ORIGINAL: fellas2

MGH PA , your original post says a lot about what the essence of hunting is all about and why so many people have enjoyed it for so long.It is a shame that you are not old enough to experience what "deer camp" was like in the big woods years ago like I am because it was something you looked forward to it from the day after the season closed the previous year.That being said,I have seen all of the change that has occured since then and the majority has not been good.For you younger guys,it is possible for you enjoy and be overwhelmed by the sucess of today not knowing what you have missed by 2 or 3 decades.I like to use the analogy of some one who has only eaten hot dogs ,even though they're great they don't really know what they're missing until they eat a piece of good prime rib.If you don't have a good camparison,it's hard to judge what you have.Guys that come on this forum and paint some rosey picture of the PGC,it's policies,and the state of hunting today are only playing the part of the ostrich and will never admit to the decline of was once a proud tradition for many generations in this state.Those who come on here and brag about not "needing" to kill a deer to enjoy hunting are often the same guys who promote AR in the hopes of hanging a bigger set of horns on the wall.If walking in the woods was that enjoyable,they wouldn't buy a license,wouldn't carry a gun,and would stay out of the woods during the season and do their walking other times of the year.After all,it's called hunting for a reason and even though a good day afield doesn't always mean coming home with game,it sure makes the experience a whole lot more enjoyable.It's hard to get excited today about the state of affairs when you look at the license increases,bag limit changes,lack of public land available,overwheliming amount of posted property,lack of game,rules and regulations that change from year to year,and the general attitude of some of our PGS's finest.Couple that with the state of the economy,lack of courtesy and consideration of a few,greed of others and a general feeling apathy and negativity it's not hard want to lash out when things aren't going well.I still love hunting,it's still my favorite pastime,but like many others I miss the days when you could sit on your back porch and hear bobwhite quail calling to each other.I miss the days when a trip afield with a good dog would produce dozens of "wild " pheasants,hours of listening to the howl of a beagle hot on the trail of a rabbit and never running into another hunter or a disgruntled landowner or posted property signs.There are less licensed hunters today than back then so please don't tell me it's not possible again.Somewhere along the line many hunters,landowners,and PGC have lost their focus on the real issues and have let the voices of groups like Peta,Audobon Society,and other tree hugging consevationist groups dictate policy and proceedures.Maybe,just maybe it's time to take hard look at how things were and try to return to times back then when life was cheaper, simpler,and more enjoyable.