DEER DRIVES, THE GOOD OLD DAYS

[grampy]

Did my first deer drive in 1973. Back then the older guys organized the drives, and did it with military precision. Everyone knew their place, and a lot of deer were killed and tagged with party permits. Everyone got some meat.

When the old guys passed on, the big drive heydays were over. Because new guys coming in, wouldn't or couldn't do it the way we were used to. Nobody would listen. Everyone wanted to be the planner, even if they didn't known the land! If the brush was too thick, they'd walk around it. If the hill to steep they couldn't keep up. If left to stand, they'd move or even leave if they got too cold! And drivers who just plain got lost, and wouldn't answer calls!

It became dangerous, and absolutely no fun at all. Eventually, my hunting partner and I just stopped inviting "them" to hunt with us. We were called greedy, and some "other" names. Too bad, our land! We'd had enough BS!

But.....my hunting partner and I, over the last 25-30 years have become masters of the two man drive! And have both killed many deer the other has put to him. We usually will do it towards the end of the season. And usually the one with no buck tag left, pushes for the one that hasn't shot a buck. Or if we want an extra doe for the freezer. We both know exactly what the other is doing at any point. And it's a blast!

Very seldom now, will we ever join someone else's drive. Or invite someone on ours. If we do have guests, Gary and I will personally place them to stand. And we push to them.

[LongWayFromHome]

warms my heart that fellows like you still exist. I hope I get to be on one more drive, time flys, I agree, a 2 man drive can be very productive. problem is Uncle Fester, world full of Festers, we are a rare breed indeed!

 

t

[crappyice]

Much like grampy we work small nudges through thick bedding grounds usually with two guys posted; one on each escape route. Last year I shot a doe with my son in the stand with me that was pushed by my buddy’s 70 year old father. It’s one of his (buddy’s father) favorite deer he was ever a part of.

I also nudged one to my buddy while posted with the bow. That was cool. I see the doe pop out, watch it cross the stream, lose it from my vision but then almost counted down to the second when he touched off his release. So cools when a plan comes together.


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[GreeneHunter]

I always liked being the Driver but got behind a big tree when the shooting started ! LOL 

[Pygmy]

Lots of good memories of deer drives over the years...The first buck I killed ( 1966) and the second (1968)  were shot on drives....

 

[Nomad]

5 hours ago, Uncle Nicky said:

No thanks, too much confusion & chance of someone getting shot. If I want that kind of action I'd go down south & let the dogs move them around.

Well then you’re doing it wrong .

Our watchers are often 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more away from the drivers . We drive them out of one woods across massive farm fields to another woods ,and we can place a watcher ,to an exact tree or bush .

I got several guys their first deer by placing them at a certain tree or bucket that I placed ahead of time . 

I couldn’t possibly count the deer I dropped on drives .

[Will_C]

Until about 15 years ago, driving was the only way my cousins hunted in Pa. Most fun I've ever had deer hunting. They had hunted their 700 acre farm and the surrounding land for all their lives- could put me facing a bank 30 yards in front of me and sure enough deer would run right in front of me. Stopped doing because all of the neighbors would post all around us, and the number of us who could drive kept getting smaller-I'm 56 and was one of the youngest. Also, antler restrictions made it tough.

Sure miss those days.

[Nomad]

I miss them too ! Best hunting memories ever ! Stand sitters have no, idea what they’re missing . My best hunting memory is dropping a full out running doe at 90 yards ,with a smooth bore12 ga .

[G-Man]

1 hour ago, GreeneHunter said:

I always liked being the Driver but got behind a big tree when the shooting started ! LOL 

Our standers do not shoot into the drive, the stands are set so deer pass by the stands broadside or 1/4 ing away. Nearly.all are elevated .. . The drivers shoot as many if not more deer than the standers. Knowing you have a guy ahead of you to your left and you can only.shoot straight ahead and to the right.  

Its vital people know and obey the rules if you will.. the walkers know the standers are elevated and can shoot.if you get out of your stand to get the deer you shot at you are in the line of fire.. it why you stay in stand till drive is done.. safe simple precision effective hunting..

[nyslowhand]

Well organized drives, hell yeah! Loosely organized drives, I'll sit them out!! It only takes one or if you're really brave a couple of sketchy deer drives to sour you taste for them. I would rather sit in my stand and let the deer drives happen on adjacent properties.

[The_Real_TCIII]

You better ask tim about my hill hes done it a few times most.do it 1x and done never.come back or have to be a stander..

I'm willing to try

[Uncle Nicky]

8 hours ago, Nomad said:

Well then you’re doing it wrong .

Our watchers are often 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more away from the drivers . We drive them out of one woods across massive farm fields to another woods ,and we can place a watcher ,to an exact tree or bush .

I got several guys their first deer by placing them at a certain tree or bucket that I placed ahead of time . 

I couldn’t possibly count the deer I dropped on drives .

I have been involved with lots of drives. Sat on some and walked on some, everyone was doing it, I just went along under the assumption that if everyone else was doing it (including my father & uncles), then it must be OK. It was mostly done after the first couple days of gun season, "Deer aren't moving much, let's see if we can push them out".

