Changes proposed for hunting seasons

[Browning Slayer]

Nitpick?

If its legal, why do we care where other people shoot a deer to kill it?

If somebody is purposefully wounding or injuring deer to make them suffer thats a different story.

Only time I have a problem is when someone is on here bragging about it. Like it's a BIG accomplishment. It's nothing more then someone's ego. It's like mounting a deer head from one you hit with your car and telling everyone you "shot" it.

When you have to mercy kill a deer(s) with its bottom jaw blown off due to a idiotic wannabe "sniper", then you will understand.

Has to hunt 1st.

 

[basshappy]

Sure it wasn't to improve YOUR habitat and not the deers. I have a budget just for "deer"..
View attachment 1205256

We're not deer farmers so how we manage our land is for the benefit of us and all wild things (hopefully!). There is a scent trail on the hillside and a territorial trail with a territorial rub from a mature buck. He has been marking this tree fir many years. The burning was to reduce forest fire damage if / when it were to happen, to reduce tick and chigger head count, and to plant on it after cleanup. It is likely both the rye grass and the clover will be appreciated by the whitetail. The birds loved picking off insects as they moved away from the flames. The new growth outside of clover and rye will also be healthy and the whitetail will enjoy this as well. The area we burned last year resulted in our kids being chigger and tick free for the first time since going to the property. As parents we certainly appreciated that.

 

[basshappy]

Not attacking you in no way. Your coming. Off to be a naturalist and learn the land hunt wind etc.. which is fine good legal. However you can’t play both sides of thee fence and say I don’t bait because xyz and then use cell cameras fishing electronics and boast about head shots spine shots and all this practicing you do etc. ever slap one of us has mad bad hits spine gut you name it happens. However I don’t see very many rant about being ethical morals and all that why doing those things either. I am no one to judge either and not putting myself on a pedestal I am far from that.. surely you know the way this comes off and sounds don’t you ? Or do you ? We all keep pointing these things into them you either deflect to something else or justify your actions by this or that.. if you can see any of this by all means you may be in denial your even doing it and see it as normal…

Never intended to be interpreted as judgemental or all knowing. Just learning myself and with my boy. I'm against baiting deer solely because of how disease is spread at the bait stations. I don't think taking a deer over a bait station is hunting. Others see it differently. Like some see head shots as poor. They judge a hunter who takes head shots. But don't like to be judged in any way they hunt. At least not on this forum. I think suffering from a poor gut shot is just as bad as suffering from a poor head shot. The animal is in pain and is suffering. From both poorly placed shots. The result is the same - an animal in pain withering away.

 

[Browning Slayer]

We're not deer farmers so how we manage our land is for the benefit of us and all wild things (hopefully!). There is a scent trail on the hillside and a territorial trail with a territorial rub from a mature buck. He has been marking this tree fir many years. The burning was to reduce forest fire damage if / when it were to happen, to reduce tick and chigger head count, and to plant on it after cleanup. It is likely both the rye grass and the clover will be appreciated by the whitetail. The birds loved picking off insects as they moved away from the flames. The new growth outside of clover and rye will also be healthy and the whitetail will enjoy this as well. The area we burned last year resulted in our kids being chigger and tick free for the first time since going to the property. As parents we certainly appreciated that.

 

[Browning Slayer]

Never intended to be interpreted as judgemental or all knowing. Just learning myself and with my boy. I'm against baiting deer solely because of how disease is spread at the bait stations. I don't think taking a deer over a bait station is hunting. Others see it differently. Like some see head shots as poor. They judge a hunter who takes head shots. But don't like to be judged in any way they hunt. At least not on this forum. I think suffering from a poor gut shot is just as bad as suffering from a poor head shot. The animal is in pain and is suffering. From both poorly placed shots. The result is the same - an animal in pain withering away.

You should go back and read your posts from the beginning. You come across like you are an experienced hunter. An experienced land manager. A person that has spent countless years on stand watching deer movement & interaction with a sole purpose of watching Whitetails.

And in reality, you've killed 5 deer, started hunting a couple years ago and you claim to have learned a ton of stuff by reading and still trying to figure out wind.

And with the shooting and shot placement. It's margin of error for the majority of us. No matter how good we can shoot. Why take a chance..

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Close minded ... presuming someone can't put a projectile in a deer's ear canal at 20 yards in their first season hunting is close minded to say the least.

