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ORIGINAL: SteveBNy
Every year in NY there area good number of outstanding bucks taken - check the NY outdoors mag - every issuehas pics of great deer taken - factor in that only a small % of hunters get the mag the pics probably represent a small % of the nicer kills. All this WITHOUT AR/TM being mandatory.
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Every tournament, playoff, game, or championship I have been involved with I have wanted to take home a trophy. [/blockquote]
For many/most, hunting is not a contest, tournament, playoff, game or championship where theysuccess ismeasured against other hunters. And I will never understand the need for, or the satisfaction recieved from comparing my kill to something on tv.
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If the state is going to enact laws that help me do that I am all for it.[/blockquote]
Wouldn't there be a greater sense of accomplishment to do it threw your own efforts entirely? You want a ride to the finish line?
I like the system in NY. If you want to hunt big antlers, they are they and more special because their numbers are not artificially inflated by mandatory TM practises. But if you are happy just hunting, seeing and maybe shooting a deer, you can. For the most part, our herd is "healthy" enough to support both hunting styles.
Steve
SteveB, sorry I haven't answered your questions sooner, I was out staring at a field of big bucks.
Anyway, my example of sports and work was more an illustration of my personal sense of always wanting to improve on past accomplishments, not necessarily competing against others. I feel that I don't hold a candle to some of the guys on here and wouldn't want to compete against them even if we were to exchange hunting grounds. Competition with others in hunting is not something I'm interested in, it is more personal for me. I also don't compare what I shoot to what I see on TV. If I did I'd have a serious kick to the ego.
As to your second question, you must not have hunted in PA. Just because there are more big bucks in this state does not mean they are any easier to kill. There are still 1 million hunters here putting pressure on the deer, and now that they get to live beyond 1.5 years they are cagey and learn to evade hunters. There is no free ride. It's just nice to know that instead of there being one 3.5 year old within 10 miles of where I hunt that there could be 10. They are still 3.5+ year old deer and have all of the craftiness of a deer that age.
No less of a challenge, just more opportunity to meet that challenge.