Why do you hunt?

[Grouse]

I always felt the question "Why do you hunt?", coming from non-hunters is best answered with the question, "Why don't you hunt?"

As for me, I hunt, and fish, for them same reason.  I like to.  If I have to explain it to you, you would never understand.

I know a few people who like nothing better than staying home in their house.  I don't ask them to explain, because I will never understand.

[Grouse]

On 1/31/2024 at 6:29 AM, Doc said:

So are there those among us that hunt for the "recognition"? Is it all about "bragging rights" for you? Do you see the activity as a competition with other hunters? Do you need the recognition from the rest of the hunting community? It seems to me that I see a lot of that sort of need for recognition with a lot of hunters. How many of you have that sort of thing as a part of your reason for hunting?

The only thing I can say about this is, Some people I know think I waste a lot of time hunting and should be doing other things that need to be done.  When I'm successful in the field, with small game, waterfowl or deer, they seem surprised and actually applaud.  It proves to them I have a skill set they do not, and they admire it.  I can't say that doesn't make me proud. 

[Doc]

I have to admit that when I heard my dad describe me as the outdoorsman of the family, that I did feel some pride from that. But that did not become the driver for my reasons for hunting. Frankly, I have to say that now-a-days, the best that you could ever get from most people is a polite, "That's nice". 

My reasons for hunting are personal and within myself. My accomplishments are internally valued. Do I need the approval of others in order to enjoy hunting?......Absolutely not. If I did, I probably would not be into it because there really isn't a whole lot of approval for hunting going on these days. I never needed recognition from anybody for the fish that I catch or the trapping successes that I had as a kid. None of these things has anything to do with anyone's approval but my own. These things are between me and nature's creatures and my ability to best them. That's where my satisfaction comes from, not other people's approvals or out-doing other hunters. I don't need scoring systems and such to measure my satisfactions and fulfillment. I don't compete against anyone but the critters that I take.

[nybuckboy]

I used to small game hunt when I was a kid. I still do like to turkey hunt. My passion is bowhunting... not so much gun anymore.

Today at my older age I hunt for the challenge first. I do really like venison but to me it is secondary. I can get venison most any year with the bow or gun.. I hunt for the opportunity to kill a big mature white tail buck.

In NY my sights are lower... say a 130 class buck. I try to go to IL each year when I can to have the opportunity to kill a real trophy buck say 160+. Twice I've seen and once had an opportunity to kill a true monster buck in IL. In 2012 I had a shot at the monarch of the farm... a true 200" buck but at 40 yds shot just under the heart. The other time was 2018 same farm a 185" but was not close enough for a shot. The memory of each is etched into my brain forever.

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, nybuckboy said:

I used to small game hunt when I was a kid. I still do like to turkey hunt. My passion is bowhunting... not so much gun anymore.

Today at my older age I hunt for the challenge first. I do really like venison but to me it is secondary. I can get venison most any year with the bow or gun.. I hunt for the opportunity to kill a big mature white tail buck.

In NY my sights are lower... say a 130 class buck. I try to go to IL each year when I can to have the opportunity to kill a real trophy buck say 160+. Twice I've seen and once had an opportunity to kill a true monster buck in IL. In 2012 I had a shot at the monarch of the farm... a true 200" buck but at 40 yds shot just under the heart. The other time was 2018 same farm a 185" but was not close enough for a shot. The memory of each is etched into my brain forever.

No truer words spoken. It’s not much of a real challenge to just kill the dumbest deer in the woods.  And sorry to say to some that those of us that choose to hunt only the best of the best…. We still get to enjoy every part of hunting that they do… Just add in a bunch more inches. 

[Four Seasons]

3 hours ago, Doc said:

I have to admit that when I heard my dad describe me as the outdoorsman of the family, that I did feel some pride from that. But that did not become the driver for my reasons for hunting. Frankly, I have to say that now-a-days, the best that you could ever get from most people is a polite, "That's nice". 

My reasons for hunting are personal and within myself. My accomplishments are internally valued. Do I need the approval of others in order to enjoy hunting?......Absolutely not. If I did, I probably would not be into it because there really isn't a whole lot of approval for hunting going on these days. I never needed recognition from anybody for the fish that I catch or the trapping successes that I had as a kid. None of these things has anything to do with anyone's approval but my own. These things are between me and nature's creatures and my ability to best them. That's where my satisfaction comes from, not other people's approvals or out-doing other hunters. I don't need scoring systems and such to measure my satisfactions and fulfillment. I don't compete against anyone but the critters that I take.

So you talk smack about they way I hunt and my choices of hunting only certain bucks one on one and then you write your last sentence….I don’t compete against anyone but the critters I take.  Which is just what I do. Perfect!!

