Hunter's Code of Ethics

[bubba]

I will be 55 in 2 weeks. I am no spring chicken. I agree if i was in an area like that i would not hunt

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[growalot]

I just can't resist...BY THE WAY....It would be interesting to see the % of bow hunters in the SZ compared to the NZ...for just that reason

[shawnhu]

I just can't resist...BY THE WAY....It would be interesting to see the % of bow hunters in the SZ compared to the NZ...for just that reason

BY THE WAY, those shooting slugs at you happen to be Chinese too?

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[thphm]

55 You are a spring chicken, wait till you get the age of SOB and I.And the shot that hit the tree very near me was on private land ( came from the private property next to us.) The friends of the owners son. I have to say we have hunted a lot of state land and hunting land run by DEC and it never happened there lucky I guess.

[bluecoupe]

I will be 55 in 2 weeks. I am no spring chicken. I agree if i was in an area like that i would not hunt

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freekin' youngin's...

 

[shawnhu]

55 You are a spring chicken, wait till you get the age of SOB and I.And the shot that hit the tree very near me was on private land ( came from the private property next to us.) The friends of the owners son. I have to say we have hunted a lot of state land and hunting land run by DEC and it never happened there lucky I guess.

This is just a wild guess, but maybe some on private land feel that they don't need to be as safe and sometimes, less ethical because no one is, or should be, watching them like they would be in public land.

If I had my own private land, I wouldn't think twice about whipping it out and watering my lawn. But I do on public land. Maybe same analogy?

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[ncountry]

Imo, much of the difference between the northern zone and the southern zone is the traditional weapon used we in the northern zone have been brought up with a very accurate weapon where the 1st shot is the only shot ever needed? Most of the southern zone was shotgun only ,not near as accurate of a weapon. In any of my time spent in the southern zone it is more common than not to hear a volley of shots ..Up here ,more times than not it is a single shot . I am sure there are other contributing factors too. I even see  us northerners when handed a shotgun revert to the same practice . Heck, if I am shooting a shotgun it is usually at  geese or ducks and the gun gets emptied.. I wonder if those that hunt in the newly opened rifle areas have seen any change or if is cultural now?

[Doc]

Well, I'm sure there are a tiny number of members here who hunt both Northern Zone and Southern zone equally, But probably none of those that have comments about each others zones. I know there is always some local pride and loyalty that prompt people to come up with certain comments, but seldom are any of them actually coming from first hand actual knowledge. Also, there may be a skewed sense of conditions that are simply based on hunter density. But of course that doesn't mean that any of these finger pointing comments has one ounce of validity.

[Five Seasons]

If you were bordering other land with people or hunters it shouldn't matter if you were on public or state in regards to safe hunting.

[New York Hillbilly]

Ok so without trying to remember who asked what let me just answer some of the questions. When I was a little kid I was always intrigued with the hunting stories my grandfather and uncles would tell when I went to my grandparents to visit, and wanted nothing more in life than to spend as much time with them as possible hunting and fishing. Growing up without a father was tough, but I was blessed with a fantastic grandfather and his son's, my uncles. They took me under their wings and instilled a love and respect of the outdoors that has been lifelong. Unfortunately they did not own land so our time was spent mostly on "state land", or behind a quarry we knew well.

 

Perhaps the "afraid to get shot" thing got it's start listening to others (not my family) talk about guys getting shot out of tree stands, "the guys from NYC that mistook a cow for a deer and shot it", talk of people taking "sound shots", and a long list of others that were probably BS but certainly planted "a seed". Now add the this my actual experiences.

 

The" state land" was pretty wild sometimes, but nothing compared to hunting behind the quarry. Initially is was a lot of fun, and we did manage to take a few deer, but when a group of local people decide it was "theirs", things got ugly. They flattened all four truck tires once when we were in the woods, screamed and yelled at me for being in "their hunting spot" and threatened to shoot us, when my cousin Doug was dying of pancreatic cancer and in his tree stand for one of the last times he hunted with us and clearly a weak sick man, one of the "our place gang walked up to the base of his tree, looked up and unzipped his pants and pi$$ed right on the ladder. These guys would race through the fields with guys in the back of the truck and shoot at deer from the truck bed. I got caught between the crossfire of several of these guys once and watched them empty their guns on a tiny doe as it unfortunately ambled between them and it ran/stumbled directly towards me as they continued the barrage. These goofs were hooting screaming and hollering "is it down....is it down" and then saw me and launched into yet another verbal assault, and I quietly just left. I have several other spooky close encounters but you get the drift.

