A couple of recent threads have started me thinking about the apparent changes inhunting philosophies over the last 60 years of my hunting experiences. A recent thread which virtually warned a newbie to stay out of bedding areas or the deer would leave, never to return, (my own literary license). Another which advises, in context, find a trail set up a tree stand and wait for them to come. Everyone seems to be in the trees in ambush mode these days, the extreme being rattling dem horns and shooting over feeders.

Some background, I'm 71 years young. I started with a 25# longbow on Christmas day of 1946 at the age of 11. I learned to hunt by tracking and stalking rabbits in the snow to an optimumdistance of 3 to 6 paces, (11 year old's) and shot only if I got that close without jumping them. They were needed to supplement the family larder so it was more than just a game to me. I killed a lot of rabbits in the next few years but what was most valuable to me wasthat I was devloping the skill to read sign, stalk, shoot, in other words, hunt.Those early years are what allowed me to track and stalk 5 whitetail bucksto their beds, three of which I took, one I nicked a branch that I had overlooked causing a clean miss and the other Iwatched for an hour because it was too thick to get an arrow through, all the while hoping he would get up and come out in my direction. He didn't...All 5 bucks were within 15paces and 1 was 8 1/2 paces. (adults) There were also many others that were taken while in their normal routine of nibbling and walking around at midday.

The point of the above is,those bucks were killed in their bedding areas. I regularly still hunted in those bedding areas. What was uncommon was that itwould take me2 to 2 1/2 hours to work through a 60 to 70 acre woodlot, depending on conditions, while others would take 15 to 20 minutes.

There's no question that it's easier and less complicated to throw a stand up in a tree and sit in wait but there is nothing to compare with going one on one on the ground. Those 5 deer gave me the greatest hunting thrills of my life. I recommend it to all of you.

By the way, I have killed deer out of trees, with and without stands so I'm not a fanatic but I'd trade 10 shots out of the trees for one that I've stalked.

Last point, I raised three bowhunters now in their 40's and I've got a new one, (bowhunter son)just turned 16. Although I much prefer longbows and recurves, we're both shooting Legacies with releases. The arthritis, hands and shoulders is a killer. Oh well, it's a lot better than the alternatives.