ORIGINAL: GregH
1) I'm not ignoring that fact. I have hunted many areas for years, where I see from 0 to 3 mature bucks per year. I've been sucessful in these places as well.
2) I don't assume anything. The fact is that anyone can find a better area than what they presently have, if they are willing to work for it.
3) Sorry, but it is still everyones choice for the type of hunting experience they get. Everyones family should come first. And as you said, "you don't love it that much" ( your choice.) Everyone can do something to improve their experience.
1) I'm not saying you haven't hunted more than one place or been successful at other places I'm just saying there are some flaws in your arguements as they have been stated. The premise of the arguement keeps getting moved by both sides. You can't compare things that aren't similar as if they were the same. I think Germ's invite to exchange hunts is the closest thing to that. Do I think you or Germ could find and kill a mature buck on Atlasman's property? Probably, but it make take you more time than you think it's worth. I think Atlas' major criticism, and mine at least on this thread,is not your skill but your attitude. It does come across as condecending. This may be because you have zero tolerance for Atlas or this topic but it does come across that way.
2) Yes anyone can find a better area but not all to the same degree. The best area in NJ will never equal the best area in Indiana. Which is fine and dandy. Luck of birth or willingness to move roots and all that. A hunter has to admit a degree of his success (in size of bucks at least, if not total numbers) has something to do with his location. As you have stated if you want to kill a big buck you have to be where there are big bucks.
3) Sometimes it's a choice of "The Lady or the Tiger". But yes, everyone can do SOMETHING to improve their experience but not all to equal levels.
A lot of people are saying that they wish they had my kind of leisure time, that was easy for me too. All I had to do was put in 30 years at a wonderful company. Simple.
That's great for you. I don't begrudge you that, as I said. When I get to 30 years where I work I also will have 5 weeks vacation time. Most people will not have that opportunity.
What I'm really hearing is that my success has nothing to do with my ability, I just have great spots and I'm lucky. Well, you're right, for every 100+ hours that I put into finding spots, scouting and hunting, I get even luckier. I'd rather be lucky than good anyway.
That's not what I'm saying. What I'M hearing is that someone having 30+ days to hunt and prime area has little to do with their level of success. It's universal, Realtree couldn't have a two DVD set of huge deer on film if they weren't spending thousands of hours in prime hunting real estate, no matter how incredible a hunter they are. This is not envy of the haves and have-nots it's just annoying when people don't acknowledge that aspect of things. There's a lot of young kids on this sight that don't realize how fortunate they are to hunt an area where they can regularly pass up 125" class bucks without thinking twice about it and then sit on a high horse when someone posts a pic of a 80" class buck and tell them they should let them go and grow. Not that I'm saying you're one of them but you sure come across like that on this thread.
Just FYI, I have no dog in this fight. I don't hunt in the cornbelt but I've got access to lots of private ground that has good bucks. I continue to seek new areas to hunt, because I like hunting new areas. I'm not a book chaser but I let bucks under 100" walk because I just find I feel regret over killing them now because I have so many opportunities to do so. I don't worry if my neighbor kills them. If that makes him happy good for him. I just let one pass last weekend and my buddy shot it because it was the first deer he's ever shot on his granddad's farm and I was glad for him. So I see both sides of the issue here. I'm mainly concerned with how each side is being presented and the attitude the arguements are conveyed rather than one side winning or the other.