I feel your pain Joe! Lots of good advise here but I'd just add, just wait till the harshes of winter come upon us and these douchebags won't be out hunting and you'll pretty much have everything to yourself. Just sayin'!
Just about done.
- Thread starter Jackalope
- Start date
- 39,183
- 274
You are correct. Tank was bedded about 100 yards from where I dumped the pumpkins. He wasn't in the main island that is about 10 acres, he was in a 1/4 acre small Isolated island about 100 yards away.. The guy said he was driving his quad by the island and saw him bedded. His head was flat on the ground looking under the brush. The guy was maybe 30 yards away. The other guy with him thought he was dead. They stopped the quad and boom tank shot out of there.. He was going to lay there with his chin laying flat on the ground and let them pass.. What worries me is Tank was on the run right before gun. He had been bumped out.. All I can hope is that he found a secure place before gun the next week. But it doesn't bother me so much if people kill them. It's a fact we all have to face. There are plenty of nice deer. It just kills me when people do like what happened to you above.. They don;t know any better and have just as much right to be there as us. But it burns me up when we put forth all that effort and some lackey in one move jacks it up.
Hunting is meant to be fun. I have been hunting for 30+ years and have been where you are. Frustratated ready to give up pissed off about it all wondering why I don't enjoy it like I used too. When I get like that its time to rethink what I'm doing,cause I do love to hunt. So what ever I'm doing that is causing the stress I quit doing it. Do some other hunting that you haven't done in years or something that you used to enjoy. I have walked out of the woods already on the first day of gobbler season 20 min. after light because I just didn't feel like being there. May sound strange to some but if it(hunting) starts to feel like work or stresses me I just don't do it. Since I adopted that attitude I enjoy hunting a whole lot more.
- 39,183
- 274
Here's what I'm thinking though.. You don't have to lease a large property, try to control the deer, or hope the deer understand property lines. They don't even have to stay on the property.. Instead of worrying about all that, just lease a property where it isn't a concern. We all know the old widow cat lady who doesn't allow hunting.. I would look at her neighbors. If you can't find a single owner for a mile that allows hunting. I would be talking to the one of them about leasing. 500-1000 bucks can turn a "no" into a "go" quite fast and open up some prime property.. How about a property bordering a nature preserve, or a factory. The key is to find one where geographically you don't have to worry about your neighbors. I don't need 500 acres. Just the right 50 and the ability to do my thing without getting over run.
- 39,183
- 274
Very very true. I've thought about getting back in to trapping. I run Coon dogs on occasion and have a blast with that. I have fun when deer hunting. It's really a passion for me.. The things that make me mad and want to quit are 100% out of my control.
Quitter. You all take hunting way to seriously. Slow down and enjoy what god has made for you to enjoy. He didnt only make big bucks, he made all kinda of things that should put a smile on your face when you see or hear them. No one deserves a big buck. I don't care how hard you work for it or scout it or do whatever to get it. You don't deserve it. Im not saying you are wrong for being annoyed or upset. All I am saying is that you are taking it Way to serious. And that kills the point. Hunting isn't supposed to be about killing big giant deer. IMO it is about being with nature, learning/gainin grespect, being with family and most of all relaxing. Take a few Steps back Joe and think about it. Who gives a shit if you kill Tank or a 120" 8 pt. it's just a deer. What do you need to kill the big one for? To show off? I had found myself guilty of the big buck bs for a few years and it made me hate hunting. Shoot whatever makes you happy. My 115 " 8 point made me just as happy as my biggest buck.
We have had this conversation Joe. Is it the hunt? Or is it the kill? Is it picking up a chick in Nashville? Or is knowing you could have? I know your answer. It is not about the kill. You just want the opportunity without the distractions.
My buddy bought a chunk. Neighboring properties were low pressure. We still have issues. Last week I didn't hunt deer. I hunted trespassers. Even if you own a large chunk, I don't think you will ever totally escape these issues. . . . .not in Ohio. Maybe out west somewhere, but not here. You find that happy medium place where you can pursue (and see) deer which make you grin, and latch onto it buddy. I still think it is cheaper to lease it than buy it though. Learning this by watching my buddy purchase a large chunk, purchasing a small chunk myself, and being the supposedly "only" hunter on another property. In Ohio, we are never alone. There will always be some jackwaggon screwing it up.
My buddy bought a chunk. Neighboring properties were low pressure. We still have issues. Last week I didn't hunt deer. I hunted trespassers. Even if you own a large chunk, I don't think you will ever totally escape these issues. . . . .not in Ohio. Maybe out west somewhere, but not here. You find that happy medium place where you can pursue (and see) deer which make you grin, and latch onto it buddy. I still think it is cheaper to lease it than buy it though. Learning this by watching my buddy purchase a large chunk, purchasing a small chunk myself, and being the supposedly "only" hunter on another property. In Ohio, we are never alone. There will always be some jackwaggon screwing it up.
- 39,183
- 274
I fear you're missing the point of what I'm talking about. I could care less if I kill him or a booner for years.. And it's not about bragging rights. If that were true I would have shot a 130 back in early November. I do enjoy my hunting and time afield immensely.. And yes I do take my hunting way to serious.. But not for the reasons you stated. I actually enjoy all the prep work more than I do actually hunting..
Lets try to explain it this way.. You spend months working on the most perfect sand castle you can imagine. You put your time, energy, and devotion in to it.. You are having a blast, really you don't care how long it takes, and you secretly hope you never finish it because you enjoy the process of doing it. You toil and fidget with this and that you're having a blast building this sand castle. Then. Just as you think it's starting to look good. Some fat twinkey eating lackey barges on to the beach and does a belly flop right on it..
Let that sink in.. Do you think you would keep whistling Dixie? It's not about the castle. You could have cared less if you even finished it and you had a blast working on it.. It's not that you have to start over, because you really enjoy it.. It's that you tried very hard and worked tirelessly only to have some twinkie eating blubber butt do a belly flop on it. Now, fattie has just as much right to be there as you do. It's just as much his sand as it is yours. But none of that negates the fact that twinkie boy is a bonehead.. How do you get rid of tubby.. You go buy or lease a private beach where you can build your castle, have a ball, and not have to worry about ten ton tom doing a belly flop on it.
- 39,183
- 274
You're right, you do know my answer.
I understand what you mean about property.. And I'm sure there will be an issue or two.. But you know me well enough to know I handle issues differently than most.
This kind of reminds me of myself, in a way. I've fished hard all of my life. When I moved to Ohio, I discovered the walleye run in the Maumee River. It took me a couple of seasons to figure it out and I got good, really good. Fifteen years later, I don't even want to think about it. I got sick of all the dicks and I stopped enjoying myself. For a lot of years it was a numbers game and it became a chore. How many could I catch in one season? Now, I force myself to go so I can get some walleye in the freezer. I know guys that would give their left nut to live as close to the river as I do. Five years ago I decided to try hunting because I loved venison. Deer hunting is my new love. I feel that I am privileged to even be able to kill a deer and I wish I would have discovered deer hunting 20 years ago. I never want deer hunting to turn into the Maumee river walleye run. I don't know what I'm trying to say, but I relate to your feelings, Joe. The only consolation, is that I have found some enjoyment in the walleye run by changing my tactics. I rarely wade the river anymore. By taking my boat out, I can hit areas where no body else can bother me. I'm going to crack another beer.
- 39,183
- 274
So what you're saying is you got tired of all the Yahoo idiots on the river and went at found your own piece of water. That's exactly what I am planning on doing through either permission or a checkbook.