[Grouse]

Once I hear the phrase "deer on the farm", I think of fences and feeders and big deer that are not wild.  These deer make impressive mounts on the wall, but the hunter doesn't have a real adventurous, challenging, skill filled hunting experience to tell with it.

This is what I think the desire for big antlers has created.  The chance to pay a fortune to score a big antlered buck and show it off.  The hunters can't claim to have strength or endurance as a skill set, as most are elderly and look like they couldn't make it to the top of my hill to hunt.  They seem to be filling a bucket list with cash they don't want to leave to their heirs.

The younger guys are hunting from an elevated stand with all the comforts of home and waiting for the feeder to go off to bring the deer in.  Challenging?  When I see these shows on TV, all I can think is how the public thinks this is what hunting is like today.  It's sad.

Edited February 2 by Grouse

[Four Seasons]

22 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Once I hear the phrase "deer on the farm", I think of fences and feeders and big deer that are not wild.  These deer make impressive mounts on the wall, but the hunter doesn't have a real adventurous, challenging, skill filled hunting experience to tell with it.

This is what I think the desire for big antlers has created.  The chance to pay a fortune to score a big antlered buck and show it off.  The hunters can't claim to have strength or endurance as a skill set, as most are elderly and look like they couldn't make it to the top of my hill to hunt.  They seem to be filling a bucket list with cash they don't want to leave to their heirs.

The younger guys are hunting from an elevated stand with all the comforts of home and waiting for the feeder to go off to bring the deer in.  Challenging?  When I see these shows on TV, all I can think is how the public thinks this is what hunting is like today.  It's sad.

Nobody hunts deer on a “Farm” when it comes to high fence hunting.  Farms raise them on smaller property and the send them out to hunting “Ranches” to the end. I have farms on both ends of the state that are active farms yet not high fence and the I have a high fence property I raise deer on. Kinda all in the wording I guess. 

[Grouse]

7 hours ago, nybuckboy said:

 In 2012 I had a shot at the monarch of the farm... a true 200" buck but at 40 yds shot just under the heart. The other time was 2018 same farm a 185" but was not close enough for a shot. The memory of each is etched into my brain forever.

I'm confused.  And I know of a number of high fence deer hunting places that raise their deer inside their fenced in hunting operation.

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

I'm confused.  And I know of a number of high fence deer hunting places that raise their deer inside their fenced in hunting operation.

Some do but they have the Raising part in the smaller farm pens and release the ones they want gone that year into the bigger hunting area. Farm and ranch are usually a huge difference in acreage. With the states being in control of numbers and tagging and testing and such it would be tough to just say fence in a 300 acre square and have at it. As far as the poster above you read that he hunts farm land in Ny and he also goes to Illinois and hunts farm land there. He talks of bucks pushing 200 inches and that will happen in Illinois and like never in Ny.  I have 1000 acres here that is active “Farm” land that we manage our hunting and Whitetails on and 50 acres of high fenced land that we raise Whitetails on. Two different pieces both involved in different Farming practices. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

15 hours ago, Four Seasons said:

Some do but they have the Raising part in the smaller farm pens and release the ones they want gone that year into the bigger hunting area. Farm and ranch are usually a huge difference in acreage. With the states being in control of numbers and tagging and testing and such it would be tough to just say fence in a 300 acre square and have at it. As far as the poster above you read that he hunts farm land in Ny and he also goes to Illinois and hunts farm land there. He talks of bucks pushing 200 inches and that will happen in Illinois and like never in Ny.  I have 1000 acres here that is active “Farm” land that we manage our hunting and Whitetails on and 50 acres of high fenced land that we raise Whitetails on. Two different pieces both involved in different Farming practices. 

I read your statement twice. I strongly disagree with the part of 200" deer like never exist in New York. Actually, quite a few 200"+ deer are harvested in NY. In the wild.

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

I read your statement twice. I strongly disagree with the part of 200" deer like never exist in New York. Actually, quite a few 200"+ deer are harvested in NY. In the wild.

By all means. Do show. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

Roosevelt Lucky buck  221 5/8" all gross

Homer Boylan 254 +7/8"

Mark Surdi 217 3/8" all 3 Erie county

Kieth Levick  231 2/8" Niagara

Bjorn Holubar 211 28" Suffolk county

Brandon Peters 203 4/8 Niagara 

Richard Wright 206 6/8" nett Steuben

Fred Kelly 205 7/8" Steuben

Herman Sweet 202 0/8" Chautauqua

Kenneth Lacy  225 2/8 net St Lawrence

Dave Edwards 206 0/8 Cortland

The list goes on. I can show more, but I think this proves my point. Right out of the NYBBC book 16 th edition. I like to get a recent copy and will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3 by landtracdeerhunter

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

Roosevelt Lucky buck  221 5/8" all gross

Homer Boylan 254 +7/8"

