrower approach

You should never worry what others think. Sometimes as a younger hunter id compare myself to my dad and uncles who've been doing it forever. Any bow kill is a good one and you should always be happy with what you shoot. If you don't think you'll be happy than don't shoot it. Disregard antler envy and do what you want.

Will you be crossbow hunting too?

I said who may be, never that they all are. Relax.

I don't know how big your parcel is, but is not that easy. Most stakes are buried and without survey gear you cannot accurately eyeball from one stake to another. I had a 5 acre piece one time that had a perfect tree, but was just over the "eyeball" line. To this day I do not know if that tree is mine or not.

There are different levels of devotion to hunting. The hardcore and weekend hunter have different priorities. And losing the one they love might not be worse than losing hunting. Others, like myself look at the principal of it. Having my wife tell me I cannot do something I love and am very passionate about wouldn't feel like she cared about my likes and interests. There is also the deer camp hunter who may be more interested in getting away and getting loaded. I can understand a wife being against that, although i think a healthy marriage needs that time apart. Most importantly we shouldn't judge others who may value and weigh hunting differently than we do ourselves.