 

Why did I hunt there? It's where my family took me when I was to young to hunt on my own and could not drive yet. It is where I did have a lot of good, positive experiences until it went sour. As time passed my uncles moved away, my grandfather died and I began to hunt alone or with one of my cousins. With no place to hunt where I felt safe I finally bought my first house in the country with 15 acres and finally had someplace peaceful and safe. Fast forward a couple years. Opening morning the fire whistle goes off, my stomach feels sick, and my neighbor stops by my house and tells me the horror story that he had taken his work friend and his friends son hunting and the son was shot and killed. It was less than a mile from my house. My neighbor telling the extremely graphic, horrific, sad and senseless story was etched into my mind and my wife's as well. My wife said if I was ever to take my kids hunting, I had to sell the house, buy a bigger piece of land and "post the hell out of it" That is exactly what I did!

 

Am I still paranoid that I might get shot. No. I stay on my own land, do not have stands on the boundaries. I leave my neighbors alone and they know enough after twenty years to leave me the hell alone. I invite only those I know, trust, care about to hunt with me and make sure 'they" and "I" know where they are at all times. I will add however since that ugly day years ago when that poor young man was killed hunting, there was another man shot and killed by a family member on opening day just one road over from my property, and a fellow I know was shot in the face when an idiot snuck up on his turkey decoy and shot him. Three people shot within a very small geographic area over my hunting lifetime, and these are only the ones I personally know of, is way to many. 

Edited December 9, 2013 by New York Hillbilly

[Doc]

There is nothing wrong with a good healthy dose of awareness and a recognition that there are people out there that may not be as safety conscious a we would hope (and that should apply no matter which zone you are hunting in). There is no big honorable thing about blundering around out there without at least considering the possibility that there is a small element of danger that has to be accepted (just like every time you get behind the wheel of your car). As long as it doesn't paralyze you and keep you from enjoying the hunt.

 

Personally I engage in what I call defensive hunting. I am always well covered in blaze orange. I try to maintain a safe distance from other hunters. I usually have a good big tree at my back and always keep an eye on the body language of somebody that is still hunting their way through. If I am still hunting through an area and encounter another hunter, I generally change direction and make sure that I am in wide open, plain sight of him. None of these things are big inconveniences or impact my hunting success in any way. They are just a few common sense things that can keep a person around to hunt another day. 

[bluecoupe]

Imo, much of the difference between the northern zone and the southern zone is the traditional weapon used we in the northern zone have been brought up with a very accurate weapon where the 1st shot is the only shot ever needed? Most of the southern zone was shotgun only ,not near as accurate of a weapon. In any of my time spent in the southern zone it is more common than not to hear a volley of shots ..Up here ,more times than not it is a single shot . I am sure there are other contributing factors too. I even see  us northerners when handed a shotgun revert to the same practice . Heck, if I am shooting a shotgun it is usually at  geese or ducks and the gun gets emptied.. I wonder if those that hunt in the newly opened rifle areas have seen any change or if is cultural now?

 

WHOA there Skippy.  Now I understand that rifles can reach out a touch someone a lot further than a shotgun but I'll put my 12ga mossy 500 up against any rifle that you'd like out to at least 100 yards.  The problem is not the equipment it's the attitude and skills of the person behind the stock.

 

[pistolp71]

SteveC, you can't be serious? Any rifle against your mossy 500 12 ga. at 100 yards. If you make it worth it, I'll drive to Poughkeepsie...

[Culvercreek hunt club]

SteveC, you can't be serious? Any rifle against your mossy 500 12 ga. at 100 yards. If you make it worth it, I'll drive to Poughkeepsie...