Mark Surdi 217 3/8" all 3 Erie county

Kieth Levick  231 2/8" Niagara

Bjorn Holubar 211 28" Suffolk county

Brandon Peters 203 4/8 Niagara 

Richard Wright 206 6/8" nett Steuben

Fred Kelly 205 7/8" Steuben

Herman Sweet 202 0/8" Chautauqua

Kenneth Lacy  225 2/8 net St Lawrence

Dave Edwards 206 0/8 Cortland

The list goes on. I can show more, but I think this proves my point. Right out of the NYBBC book 16 th edition. I like to get a recent copy and will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You left one out: 
Wolc, 2-7/8” Northern Erie, dmp buck

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

Roosevelt Lucky buck  221 5/8" all gross

Homer Boylan 254 +7/8"

Mark Surdi 217 3/8" all 3 Erie county

Kieth Levick  231 2/8" Niagara

Bjorn Holubar 211 28" Suffolk county

Brandon Peters 203 4/8 Niagara 

Richard Wright 206 6/8" nett Steuben

Fred Kelly 205 7/8" Steuben

Herman Sweet 202 0/8" Chautauqua

Kenneth Lacy  225 2/8 net St Lawrence

Dave Edwards 206 0/8 Cortland

The list goes on. I can show more, but I think this proves my point. Right out of the NYBBC book 16 th edition. I like to get a recent copy and will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

lol. All gross. Anyways like I said after how many years in Ny it’s”Like None”. Compared to what the fella compared to Illinois…Even more so “Like None” Ny is far from a long time 200 inch harvest state.  Although any is great for sure. 

[Four Seasons]

30 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

You left one out: 
Wolc, 2-7/8” Northern Erie, dmp buck

lol. You forgot to mention the gross 200lbs of meat. 

Edited February 3 by Four Seasons

[wolc123]

32 minutes ago, Four Seasons said:

lol. You forgot to mention the gross 200lbs of meat. 

He was a stout little guy, probably had close to 60 pounds of boneless on him anyhow:

[landtracdeerhunter]

2 hours ago, wolc123 said:

You left one out: 
Wolc, 2-7/8” Northern Erie, dmp buck

I knew I was forgetting one.

[First-light]

From Meat Eaters site

https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-management/why-you-might-want-to-forget-about-mature-bucks-and-just-hunt?fbclid=IwAR1HfoYVsBo1dxNYx42_MvmR33C0C3P-WClfMyHR8NEGRM6IDnmqx_w9Xfc

 

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, First-light said:

From Meat Eaters site

https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-management/why-you-might-want-to-forget-about-mature-bucks-and-just-hunt?fbclid=IwAR1HfoYVsBo1dxNYx42_MvmR33C0C3P-WClfMyHR8NEGRM6IDnmqx_w9Xfc

 

Makes sense.  Those of us that choose that way get everything a person could get out of hunting. We get all the pleasures of of the woods, comrades hunting along with us, a mature buck with trophy antlers and all the meat we can use.                           Now that can’t be beat.  

[landtracdeerhunter]

15 hours ago, Four Seasons said:

lol. All gross. Anyways like I said after how many years in Ny it’s”Like None”. Compared to what the fella compared to Illinois…Even more so “Like None” Ny is far from a long time 200 inch harvest state.  Although any is great for sure. 

Well okay then. We disagree on this subject and more in the future, no doubt. This is what raises forum participation, views, and interest which makes for a successful site. My main goal.

[nybuckboy]

On 2/2/2024 at 4:27 PM, Grouse said:

I'm confused.  And I know of a number of high fence deer hunting places that raise their deer inside their fenced in hunting operation.

So to clarify - I have hunted 4 times in Illinois with Illinois Trophy Bowhunters, Inc. In 2009 killed a 149+ 8 pt. Probably the reason I have returned again. In 2012 I missed what I called the monarch as it been on camera for a couple of years. In 2018 I saw but never shot at the 180-185" and the last time in 2023 I never saw one I'd shoot. They are all working farms that are leased to the outfitter. 

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, nybuckboy said:

So to clarify - I have hunted 4 times in Illinois with Illinois Trophy Bowhunters, Inc. In 2009 killed a 149+ 8 pt. Probably the reason I have returned again. In 2012 I missed what I called the monarch as it been on camera for a couple of years. In 2018 I saw but never shot at the 180-185" and the last time in 2023 I never saw one I'd shoot. They are all working farms that are leased to the outfitter. 

Care to say how many you saw in Ny thru all those years of those sizes?  Even say the smaller you saw there of 149inches?

[landtracdeerhunter]

10 hours ago, Four Seasons said:

Care to say how many you saw in Ny thru all those years of those sizes?  Even say the smaller you saw there of 149inches?

Are you talking gross or net, lol.

[nybuckboy]

5 hours ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

Are you talking gross or net, lol.

That's a silly question... like you have time for deductions on the hoof. LOL!