The Joy Of Still Hunting
03-22-2011, 04:36 AM
#11
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 79
Muley Hunter
That is a great write-up! Sounds like the way I used to hunt in my younger days. It is a very productive method but I believe that the hunters of today would rather sit in a tree or a blind and wait. Old ways are not the modern thing to do anymore. Brought back a lot of memories just reading your post. Thanks a bunch! Rogo
That is a great write-up! Sounds like the way I used to hunt in my younger days. It is a very productive method but I believe that the hunters of today would rather sit in a tree or a blind and wait. Old ways are not the modern thing to do anymore. Brought back a lot of memories just reading your post. Thanks a bunch! Rogo
03-22-2011, 05:22 AM
#12
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Comance county, OK
Posts: 11,408
i love to still hunt. However, this part of OK has not had a good rain in six months. Walking in the woods sounds like a 250 pound bar queen in high heels walking across the dance floor on six inches of peanut hulls.
03-22-2011, 05:43 AM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
It all depends on the weather and how bad i hurt the day i hunt deer. I stalked or still hunted exclusively for years. When i want meat on the table though and the weather sucks, im in my fancy tree "house" with a heater, cooler and a "sofa". 
Some days i just sit up there and enjoy a few hours of watching the wildlife and learn their pathing habits.
Some days i just sit up there and enjoy a few hours of watching the wildlife and learn their pathing habits.
03-22-2011, 06:16 AM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
Well, I wouldn't live at 8000 ft in the Rockies if I was worried about weather. If it's not cold and snowing. It's not a good day to hunt.
For me. Anything over 50 degrees is a heat wave.
However, if I had to sit in one spot. I might like it warmer too.
I'm just saying.
For me. Anything over 50 degrees is a heat wave.
However, if I had to sit in one spot. I might like it warmer too.
I'm just saying.
03-22-2011, 07:09 AM
#15
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
The reason some people blind hunt is a matter of hunting populations and land ownership issues. In Wisconsin for instance, the area you hunt might have numerous people in that small area. You want to make people upset, go tracking through an area they are sitting or hunting. I've seen hunters almost come to blows.
The other issue is land ownership. In Wisconsin there are severe trespassing laws. Although I admit they are not enforced the way they should, but with the GPS and the camera now, land owners are taking the issue of trespassing in their own hands. They mark you and photograph you and then then press charges.
For instance, a farmer owns 120 acres of fields which draw deer. He then posts his property and allows no one without permission to enter his land. He has people sitting the edges of the field watching for moving herds. If you stalk, you are doing them a big favor by pushing deer. Your better off to sit up trail of them on your property, and wait for deer to move from bedding areas to feeding areas. You ambush hunt, but it works. Also in some areas of the State baiting is allowed. Again, you wait for the deer to come and feed.
Where I live in the state, I am surrounded by National Forest. So it is common for me to find a good fresh track in the snow and start to walk it out. I've moved miles on a trail. And that is a lot of fun. But you have to remember, the further you track into the National, the further out you have to move that animal after the harvest.
The other issue is land ownership. In Wisconsin there are severe trespassing laws. Although I admit they are not enforced the way they should, but with the GPS and the camera now, land owners are taking the issue of trespassing in their own hands. They mark you and photograph you and then then press charges.
For instance, a farmer owns 120 acres of fields which draw deer. He then posts his property and allows no one without permission to enter his land. He has people sitting the edges of the field watching for moving herds. If you stalk, you are doing them a big favor by pushing deer. Your better off to sit up trail of them on your property, and wait for deer to move from bedding areas to feeding areas. You ambush hunt, but it works. Also in some areas of the State baiting is allowed. Again, you wait for the deer to come and feed.
Where I live in the state, I am surrounded by National Forest. So it is common for me to find a good fresh track in the snow and start to walk it out. I've moved miles on a trail. And that is a lot of fun. But you have to remember, the further you track into the National, the further out you have to move that animal after the harvest.
