nyantler

I'd do a canned hunt if it was with a lasso and a hammer. That might be challenging!

I have to agree with most of what you have said except for this... as one understands the structure of coyote families it becomes easy to see the logic. What happens when ranchers wage war on the coyote families is not keeping populations at bay, but rather recreating a new family structure that has not yet established the ranchers livestock as part of it's diet. It won't take long before the rancher will have the same problem and will have to wage the same war against a different coyote family. Having said that, if this gives ranchers some piece of mind then I suppose it is an effective response to their problem.. at least in the short term. But as most farmers will find out, they may win the short term battle, but will forever be fighting the war... and hunters will be doing the same.

I've been doing the morning hunts and find that the deer here are bedding early... long before sunrise. But I know that bucks tend to get active with does again in this late season and... well.. ya never know.

Not this guy that's for sure... I am still venturing out with the muzzleloader though... and that is still a challenge on these frigid days. As a younger man I remember grabbing the bow on these days and experiencing exactly what you describe. Maybe that's the education I needed to realize I didn't want to do that any more.

Every season I am still able to hunt the big woods is a good season... there is no place like the big woods.

It is hard to wrap my head around any explanation for why someone would do this.

yes.. or maybe that

Well Thank you... maybe you'll get lucky like that some day as well

If my wife says "Lets do it"... umm moving is the last thing on my mind

Yeah he should probably should have just waited in a tree stand instead of tromping around the property getting lucky.

Wow you must have missed the whole point of the story then... but you're entitled to your opinion

Hard to tell.. but probably score 180's as a non-typical... don't think it has been green scored by an official measurer yet

https://www.nyantler-outdoors.com/shoemaker-buck.html

Funny how you mentioned the mature buck thing... I personally think that driving deer is the least effective way to kill a mature buck. I know it happens, but in my experience all the extra movement and human scent present just in the setting up process of a drive alerts most mature bucks long before the drive even begins... meaning he usually sneaks out of Dodge long before the posse shows up.

If you're doing it right there is absolutely a skill to it... being able to move deer so that they are not just flying by the watchers is an art... then the idea of wind direction also comes into play as well as placing watcher in strategic places to intercept deer... and doing all that in a way that is safe for everyone. I understand how you might think it is unskilled however based on some of the deer drives I have witnessed over the years

I absolutely agree... self inflicted bad luck and taking a deliberate unethical shot however are not the same thing.. that was the point I was making.

Some of you need to be very careful, they are checking for mental illness now when it comes to owning firearms. I myself have become quite concerned about some of you.

Why does everyone assume it was a poor shot choice? Lots of things can happen between the shot and impact. I agree that there can be issues with hunters getting over zealous and not choosing the optimal shot placement, but to always assume that is the reason why a deer is running around with an arrow wound is just not realistic. I would wager that almost all of the bow hunters here have a story about a poor shot they can not explain that left them scratching their head. It happens.. it doesn't make you an "unethical hunter"

like I said, "...and whatever side of the argument you're on"

I would mostly agree, but most food plots being planted by deer hunters are hybrids developed especially for attracting and keeping deer. Higher protein and nutrient content which becomes much preferred by deer. In fact, in many cases deer will forego traditional food sources to feed exclusively on the hybrid food source. None of it really matters to me if that is what makes hunting fun for a hunter. I just don't like when hunters try to pass off the whole food plotting thing as something other than what it is... a means of increasing their chance of attracting and holding deer on to their property. It has nothing to do with any real conservation effort, but rather more about killing more deer. It is much easier to plant a food source where you want to hunt and get deer patterned to it... than to take the time involved every year to find the thriving natural food source being used and have to pattern the deer... which gets it much closer to baiting than some will admit.... just my opinion.

I was gonna tear into everything that is wrong with this post, but you get a pass cuz you're just a kid.

Says the guy who sits in a tree stand and has to use a trail cam to locate deer. Come with me and drive a patch of the adirondacks... after we find your ass later in the day wandering around in a sweaty panic and crying because you've never seen any woods farther than 100 yards from your tree you might feel a bit differently.

The only difference is the Law and what ever side of the argument a hunter is on.

So God knows the fate of every living thing... I believe that. So, the smart guy with the bible should know that God probably has something to do with why Jdubs is asking others about a better crossbow or does it only work the way you interpret God's word? If you believe that God always takes the time to give you a sure kill just because you believe, try not looking through the scope and closing your eyes next time you shoot that crossbow at a deer... I believe God helps those who help themselves and that is what the original poster is trying to do. I'm sure God doesn't appreciate your self righteous attitude. You may need to re -read the word of God and try to really understand it.

You actually have it good... the guy could have told the father in law he wanted the land to himself and you could be out completely. Count your blessings you could be hunting on just your 15 acre piece.