Finding freedom

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Wlog
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Finding freedom

Unread postby Wlog » Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:45 am

This is going to be kind of a rant or venting I guess you could call it. There has been a lot of topics on this site since I joined several years ago along these lines, it’s nothing new. I just came to realize why I love public land hunting and find myself often frustrated with private land. It has to do mostly with a different mindset I find in myself from friends and hunting aquaintances.

Everyone who hunts draws their own lines as far as the kind of equipment they use and how they choose to hunt. It’s inevitable that when you hunt private land with other people, their lines and yours won’t match.

I’ve always been the kind of guy who doesn’t like to make waves or be in conflict with anyone and I find that I’m usually the one bending to someone else’s plans. One guy in particular that I share a property with is completely on the opposite end of the spectrum from me. He doesn’t really understand why a guy would limit himself with a bow and arrow. Why a guy wouldn’t want to hunt from a heated box blind over a yellow mountain of corn. He is a nice guy, would give you the shirt off his back. God bless him, I love him but I’m almost certain that if I tied a booner to a tree with a 3 foot rope he would be tickled to death to shoot it. He has the opinion that anyone who wouldn’t stack every single odd in their favor is “an idiot who doesn’t know how to hunt.” Not my words, his.

I don’t want to sit in a rifle tower. I don’t want to buy bags of corn and ride around dumping it at stands. I don’t want a 2 man ladder stand with a roof kit wrapped in gore-Tex. I enjoy to challenge myself and stack odds in the deers favor. I want the deer to be able to catch me moving if I’m not stealthy enough. I want to shiver when I don’t layer right. I don’t care about not being able to drive an ATV to haul out a deer.

Public land gives me freedom to do my own thing. Can it be frustrating at times, sure. But it’s a different kind of frustration. Embracing the struggle and hunting the way I want. It’s really no different than a guy choosing a Longbow or a self bow instead of a 350fps compound.

Within the laws and regulations everyone has a free choice to draw their own lines of what’s except able to them and what’s not.

Why am I posting this? I’m just tired of people trying to bring me around to their way of thinking and have my lines match theirs.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Sat Dec 07, 2019 3:57 am

You make some great points, and I agree with you.

Looking at it from the other side this site is dedicated to bringing others around to OUR way of thinking on hunting :lol: :lol:

Guys should hunt in the way that makes them happy, as long as the law is followed, I have no problem with them.
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greenhorndave
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby greenhorndave » Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:15 am

The guy I credit getting me into hunting pretty much doesn’t let anything walk. There’s bigger bucks around and he says he’d like to get one, but when the forkie shows up, it’s going in the freezer. Also hunts out of comfy, set stands.

Ain’t nothing wrong with that. I’m happy for him.

I just choose to take a different path, one that’s personally satisfying for me. Sounds like we’re all similar in that way.

I get your frustration in hearing the (strong) opinions you should be doing something different. But I let it slide when I hear it. At some point in the future, I’m going to surpass some of them and be able to hunt very well because I’ll be able to do it by without shortcuts.

Good luck on your journey.
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NorthStar
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby NorthStar » Sat Dec 07, 2019 5:27 am

This is a great topic. Obviously there is no right or wrong answers as long as everyone is following the same rules in the end. My personal approach has been to Beast style hunt for the entire bow season except for one long weekend during gun opener. Gun opener is where I decide to get lazy, hunt public land, sit in pre-hung stands, and shoot any deer that moves. My family loves venison and I use the gun season to put meat in the freezer. Gun season is also a time to hunt with family and Beast style hunting does not always go hand in hand with that. I use the firearm season to hunt with my kids and hang out with relatives that I would probably never see if it wasn't for gun opener.
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Josh_S
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby Josh_S » Sat Dec 07, 2019 5:48 am

It all goes back to the simple but yet complex question of "Why do you hunt?" If you ask 10 people you'll probably get 10 different reasons. You can go once a year with family/friends and be happy regardless of the outcome, be a hardcore think deer 365 days a year DIY public land hunter who spends their vacation hunting multiple states, or anything in between. That's the beauty of it.
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby nsmith253 » Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:56 am

I'm in the same boat, I posted something similar the other day after a frustrating two weekends of gun hunting a private farm property. My goals and methods as I've progressed just aren't aligned with that of the landowner and the rest of the group I hunt with. After some more reflection, I'm realizing that's okay, and it just motivates me to get out and find more spots where I can hunt how I want to hunt. Still a great property to stack some does for the freezer and get the occasional crack at a cruising rut buck, but there's no way I'm going to be able to scout it and set up how I want given the pressure it sees, and I just need to let that go.

Being a late 20s guy living in a city I didn't grow up in/around, I don't have a ton of friends interested in hunting at all, and those that do hunt typically have their own family hunting land/traditions and are more meat hunters anyway. As has been said, there's nothing wrong with that at all. I really do enjoy the time in the woods by myself most of the time. I guess when I watch guys like Dan and the gang as well as the THP guys I'd be lying if I don't feel a little jealous that I don't have those buddies I can call up and say "call in to work tomorrow, we're hunting this spot" or "I'm a mile back in the swamp with a buck and could use some help" and they would just understand, knowing of course I would do the same for them in a heartbeat.
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treeroot
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby treeroot » Sat Dec 07, 2019 3:51 pm

I hunt the way I do because I want to be the best hunter. I'll never reach that goal, but it's my goal none the less. The best hunter to me can walk into someplace new and get onto the big bucks quickly and make it happen. That's my goal. It might mean the big buck for that property is 2 1/2 years old, so be it.

I get harped on all the time about not running cameras anymore. I don't care if someone wants to run cameras that's their choice. I want to put boots on the ground and figure them out on my own. Maybe I won't kill the biggest or some view me wasting time but it's my choice. For me cameras take away a piece of the puzzle I enjoy. I want the experience so someday i develop the skill, I don't want technology creating shortcuts.
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Wlog
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Re: Finding freedom

Unread postby Wlog » Sun Dec 08, 2019 12:18 am

Jackson Marsh wrote:You make some great points, and I agree with you.

Looking at it from the other side this site is dedicated to bringing others around to OUR way of thinking on hunting :lol: :lol:

Guys should hunt in the way that makes them happy, as long as the law is followed, I have no problem with them.



I get that. I’ve tried to persuade people to see things my way too.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.


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