alleyyooper

How do ya get around antler restrictions shooting at driven hell bent deer.


Al

Oldtimr

I wouldn't know because I don't shoot at hell bent driven deer.

Rob in VT

Guys, deer drives is just another tool in the tool kit. It has its place just like tree stand hunting and spot and stalk does. Enough with the childish comments already.

uncle matt

I'm going to put this out here for those interested to read. It's food for thought.

http://infonewsproworld.com/coroner-...-near-andrews/

Bocajnala

To answer the Antler restriction question.... We drive in antler restriction areas... We only shoot if it's clearly a legal buck. That means some small 6 and 7s go by... Sometimes a couple people pass them and someone down the line has a better look at it and gets it. But only shoot if it's clearly a legal buck. Typically that means 8 or better. We chase allot of small bucks around that just go trotting right by. I passed a small buck a couple years back that I thought was a 4 point. It ran down past my cousin and he shot and I thought "Great, we just shot an illegal buck." When I walked down there he had a nice little 5 point on the ground. It came past him, stopped and looked at him and he saw it had a brow tine, making it legal. Same as any other type of hunting. If you can't verify it's legal, we don't shoot.


In our area it's a 3 point area. 3 points on one side makes it legal. This is easier than a 4 point or "3 up" area in my opinion. All you have to look for is a legal brow tine with a forked main beam. That's not usually too hard to tell if it's legal or not. In a 4 point or "3 up" area, you actually have to count to verify.
-Jake

Uncle Nicky

Ethics is in the eye of the beholder. I always figured that if you don't think you're making a good shot, you probably aren't, so don't risk it.

Deer drives were a lot more popular years ago. They still do a lot of drives here in my part of PA where they have an extended doe season, by now the deer have been pretty pressured and don't move much unless it gets real cold and they are running out of food in the woods. Shotguns only in this part of the state. Never really cared for deer hunting this way, lots of walking and the deer never seem to use the same escape route twice.

I joined a club in Virginia this year, they drive deer using small hounds. Buckshot only rule in the county. I like this a lot more, the deer don't seem as spooked by the dogs, and you can hear the dogs yapping when they get on a deer. Haven't killed one yet this way, but looking forward to eventually knocking one down. Weather is usually warmer in Virginia then in PA during deer season as well.

kellyguinn

Certain parts of the states it is the norm but since I mainly hunt public land with small parcels of land I can't stand it when people are doing the afternoon drives (walking up draws). Most of the time it ruins the stand hunting for the rest of us. If I grew up in an area where that was the only way I might think differently but shooting at a running big game animal just in my opinion is not showing that animal any respect. To each their own though

nchawkeye

These post sure get interesting,some fellows need to get out and hunt other states so they can see how diversified this sport can be...

I've seen fellows blow shots at standing deer with high powered, scoped rifles, doesn't always matter if a deer is standing or not...

You fellows would go crazy if you moved to a dog hunting area, where they used shotguns and buckshot, but a ton of deer are killed that way and those fellows sure consider themselves deer hunters...It's a tradition, they feel they have a God given right to hunt that way...Dang if I will tell them that it's unethical to hunt that way, well, not to their face... LOL

As far as antler restrictions, we don't have them in NC and we basically have unlimited doe limits as well...

Game Stalker

Friend of mine from Utah eventually married in VA. Hunted in his home state and continued out here, being a resident here. Couldn't stand hunting around dogs from the beginning but now gravitates toward them-using whatever clubs dogs that happen to show up. What a pity! Anything(legal) to get a deer on the table.

rockport

It is interesting how some animals somehow "deserve more respect" than others.