And I did it my way - wheel gun, off-hand, iron sights. I passed on a doe earlier that weekend because I wanted my first deer to be a buck. In fact the night before one of my mates at camp said "I know you want to get a buck with a revolver but man it is so hard to get that close. Try tomorrow but next season bring a rifle, too, and go revolver first day and if you don't harvest take your rifle the second day." I had been watching this 8 pointer that weekend. I had identified his scent trail earlier. I didn't know if I'd get my shot that last morning, but at 5 AM I was up and 5:20 AM crinkling through the frosted leaf litter in 27° temperature. I posted up where I thought I had my best shot at him around 6 AM and sat and waited, and waited, and waited, and watched as twilight dawn came and gave way to sunrise. I watchrd a grey squirrel pop down from his nest and root around for acorns. And then I heard the che che, che che, che che telltale sounds of a deer walking. Sure as I was cold it was that buck. Big adrenalin rush. I waited. And watched. And waited as he paused and sniffed the cold air. That buck looked at that squirrel sitting there eating an acorn and then it continued walking. As it quartered slightly away I had my shot and he dropped where he stood. No movement then. I stood and waited a good 10 minutes. Nothing doing so I went to him and said my prayer. Beautiful deer.

I'd wager my mate who owns the land and has hunted it all of his life wouldn't have allowed me to hunt it as I did if he didn't know me well enough to know his trust in me was well placed. He had 100% confidence in my marksmanship from our years of friendship and hanging out together. He also knows my ethics, values, and attitude. No way was I going to do anything to break his trust in me. He knew the rounds I sent through that wheel gun - shooting standing, kneeling, prone, right and left handed, at both stationary and moving targets through the years. He knew the years I spent studying whitetail in the field and at home before I asked him if he would be OK if I hunted up on his mountain land. I couldn't be close minded if I had spent 3 years learning and practicing before I actually hunted. The learning rabbit hole went deep and it was awesome learning. Applying what I learned between seasons sure paid off this year.

You can learn a lot more today than 30 years ago for sure, good and bad, thanks to digital information. But there is no substitute for hands-on experience. My challenges to myself this year were to 1) understand the wind much better and play it, 2) take different body shots to see first hand how the deer reacted to them, 3) and to do all of this with my boy who was unable to hunt with me my first go around last year. The greatest challenge was the wind / odor / scent. We could sit still and make no sound. We could sit motionless and make no movement. But we could not be odor free so we had to adapt to minimize our odor, apply cover scents, and play the winds. Sometimes we did well. Harvested 4 deer this season compared to 1 last season. Sometimes we did poorly and were blown by a deer. In fact this one **** of a spike who my boy let walk returned the favor a week later by blowing us 17 times!!! 17. He blew, ran, stopped, blew some more, then blew as he ran. We just looked at each other and laughed. What a schmuck!!! 17 blows we counted.

I believe your “odor” problem is due to the fact that you are full of dodo….that has been confirmed by each stroke of your keyboard.

 

[Browning Slayer]

I believe your “odor” problem is due to the fact that you are full of dodo….that has been confirmed by each stroke of your keyboard.

 

[basshappy]

And with the shooting and shot placement. It's margin of error for the majority of us. No matter how good we can shoot. Why take a chance..

I understand margin of error. I understand a large percentage of people shoot for a wide margin of error target - boiler room. I speculate because they rationalize for them that is the safest shot to take. The widest margin of error. And yet every year how many deer are spotted wounded or dead from a poor shot that likely was aimed toward that largest target boiler room?

I won't venture into arrows as I don't hunt with arrows. What is difficult to try to understand is the large number of wounded deer from poorly placed firearm shots. I can only speculate as to causes because an average rifle projectile is say 2300 fps. That deer within say 30-40 yards is going to get hit by that projectile before the report of the rifle is even heard. There is no time for the deer to react to the sound of the rifle because the projectile has reached the taget before the sound wave. So are the majority of poor firearm shots from too great of distances where the deer had time to react to the sound? Was the shooting lane not clear (twig, leaf, etc)? Were the sights off? Was the scope off? Was there something else that at the precise moment cause the deer to move such that the shot moved from good to poor placement?

At this time I prefer to be up close and personal with my quarry. 40 yards and less with 25 yards and less being ideal. If my shot is true at these distances the likelihood that my shot turns into a poor shot is very small. None of the deer I've harvested to date have moved from my squeeze of the trigger to time of impact. Any movement has been after projectile impact. Due to close range. I have a video from this season where you can see the projectile hit the ground beyond the deer (after it traveled through lung, heart, lung), hear the report of the rifle, and then see the deer buck in response to that projectile tearing through its torso. It all happens fast of course but you can see it clear as day.

 

[Sixes]

I just climbed up for an unethical bowhunt. A subdivision is about 150 yards away. I can see parts of about a dozen houses and this is 24 yards from me. BUT, I'm 100 percent legal.