 

 

Not to get off topic but I have seen several shotguns that would outshoot several rifles at 100 yards. You may not own one but I have seen rifles that could barely hold a 3" group at 100 and slug guns that could cut holes at that distance. It really has nothing to do with the type of firearm. there are good ones and ones that suck in both classes.

[pistolp71]

Culvercreek, we've discussed this before. As a general rule, rifles are more accurate than shotguns, period. Any scoped rifle that shoots 3 moa, should be melted for scrap.

[growalot]

If you want to talk scopes... then lets talk non scoped rifle off hand compared to non scoped shot guns...I'll take the shot gun at 100 yrds every time....

 

As far as danger... I think purely because ppl realize rifles are best scoped... usually leading to one- two shots tops....in some hands a non scoped shotgun is far more dangerous due to the running  multiple shots  some take

[ncountry]

WHOA there Skippy.  Now I understand that rifles can reach out a touch someone a lot further than a shotgun but I'll put my 12ga mossy 500 up against any rifle that you'd like out to at least 100 yards.  The problem is not the equipment it's the attitude and skills of the person behind the stock.

 

 

Lol.. Skippy eh?    You are 100% right.  Most shotguns are more than capable of killing deer at 100 yds some even longer distances. Also agree that it is the person operating the weapon.  I have seen quite a few shotguns that didn't group much better than a paper plate either(maybe a little exaggerated). Did the tradition of unloading a shotgun on deer come from their inherent inaccuracies in the past? I am not sure but I have a feeling it may have.A Shotgun hits a deer hard at 100 yds or less so that is not the problem. Or is it the fact that there is lot more non country folk shooting guns that did not grow up around  guns  ?

[Jeremy K]

WHOA there Skippy. Now I understand that rifles can reach out a touch someone a lot further than a shotgun but I'll put my 12ga mossy 500 up against any rifle that you'd like out to at least 100 yards. The problem is not the equipment it's the attitude and skills of the person behind the stock.

That's a bold statement dude.

[bluecoupe]

lol - sorry ncountry - just a phrase I use sometimes - glad you didn't take it personally as I forgot the  

I'm from PW PA, born and raised in rifle country. Shotguns were only for birds or skeet.

Having moved to NY (Dutchess County) I had to get acquainted with slugs and slug guns.  It doesn't take much research or mental exercise to realize that smooth bores are about as accurate as a statement made by a politician.

 

Slightly more research will uncover that the additions of a cantilevered, rifled barrel with a good scope will provide the capability of accuracy.  I said the capability because then it comes down to the process of finding out which brand of ammo and what style your particular setup "likes".  It's a bit of a process but can be done and quite good accuracy can be achieved.

 

I think the problem lies in that way too many aren't educated in the ways of the outdoors. The whys and why nots.  And as such they are just interested in achieving their goal as soon as they possibly can and with the least amount of effort.  Close is good enough and just keep firing until it drops.  I've heard so many 5 shot volleys that it just boggles my mind.

p.s.  no attack was meant
 

[bluecoupe]

That's a bold statement dude.

 

Anytime. My setup will put 'em in the same hole at 100

edit: albeit a bigger hole.

 

Edited December 9, 2013 by SteveC

[ncountry]

Yeah, but that is cheating  Your 3 shot group touching each other is still going to be an 1 1/2"...lol

[bluecoupe]

details, details, details  

[pistolp71]

details, details, details  

 

You made that bold statement, not me. Again, you would have to make it worth my while to drive to you. Or I would be happy to show you if you want to drive to long island. I wont even charge you for that. You would just have to post on this thread the results

[bluecoupe]

My setup WILL put them in the same hole at 100 yards, period.  If you don't believe that, your call.  As indicated earlier, it would be a larger hole than a rifle would make just due to the shear size of the projectile, but a single hole in any event.   Trust me, you'd lose. (assuming of course I didn't have a twitch or some chit like that)

Edited December 9, 2013 by SteveC

[pistolp71]

Anybody can talk. This target is one of many and is 5 shots.

 

So, how much are we talking?