Just curious...

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Whitetailaddict
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby Whitetailaddict » Fri Dec 08, 2017 7:50 am

I've definitely heard those comments. Well he shot that one in X state and I shot mine here. Some people always make it into a competition. I hunt mainly public so I always tell them they can do the same thing. They usually decline and continue complaining about how bad the area they hunt is. I try not to focus on the negativity. Killing mature bucks is tough in any state. Sure some states have more but it doesn't make it a lesser deer.


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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby JoeRE » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:51 am

One other thing I would point out. There are two issues as I see it. One, some guys just get to hatin' because they don't have easy access to certain opportunities.

But there are also some hunters who act like they are God's gift to hunting and are super touchy about anyone who points out how fortunate they are.

I do my best to avoid being the later. I know some judge me by my location and frankly everyone should. I live in Iowa. Success is when preparation meets opportunity and you gotta have both. I know darn well if I lived in most of the other states I would get little attention. Sure I try to be a detailed hunter but there are thousands of other hunters out there with similar mindsets. But most of them don't live in one of the big buck areas of Iowa.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby E72 » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:12 am

I would only look down upon one type of hunter... ............An Iowa hunter who leaves their state to hunt anywhere else ! :lol: :D
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby elk yinzer » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:13 am

I think what JoeRE said is great and I'm going to expound on that a bit.

I think part of this sentiment is that guys who hunt locally in more marginal whitetail areas feel that the hunting community at large, and this isn't directed at fellow Beasts, more the big industry players that focus on the whitetail meccas and huge bucks, don't feel any appreciation for our circumstances.

Guys all up and down Appalachia, in the Northeast, in Florida and Alabama and places like that....hunting cultures are so regional, but everything seems to revolve around the Midwest.

I sometimes throw the Coues' deer of the desert Southwest out there as an example. They have a lot of appreciation in the hunting community because of the unique habitat, and rightfully so. Really, the high Appalachians, or Florida swamps, or Maine Northwoods, are every bit as unique and probably harder to hunt.

It's not an ego thing, it comes from a place where I love these places and I want to see the unique brands of hunting they offer get the recognition they deserve. I would like to see a day where instead of hunters flocking to Iowa and Kansas for the monster bucks, they spread out a little more, diversify and travel to the Adirondacks for the pure adventure of it, or the vast public lands of the Virginias, just because it's a cool adventure hunt and not a mission for another shoulder mount and book entry.

I just think that scenario is healthier for hunting culture in general, better for the future of hunting, and would abate some of the greed and land use problems that the trophy whitetail culture creates. Probably sounds like a radical pipe dream because most people are just wired to chase giant bucks over adventure, but any sort of the sentiment I express similar to this, this is where it comes from.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby Kraftd » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:54 am

EY, I think what you said is great, and a lot of that applies to many areas of the midwest too. Not everywhere in the midwest is cushy managed private and hunting mature bucks on public just about anywhere is tough. The public in WI and IL within 60-75 miles of me, I can imagine being any easier than just about anywhere. I'm about equidistant between Chicago and Milwaukee and things get HAMERRED, and the CWD masacre WI undertook for a decade is still showing its effects.

I think a lot of other areas of the Country think anywhere in the midwest is easy, but it just isn't. even Joe in Iowa showed in his journal a couple of years ago exactly what it takes to have the success he has. My sense is you put that kind of time and effort in just about anywhere, you will be in good position to kill respectable deer. Just so happens respectable in IA may be bigger the FL.

As someone who hunts IL and WI, this doesn't bother me in the least, I hunt for me. I do sense it sometimes from other regions though.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby JoeRE » Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:18 am

E72 wrote:I would only look down upon one type of hunter... ............An Iowa hunter who leaves their state to hunt anywhere else ! :lol: :D


Look down on me then, I use some of my precious free time to head up to northern WI every year that I can where a 120 inch 3 year old buck is a Big Deal. I know you are poking fun thats OK :D

Its more expensive for me to go up there ($160 tag + 4 hour drive each way), bucks are smaller, there are way less of them, yet I love it up there. I have eaten tag soup the last couple years too which is not surprising given my hunt is only 1 long weekend if that. That touches on what Kraft said. There are many different ways to measure success and enjoyment. I find a level of peace up there that I haven't been able to find down here in Iowa in recent years despite hunting bucks of ridiculous sizes. I wish the hunters who take things other than antler size into account were more vocal. For this tradition to continue we desperately need them. Otherwise, we are screwed.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby headgear » Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:55 am

elk yinzer wrote:I think part of this sentiment is that guys who hunt locally in more marginal whitetail areas feel that the hunting community at large, and this isn't directed at fellow Beasts, more the big industry players that focus on the whitetail meccas and huge bucks, don't feel any appreciation for our circumstances.