 

[Browning Slayer]

I understand margin of error. I understand a large percentage of people shoot for a wide margin of error target - boiler room. I speculate because they rationalize for them that is the safest shot to take. The widest margin of error. And yet every year how many deer are spotted wounded or dead from a poor shot that likely was aimed toward that largest target boiler room?

I won't venture into arrows as I don't hunt with arrows. What is difficult to try to understand is the large number of wounded deer from poorly placed firearm shots. I can only speculate as to causes because an average rifle projectile is say 2300 fps. That deer within say 30-40 yards is going to get hit by that projectile before the report of the rifle is even heard. There is no time for the deer to react to the sound of the rifle because the projectile has reached the taget before the sound wave. So are the majority of poor firearm shots from too great of distances where the deer had time to react to the sound? Was the shooting lane not clear (twig, leaf, etc)? Were the sights off? Was the scope off? Was there something else that at the precise moment cause the deer to move such that the shot moved from good to poor placement?

At this time I prefer to be up close and personal with my quarry. 40 yards and less with 25 yards and less being ideal. If my shot is true at these distances the likelihood that my shot turns into a poor shot is very small. None of the deer I've harvested to date have moved from my squeeze of the trigger to time of impact. Any movement has been after projectile impact. Due to close range. I have a video from this season where you can see the projectile hit the ground beyond the deer (after it traveled through lung, heart, lung), hear the report of the rifle, and then see the deer buck in response to that projectile tearing through its torso. It all happens fast of course but you can see it clear as day.

I like to get close too. Really close. Inside 10ft a lot of times. And I still wouldn’t take a head shot on a deer.. I just have to much respect for them. Some of us live this, others "participate". The difference comes with time.

 

[Gadestroyer74]

I understand margin of error. I understand a large percentage of people shoot for a wide margin of error target - boiler room. I speculate because they rationalize for them that is the safest shot to take. The widest margin of error. And yet every year how many deer are spotted wounded or dead from a poor shot that likely was aimed toward that largest target boiler room?

I won't venture into arrows as I don't hunt with arrows. What is difficult to try to understand is the large number of wounded deer from poorly placed firearm shots. I can only speculate as to causes because an average rifle projectile is say 2300 fps. That deer within say 30-40 yards is going to get hit by that projectile before the report of the rifle is even heard. There is no time for the deer to react to the sound of the rifle because the projectile has reached the taget before the sound wave. So are the majority of poor firearm shots from too great of distances where the deer had time to react to the sound? Was the shooting lane not clear (twig, leaf, etc)? Were the sights off? Was the scope off? Was there something else that at the precise moment cause the deer to move such that the shot moved from good to poor placement?

At this time I prefer to be up close and personal with my quarry. 40 yards and less with 25 yards and less being ideal. If my shot is true at these distances the likelihood that my shot turns into a poor shot is very small. None of the deer I've harvested to date have moved from my squeeze of the trigger to time of impact. Any movement has been after projectile impact. Due to close range. I have a video from this season where you can see the projectile hit the ground beyond the deer (after it traveled through lung, heart, lung), hear the report of the rifle, and then see the deer buck in response to that projectile tearing through its torso. It all happens fast of course but you can see it clear as day.

If you wana be that close and you’re that good of a shot why not just use a recurve bow with flink lock for broadheads like the traditional hunters do. You are clearly over qualified to use a modern firearm

 

[lampern]

When you have to mercy kill a deer(s) with its bottom jaw blown off due to a idiotic wannabe "sniper", then you will understand.

There are a lot of wannabe snipers in the woods unfortunately

They take whatever shot they can get desperate to kill a deer

 

[Evergreen]

I hunt Calhoun, the rut starts heating up just after Thanksgiving, 12/1 to 12/25 is prime time for us.

Parts of Grady, Decatur, and Seminole it's not doing much until the last few days. Probably some other areas also but I'm only speaking to where I have experience

 

[kmckinnie]

