ORIGINAL: Steve863
Steve, The Feeders have to be out of the woods one month before opening day. We can't hunt over bait here in MA and I don't intend to. I use the feeder to help bring the deer in until the plot takes off- which it is just about to do. I think you jumped the gun just a *tad* assuming I was hunting over a feeder. But that's OK- I don't know you, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Where it's legal to hunt over feeders, I have no problem with people who do it. However for me, that's something I simply can't do here in MA. Have a lovely hunting season, Rob
I wasn't implying that you did hunt over a feeder because there was no way for me to know for sure, but in many peoples minds hunting the "hard way" means getting out into the boonies to hunt and find deer without putting food out specifically for them. Your states rules dictate that feeders must be removed before hunting season which is fine, but nonetheless efforts were made beforehand to try to get them into the area by putting food out for them. Now I am not condemning you or anyone for hunting this particular way, we all use some sort of advantage to get our deer. I just think that the guy who hunts with only his eyes, ears, feet and any hunting skill and patience he might have without the use of food as an attractant is the one who should be considered hunting the "hard way" or at least the "harder way".
So that means this guy-
"who hunts with only his eyes, ears, feet and any hunting skill and patience he might have", he doesn't use a grunt call or doe bleat, he doesn't rattle with antlers or a bag, he doesn't use any type of scent attractant......this guy- is hunting the
harder way? Because when youget right down to it-
any of the aforementioned items are nothing more than
lures.
Food is a lure. Horns, Grunts & Bleats are
audible lures. Scent attractants are
olfactory lures. There's no debating this. These items are all used with the intention to
trick the deer into thinking that
something is there that really isn't there. Atleast the food is
really there. That's whyit can't be down on the ground come opening day here in MA.
Furthermore, this guy- who's doing it the
"harder" way, must also not be using camo clothing or cover scents. Because doing so, would
not be hunting
"with only his eyes, ears, feet and any hunting skill and patience he might have". As you havesubmitted above.
Let's take a poll. I'd like to know how many bowhunters out there do it the
"harder" way like Steve is suggesting. I'd like to know who out there bowhunts deer and
doesn't use ANY of the following:
- horns orrattle bags
- grunt call
- doe bleat
- scent attractant
- food attractants
- cover scent
- camo clothing
Let's hear it.
Rob