Random deer hunting thoughts

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Cloud, I know exactly where you are coming from. I was raised hunting with a large family of dad, uncle's and cousins . At that time in my youth I really enjoyed the time after the hunt listening to the ribbing and lies more than I did the hunting itself. I then went through a stage where I was determined to be the best deer hunter in my area and that caused a lot of jealousy which in turn caused me to lose track of how I was raised so I all but quit deer hunting. When my father passed away and I realized I had lost my best friend I decided that I was going to hunt harder than I ever did and do it in his honor. That's been 15 years ago last week and I have guided more deer,bear and Turkey kills then I could possibly remember. I'm back to hunting with family and friends and if no one wants to go hunting I will set at the club house and have a drink for the Old man. I have gotten to the age that if I can't help someone else enjoy it I just as soon kick back and think of the good ol days of my youth
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Guess I am not of that mindset,,,yes, I like people (some) but hunting to me is about the outdoors,,the quarry,,the quest,,
some hunts it's about the dog,,,
yes, I like hanging out with friends during and after the hunt, when I hunt with them,,,but if I had to give up any one aspect of my hunts, it would be the people - I can talk to people at work,,,,

and I grew up in a 9-day deer rifle season environment and I guarantee you, that red Army was just as much into deer hunting than anyone I've meet down here,,,,

the "Old man" is right,,,the memories are what make deer hunting great

Agree with this 1000000%
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I hunted with Fellowship years ago around four bridges?? Are they still around?

I really don't know. I left down there over 20 years ago. I now they lost the majority of their land to development but some of the old guys still live there around Alford's sawmill. Last I heard they only had a few separated tracts.
 

Moose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
This thread has really got me thinking this morning. I enjoy being around the people I hunt with at the club but for the most part my hunts are in solitude. Me out in mother nature. I guess the hunts with people are like the annual swan hunt, the occasional rabbit hunt etc. But most of the time it's just me and whatever the critter I'm after. As far as the early days go I was in college before I took up hunting. Growing up in the city with no one around me that did outdoor things I was pretty much on my own. I'd say the library had much to do with me learning about the outdoors. I'd read boys life magazine all the time. As an 8 or 9 year old I'd slip up into the adult library and find Outdoor Life Field and Stream and Sports Afield. We weren't supposed to be upstairs without our parents and half the time they weren't with us. I'd get the magazine and find a place out of the way to read them. Fishing was my passion and there wasn't many city ponds or creeks around me I hadn't fished. I would of loved to be in scouts but we were to poor for me to go. I guess that is why I'm a sucker for anything that helps get a kid in the outdoors.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
I started hunting late in life. Only one older brother hunted, and school, work, marriage, grad school, house renovations, children, work, ... etc ... kept me so busy I didn't have time to go. I'm an introvert ... and that doesn't mean I'm anti-social or don't like people, it's just that I like them in small doses. One reason I like hunting is the solitude it gives me. I can just be alone with my thoughts and also work things out when I need to do so. I mostly hunt alone, but one thing I really like is hunting with my buddy in his deer condo. We 'catch up' because we are both so busy we don't get to see each other much, talk politics -- which is a lot of fun -- and just enjoy each other's company. We only do that a few times/season, though. Most times, it's solo ... and that's fine. I spend PLENTY of time with people in general at work.

It's funny ... but I don't even care if I kill a deer or not when I hunt. That's not how I measure my 'success'. I like seeing deer, watching them, and enjoying them. I hope to see a healthy herd, and if I'm VERY lucky, I see a decent buck every few years. I love hunting ... I don't enjoy the killing ... but it's part of it. This is especially so the older I get. I love taking a new hunter ... young or old. I'd much rather THEM pull the trigger than me ... except on a BIG buck ... LOL ... still on that quest, I reckon, since it's so rare for me. :)
 

