Back in the day...

[bowhunter1023]

I was that guy today

I was listening to a new podcast called The Deer Shop Podcast from the brother at Siman Brothers Outdoors, which some of you will remember from way back in the OS days. They were reminiscing about "the good old days" in the last 2000s and early 20-teens, which many of us remember as being the heyday of big bucks and decent #s of deer. The deer #s have rebounded, but the big buck pool is much shallower. For some of us, those were the good old days, but for others, the good old days were Trubark camo and Loc-On treestands. Or loin clothes and sharp sticks.

So if someone asked you what the "good old day of deer hunting was like", how would you answer them?

For me, it would be pre-baiting craze and circa-2010 when we routinely had 150" bucks running around. I miss the days of true giants in most wood lots, not the current state where only a few exist in the whole county.

 

[Ohiosam]

I'd say back in the 70's,80's early 90's when it was much easier to get access to private land to hunt (anything), before everyone wanted the woods they hunt to be locked down with no other humans on it.

 

[Big_Holla]

The good old days for me was pre-Ohio believe it or not (1980's-90's). It was back when we referred to a buck sighted as a big/small 6, 8 or 10 point, a Duper, Toad, giant, etc. not really knowing for sure how many points the deer really was. It was when a buck earned a nickname like Old Jonah or Ole Whitey based on the brief sighting of him, whether it was the same deer or not. It was before everyone put an actual score to a deer in measured inches, dead or alive roaming the woods.

I recall the day the light bulb turned on for me when an old friend and I stopped to talk deer hunting during a funeral we attended. I grew up with his boys and we always talked about deer hunting and the meat we put in the freezer. When I said to him we had a good 160 buck running on the farm he looked at me and said "I don't even know what that means". That hit home and from then on I really care less about the score of a deer but rather the history and the moment.

I could say the good old days for me revolved around deer numbers or giant bucks but that wouldn't be true. Now it's looking back and remembering how I felt telling my dad or uncle what I saw when we got back to camp or whether I got a shot at a doe or spike. Simple times made for the best memories. That's what I am hoping my kids see in the effort I have put into the farm, plots and all the side talk about deerz.

 

[5Cent]

Late 90's with a .30-06 in my hand while hunting ANF in PA. Where everyone on the highway was headed to deer camp right after Thanksgiving, gun drawing Saturday night, and "herds" of deer roamed the big timber. A 45min walk back to the rock at 4:30am is a 4hr drag out via logging road 251.......GOD those were the good ol days!

My aunt just came across one of those memories last month.

 

[giles]

Gonna agree with the late 90s. The hunting parties and true excitement over killing any buck. Back when hunters hunted because they enjoyed it. No bait, no youth special hunts, no trail cameras, just hunt.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

For better or worse, too much technology is put forth in this day & age.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

Late 90's early 2000s. Public land hunting was not what it is today, especially for bow hunting. Great deer numbers and a chance at a 2.5 or older during gun week was VERY possible. Not to mention the ease of permission to hunt private.

 

[cotty16]

Early 90's for me. The deer population in my area was outstanding! Hunts were exciting just about every time out because you had action. Fields that were freshly reclaimed from being stripped had new growth and the deer were out there in herds and scouting in July and August was exciting!

There were no trail cameras to mess with. It was just very "simple". Bow hunter numbers were pretty low and gun hunter numbers were pretty high. Now it is completely opposite.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I went on my first bowhunt on Christmas Day 1999 and the next decade was certainly much different than the next decade. It will be interesting to see what's head for the rest of this one!

 

[Jamie]

The "good old days" of deer hunting for me are today. That was true 40 years ago, too, and it will be true for me tomorrow. My deer hunting has barely changed in the last 40 years because I have always shied away from every from of deer hunting technology. Mechanical bows, cameras, food plots, bait piles are of no interest to me. Today it is a little harder to keep things simple, but pure laziness on my part keeps me in my lane, lol. I am the most unsophisticated deer hunter most of you could ever meet. I have not ever killed a deer with a long gun. The best years of deer hunting for sheer numbers was from about 1995-2010. I do believe, however, that I have seen more 150"+ bucks in the last five years on my place than I had in the previous 35 seasons put together. Now that I think about it, my deer hunting has been really superb since I got my own place. Tons of deer, plenty of big ones and no shithead neighbors fucking it up. Knock on wood...

 

[Tipmoose]

The good old days for me were the late 1990s/early 2000s. Land and clubs were plentiful and affordable. The TDM craze hadn't infected everything to do with deer hunting, and I could routinely fill my freezer without much effort. It's only gone downhill since.

