If they stopped all Buck hunting.

[fasteddie]

Buck haters ---- really ???

When I deer hunt and a buck or doe approaches with the possibility of getting a shot my heart starts pounding . Either one doesn't change the equation . I retired in 1998 and have plenty of time to spend in the outdoors and just seeing deer , etc is fun . If bucks were "off limits" , I would still be out there just as much .

[phade]

So generally Phade can we assume you are happy?

 

If bucks were off limits, some of my stand locations would change, the extra effort to try to kill the big ones would be eliminated, but I would still hunt.  I like venison, the quiet of being in a stand, and the sunrises/sunsets.  I would also carry a good camera because what else can you do when you see Mr. Big.  Maybe wooly could give wildlife photography classes.  Lastly, I can almost guarantee you that I would spend more time trying to become proficient with a stick bow to increase the challenge of killing a doe.

 

I'm happy when we generally allow choice and general acceptance of why/when/how people hunt (legally, or whatever constraint you want to put on it).

 

For me, personally...

 

If I couldn't chase bucks, I'd lose my interest in any challenge related to deer hunting. I've killed some wiley old does who were a real challenge, very memorable encounters. BUT...I felt more relief than accomplishment when killing such Alpha does. Why? Because now they wouldn't be there to annoy me. That's my honest answer - nothing gets more frustrating then a smart alpha doe picking you off because she has a tell on you somehow. I get little personal satisfaction other than some meat in the freezer. It's more of a "Phew, now she won't be there blowing at me every time I sit this spot." It happened this year. A group of three does came in and the Alpha pegged me, but didn't run. She led the group away but I had a lane. I didn't get lined up in time for the Alpha, but I shot one of the other two. She really had me pegged. Thankfully a buddy ended up shooting her. She would have been trouble for future hunts in my mind. Relief, not accomplishment in that scenario. Am I thankful for a clean harvest, yes, you bet. Am I happy there is meat in the feezer, yes. Do I feel like I accomplished anything? No, not much personally. That's just me though. I've killed alot of does - maybe that contributes to it. Trying to think back, but I believe I may be over 100 does kills to date. I'm in a target rich environment in that respect.

 

I know this sounds silly, but I generally get angry when I am locked onto a buck. It drives me to want to beat its defenses. When I know a shot is coming on a buck that I've worked darn near year-round on, I generally get pretty aggressive (in my mind). The few times I've noticed I don't get aggressive, I mess up or miss. When I messed up this bow season, I was in a state of mind like this was a "gimme shot" and subsquently screwed up. If I had the "you are dead because I'm going to thread this arrow right to the hair I pick out and worked all year for this moment" mentality, I'd be having Cantrell wrapping up my shoulder mount.

 

Hunting if this were a real scenario would become more a mission for meat and for the social aspect. I hunt with some pretty good guys, and I tend to value that more than the actual pursuit. I would enjoy hunting in a more social setting in this scenario...one or two man pushes to a sitter, deer drives, etc.

 

I'd spend more time with my family, probably get more into fishing and trapping than I am now, and I'd probably vacation/travel more.

Edited January 12, 2015 by phade

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I would still be going at the season in a very similar way. Hunting camp would still be the same. What might change is for Bow. I would end up filling my tags quicker. Since I wouldn't be waiting on a buck I would shoot the does that I let walk by on some of the days. I would just fill the tags and be done during bow. Then it would be to the swamps for duck and maybe get a bird dog again. Been missing my Springer. Maybe fall trout or salmon.

[G-Man]

Here is one thing every one seems to have missed, if bucks are off limits and you can only hunt doe,what happens in areas of no, or low doe tags? You would not be able to hunt at,all and for,areas where doe tas are plentiful how long before the population would crash there as well? To sit and say it wouldn't effect your hunting or wouldn't change your hunting is a fallacy. You would have to travel to find a spot where doe existed, to hunt at all ! There are a lot more hunters than there are deer taken every year... the entire northern region would be closed for hunting as would much of the catskills.

So if bucks were made illegal hunting would collapse as a whole. Regardless of if you like horns or not. That is,another problem with ar's if you remove bucks from harvest more pressure put on doe (if they are avaliable to shoot)so you are forced to become a trophy hunter,or move to hunt in a high doe populating area (soon to be closed to doe hunting as popul as ton drops) or give up or change the way you hunt.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Here is one thing every one seems to have missed, if bucks are off limits and you can only hunt doe,what happens in areas of no, or low doe tags? You would not be able to hunt at,all and for,areas where doe tas are plentiful how long before the population would crash there as well? To sit and say it wouldn't effect your hunting or wouldn't change your hunting is a fallacy. You would have to travel to find a spot where doe existed, to hunt at all ! There are a lot more hunters than there are deer taken every year... the entire northern region would be closed for hunting as would much of the catskills.

So if bucks were made illegal hunting would collapse as a whole. Regardless of if you like horns or not. That is,another problem with ar's if you remove bucks from harvest more pressure put on doe (if they are avaliable to shoot)so you are forced to become a trophy hunter,or move to hunt in a high doe populating area (soon to be closed to doe hunting as popul as ton drops) or give up or change the way you hunt.