Kraftd wrote:I think a lot of other areas of the Country think anywhere in the midwest is easy, but it just isn't. even Joe in Iowa showed in his journal a couple of years ago exactly what it takes to have the success he has. My sense is you put that kind of time and effort in just about anywhere, you will be in good position to kill respectable deer. Just so happens respectable in IA may be bigger the FL.


I feel these are very accurate statements and there is plenty of truth of go around no matter what point of view you have. I remember back when I was a frustrated hunter watching TV shows and trying to figure out how I could just see a nice buck on public land let alone shoot one. It is easy to get sucked into the mentality that we hunt terrible land and everyone else has it easy. But once I found the beast I stopped focusing on how bad I had it and started putting in the work, I think 3 minutes into my first marsh bucks CD the light bulb was flickering and half an hour in I was complely sold and fired up to scout that spring. Eventually I quit watching TV hunting because its not real compared to the places I hunt, I think even the guys who hunt the big buck states will say the same thing. Sure you can make a hunting paradise if you are loaded with cash to buy the right land in the right location but not many of us can do that. I started putting in the work right away and saw results right away. That doesn't mean I shoot a nice one every year but I am in the game, and the more time and effort you put into the more you get out of it, doesn't matter the location. The work, the scouting, the experience, the skills it all starts to compound year after year and you get better and better at it. It gets even better when you stop worrying about what other people doing and just out there for yourself doing your thing. The more you focus on how bad you have you are just setting yourself up for failure, the more you focus on the positives of your area the better off you will be. Just get after it, no excuses, no buck no big deal. When you score all the better!
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:57 am

JoeRE wrote:
E72 wrote:I would only look down upon one type of hunter... ............An Iowa hunter who leaves their state to hunt anywhere else ! :lol: :D


Look down on me then, I use some of my precious free time to head up to northern WI every year that I can where a 120 inch 3 year old buck is a Big Deal. I know you are poking fun thats OK :D

Its more expensive for me to go up there ($160 tag + 4 hour drive each way), bucks are smaller, there are way less of them, yet I love it up there. I have eaten tag soup the last couple years too which is not surprising given my hunt is only 1 long weekend if that. That touches on what Kraft said. There are many different ways to measure success and enjoyment. I find a level of peace up there that I haven't been able to find down here in Iowa in recent years despite hunting bucks of ridiculous sizes. I wish the hunters who take things other than antler size into account were more vocal. For this tradition to continue we desperately need them. Otherwise, we are screwed.


To be completely honest, my midwest trip this year really gave me new appreciation for where I live. Hunting is tough. We don't have 50-60 dpsm BUT the access goes on forever. The peace and tranquility is unsurpassed. No one is fighting for their "right" to hunt where I am.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby E72 » Sat Dec 09, 2017 5:17 am

JoeRE wrote:
E72 wrote:I would only look down upon one type of hunter... ............An Iowa hunter who leaves their state to hunt anywhere else ! :lol: :D


Look down on me then, I use some of my precious free time to head up to northern WI every year that I can where a 120 inch 3 year old buck is a Big Deal. I know you are poking fun thats OK :D

Its more expensive for me to go up there ($160 tag + 4 hour drive each way), bucks are smaller, there are way less of them, yet I love it up there. I have eaten tag soup the last couple years too which is not surprising given my hunt is only 1 long weekend if that. That touches on what Kraft said. There are many different ways to measure success and enjoyment. I find a level of peace up there that I haven't been able to find down here in Iowa in recent years despite hunting bucks of ridiculous sizes. I wish the hunters who take things other than antler size into account were more vocal. For this tradition to continue we desperately need them. Otherwise, we are screwed.


Yes just poking fun . ;) I totally get it Joe. I live in Ohio where giants live ....I travel 4 hours back home to PA every year so my son and I can share "deer camp " with a good friend of ours . The experience of a hunt is personal and can't be measured .
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:54 pm

JoeRE wrote:One other thing I would point out. There are two issues as I see it. One, some guys just get to hatin' because they don't have easy access to certain opportunities.

But there are also some hunters who act like they are God's gift to hunting and are super touchy about anyone who points out how fortunate they are.

I do my best to avoid being the later. I know some judge me by my location and frankly everyone should. I live in Iowa. Success is when preparation meets opportunity and you gotta have both. I know darn well if I lived in most of the other states I would get little attention. Sure I try to be a detailed hunter but there are thousands of other hunters out there with similar mindsets. But most of them don't live in one of the big buck areas of Iowa.