03-22-2011, 07:29 AM
#16
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
We have the same problem here. Lots of private land in between the public land. In Colorado they don't need to mark it either. It's up to the hunter/fisherman to know where the private land is.
The game knows where they're safe too, and will go on the private land to get away from the hunters.
It's not as easy to get elk here as out of state hunters think. Only 20% get elk here, and you only have a week to do it.
I hunted Mass for many years with all the problems you mention. I never hunted in a tree or blind with or without bait. If I lived in an area that I could only do that. I'd move.
Well, I did move. To Colorado. I came here to hunt and fish. Too bad it's so hard to get an elk tag here. I should be able to hunt my own state, but that's not the case.
The game knows where they're safe too, and will go on the private land to get away from the hunters.
It's not as easy to get elk here as out of state hunters think. Only 20% get elk here, and you only have a week to do it.
I hunted Mass for many years with all the problems you mention. I never hunted in a tree or blind with or without bait. If I lived in an area that I could only do that. I'd move.
Well, I did move. To Colorado. I came here to hunt and fish. Too bad it's so hard to get an elk tag here. I should be able to hunt my own state, but that's not the case.
03-22-2011, 10:32 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Yucca Valley,Ca
Posts: 2,496
We have the same problem here. Lots of private land in between the public land. In Colorado they don't need to mark it either. It's up to the hunter/fisherman to know where the private land is.
The game knows where they're safe too, and will go on the private land to get away from the hunters.
It's not as easy to get elk here as out of state hunters think. Only 20% get elk here, and you only have a week to do it.
I hunted Mass for many years with all the problems you mention. I never hunted in a tree or blind with or without bait. If I lived in an area that I could only do that. I'd move.
Well, I did move. To Colorado. I came here to hunt and fish. Too bad it's so hard to get an elk tag here. I should be able to hunt my own state, but that's not the case.
The game knows where they're safe too, and will go on the private land to get away from the hunters.
It's not as easy to get elk here as out of state hunters think. Only 20% get elk here, and you only have a week to do it.
I hunted Mass for many years with all the problems you mention. I never hunted in a tree or blind with or without bait. If I lived in an area that I could only do that. I'd move.
Well, I did move. To Colorado. I came here to hunt and fish. Too bad it's so hard to get an elk tag here. I should be able to hunt my own state, but that's not the case.
03-22-2011, 11:07 AM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Burlington,Vt
Posts: 173
I have applied for elk tags in colorado twice and got tags both times. Unfortunately both years I was unable to go on the hunt so I had to return the tags. Colorado is great for giving your money back if you don't go hunting as long as you return the tag before the season.
03-22-2011, 01:30 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
The season and where I want to hunt takes points. Ok, so I save points. The minute I get enough points and make it my 1st choice, my points are gone and I start over again.
Then next year i'm hunting an area and season I don't want to so I can get points again.
Try to get a muzzleloading bull elk tag in a good area. In my case it's not even a good area. I just want an area that's close to me.
I run into the same thing in fly fishing. We have the caddis hatch on the Arkansas River every year. Good luck getting near the river during the hatch. Everybody and their brother comes to fish it. I usually get pissed and go fish a creek in the mountains. Few do that. It's too much work.
I do the same with hunting. I go where nobody wants to go. Hopefully, the elk won't feel that way too.
Oh well. That's what I get for living in paradise.
Then next year i'm hunting an area and season I don't want to so I can get points again.
Try to get a muzzleloading bull elk tag in a good area. In my case it's not even a good area. I just want an area that's close to me.
I run into the same thing in fly fishing. We have the caddis hatch on the Arkansas River every year. Good luck getting near the river during the hatch. Everybody and their brother comes to fish it. I usually get pissed and go fish a creek in the mountains. Few do that. It's too much work.
I do the same with hunting. I go where nobody wants to go. Hopefully, the elk won't feel that way too.
Oh well. That's what I get for living in paradise.