I'd agree Gman, except that the high do population areas seem to be the areas with very limited access. out of area hunters would be hard pressed to find land to hunt.

[jjb4900]

Here is one thing every one seems to have missed, if bucks are off limits and you can only hunt doe,what happens in areas of no, or low doe tags? You would not be able to hunt at,all and for,areas where doe tas are plentiful how long before the population would crash there as well? To sit and say it wouldn't effect your hunting or wouldn't change your hunting is a fallacy. You would have to travel to find a spot where doe existed, to hunt at all ! There are a lot more hunters than there are deer taken every year... the entire northern region would be closed for hunting as would much of the catskills.

So if bucks were made illegal hunting would collapse as a whole. Regardless of if you like horns or not. That is,another problem with ar's if you remove bucks from harvest more pressure put on doe (if they are avaliable to shoot)so you are forced to become a trophy hunter,or move to hunt in a high doe populating area (soon to be closed to doe hunting as popul as ton drops) or give up or change the way you hunt.

of course you can throw out dozens of scenarios, But I'm sure most are just responding to the question at it's face value...which I took to basically mean, how important are bucks as far as a persons hunting goes...........maybe we need another thread titled "if you couldn't hunt bucks, and chances are you wouldn't get a DMP, would it change how you hunt?".....or "if deer meat was poisonous, would you still hunt?".....

Edited January 12, 2015 by jjb4900

[dbHunterNY]

for me there would most definitely be change but it wouldn't keep me from hunting as much as I do now.  maybe less at first and there would definitely be an emptiness inside for knowing i'll never shot a buck again.  half a decade after I'd still be pumped that same to setup trail cams in hopes of buck pics.  I'd be excited to see what they could grow even if I couldn't hunt them.  I think it'd hunt with a bow and trad equipment more as harvesting a doe would be more rewarding that way not to me but to others as well.  they wouldn't blow off my deer story because it was a doe.  I bet bucks would be stupid and doe would be PhDs in eluding hunters more so than now.  habitat efforts would still be the same time and energy wise but would be focused even more on cover and sanctuaries with food and water close by.  especially because doe home ranges are significantly smaller.  the doe I shot this past season that was probably over 8.5 years old would be the trophy of all trophies or the 158lb dressed one I shot years ago.  i think with all the bucks and larger antlers shed hunting would consume much more of my time than now (which is hardly any).  a lot would change but I would still hunt and hopefully fill my freezer.  I just like to hunt and eat venison.

[Doc]

It seems that maybe there has been a lot of "topic drift". The actual original question was: "If they stopped all buck hunting, Would you continue to hunt at the same level and desire? What would hunting mean to you?"

 

There is nothing there that tells anybody what they are supposed to think or feel or do. It's a simple question regarding your personal reaction to a specific scenario. Nothing there asking anyone to critique anyone's opinion or justify your own. I believe that people can have opinions on this question without "high-horse" accusations or accusations of lying.

 

My opinion is that I would continue to hunt at the same level and desire. Does that mean that I would not feel that something had been taken away? Heck no. A hunting opportunity would have been taken away. That's not a nice thing, but buck hunting is not the reason that I get excited each deer season. I think anytime opportunities are regulated away, something is taken away and lost. Is that a reason to think less of hunting and the opportunities remaining. Not for me. I would still be enthusiastic just as I was when I first started, and looking forward to another season. Does that opinion in any way indicate that I believe that everyone needs to agree with me? .... Not hardly. It is simply my opinion and is a product of my own hunting outlooks and reasons and past experiences. And yes, I would join other hunters in protest to get buck hunting reinstated.

 

But if you actually read the initial question, the answer gets real simple to answer and almost gets down to a simple yes or no answer. And really none of it calls for any hard feelings or attempts to change anyone's mind.

[phade]

I'd agree Gman, except that the high do population areas seem to be the areas with very limited access. out of area hunters would be hard pressed to find land to hunt.

 

Topic drift, I don't care.

 

Interesting question - would property open up if "antler fever" didn't exist? Would we put value into the does similarly?

Edited January 12, 2015 by phade

[First-light]

Topic drift, I don't care.

 

Interesting question - would property open up if "antler fever" didn't exist? Would we put value into the does similarly?

You have too much coffee today or what????

[phade]

You have too much coffee today or what????

 

Well played, well played.

 

I'm really a nice guy in person. I swear.

 

Kind of.

[nyantler]

I think what he is getting at is when people have said not being able to hunt bucks would change participation, some of them had comments made/high horse views.

 

I concur with that.

 

Thank you.. that's exactly where I was getting at... and there seems to be a disdain for those that just enjoy hunting bigger bucks... like we should be ashamed for liking antlers... hence the term "buck haters"... it worked for me.

[Jennifer]

Just for the record, even though I am genuinely happy with either doe or buck, I hold absolutely no disdain for those that prefer to hunt bucks, or those that prefer to hunt older bucks with the nicest antlers they can find.

