If it were all easy....

[Doc]

What if hunting could be made easier? What if you were certain that you would harvest a nice wall-hanger buck or two every season. What if you developed a fool-proof system of deer hunting? Let's say that someone invented a real scentproof clothing system, and you developed a property that was highly managed so that you could guarantee several encounters per season with gigantic bucks. Let's also say that the animals were somewhat conditioned to not be quite so alarmed by your presence. Let's also assume that you were allowed to used simpler weapons to shoot that were not quite so physically and mentally demanding at a time where the deer you were hunting were not spooked out of their minds like our usual gun seasons. Or maybe you were the first one allowed to rifle hunt an area that was previously bow only. Or perhaps you went on a guaranteed guided deer hunt where the scouting had already been done by the guide and stands were picked out for you and the herd consisted of guaranteed monster bucks.

Would you still enjoy the hunt? What elements of the hunt if any would you miss the most if they were removed from your hunting? would easy hunting be as interesting and satisfying as the more challenging hunts that most hunters are familiar with?

Doc

[burmjohn]

I took some heat on some other forum, I'm just not a big fan of the fenced hunts.  If you want to do it, thats fine, but I don't think I ever would.  For me, besides the actual "hunt" 1/2 the fun is the scouting, planning, tree stand building part.  I can care less if I get a deer or not, I mean if I get one great!  I love hanging out with friends, good food, bon fires, boozing and stories!  If it was easy, it would really take a lot away from the whole sport. 

[TheHunter]

If it was easy, it wouldn't be fun.

[Doc]

Well, you all can probably tell by the way I worded the question that I am not real crazy about taking any of the challenge out of my hunting. But to be honest, I must admit to having hung up my recurves and longbows and taking on a bunch of compounds over the years. I have to admit that the old wooden arrows got replaced by a bunch of aluminum ones. I sure didn't buy all those releases because I wanted to increase the challenge. The years have been one huge "buying spree" trying to find the perfect set-up that would basically, one by one, take challenges out of shooting. We all in our own way do things to put things more in our favor, which is another way of saying that we are trying to decrease some of the challenge. Some of us get involved with food plots. Some of us would like to see baiting legalized. Some continue to chase the elusive arrow speeds to try to make our bows perform more like guns and remove some of the challenges that our archery equipment offers. And on and on. And yet I believe all of us would say that we want challenge left in our hunting and we all seem to want to have it both ways.

As far as styles of hunting, I'm sure most of us really would like to go on a guided hunt some day. Some areas of the country and some species can't be legally hunted without a guide. In some cases hunting without a guide would be a complete waste of time. So in most guided hunts, the guide does the scouting and pretty much everything else other than the shooting. How does all that fit into our idea of personal hunting challenge.

So now I have to wonder where we each draw the line. How far are we all willing to go in terms of using equipment that takes some of the challenge out of our hunting. In terms of using guides or super-managed herds and habitat, how far does it all go before you start to feel that you are really playing a rather minor role in your hunting? Those questions are not that easy to answer are they? It's all kind of interesting things to think about, and the answers are all different for each of us.

Doc

[Campwildwood]

There are a few outfitters that do offer these type of hunts that you refer to (i'm sure you may be aware of) and I know of two hunters that went to one a couple of months ago. They both said that they would not do it again, the fun aspect of scouting and actually "hunting" aspect was pretty much removed. They also said the guides tried to amp-up the hunt, telling the two hunters the animals are unpredictable and may charge etc. In reality, they felt as if the animals were somewhat domesticated? Guess it might depend on the outfitter and hunter, but these type of hunts seem to be popular, especially for non-native species.

As in general, hunting has been made easier with all the high-tech gagets made available to us.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

I think I'm on board  with using technology to become successful. Once successful ill probably revert back to simpler tactics. However, I wouldn't say my gear is state of the art LOL!

[burmjohn]

I hope baiting never gets legalized, but that's just me   A nice food plot like NYBowhunter and thats all ya need.

[A6A6]

No way would I enjoy it.

as much as i bitch and moan about things like climbing trees and hanging stands or hiking up a mountain till you find your perfect spot or draggin your deer uphill for a mile or sitting there freezin your ass off....... thats all the stuff i live for ..

thats the hunt...

[Daveboone]

The best deer season for me is when I am able to hunt all season and shoot fill my tag the afternoon of the last day. The time I spend outdoors hunting is more important than the shooting of a deer (although we do love our venison). I take pride in working up my own loads, specializing my own equipment, the sighting in for my hunting, and the woodsmanship skills I have developed. I even make my own knives...constantly creating the "perfect one" before giving it away so I can make another. Hunting is not supposed to be easy. It would just be called "shooting" if it were. Many states and places, that is all deer hunting is. Point of pride, I will not pay someone else to do what I can do on my own.