dirtburn

Four Pointer
I have to say I am a solitude Hunter. I always had hunting in my family growing up, I can remember the few times my dad, uncles and grandfather took me hunting but honestly can't remember any of them actually ever teaching me anything. I guess they installed enough in me that I chose to persue it on my own. I fell in love with the tranquility of watching the woods "wake up" and still love it till this day. It was "my time". It wasn't until my daughter wanted to hunt that I can recall sharing the woods with anyone, it only lasted a couple years but luckily my son was old enough to take shortly after. My efforts became directed towards his success and not my own after seeing the excitement in him at the kitchen table as we served the deer he had killed just a few days before. My children and I primarily hunt on a small tract of our land but I have been in a few clubs over the years and as much as I enjoyed them I always found myself staying home to hunt. Well this year my son turned 16 and caught the fumes "car fumes and perfumes" and it was the first year he hasn't hunted with me, hoping he will be back next year. I do plan on broadening my hunting a little with my new found time.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I’m all about the comraderie growing up with Uncles, etc that hunted and times in camp in my early twenties. I spent my childhood alone in the woods and creeks mainly so maybe got it out of my system. I’m now running into a different challenge. I push further and go farther than anyone who used to hunt with me. They stay close to home and their quad/tower stands. I can’t hardly get them out of their home states at all. Even friends here that hunt won’t hardly leave the trail. My kids are now in the woods though and my 17 and 7 y/o impress me everyday with how they grown.

My 7 y/o made me smile today setting our first traps. He was showing me the best trees/rocks to keep from slipping on the steep drops.

My 17 y/o kept asking if I was ok or needed help. I was carrying all the weight so I asked if he meant that. “No your just getting old so I’m worried about you breaking down”? I’m 36. Knee did seize up after and really got to go to the Dr after the 1st and check rod and fragments under knee for shift or something.
 

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
Sitting around by the heat today reading this thread brought back some good memories. I started deer hunting in 60s when deer were mostly confined to just the Longbottom part of the county. I started with a recurve and 1x6 piece of pine. I only knew one man that owned a compound bow and he was the envy of the club. During gun season we only carried what apples and ears of corn to the woods we could carry in an ole army field jacket pocket. I wore old army fatigues and non-insulated combat boots with layered socks and bread bags to keep my feet warm. I walked about a mile from the "car" and climbed pine trees with low limbs. I climbed to about 15 feet and laid the 1x6 between two limbs and sat there for hours with a buck only tag. I remember years later when my hunting buddy bought a Hot Seat and let me borrow it. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I enjoy going to the heated box stand with my son and grandson now but real hunting is a thing of the past. Back then nobody posted land, you were welcome to hunt wherever you wanted to. You could scout rutting areas, find food sources, bedding areas and hunt them down. When ATV's , sack corn and deer apples come on the scene all that changed; some for the better, some for the worse.
 

beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
our small hunt club starts around 830 quits about 3 ish catch dogs go to club eat fried deer loin french fries chicken play pool come to think about it we have just as much fun hangin out as we do huntin ..time for catfishen soon only plus over huntin it totaly just fine to drink beer
 

DBCooper

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I love hunting with others. I’ve hosted several members from the board.

BUT......I’d go NUTS if I HAD to share woods with others. I hunt way less than I used to. I try to wait for the right time (weather/wind) to go to my best spots.
 

herman

Six Pointer
I really miss the times I would take a week off work and spend that time camped out at Curtis Creek. I would get up and leave camp well before dawn and drive to the top of the mountain, park the truck, take my bow and spend all day just easing around in the woods all alone and having a ball. I didn't have to kill anything to have a great day.
You're post brings back some good memories back when I hunted curtis creek when the warden lived on the refuge.
I even took a few deer there and surrounding private land.
There was very few deer back then but there was a small heard that stayed around the wardens house and you could see them in his front yard late in the evening.
 
I love reminiscing about hunting and fishing I have done with both grandparents and dad. dad is now 82 we have a good time talking about still going hunting ,but its not like it used to be . Loss of property less people involved. I love all the stories of young people sharing there experiances . they are the next ambassadors to this great outdoor life
 
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