 

[Sgt Fury]

I’d have to say back when I first got my hunting license in ‘78 at the age of 14….practicing with my bow so I‘d be able to put 3 arrows into a pie plate placed over a deer target at twenty yards. Seemed like the deer would teach me something new every time I went into the woods. Learning from my mistakes and learning the habits started turning into success. The deer seemed to be the most plentiful from ‘85-2000. The deer still teach me new lessons now and then, though not nearly as often as the “good old days”.

 

[GoetsTalon]

You guys saved me some typing and bad spelling lol. Post number 2 and 5 is my answer also. Thanks guys!

 

[Bowhunter57]

My good ole days have been in the last 32 years of deer hunting.
Unfortunately, from the late 70s when I started, the school of hard knocks was brutal. I've always hunted alone, so learning about archery equipment and deer hunting was by way of magazines. This type of information, puts you in the hands of whatever article writer that's fabricating his best "How To" or "Best Secrets", for the month.

I'm finally enjoying my hunting successes and like learning how to keep it stupid simple as I go.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Was always fun hanging out at the local check in spot ( Woodville Surplus) after you tagged your deer in just to see what other guys got.

 

[jagermeister]

My personal “good old days” for overall deer population and big bucks are happening right now. But I would love to go back to the mid-to-late 90’s. The camaraderie, the enjoyment of the hunt, the simplicity of it all… I really enjoyed that. Even though back then we rarely saw deer up here, I still loved it.

 

[giles]

Back when no one said shooter, just, buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck...

 

[Isaacorps]

For me, it’s now. Having my own place to do as I please and being able to invite friends to come hunt is what I’ve always wanted. Not the biggest property in the most prime spot but it’s my spot and that means a lot. Making memories and putting meat on the ground. I do miss the old days of gun season deer camp, though. We still get together every year but for bow instead. Still wouldn’t trade it but it’s not quite the same. Knowing which part of the farm everyone was hunting and having your heart jump when you heard a shot from that direction is something you just can’t duplicate. At the end of the day it’s about the fellowship and camaraderie, regardless of season.

 

[Mickey Merrie]

This string stings a little bit. I know it shouldn't but I was born when Chantilly Lace was at the top of the charts, 5 months before the plane went down. I remember Kennedy's assassination, I was in Kindergarten. At age 12 I could hunt! that was 1970...Hell, just last week I swear I was 18!!
Blazed Orange was just coming in to vogue. Camo was army surplus. For that matter hunting attire was army surplus. Ever hunt in Mickey Mouse Boots? I still can't grow back the hair on my shins that they removed. Johnny Handwarmers were a new technology. Shotgun shells were 2 bucks a box. 3 for lead duck loads. Winchester Silver tips were 5 bucks a box unless they were 30 30 then they were $4.50. Pumpkin Balls were 99 cents, then you could get new technology pumpkin balls called rifle slugs for a buck and a half.

The first day of Pa rifle season there was a continuous line on every state rd 60 miles long going to the big woods counties. The lucky bastards had a camp to go to ahead of the crowd. The woods sounded like a war was being fought and it was bucks only for the first 2 weeks beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving. Then a 2 day doe season opened up Monday after buck closed on Saturday. There was no Sunday hunting back then. Camp rosters were limited to 25 guys and the roster had to be posted on the outside of the camp door. It was Name Address Pa License Number and Caliber of gun used.
Most camps maxed out on the roster too.

You could win a buck pool with a 6 point and if someone had an 8 point folks came from miles around just to see it. An 8 point with 6 inch tines and a 17" spread made a man or boy a legend. Most camps had British 303's and a 30 40 Craig or two. Then surplus 06's 30 30's 32's and 35''s. There were 300 Savages also. Of course the Jack O'Connor readers swore by their .270's. Camp opened for most on the day after Thanksgiving and usually guys were there till mid December. Poker, smoking cigars, drinking, sighting in and lying was par for the course and camp hopping to see old friends was a thing as well.

The food and drink was like nothing ever during the rest of the year, except April when the camps re opened for trout Season.

I am now 53 years in to the good old days and a whole lot has changed. Most of the hunters I know are dead. The rest hunt out of heated blinds over posted land. The woods are pretty much empty by noon on the first day, which is Saturday now just barely enough time to open camp and it usually closes by Sunday night for most. If there were a roster it might have 5 names on it. A lot has been lost when it comes to the human side of the good old days. People now look down on that small 8 point that used to make you a legend. Got to be a Booner before anyone seems to care now...

Most folks never knew the good old days of deer hunting. You guys who get together get a good taste of it though. But if you asked me from the hunting aspect I would tell you we are in the glory days of Whitetail! So enjoy it while you can, but re kindle granpa's glory days too will you please?

 

[Fletch]

Mickey Merrie... You hit the nail on the head... Hell day JFK got shot... We got sent home early from school to watch on TV.. I grabbed the single barrel 16 gauge and our dog Sally and went out and shot 2 roosters and 4 bunnies... Wow... Who blinked...