Since this thread has taken a turn. Didn’t want to hunt with y’all anyway.
I have never lost a deer with a neck shot. Lost a couple with going for the shoulder. Lost a couple with a bow. Lost one with my cross bow too. Found him the next year. He went a ways. I’ve seen deer lost shot by others in the neck, in the shoulder. With bows. With shotguns. With muzzle loaders. I’ve seen easy misses Heck I have missed.
I have killed deer where they been shot before. Found bullets broad heads and birdshot. Seen on the hubting channel where a buck got hit in the neck with the arrow and it dropped. He said I was aiming behind the shoulder.
Ain’t nothing pretty about a gut shot deer. Bet more of them die out there than a neck or head shot every year.
My daughters 1st buck had been shot. Looked like the year before. Right across the top of the back. Had a U in its back.
Every year big bucks are found dead and does while hunting and scouting. I would wager 99 out of a hundred where body shot. Couple years ago I seen a deer in the back yard that could hardly walk. But was eating in the plot. It was after the season. I didn’t shot said well he has suffered and didn’t know he may make it. Well he went another 30ty yards fell down and dies. I could see the wound. Went down the body thru the shoulder and into the gut. He lost a lot of weight. Guess it was a month old shot.
A guy showed me trail camera shots of a big buck. Buck walked out. He shoots with a muzzle loader. Deee hits the ground. Kicking. He’s watching. More pics are taken. Deer never made it to his feet in the plot. Kicks out of plot. He’s trying to reload. Deer is out of sight. Says I’ll give it a few minutes to die and not push him. He never found his deer. Called a dog. The deer was never seen again. He said he went for the lung shoulder area. He has killed many nice bucks.
Michael Waddell Just missed a buck with his bow. Arrow did hit it. Deer ducked to the sound and leaned away. Arrow hit top of back with a blade and flew upward.
You can learn a lot about someone in a hunting party when a bad shot happen by one the group. There’s the one that tries to help with his knowledge. Says don’t give up. Keeps looking. Then there’s that other one. How big was he. Then the wouldof should of start. The hunter is getting depressed. The other one keeps on about the negatives. Then there is the couple who keep looking. Not much blood. Then the deer is found by the persistent ones and the hunter.
You find out a lot about a person hunting. Had friends that had great places. Mention going. Oh no way. Then they lose that place and burn your phone up.
Think I’ll start shooting hogs at night now. Most I body shoot but every now and then when when presented and in my maximum effective range head shot. Same as squirrels with a 22. I go for the front area mostly head and neck back to the front shoulder. The meat is the back and legs.

When you have to mercy kill a deer(s) with its bottom jaw blown off due to a idiotic wannabe "sniper", then you will understand.

guess the gut shot ones I’ve killed was ok. I got plenty of stories. Blown of front legs. Back legs. Arrow sticking out.

 

[Gator89]

Parts of Grady, Decatur, and Seminole it's not doing much until the last few days. Probably some other areas also but I'm only speaking to where I have experience

I truly do hope the DNR makes changes to accommodate the hunters in those 3 or 4 counties with a super late rut.

 

[Sixes]

I just climbed up for an unethical bowhunt. A subdivision is about 150 yards away. I can see parts of about a dozen houses and this is 24 yards from me. BUT, I'm 100 percent legal. View attachment 1205285

Paid off. I couldn't bring myself to head or spine shoot him. Double lung and 60 yard run

 

[Dutch]

To each his own.

Everybody can hunt like you want, but not all of us with agree with it and don't won't it on our property.

Get invited to hunt at my place, its my house my rules. Don't like it, tuff. I don't care.

Anybody that has hunted has made a bad shot, it happens, but shooting for the head is just stupid, but that's my opinion.

 

[Dutch]

Paid off. I couldn't bring myself to head or spine shoot him. Double lung and 60 yard run View attachment 1205324View attachment 1205325

Congrats. Thats a fine buck.

Surprised it died without being shot in da head, though.

 

[kmckinnie]

I remember a big 8 bow hunting. He stopped at 25 yds I put the pin right behind the shoulder. At the sound he moved back as it got ready to run. Hit the shoulder bone dead on. Stopped that arrow. It ran off and I knew what happened. Looked just in case. Seen him durning rifle. Didn’t shoot him. Figured he earned a pass from me. The arrow was gone. We never killed him. Maybe another club did.
You hunt long enough something is bound to happen.
Seen where a vine got hit and throw off a rifle bullet. Limbs. Trees that where not seen. When that happens just be glad it was a clean miss. Heard of deer that would of missed but it hit something and hit the deer and kill it. Been hunting going to stands with another hunter. They just a talking. I’ve said there’s a deer and watch them change in a instant. Adrenaline flowing they couldn’t hit a elephant with a Triple barrel shot gun.
Seen folks on dove fields shoot 2 or more boxes of shells and get a dove.
If I can’t kill a deer at 25 yds head shot. How am I going to hit a shoulder at 100 or more. Sone folks on here shoot 300 to 600 yds.
Now that’s a sniper.

 

[Sixes]

I should of remembered that these suburban bucks are very stupid and grabbed a handful of corn and just led him back to the truck before the shot.

That would of saved me a ton of work.