Good story Idaho--please let me know if I ever piss you off--(grin)
hb
ORIGINAL: RedAllison
I will admit that I haven't hunted behind a fence yet, but after hunting on The Encinitos for one season (some of its neighbors were) I can see where humongous tracks of land indeed NEED to be fenced for proper management.
Most guys I know that hunt on public land or small leases with to many hunters are happy when they just see an occasional buck. Furthermore the time between true trophy sightings are measured with a calendar instead of hours, days or months. Being BRUTALLY honest, there aren't alot of guys who stay in the sport for life under such circumstances. How much fun is it to sit on a stand for 20 years and see 1 buck per season or even get excited about simply seeing a deer ever now and then? New hunter recruitment and retainment under such situations is nil at best. And you certainly won't learn much about animals with such limited exposure. How can you predict seasonal patterns and shifts when you "might" see all of 20 deer per season (and then most of those are high-tailing it thru the woods on the escape) vs someone who has spent decades watching and studying THOUSANDS of animals in that same period of time?
I think that you're assumption about other hunters is definately off the mark. perhaps you were just talking about the one that you know..All the ones that I know are greatful for every moment that they get to spend in the outdoors. It's not really a sport to some of us--it's a way of life. We gauge ourselves by the time we've spent, the knowledge we've gained, and the experiences we've had and shared. No one knows the animals he/she hunts better than the ones that have pursued them tirelessly and have learned on their own thru trial and error with perhaps occasional help from those who are even more experienced. The help I'm describing does not come in the form of a telephone number and a price list. I have no animosity toward you--I disagree with you--perhaps you should try a do-it -yourself hunt with some friends to see if there is another level of excitement that you can achieve--I'm sure that ther would be many people on here that would help you with the research and decisions that you would have to make. Your reward would consist of a lot more than just a head on the wall.
hb
ps. Jealousy is not an option when you live in the best outdoor show you have ever seen.