[growalot]

I can't post the pic of the doe with it's back leg blown off( on KINDLE)...but with that in mind...NO, land would not open up IMO and that of owners around me.

Edited January 13, 2015 by growalot

[phade]

I can't post the pic of the doe with it's back leg blown off( on KINDLE)...but with that in mind...NO, land would not open up IMO and that of owners around me.

Interesting. I think it would open up land. As much as people want to make an argument that antlers have little or nothing to do with hunting, I just cannot see where doe only hunting would carry the same degree of participation or level of involvement. I think it would open alot of land up. I dont see people leasing, or trying to lockdown land for doe hunting.

I think more owners would want deer shot because they become much more problematic than they are now in higj dpsm areas because we as a resource cant control the population with reduced participation.

[jjb4900]

Interesting. I think it would open up land. As much as people want to make an argument that antlers have little or nothing to do with hunting, I just cannot see where doe only hunting would carry the same degree of participation or level of involvement. I think it would open alot of land up. I dont see people leasing, or trying to lockdown land for doe hunting.

I think more owners would want deer shot because they become much more problematic than they are now in higj dpsm areas because we as a resource cant control the population with reduced participation.

woo hoo!!

[Lawdwaz]

I'm surprised at the amount of posts and energy expelled on this thread.  No state has ever enacted a "No Buck" kill, have they?

 

Why would you even discuss such a silly question?  It won't happen.............

 

What will be the next thread goofy thread, "If they didn't allow........................." ?

 

 

 

 

[stoneam2006]

I'm surprised at the amount of posts and energy expelled on this thread. No state has ever enacted a "No Buck" kill, have they?

Why would you even discuss such a silly question? It won't happen.............

What will be the next thread goofy thread, "If they didn't allow........................." ?

If they didn't allow killing of deer outta open fields.....just a suggestion

Or maybe even outta trees stands

Edited January 13, 2015 by stoneam2006

[Five Seasons]

We all measure hunting satisfaction in our own personal way. I think what is even more hard to understand is why some refuse to understand that others place a different standard on hunting success.

Is it an ego thing? ..... Who knows what is going through people's heads when they define their wants and needs regarding hunting. All I know is that we are all in it for our own personal needs, and the only time anyone should be concerned about such things is when the thinking and attitudes of others are being forced onto the rest of us who don't share those thoughts and attitudes. Then we have an issue of contention.

I guess I don't understand why some seem to call out trophy hunters like they're a "bad" type of hunter.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

I'm surprised at the amount of posts and energy expelled on this thread. No state has ever enacted a "No Buck" kill, have they?

Why would you even discuss such a silly question? It won't happen.............

What will be the next thread goofy thread, "If they didn't allow........................." ?

Seasons over. Fun to debate. Who pissed in your Cheerios making you upset we're talking about it? Helped enlighten me a little. So I think it's been fun.

I sort of find it interesting that those who would not change their hunting style are apposed to ARs. If you couldn't shoot bucks and would still hunt; why are you so mad you can't shoot little bucks?

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Edited January 13, 2015 by Belo

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Seasons over. Fun to debate. Who pissed in your Cheerios making you upset we're talking about it? Helped enlighten me a little. So I think it's been fun.

I sort of find it interesting that those who would not change their hunting style are apposed to ARs. If you couldn't shoot bucks and would still hunt; why are you so mad you can't shoot little bucks?

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Easy now...Your starting to get close to the reason of the post. Its funny how some people forget what they write on other threads and then bury themselves on another. I was going to press the point on a couple but why bother. it seems as though you caught on.  Thats good enough i guess....

[Pygmy]

 

Thank you.. that's exactly where I was getting at... and there seems to be a disdain for those that just enjoy hunting bigger bucks... like we should be ashamed for liking antlers... hence the term "buck haters"... it worked for me.

 

Joe...I hold you in high regard.. But "buck haters" was not a good choice of terms.. I don't think any deer hunter is a buck hater.

I really don't see any disdain for guys who prefer to hunt bigger bucks, UNLESS they attempt to project thier preferences on other hunters through such vehicles as antler restrictions..

To make things very simple, if AR's are promoted by people who prefer to shoot only big bucks, these people are saying...

" I prefer to shoot only big bucks...THEREFORE, everyone should be required to shoot only big bucks"...

[Lawdwaz]

Seasons over. Fun to debate. Who pissed in your Cheerios making you upset we're talking about it? Helped enlighten me a little. So I think it's been fun.

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Funny that you need something like this to "enlighten" you. 

 

Your debating a fantasy to some and a nightmare to others.  You enjoy that?

 

Carry on................

[Five Seasons]

Funny that you need something like this to "enlighten" you.

Your debating a fantasy to some and a nightmare to others. You enjoy that?

Carry on................

Your wife gives you a hall pass. Pick your top 3 woman.

It's fun. No different than 2 guys bullshitting in a bar.

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[Nomad]

Frankly I could shoot a doe almost any sit in bow and half the ones in gun. I love the meat and I'd drop,a couple right off then idk go to the gym and watch the milf's like I do the rest of the year......