My view on any Iowa hunter isn't they are awarded whitetail handouts I'm not, if myself or anyone wanted to make the sacrifices necessary we could all move there. I know a lot of folks who did just that for no other reason but the whitetail hunting. And they face challenges a lot of hunters don't think about, like loaded tv personalities leasing all the land and planting crops with no intentions of ever harvesting anything, with the sole purpose to wait until late season when all farmers crops have been picked and then snipe them from long range for there tv show, poaching is also a big problem. Truth be told a successful hunter from Iowa or any other deemed whitetail meca states would be just as successful at mature deer no matter where they hunted cause they know deer plain and simple. Horn size might differ from diff regions but then again if u are hooked on size make the appropriate sacrifices and move to where large antlers are plentiful instead of bad mouthing the hunters who have. Plentiful mature deer are a result of limited access and no guns during the rut if you take that away Iowa would be just like Michigan.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:46 am

Boogieman1 wrote:
JoeRE wrote:One other thing I would point out. There are two issues as I see it. One, some guys just get to hatin' because they don't have easy access to certain opportunities.

But there are also some hunters who act like they are God's gift to hunting and are super touchy about anyone who points out how fortunate they are.

I do my best to avoid being the later. I know some judge me by my location and frankly everyone should. I live in Iowa. Success is when preparation meets opportunity and you gotta have both. I know darn well if I lived in most of the other states I would get little attention. Sure I try to be a detailed hunter but there are thousands of other hunters out there with similar mindsets. But most of them don't live in one of the big buck areas of Iowa.


My view on any Iowa hunter isn't they are awarded whitetail handouts I'm not, if myself or anyone wanted to make the sacrifices necessary we could all move there. I know a lot of folks who did just that for no other reason but the whitetail hunting. And they face challenges a lot of hunters don't think about, like loaded tv personalities leasing all the land and planting crops with no intentions of ever harvesting anything, with the sole purpose to wait until late season when all farmers crops have been picked and then snipe them from long range for there tv show, poaching is also a big problem. Truth be told a successful hunter from Iowa or any other deemed whitetail meca states would be just as successful at mature deer no matter where they hunted cause they know deer plain and simple. Horn size might differ from diff regions but then again if u are hooked on size make the appropriate sacrifices and move to where large antlers are plentiful instead of bad mouthing the hunters who have. Plentiful mature deer are a result of limited access and no guns during the rut if you take that away Iowa would be just like Michigan.


I have 2 maine buddies hunting guided in IA. Sickest thing they have ever seen. Just the sheer amount of deer. One of them shot a 154" buck on first night. My other buddy passed a great buck. The one buddy that was tagged out sat last night, saw 3 big bucks come in...one being 180".

I KNOW ITS GUIDED. BUT Guided or not, if hunting is about having fun, they are having a blast. Its just hard to fathom some guys hunt that kind of ground on a regular basis.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:35 am

If you have ever had success at anything, whether it's throwing darts in the tavern, killing big bucks, winning archery tournaments or whatever. There will always be people that dislike you for it. If you don't understand this, you probably have not been at anything long enough to see this personally.

I absolutely know the guys that can relate to this, have been successful at something. There are many more unsuccessful hunters in every state than there are successful hunters in any state, bar none. I personally know hundreds of hunters that have never killed a good buck in Iowa. Would they do better by going to another state to hunt? I'm guessing not.

A chess board is equal to all that play. Does that mean we are all equal and can play the game at the same level. :think: Just because someone lives in a big buck state doesn't mean they will automatically be successful. Most of being successful is determined by effort. Big antlers aren't really made of bone. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find substance called guts.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby JoeRE » Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:04 am

Stanley wrote: Most of being successful is determined by effort. Big antlers aren't really made of bone. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find substance called guts.


I like that quote Stanley 8-)

It definitely has a big fat qualifier on in though, large sums of money can replace all the above. But that is all right, I will take my memories over killing a bought and paid for Booner every year.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:59 am

I always chuckle that it usually winds up as what a buck has on his head. The truth as I see it is that any mature whitetail (5+ years old) is a dang trophy no matter what he has growing on his head. Do it on public land and that's an elite trophy in most states. Big racks only indicate that he had a better diet and better gene pool - may or may not have anything to do with how difficult he was to kill.
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Re: Just curious...

Unread postby stash59 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:52 pm

DaveT1963 wrote:I always chuckle that it usually winds up as what a buck has on his head. The truth as I see it is that any mature whitetail (5+ years old) is a dang trophy no matter what he has growing on his head. Do it on public land and that's an elite trophy in most states. Big racks only indicate that he had a better diet and better gene pool - may or may not have anything to do with how difficult he was to kill.


:handgestures-thumbup: How true!
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!


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