Landon...I wasn't a deer hunter, growing up. I began hunting small game when I was around 9-10.....and I've always hunted "something".

I grew up in VERY rural NC. I can count on one hand the number of deer I saw in our rural NC farm from the time I was born until I went away to college (actually 3 fingers.....and two of those deer were spotted in a field on a beach trip, once). That's the truth.

I saw my first wild turkey on a return trip to college in 1987. I was riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.....and didn't know what it was.

I think we (deer hunters) would be remiss if we didn't take into account the sheer explosive rise in deer populations.....as we (as a whole)answer this question. The population of whitetail deer in my state has risen over 450% since 1977.

I think this is the "golden age" of deer hunting in our state (OUR state)....and it could be even better. That's gonna bring a LOT of people out of the woodworks (guilty here, likely).