As I got older, I found new spots to hunt & new hunting partners, some of these drives struck me as dangerous, buckshot flying through the brush near me, guys arguing that shots were coming too close, crippled deer that weren't recovered. That is when my driving career ended. As mentioned, I'm not against them, just not something I'm interested in any more. 

I DID belong to a club in Virginia for a couple years, I joined for the the turkey hunting, but they had deer dogs, and they did a lot of drives with dogs. I'd do that again in a heartbeat, only negative being you have to round up 20 stubborn hounds after the drive is over.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Uncle Nicky

[gastrodoc]

This was tradition for years.  The Friday after Thanksgiving.  My uncle and friends had a 9oo acre farm in Holland NY we pushed most of the day.  Man, did it produce some tremendous bucks.  DUring my teenage years and early 20s I waited all year for this day

[G-Man]

6 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I'm willing to try

Ok I'll let you know ,but when your $ 200 .00 dollar hunting pants are shredded and your bleeding from 1000 pin pricks ,pulling thorns out of your hands, you were forewarned .....lol

[G-Man]

I am.surprised the number of guys that had guys using buckshot on drives ,I do not think it was ever legal in nys when I started hunting 30 plus years ago...

[Uncle Nicky]

12 minutes ago, G-Man said:

I am.surprised the number of guys that had guys using buckshot on drives ,I do not think it was ever legal in nys when I started hunting 30 plus years ago...

Most of my driving days were in NJ & PA. The club I belonged to in Virginia was in a buckshot only county.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Uncle Nicky

[jvillegas2086]

Would you drive a 42 acre property surrounded by woods with two people or still hunt it?

I try to sit and still hunt it but others want to put drives on. My thought is that putting the drive puts too much pressure on the deer. We are also limited to entrance points due to the influx of houses on surrounding lots.

Your thoughts.


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[jvillegas2086]

Did my first deer drive in 1973. Back then the older guys organized the drives, and did it with military precision. Everyone knew their place, and a lot of deer were killed and tagged with party permits. Everyone got some meat.
When the old guys passed on, the big drive heydays were over. Because new guys coming in, wouldn't or couldn't do it the way we were used to. Nobody would listen. Everyone wanted to be the planner, even if they didn't known the land! If the brush was too thick, they'd walk around it. If the hill to steep they couldn't keep up. If left to stand, they'd move or even leave if they got too cold! And drivers who just plain got lost, and wouldn't answer calls!
It became dangerous, and absolutely no fun at all. Eventually, my hunting partner and I just stopped inviting "them" to hunt with us. We were called greedy, and some "other" names. Too bad, our land! We'd had enough BS!
But.....my hunting partner and I, over the last 25-30 years have become masters of the two man drive! And have both killed many deer the other has put to him. We usually will do it towards the end of the season. And usually the one with no buck tag left, pushes for the one that hasn't shot a buck. Or if we want an extra doe for the freezer. We both know exactly what the other is doing at any point. And it's a blast!
Very seldom now, will we ever join someone else's drive. Or invite someone on ours. If we do have guests, Gary and I will personally place them to stand. And we push to them.

How much land do you and your partner have? My father in law loves to put drives on, but I convinced him that there’s too little land for us to do it between the two of us and the deer keep passing through points were we are not standing. I love drives in that I get to see more of the woods, crazy things can happen when deer do move (I had several pass almost run me over once), and you stay warmer. I do miss the old days too when more family was involved hunting and making drives. We had access to many acres of land and all different terrain, but those days have passed.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

1 hour ago, G-Man said:

Ok I'll let you know ,but when your $ 200 .00 dollar hunting pants are shredded and your bleeding from 1000 pin pricks ,pulling thorns out of your hands, you were forewarned .....lol

That sounds like most places I hunt, and I wear small game stuff for drives

[The_Real_TCIII]

1 hour ago, G-Man said:

Ok I'll let you know ,but when your $ 200 .00 dollar hunting pants are shredded and your bleeding from 1000 pin pricks ,pulling thorns out of your hands, you were forewarned .....lol

Also, I was under the assumption that pants were provided for the pushers?

[MPHunter]

19 hours ago, LongWayFromHome said:

I won't be able to make opening day next Saturday. But I'm going take down my Remington model 8, which I traded  for back in 1968 for a couples days labour bucking bales of hay, and give it a thourough cleaning. If If I can't be out there then I'll be out there in spirit. Let's see what this all develops into. Wingshooting NY deer. About as much fun as a man could ever ask for. Anyone got a Remington model 8?

 

Don't do drives but I do have a Model 8 in .25 Remington. It was my grandfather's. 

[G-Man]

24 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

That sounds like most places I hunt, and I wear small game stuff for drives

It's a 45 degree slope covered in multi flora rose ,hawthorn and greebriar

[moog5050]

I know a group that regularly starts small drives with Xbows.  One shot a 135" on Thursday.  I guess they work.  I have never really been part of a truly organized drive.  A few sit in this stand and I will walk towards you.  Has never worked.  lol

[moog5050]

20 minutes ago, G-Man said:

It's a 45 degree slope covered in multi flora rose ,hawthorn and greebriar

Gman is right, I would pass on walking through that.

[The_Real_TCIII]

23 minutes ago, G-Man said:

It's a 45 degree slope covered in multi flora rose ,hawthorn and greebriar

Youve convinced me, I'll stand